Originally, I was going to go with "Merry Christmas from the Family", but everyone and his brother seems to be doing that, so I'll take a different tack.
This is Steve Earle's "Christmastime in Washington," an amusing song off a great album (El Corazón):
Of course, Steve Earle is a barking moonbat,but the man makes great music, and to be perfectly fair to him he is consistent in his political views. He's very radical, much farther left than even the Democrats, which is why both parties get slapped at in this circa 1996 song (the album itself came out a little later, but it's obvious to what he's referring in the song itself). Bonuses from this particular version of the song include Emmylou Harris singing harmony and Nanci Griffith looking absolutely bored.
For a more traditional take from the same guy, here's "Nothing But a Child":
One more, this time actually not Steve Earle: John Berry's version of "O Holy Night." So far as I'm concerned, his is the best. The first time I heard this I sat down and simply stared at the TV (it was on CMT); it almost literally brought me to tears. This hymn remains is one of my favorites, and it is hellaciously difficult to do well--most of the commercial music covers of it frankly suck, but Berry--whose voice was far, far too good for the music he put out--has the range to nail it.
3 comments:
"O Holy Night" is hard to do because it's simple and straight forward. The best renditions are simple and straight forward, letting the song (as opposed to the singer) shine. there aren't a lot of singers who can pull it off. Nat King Cole was one of the few.
Berry gets out of the way, which makes this one of the better versions. You need actual talent to let your ego drop back.
Merry Christmas to you and your expanded family, Sabra. And best wishes for a very Happy New Year.
I gotta agree with Borepatch. This song is best done without extra embellishment, and by someone with the actual range to hit all the notes. The version you posted is very good.
Wow, I had never heard that version of Oh Holy Night before, it's beautiful.
I agree with Borepatch that the singer should just sing songs like this as they're written.
You know what really gets on my nerves? Whitney Houston's version of "I will always love you". She slaughters that song with her embellishments.
Also, I can't stand it when someone does that to our National Anthem. Makes me unbelievably angry.
Merry Christmas to you (we are practically neighbors, am just east of you on I10 over in Houston) good to see a fellow Texas blogger!
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