Beech Tree News Network

“Christmastime is here.  Happiness and cheer.  Fun for all that children call their favorite time of year”.  That’s the opening stanza of the Lee Mendelson and Vince Guaraldi written song.  It was written for the 1965 television special A Charlie Brown Christmas.  It’s no wonder this special has been aired during every Christmas season since.  Some might look at it as a sad song because it’s a slow ballad.  I happen to like it. 
“Do They Know It’s Christmas”, the 1985 Band Aid track, is another similar one.  I really like the cover by Barenaked Ladies(the group, not actual naked ladies) for their superb Barenaked for the Holidays album released in 2004.  I was surprised to learn that album is eleven years old.  I’m pretty sure, being an avid BNL fan, I bought it as soon as it was released. 
In 2014, Ellen Degeneres released one called The Only Holiday Album You’ll Ever Need.  The album is chalk-full of goodness, beginning with Darlene Love’s 1963 “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)”.  I really like the Waitresses Christmas song “Christmas Wrapping”, as well as Coldplay’s “Christmas Lights”.  The album has Jose Feliciano’s “Feliz Navidad”.  Who doesn’t love a little “Feliz Navidad”? I really need to listen to this album again!
A capella group Straight No Chaser has a few Christmas albums out.  Holiday Spirits was released in 2008.  They released Christmas Cheers in 2009.  I own and love them both.  I’m in awe of these Indiana University graduates’ natural talent. 
So many artists have released Christmas albums that, instead of buying album after album, I have a Spotify playlist called My Christmas Favorites with, as of now, 532 Christmas songs.  It’s good to just hit play and let it run.  It’s great for wrapping presents, decorating the tree, or anything you might be doing during the Christmas season. 
Thanks for spending a part of your week with me this past year.  Merry Christmas!!