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Friday, November 8, 2013

You can't have a Christmas without a little Bing or a little Bowie



Christmas Songs the ones everyone should know

This week i am bringing you two songs.  


The first one is one of the Greatest Christmas songs of all time and then one of the most surprising Christmas Duets of all time






Bing Crosby performing White Christmas 
1942 for the film Holiday Inn. 

Berlin Irving wrote this song and it originally had a spoken verse talking about the sunny weather in Beverly Hills which was dropped so the song had global appeal.

Elvis also covered this song in 1957 on his Christmas Album.  The story goes that Irving Berlin rang radio stations and begged them not to play it.




Now you probably know that one but do you know this one :




1977 David Bowie and Bing Crosby 
performing Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth for Television Christmas Special.  
Little Drummer Boy performed by Bing was written in 1941 but the Peace On Earth accompaniment was written at the time for this duet and performed by Bowie.    
After an hour of rehearsal this was recorded. 

Bowie was trying to "normalise" his life at the time (Berlin years) hence the not the Bowie you know look. 
He did the recording because he knew his mum liked Bing.

Bing Crosby died five weeks after this recording. The show aired in the states a month after his death and then two months later on Christmas Eve in the U.K.



Peace on Earth was written quickly as a counterpoint for My Little Drummer Boy in this Duet because Bowie allegedly said he hated Little Drummer Boy and wanted to sing something else.

Is there a Christmas Song that you really just dont like?



Last week we covered the WAHM 80's classic "Last Christmas"   you can see it here for a recap on bad perms, cable knit jumpers and broken hearts in a ski resort. 

From now till Christmas each week we are sharing Christmas Songs that i think everyone should know.
Why?  Why not!    No real reason just some are so great and some so bad and some are just hilarious!
I'll include some fun and fascinating trivia (that you just wont want to miss) and maybe a little story of my own.
I would really really love for you to get into this with me -  maybe sing a tune and share some stories with us :) 








22 comments:

  1. I just love Christmas music! I pack our Christmas CD in with our decorations so I don't forget it ... it's such a lovely treat. Thanks for sharing your trivia. Cheers, Alison

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    1. I pulled mine out the other day. there is one in the car now.
      research its research right :)

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  2. There aren't any carols that I hate, but I don't like when radio stations play that Mariah Carey Christmas song - All I want for Christmas is You, on over and over and over and over again. The song sticks in your head.

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    1. i know what you mean I've had WHAM Last Christma stuck in my head for weeks now.
      i have her on my list.... sorry. :)

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  3. I love all the old school carols!! Love this idea of yours, clever.

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  4. Oh dear - being the Christmas grinch I am not a huge fan of any Christmas songs really, except for Wham's Last Christmas - which I LOVE! I will try and rectify it this year I promise :-)

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    1. I'll work on you Shelley! That scares me that WAHM is the one you love. next week i'll have a good one for you :) xx

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  5. I've just bought a 'old school' carols album to get my boys into the spirit of Christmas!

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    1. My dad makes my kids mixed Christmas CD's - can be interesting :)

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  6. I like some of the old Christmas tunes sung with beautiful melodies. But I just read the words last christmas above and I'm singing the song. How do I know so many of hte lyrics

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    1. no kidding - its been stuck in my head for weeks!! lol

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  7. Love the Bowie clip. We haven't much more than the Wiggles Christmas Carols over the past couple of years. Must broaden our horizons!

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    1. It gets a bit like that doesn't it and they weren't particularly great either. Yes go find some Carolling gold :)

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  8. We don't 'do' Christmas at our house BUT I am quite a fan of Bing's (and his humour) as well as Bowie's and I knew nothing of this clip, so thanks!! Adorable. I love the mid-20th Century classics, even the Christmassy ones so White Christmas, ironically written by a Jewish composer would then be the most appropriate favourite of mine ;) PS Berlin Irving, or Irving Berlin? :D

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    1. spppfff ooops good call :) Who doesnt love Bing really ? Thanks for stopping by glad i could share a little Bowie with you.

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  9. Hehe ooh this has got me thinking! I'm a bit of a christmas lover so most Christmas music is fine by me! I totally love watching Carols in the Domain each year! xx

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    1. i've got some great ones to share with you Lucy :) See you next Friday. Thanks for stopping by xx

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  10. I always cry hearing The Little Drummer Boy and I've never seen that clip - and just had a wee tear. LOVE David Bowie and to sing with Bing, wowsers. Thanks for sharing :)
    I actually have to say I love ALL Xmas carols

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  11. My favourite carol or rhyme really is "christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat" - it really appeals to me for some reason, just seems to embody the spirit of Christmas through and through. I don't really have one I dislike, but I've certainly heard some terrible interpretations!

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    1. oooooh yeah there is some shockers! It does yes, thats a good one :) thanks for stopping by x

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