That darn Itunes store. It’ll be the ruination of me. I freely admit it.
I’ve been in the most blissful Ennio Morricone / Itzhak Perlman stupor all week. I bought (for one dollar!) Itzhak Perlman’s recording of excerpts from Cinema Paradiso last week and I can’t stop listening to it. I know the movie had me in tears over a decade ago, and the song, apart from the movie is even more poignant & soaring & heartwrenching & so beautiful that if they played it at my funeral, I’d rise from the dead just to hear it one last time. It is the song of my life; maybe of all of life.
However, as much as I’d like to sit around all day and night contemplating beauty and thrilling to the intersection of the eternal with the temporal, I’ve got to get my butt into the Christmas swing of things. To that end, I spent all evening buying Christmas songs from Itunes. (I must be their target demographic.) I then intend to burn my own holiday CDs. This is much preferable than having to buy an entirely otherwise crappy CD for the one or two songs that you want. ESPECIALLY, if one of the songs you don’t want is that annoying “Little Drummer Boy.” May I never, never have to hear that song again!
I’ve decided to mix:
1. Nostalgic Christmas (though this will probably have to be subdivided into “mellow" and “upbeat” cd’s. I’m not a big one for mixing moods.)
The Secret of Christmas Johnny Mathis
I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day Harry Belafonte
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town (Single) Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters
Here Comes Santa Claus (Single Version) The Andrews Sisters & Bing Crosby
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Frank Sinatra
The Christmas Song Mel Tormé
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Judy Garland
White Christmas Bing Crosby
I'll Be Home For Christmas Bing Crosby
Christmas In Killarney Bing Crosby
Baby, It's Cold Outside Buddy Clark & Dinah Shore
2. Instrumental Christmas
The Christmas Song Vince Guaraldi Trio--Charlie Brown Xmas
I Saw Three Ships David Arkenstone
The Holly and the Ivy Nightnoise
Coventry Carol David Arkenstone
Trumpet Tune Various Artists & Alex de Grassi
Sheep May Safely Graze Various Artists & Modern Mandolin Quartet
Overture David Arkenstone
Have Yourself a Merry Little Chris Kenny G
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen Harry Allen--Christmas in Swingtime
Pure Imagination Mark Turner--Warner Bros. Jazz Christmas
Sleepers Awake Andy Narell
Veni Emmanuel Turtle Island String Quartet
Trepak Modern Mandolin Quartet
3. Jazzy Christmas
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Ella Fitzgerald
I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm Johnny Mathis
I'll Be Home For (Live) Tony Bennett
The Christmas Waltz Harry Connick, Jr.
This Christmas Harry Connick, Jr.
Sleigh Ride Harry Connick, Jr.
My Favorite Things Diana Ross & The Supremes
Cool Yule Louis Armstrong & The
Celebrate Me Home Al Jarreau
I’ve discovered some real pleasures. . .Ella Fitzgerald’s sassy “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”—is so much fun. As is Al Jarreau’s rendition of “Celebrate Me Home”, somehow a lot more Christmas-like than Kenny Loggins. Also a jazzy version of “Pure Imagination” which I’ve only ever heard in Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, but it makes so much sense for Christmas.
I’m also working on a Kid’s Christmas and then on a Classical / Relgious Christmas one. Don’t think I’m a bad heathen mother.
All this fiddling about with music is better than fiddling around with cookie dough, at least from a health standpoint. I’m putting the baking off until the last possible moment.
12:18:55 AM 
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