Alby – Page 159 – Delaware Liberal

Song of the Day 12/26: The Pretenders, “2000 Miles”

By Alby December 26, 20205 Comments

No, I am not extending the Christmas music season with this tune because, contrary to popular belief and usage, it isn't a Christmas song, or wasn't intended as one. Pretenders…

Song of the Day 12/25: Philadelphia Orchestra, “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”

By Alby December 25, 20202 Comments

"The Glorious Sound of Christmas," recorded in 1962 by the Philadelphia Orchestra under Eugene Normandy, remains the best-selling classical holiday album ever -- it sold 1 million copies before Christmas…

DL Open Thread Friday, December 25, 2020

By Alby December 25, 2020

A large explosion in downtown Nashville this morning was apparently was deliberately set, according to authorities. No major injuries reported. The Croda chemical plant near the Delaware Memorial Bridge was…

Song of the Day 12/24: Darlene Love, “Christmastime for the Jews”

By Alby December 24, 20201 Comment

Speaking of Jewish songwriters composing so many great Christmas songs, there's one Christmas song that's not only written by a Jew, Robert Smigel, the comic genius behind SNL's "TV Funhouse"…

Song of the Day 12/23: Paul Simon, “Getting Ready for Christmas Day”

By Alby December 23, 2020

Everyone knows why there have never been any good Hanukkah songs -- the Jewish songwriters were too busy writing Christmas music. From Mendelssohn to Johnny Marks, Jewish composers and lyricists…

Song of the Day 12/22: George Winston, “The Holly and the Ivy”

By Alby December 22, 20202 Comments

The words to this old English carol date to at least the early 19th century, possibly the early 18th, and the concept it's based on, using holly as a symbol…

Song of the Day 12/21: Hall & Oates, “Jingle Bell Rock”

By Alby December 21, 20201 Comment

The first rock and roll Christmas song was not classified as a rock and roll song when it was released. Bobby Helms was a country singer who had a pair…

Song of the Day 12/20: David Qualey, “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring”

By Alby December 20, 2020

New Age guitarist David Qualey recorded a few LPs for Windham Hill, and his arrangement of this famous Bach piece was one of the label's standout tracks. It featured not…

Song of the Day 12/19: Debbie and the Darnels, “Santa, Teach Me to Dance”

By Alby December 19, 20202 Comments

Every year musical artists record new Christmas songs to release into the world, hoping they've found the next chestnut that will make them as famous as Mariah Carey. It almost…

Song of the Day 12/18: Alex Boyé, “Little Drummer Boy”

By Alby December 18, 20208 Comments

Originally titled "Carol of the Drum," this Christmas standard was written in 1941 by an American composer, Katherine Kennicott Davis, who mostly wrote music for the choir at Wellesley College,…

Song of the Day 12/17: Keb’ Mo’, “Jingle Bell Jamboree”

By Alby December 17, 2020

I'm not sure when Keb' Mo' wrote or recorded this tune. It shows up on compilation albums as far back as 1999, and he released it himself on a 2011…

Song of the Day 12/16: Louis Armstrong, “Zat You, Santa Claus?”

By Alby December 16, 20202 Comments

The music makes it sound more like a Halloween song than a Christmas tune, but it's a valid question -- who's that at the door so late? It's a reminder…

Song of the Day 12/15: Diana Krall, “Christmas Time Is Here”

By Alby December 15, 202016 Comments

Yesterday I said "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" was the saddest Christmas song, and Nathan Arizona nominated this one as a challenger. He's almost right -- almost. This is…