Today, I wish to post about music, and to celebrate Memorial Day, all in one fell swoop. While it might be hard to do, I figured out a way. Released almost 60 years ago, 'White Christmas' was more than just a holiday movie. The musical starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen had music and lyrics by the great Irving Berlin also offered several salutes to the armed services, including one I simply love. Toward the end of the film, when the stars were performing in their play-within-the-movie motif, they sang the wonderful "Gee, I Wish I Was Back in the Army", both sweet and fun. This is the song from 'White Christmas'.
One of the first big production numbers in the movie features Crosby and Kaye joined by the rest of the army division singing a send off for their favorite general. The song is "The Old Man", once again written by Irving Berlin. As the General says his goodbyes, the soldiers all sing of their admiration of the man. This is "The Old Man" from 'White Christmas'.
Robert German Is another very special artist I just love, and can't get enough everything he does. In 2010, he wrote an original tune for Wanda Wisdom's 2010 Online Special, 'A Christmas Wanda'. There is something very special about Robert's Christmas song, filled with humor, charm, and a big dose of adult content. This is a song from the special, 'Xmas Bells/White Xmas', performed by Robert.
You can find 'A Christmas Wanda' on YouTube. For more about Robert German, check out his official website. You can also 'follow' him on Twitter, and 'like' him on Facebook. To find his first album, 'Sirens of Brooklyn', it is available on iTunes, Amazon, and CD Baby. I remain hopeful I might get some new music sometime soon!
Clockwise: Big Maybelle, Doris Day, Sarah Vaughan, and Bette Midler.
It is just over three days before we celebrate Christmas, so I thought I would invite some very special ladies to sing a few special songs to make the holiday that much better. And I will start with a legendary talent from the the middle of the last century. Day was a star of movies and music, she was the girl next door they all wanted to know. In 1964, she released 'The Doris Day Christmas Album', which included the song "Be A Child At Christmas Time", with music by Martin Broones and lyrics by William A. Luce. The song is just so sweet and charming, and delivered perfectly by Day. This is Doris Day singing "Be A Child At Christmas Time".
Big Maybelle has always been a favorite of mine, her voice just so amazing. She has made a lot of different music, and it all makes me happy. One of the recordings I love so very much is her rendition of the 1940 sing by Irving Berlin, "White Christmas". While it was first made famous by Bing Crosby, Big Maybelle gives it s different twist, a Jazzy and Bluesy sound. It really shows off the richness in her tone. I hope you love when Big Maybelle sings "White Christmas" as much as I do.
When I type in the name Bette Midler, I immediately feel better. I know if there is music involved, I will soon be a very happy man. And if it is a a song off her 2006 album, 'Cool Yule', I know it is going to be magic. She sings "Merry Christmas", a song written by Fred Spielman and Janice Torre for the 1949 movie 'In The Good Old Summertime', sung by Judy Garland. Bette imbues the song with all the warmth and and care you could ask for, and then some. This is Bette Midler singing "Merry Christmas".
And in our last song of the evening, I have picked the great Sarah Vaughan singing a wonderful wintery tune. The song is the title cut of her 1963 holiday album, and was written by Russell Faith and Clarence Kehne. "Snowbound" is a great song, and her delivery is just about perfection. There is a wistful and romantic feel to the song. This is Sarah Vaughan singing "Snowbound".
Tonight there is a special post for Dark Monday, the post I dedicate to the Broadway and movie musicals on a night when, in the days of yore, when Broadway took the night off. When they did this, it was the only day of the week the nights were turned off, hence the title 'Dark Monday'. Through the years there have been several Christmas-themed songs from the stage and screen, and I am going to offer up just a couple. I will begin with what might be the most obvious choice of the post. When 'Mame' opened on Broadway in 1966, it certainly had some great talents contributing. The musical was based on the book and Broadway play 'Auntie Mame', which eventually became a movie starring Broadway star Rosalind Russell. The lead character is a charismatic and combustible character,based on novelist's Patrick Dennis' real life aunt. The musical was brought to life with a stellar case, including Angela Lansbury. Here is Angela singing "We Need A Little Christmas" off the original cast album.
Back in 1978, a little-known show opened on Broadway, telling the story of the Chicken Ranch, a legal brothel in Texas. With music and lyrics by Carol Hall, 'Best Little Whorehouse In Texas' was nominated for six Tony Awards, winning for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical and Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical for Henderson Forsythe and Carlin Glynn, respectively. There is a moment in the show when the house madame sing a beautiful ballad, which went on to be one of the long-lasting impressions from the show. Enjoy this version of "Hard Candy Christmas" sung by the star of the movie version, Dolly Parton.
The next show features Music by Charles Strouse amd Lyrics by Martin Charnin. The musical 'Annie came to the Broadway stage in 1977, telling the story of a young orphan girl at the time of the Great Depression. While it gave us the ultimate Broadway song in "Tomorrow" and one of the most delicious character in Mrs. Hannigan. Here is "A New Deal From Christmas" being performed as part of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade this year.
While it took decades before the Broadway musical to be made inspired from the Paramount Pictures holiday classic, White Christmas. That 1954 film was, in fact, inspire by the 1942 Paramount musical, 'Holiday Inn'. Both films featured the music of the great Irving Berlin, and much of the scores were included in the 2004 Broadway version running for the holiday season. But in this clip, we see Bing Crosby sing the song, which I think appeared in the 1942 film. Nonetheless, enjoy "White Christmas"!
The Hit Crew made a name for themselves making sound-alike versions of hit songs in the 90s and 2000s. They also made some specialty albums, like the Christmas Disco Party album, with a relatively generic disco sound, taking some traditional Folk and Pop classics to a new genre, Disco. The first to sample is "We Wish You A Merry Christmas".
Who hasn't wanted to get their groove on to the Irving Berlin song, "White Christmas". Sure, it was made famous by Bing Crosby, and sung by countless others, but this is unlike any of the others.
It is interesting, but no one had heard of Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer until he appeared as a poem by Robert L. May in 1939. His brother-in-law, Johnny Marks, enjoyed it so much, he put it to music in 1949. It became a big hit for Gene Autry, and, several years later, by Burl Ives. In 1972, it became the center of a holiday special, using stop-action. And now, it can also be a disco song! Here is "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer".
Silver Bells is a song by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans and first performed by Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell in the motion picture "The Lemon Drop Kid", released in 1951. It was written as a slow ballad, and quickly became a standard during the holidays.
You can find these great disco Christmas favorites on iTunes, and on Amazon.
The amazingly talented Robert German made his seasonal tribute available to be heard on SoundCloud, and I simply couldn't resist posting it. He sings Xmas Bells/White Xmas, and it is distinctly NOT Irving Berlin's White Christmas.
For more about Robert German, check out his official website here. You can find his first album, Sirens of Brooklyn, on iTunes here, and on Amazon here. It is amazing, and I know I will be a fan for a long time to come. He has some new music coming out soon, and I know I can't wait to hear it!
The final stop on the Holiday Visit schedule is in California, although we won't be spending time on the beach, enjoying the sound of the surf and the warmth of the sun. You see, we are visiting with Jake Walden, who is spending 12+ hours a day in the studio working on his new album. I first met Jake when he was playing with Tom Goss. Twice, as a matter of fact. I saw him touring with Tom and Stewart Lewis as part of the Rock The Folk Out tour, which I caught in Philadelphia. I also saw him playing with Goss in Washington, DC, at the beautiful Artists Inn Residence.
Jake with Tom Goss in Washington, DC.
I quickly discovered Jake's music to be a combination of silky smooth thoughts on love and smoke-tinged pleas of hope, hurt, and life. Jake slides with ease up and down the range of his voice, bringing the emotional baggage of joy, love, fear and melancholy with each phrase. But speaking from the heart is exactly what Jake does best. Here is a video of Jake's single, For Someone.
Since Jake was busy with in the studio, I thought it best to get straight to the questions. What is Jake's favorite holiday music? "This is easy," he told me. "In my family the only album that plays during Christmas is The Carpenters album. Nothing compares to it. And for as long as I live it will make me think of my Mom. In fact, when I imagine what next week will be like at home, I hear the songs..." Well, as Jake will soon be making his way to his family, I might as well get him ready with a clip of The Carpenter's Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.
Does Jake have a Christmas song he likes to perform? "As far as songs to perform, I don't know yet. I dabbled in Christmas music recording and releasing I'll Be Home For Christmas this year and believe I will do a full album for next year (which we record in the summer...very bizarre). Anyhow, ask me next year. I can tell you it will be a longing melancholic ballad though!" Now, of course I will not be able to resist showing a clip of Jake's Christmas song recorded earlier this year.
When I asked about what are his hopes for the coming year, Jake answered, "If I say it out loud it won't come true!!!!" I would have to think the fates would have a hard time saying no to this handsome and charming man, But I'll let him have his way. To just add a bit more holiday flavor for Jake, I thought it would be nice to bring back Karen Carpenter, singing White Christmas.
Again, I need to find out what music might me on Jake's iPod. Only seems fair, since I admit his music is on mine. So what did he think was some of the great music from 2010? "Favorites are, among others," he said thoughtfully, "Audra Mae's The Happiest Lamb; a few choice Glee songs; Brandi Carlile Give Up The Ghost; Christopher Dallman Never Was, especially the songs Ghosts and Subterranean; and Garrison Starr Sit with me tonight (live). A lot of mainstream pop and even some country too, but these are singer/songwriters doing incredible work from inception to record."
Since being in the studio seems to put Jake into the contemplative mood, I asked about what his goals musically in 2011. "I am looking forward to traveling the country and world with a full band'" he replied. "I am looking forward to creating a highly dynamic show that still makes you cry but also makes you smile and soft rock out! Musically, I'm excited to put out on the stage what I spent 2010 learning to do. I have never been as excited as I am about a new year." Well, with the new album, and a support tour, there is certainly much to get excited about. I will be looking to seeing him when he makes his way East, and expect to do lots of cheering, and getting a big hug.
Before ending the interview, Jake was kind enough to offer a few kind words in my direction. "Thanks Howard for all you do," he said,"for all your support and words and most of all for being you." Well, that certainly made me feel warm all over. And he most definitely wanted to wish a big "Happy Holidays" to the readers of the blog. As this is the last installment of the series, I wouldn't mind taking the opportunity to say my own thank you to Jake and all the rest of the artists who make the music that keeps me blogging, and take the time to answer my questions, and deliver the music that entertains us all. And I will end with one more song from Jake, another of my favorites. It is We Are, with a little help from Stewart Lewis.
For more information about Jake Walden, be sure to check out his official website here. If you go there, you can find all kinds of fun stuff, including shots of Jake getting a tattoo!
With his striking good looks, a beautiful voice that can sound both strong and willful as well as haunted and hurt, out singer/songwriter Christopher Dallman became part of my music library on a lark, and for that I will be forever grateful. I was ordering a CD from CD Baby a few years ago, and decided I was getting boring, so I picked a couple of others I wasn't too familiar with, and hoped for the best. The fates were being very kind to me that day, as one of those CDs was called Race The Light, and from the first listen, it became a favorite. So I did some research on the web, and found out a little more about the artist, Christopher Dallman. I also wrote him a note on MySpace, thanking him for the music that I loved. He wrote a gracious reply, and I have been following him since.
After a bit of a respite, Dallman came back on the music scene with a bang, releasing Anthem, a marriage equality single, Sad Britney and Never Was in 2009, and Live in LA in 2010. He is also looking to release more music in the beginning of 2011. All of this makes fans like myself quite happy, cause you can never have enough Chris in your life. But, if it weren't for the great music from Race The Light, I am not sure I would have been following Christopher as closely, and know his music now. So I will be grateful for songs like Mistake.
I love that song, like so many others in Christopher's catalog, so of course I wanted to include him in the holiday series. And I was quite pleased he took the time out of his busy schedule to be a part of holidays on Soundtrack to my Day. So I started off my asking about his own favorite holiday music. "I like the classic holiday music like Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole," he replied. "It makes me feel like a kid at Christmas." Well, I can't argue with that one at all, and only hope to encourage it with a clip of the amazing Nat King Cole singing The Christmas Song.
So I wanted to nkow if Christopher had any favorite holiday song he liked to perform live? "I like doing Joni Mitchell's River," he answered, "and my own version of Silent Night. Sad versions, of course." Apparently, sad isn't a word he just associates with Britney. But I have to admit to being intrigued about hearing Dallman performing the Joni Mitchell song. Watch this, and tell me if you you aren't dying to hear Chris sing River, too.
So, Chris Dallman, what are your hopes for the New Year? "I hope my family and friends stay safe and healthy," he said warmly. "And I hope to drink a lot of really nice wine."
Well, while it might be slightly out of sequence, I thought I would slip in another holiday classic, with Bing Crosby singing White Christmas for Mr. Dallman.
Time for my preoccupation with the listening habits of people who are on my iPod. I wanted to know what was his favorite music from 2010. "My favorite music of 2010 is Lissie. She has been around for a while," he explained, "but she blew up this year. I love her album, I love her EP, I love her live show, and I love the song she did with George Stanford on his record Roll Away."
What is Chris looking forward to musically in 2011, since it is so close now? "I'm releasing a new music video for Gimme More from Sad Britney in January," he explained, "followed by a new record produced by George Stanford, and then a short (but hopefully not too short!) US tour. It's going to be a good year."
Now, the idea of Christopher appearing near me on tour soon is enough to make me a happy camper. Near giddy, as a matter of fact. While he may be planning on playing the new music, I also hope he makes time for favorites old and new. One of those is the last video he released for the song Ghosts from Never Was.
For more about Christopher Dallman's music, check out his official website here. You can check in there to find out the latest new on releases and upcoming tour dates. You can also buy some really great music.
The next stop on my holiday rounds will be in Washington, DC, and my friend, Tom Goss. He is one of the most positive, nice people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. He and husband Michael are adorable together. I first got to know Tom and his music when he opened for Eric Himan at the World Cafe Live in Philadelphia, and I was enjoying his set until he got to the song Rise, and it was over for me. I became a huge fan, and still love the song to this day. I mean, I LOVE the song. The lyrics are just so beautiful, so rich, and the music is perfect. Well, see for yourself.
I have all his music, from Naked Without to the Rise EP to Back To Love. There is also the Politics of Love, a few cover songs I got from the website. But best of all, I have seen him play in the Philadelphia and DC areas many times, and even made a show in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware! I knew he was in the studio, and wasn't sure he'd have the time to answer my questions, but he did. We had a great interview for the release of his Lover video (here), so I was hoping this would be fun. What I wasn't ready for were his answers!
Well, I asked my pleasant friend what his favorite holiday song was. His answer was rather short and sweet. "I don't like Christmas music!," he said. Hmmm. I'm doing a holiday post and that is his answer? So I asked if he had a favorite holiday classic to perform. "None!" was the answer. So, I asked him if he was Mr. Crankypants today, or maybe the Grinch. He responded with "The way I feel is that if Christmas songs were actually good we would listen to them all year round..." So, I told him I was quite fond of the song he just released, Christmas, Chicago Time. After all, I had purchased it, and listened to it several times since, still liking it! Turns out Tom had an answer for me. "Hahaha," he laughed, "yeah, I like that one too! But I like it more because it's less Christmas song and more pop song." I guess I'll have to give him a bit on that one. But I will have to remind him of something he did last year, a Pop tune going by the name White Christmas...
I decided to let it go - I know, asking follow-up questions and clarifications isn't exactly letting it go, but I am taking poetic license, alright? So I move on, ans ask him what he'd like to see in the New Year. "I'm looking forward to figuring out a way to relax and spend more time with my husband." I am happy, I have my sweet Tom back.
Since there is apparently no holiday music on it, what does Tom have on his iPod, what current music is he listening to now? "Gosh, I don't know," he replied. "I didn't buy much music this year but did listen to a lot of The Fray/Sonya Kitchell in the car so that narrows it down mostly." And since I figure now would be a good time to run another video, and apparently I still haven't let go at all, I thought I would add a holiday song from The Fray, Happy Christmas (War Is Over).
So I ask, is there something he is looking forward to musically in 2011? "I'm excited about the new album, touring and seeing you more!" and wouldn't you know it, he makes me smile. I, too, am excited about the new album, which he is recording as I type, and a show in Philadelphia in March, and a tour starting in April. When I asked how the recording was going, he laughed and said "well, sounds fun! We're rockin' out hardcore, some of these tracks are going to get people jiving and juking!" Can't ask for more than that, can you?
To listen to or purchase Tom's latest "Pop" tune, (yes, I'd call it a Christmas song) Christmas, Chicago Time, you can go here. You can find his other music on that page too. You can go to his official website here, and hear some of his fantastic music. You can also find him on FaceBook here, where he gives updates on the recording process. Can't help it, still love Tom and his music, but after this interview, I would say I have a bit more respect for Mike... (Just kidding, you know I love ya, Tom!)
The A Capella group Rockapella has put out a couple of holiday-inspired albums, bringing their combination of doo-whop and jazz to all to hear. They came together in 1986, although none of the original members are still part of the group. The Christmas music is pure joy.
For more information about Rockapella, check out their website here.
