All There on the Nut Tin

Or, "adorable is as adorable does."

BTW, the track "Pat-A-Pan" doesn't appear on this 1994 cassette, and we should probably thank the Bob Sled Gang gods for that.

01. Nuttin' for Christmas (2:21)

02. The Twelve Days of Christmas (3:41)

03. Here We Come A-wassailing (2:04)

04. Hey-Hey-Ho (2:12)

05. Joy to the World (1:58)

06. Jolly Old Saint Nicholas (2:04)

07. Christmas Greeting (2:12)

08. Up on the Housetop (2:08)

09. O Christmas Tree (1:59)

10. Little Children Can You Tell (2:08)

I'd call this concoction cynical and saccharine.  Maybe your cockles will be warmed.

Nuttin' for Christmas

...And you guy's ain't gettin' no more Christmas music until NEXT December!  Hope your experience of Somebody's Birthday was unprocessed and genuine.  See you Monday!

  

Gallopin' Galway!

This 1986 cassette is much better than I expected.  Less cheesy, i mean.  

The performances come across as straightforward and not maudlin.  

To me, "maudlin" is the ultimate insult to Christmas message.  Emotional manipulation makes money, but it stinks.  (Apply to your favorite TV channel if you wish.) 

01 - Silent Night
02 - Shepherd's Pipe Carol
03 - Air from Suite No. 3 In D
04 - Fantasia on 'I Saw Three Ships'
05 - Greensleeves
06 - Zither Carol
07 - The Holy Boy
08 - Patapan
09 - Past Three O'clock
10 - Sinfonia from the Christmas Oratorio
12 - Chorale from the Christmas Oratorio
13 - I Wonder As I Wander
14 - Sheep May Safely Graze
15 - Jesus Christ the Apple Tree
16 - We Wish You a Merry Christmas

I also applaud Galway and the producers for letting other performers take the lead in some selections!

Galway's Christmas Carol

Merry After Christmas!  See you Thursday for the final album in this year's Spocky Christmas!

  

I'm Swede on Christmas

Maybe you'll be too.  

01. Sankta Lucia (2:52)

02. God morgon, mitt herrskap (0:46)

03. Staffan Stalledräng (2:18)

04. Stilla natt, heliga natt (3:37)

05. Nu tändas tusen juleljus (1:28)

06. Tomtarnas julnatt (1:44)

07. Bethlehems stjärna (2:33)

08. Hosianna (1:39)

09. Sankta Lucia (2:04)

10. Nu är det jul igen (1:36)

11. Det kimer nu til julefest (2:20)

12. När juldagsmorgon glimmar (1:30)

13. Tjuv och tjuv det ska du heta (1:31)

14. Vi äro musikanter (1:37)

15. Så går vi runt om ett tnebärssnår (2:54)

16. Hej, tomtegubbar (1:04)

17. Julpolska-Nu har vi ljus (1:24)

18. Räven raskar över isen (2:15)

19. Små grodorna (1:21)

20. Karusellen (1:38)

It's a 1986 cassette.  Let me know if you understand what they're singing!

A Swedish Christmas 

See you the day after Christmas!

  

Harping on Christmas

It's a 1994 cassette. Charming and enchanting, you might call it muted in places.

01. Angels and Shepherds (Nesem vam Noviny) (2:22)

02. Silent Night (2:54)

03. Ave Maria (Schubert) (4:24)

04. All Hayle to the Dayes / Sussex Carol (3:54)

05. Variations on O Tannenbaum (4:48)

06. Allegro Moderato (Handel) (2:21)

07. Once in Royal David's City (3:18)

08. Les Enfants a la Crecho (2:23)

09. Lo, How a Rose e'er Blooming (Es ist ein' Ros') (1:57)

10. The First Nowell (2:45)

11. Blessed Be That Maid Marie - Maria Walks Amid the Thorns (3:53)

12. The Little Drummer Boy (3:21)

13. Hark, the Herald Angels Sing (2:18)

14. Coventry Carol (2:43)

15. Gesu Bambino (4:07)

16. Brightest and Best (5:33)

I like the idea that not all the selections are familiar fare.

Are you willing to string along?

Christmas Favorites for Harp

See you on Thursday.

  

Don't Deserve a HALO

That is, the company releasing this treacle is "HALO."

It's a 1976 cassette.  Everyone involved in this should be ashamed for drowning the excitement of Christmas in an overdone, pseudo-reverential pall.  Yuck.

01 - The Joys of Christmas - Lush Strings

02 - O Little Town of Bethlehem - The Jordanaires

03 - Silent Night - Pianos

04 - What Child Is This  O Tannenbaum - Guitars

05 - The Little Drummer Boy - Bobby Russell solo

06 - Deck the Halls - Lush Strings

07 - O Holy Night - Handbell Choir

08 - We Three Kings - Pianos

09 - Joy to the World - Choir

10 - Jingle Bells - Choir

11 - We Wish You a Merry Christmas - Handbell Choir

HALO or horns?

Lemme know what you think!

  

Define "Best"

I can't find any providence concerning this effort.  And about the final fourth of the tunes aren't even piano, they're organ!

01. The Christmas Song (3:55)

02. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town (2:54)

03. White Christmas (3:20)

04. Star Carol (1:57)

05. Silver Bells (2:59)

06. Deck the Halls (2:04)

07. O Christmas Tree (2:25)

08. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (2:14)

09. I'll Be Home for Christmas (3:19)

10. What Child Is This? (2:51)

11. Good King Wenceslaus (2:25)

12. Hark the Herald Angels Sing (2:15)

13. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear (3:00)

14. Away in a Manger (2:57)

15. Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne and Thy Kingly Crown (3:09)

16. O Little Town of Bethlehem (2:54)

17. We Three Kings (3:36)

18. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day (2:03)

19. Joy to the World (3:06)

20. O Holy Night (2:57)

21. O Come All Ye Faithful (3:25)

22. Let It Snow (4:08)

23. Jingle Bells (2:26)

24. Silent Night (5:02)

Take an aural gander and tell me whatcha think.

Wally Brown - The Best Christmas Piano CD Ever!

See on Thursday, thirsty ones!

  

Made in Germany, Sold in America

It's a 1986 cassette.

01. The Holly and the Ivy (2:06)

02. We Three Kings (4:22)

03. Shiloh (3:00)

04. Baloo Lammy (2:29)

05. No Room at the Inn (2:58)

06. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day (3:01)

07. Adeste Fideles (2:09)

08. Christmas Eve (3:27)

09. God Bless the Master of This House (1:49)

10. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear (3:53)

11. The Boar's Head Carol (1:32)

12. The Cherry Tree Carol (3:00)

13. Masters in This Hall (2:11)

14. God Rest You Merry Gentlemen (2:17)

Christmas Eve

See you on Monday, festive-type people!

  

Have Yourself an Agey Little Christmas

This 2006 release is a little calming, a little cloying, a mix of synths and some guitars and such.

01. Jolly Old St. Nick (2:01)

02. Little Drummer Boy (2:00)

03. O Come All Ye Faithful (2:36)

04. I'll Be Home for Christmas (2:21)

05. Deck the Halls (1:22)

06. O Little Town of Bethlehem (2:42)

07. The Coventry Carol (2:12)

08. Away in a Manger (3:43)

09. Jingle Bells (1:51)

10. Frosty the Snowman (2:41)

11. We Wish You a Merry Christmas (2:29)

12. Blue Christmas (1:53)

13. Oh Holy Night (3:14)

14. Joy to the World (3:08)

15. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (1:50)

16. Silent Night (2:18)

KRB - A New Age Christmas

See you Thursday!

  

Welcome to Spocky Christmas 2022!

We'll start out the festive Yule with this super-well-played 1989 cassette.

01. The First Noel (2:31)

02. O Little Town of Bethlehem (2:26)

03. It Came Upon a Midnight Clear (1:51)

04. Sheep and Shepherd Medley (2:16)

05. Go, Tell It on the Mountain (3:22)

06. Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming (2:57)

07. God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen (1:47)

08. Away in a Manger Medley (2:22)

09. Angels We Have Heard on High (3:02)

10. Silent Night, Holy Night (3:05)

11. Now Is Born the Divine Christ Child (2:07)

12. We Three Kings (2:00)

13. There's a Song in the Air (2:13)

14. Good King Wenceslas (2:09)

15. Joy to the World (2:06)

16. Deck the Halls (1:22)

17. What Child Is This? (1:43)

18. O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (2:20)

19. Jingle Bells (2:06)

20. O Holy Night (2:46)

21. While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks (1:34)

22. We Wish You a Merry Christmas (1:02)

23. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (2:04)

24. O Christmas Tree (2:45)

25. O Come, All Ye Faithful (2:11)

25 Piano Christmas Carols

See you on Monday!  ADVISORY:  Not all of this year's offerings are as competent or inspiring as this one.  But I hope you can find something fun in every one!