I'm listening to Christmas music right now in July, SO SUE ME!!!!!

[liberalhistorian]

Go ahead, I dare ya! :evilgrin: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

I've always loved Christmas and Christmas music in all its endless and infinite variety and I have many Christmas CD's that I start listening to beginning in mid-November. Four of them are the Mannheim Steamroller Fresh Aire Christmas albums, the first one coming out when I was a freshman in college 21 years ago and the fourth and last (so far) just a few years ago. The first and fourth are the best so far. I actually got a couple of ideas for creative writing projects from listening to a couple of the songs on the fourth one.

Anyway, today I was thinking about one of those ideas, got one of the selections from the fourth CD in my head and it just stuck there all freaking day. I was suddenly desperate to hear both that particular song and the rest of the CD as well. That's ridiculous, I thought, it's only the end of July. So what, a little voice whispered back, who cares? If you want to hear it, who the hell else would care and what the hell difference would it really make? Just put the headphones on while you're on the computer tonight and no one will ever know!

And you know what---we're always talking about how the "spirit of Christmas" should really be all year long and how we should live it the other 364 days of the year as well and not just on Christmas Day. So here I am now boogeying to Chip Davis's versions of White Christmas, Away in the Manger, and the best instrumental version of Do You Hear What I Hear that I've ever heard in my life right in the heat of July. And it's the neatest thing in the world! So, you can make fun of me all you want. Or you can do the next best thing and try it for yourself!!! Go ahead, see if it doesn't put you in the frame of mind toward others that we should really be in every day of the year!!!

[Dookus]

1. I'm calling my lawyer right now...

Nobody loses to my lawyer, Mr. Peebles, Esq.



He's never lost a jury case yet.

[roguevalley]

2. Christmas Music and Mr. Peebles. I don't know which I love more. :)

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

19. Then what about this?

[NightTrain]

20. HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!!

Thanks, Juan! I needed a good laugh. :yourock:

[liberalhistorian]

4. Oh, yeah? Well, then, I'll just sic

one of MY four cats on him and just see how he likes that!!! Actually, he looks just like my favorite of my four cats.

[Archae]

3. I like Christmas music year-round too.

Mannheim Steamroller-sublime.

Boston Pops-Superb.

Beatles Christmas records for the fans-:smoke: :-)

Boyz II Men doing Silent Night-:wow: :scared:

[liberalhistorian]

6. OMG! Boyz II Men did Silent Night?

YIKES! Thank GOD I've never heard that, lol!

And yes, the Boston Pops is, indeed, superb! Believe it or not, Firestone put out a Christmas album in 1973 with Leontyne Price, the Vienna Choir Boys, and several other singers and I've listened to it every year since. I was eight years old when it first came out and my mom bought it for the hell of it. It's turned out to be one of our all-time favorites. We still have to listen to it on our old ancient record player, though, since we've never been able to find a CD of it. It has the most wonderful, moving version of Silent Night I've ever heard, (next to Mannheim Steamrollers on their first Christmas album) and I've probably heard about five hundred thousand different versions by now.

[Archae]

8. Yup, Boyz II Men did Silent Night

I have a 2 CD set, "Now That's What I Call Christmas."

It has Bruce Barfsteen doing "Santa Claus Is Coming To town, Celine Deion, Britteney Spears, and N'Synch in addition to the Boyz II Men.
MEGA :puke:

[jdonaldball]

5. Oh God. And you wonder why the Freepers call us perverted.

[liberalhistorian]

7. HA! I doubt if those morans even have the

slightest idea of what the "spirit of Christmas" really is!!!

[Mikimouse]

9. Can't listen as I once did...

most of them make me cry these days. I do love them, but feel like a total hypocrite, knowing that we usually sing the songs, eat the food, open the presents, and forget everything that Christmas really brought us. We forget the poor, the homeless, the marginalized, and instead of showing them the love they deserve, we shove meaningless crap at them in the form of presents that they probably don't want and will not ease their situations. I do appreciate your sentiments, though, and understand what you mean by living it (or, in my case, TRYING to live it, but usually failing) year 'round.

[liberalhistorian]

11. I understand that, Miki, but the thing to do

isn't to close ourselves off but to get out there and DO SOMETHING about it to the extent that we can. Donate to and/or volunteer at food pantries, volunteer at shelters, work with them to try to make them truly self-sufficient, lend an ear, tutor an at-risk child, watch a single parent's kids while they work or look for work or just take a much-needed break, start or volunteer with programs working with poor kids and/or their families, be a foster parent, be with someone who's going through a bad time with the loss of a loved one or a divorce, make others aware, etc., etc., ALL YEAR 'round, not just at Christmastime. You can't make a difference in the lives of every single person who needs it, obviously, but you can do your own part in your own world.

You know the saying, 'it is better to light just one little candle than to stumble in the dark. Better far that we light just one little candle, all you need's a tiny spark. And if we all lit just one little candle, what a bright world this would be!" We can sit and wring our hands and do nothing because we can't help everyone, or we can do whatever we can in our own area and make a difference in at least a few lives.

[Mikimouse]

30. Thanks LH, over the years, I have participated in most of the things

you listed. I have always believed in the old saying "..what you do for the least of mine...". Even though I don't define myself as religious, I like to think that I have some spiritual qualities (I could be SO wrong!). I am a sucker for people on the street, having been there myself at one point in my life. I was very lucky, I got back into the mainstream fairly quickly, but have kept the memories. I left my previous profession because I felt that people were being victimized by the system and treated unfairly. In that setting, I could only help one person at a time. In my present setting, I can try to accomplish some positive change for a much larger group (including the people from my previous profession). Still a hippie, still an activist, still a secular humanist. Thanks for understanding. :hi: :thumbsup:

[NightTrain]

14. I know what you mean.

I'm always alone during the holiday season. I'm an only child, my parents are both long-dead, I've never been married, and I haven't been in a relationsip in longer than I care to remember.

Usually on Thanksgiving and/or Christmas, you'll find me on the air at my college radio station, filling in for some lucky D.J. who actually has people with whom to spend the day!

Oh, well. Maybe someday that all will change for me. Christ, I hope so! :cry:

[liberalhistorian]

16. So what am I, now, Dean,

chopped liver? :shrug:

[Mikimouse]

31. I've done that...

When I worked in a convenience store in Lubbock, 1o years ago, I always worked all of the major holidays. It was easier for me to do that and occupy my time, and it worked out well for the other employees who had families. I don't regret it. For the past five years, I had my step grandchildren to look forward to at Christmas (at least when I could afford to make the trip to Winnipeg), but I have to back off now, because their grandma needs them and they need her (she has informed me that we are getting divorced, her choice, not mine).

[jdonaldball]

10. Bob Marley's ghost tells Freepers:

"Ey mon, lighten up! Eet's Christmas!"

[liberalhistorian]

12. LOL!

Good one!

[NightTrain]

13. Now, I like Christmas music that rocks!

I'm talkin' 'bout the James Brown and Phil Spector Christmas albums, the Drifters' doo-wop version of "White Christmas," Jerry Butler's take on "Silent Night," Eartha Kitt's "Santa Baby," Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes' version of "O Holy Night," Charles Brown's "Please Come Home For Christmas," Clarence Carter's "Back Door Santa," Brenda Lee's "Papa Noel," Rufus Thomas' "I'll Be Your Santa Baby," The Ventures' surf-rock version of "Sleigh Ride," Elvis Presley's "Santa Claus Is Back In Town," Bobby "Boris" Pickett's "Monster's Holiday," Santo & Johnny's "Twisting Bells," Chuck Berry's "Merry Christmas, Baby" and "Run Rudolph Run," Oscar McLollie's "Dig That Crazy Santa Claus," the Trashmen's "Dancing With Santa"....

I think you get the idea.

Suffice it to say, if I never hear Bing fucking Crosby, Burl fucking Ives, Bobby fucking Helms, Jose fucking Feliciano, and the fucking Chipmunks ever again, it'll be too goddamned soon! :puke:

[liberalhistorian]

15. Oh, hon, you were doing just fine until

you made fun of those in your last paragraph!! Whatsa matta, don't you have any real taste?:evilgrin: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[NightTrain]

17. Remember what radio station I worked at for five years?

Lite 100.5, WRCH. That was the kind of shit I had to play every fargin December, and boy did I get tired of it! :boring:

[liberalhistorian]

18. Yikes!

I guess that explains it then!!!

[MikeG]

21. Let it snow. Let it snow. Let it snow.

[realisticphish]

22. I have an awesome

recording of Henry Rollins reciting "A visit from st. nick" over bizarre industrial sounds...

:hippie: The Incorrigible Democrat

[liberalhistorian]

25. Wow! That would certainly

be an interesting version to listen to!

I still remember Simon and Garfunkel's version of Silent Night, where they sang it together to just a guitar accompaniment while they juxtaposed an actual news broadcast (a major network anchor, can't remember who) talking about convicted killers and murders and riots and Nixon saying to brace for years more of war in Vietnam. Not exactly a holiday upper!!!

[realisticphish]

26. Juxtaposition

can make two seemingly distant things all the more powerful together


:hippie: The Incorrigible Democrat

[TroubleMan]

23. You guys forgot "This Christmas" by Donny Hathaway

great song.

[playahata1]

35. Hell, yes!

My all-time favorite X-mas song.

I also like Kenny Loggins' "Please Celebrate Me Home."

[Reciprocity]

24. Happy Holidazs

A Christmas greeting from one of Santa's little known elves...Toddy Boy.

[Bluebear]

27. Linda Ronstadt "Merry Little Christmas"

Great tunes and you can support Linda when you buy it.

[NightTrain]

28. She's my new hero.

Bless you, Linda! :headbang:

[Bluebear]

29. Me too...here ya go!

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00004Y6NB/qid=1090717702/sr=ka-1/ref=pd_ka_1/002-0711964-2706410



It is already a holiday classic at our place and this year we enjoy it doubly knowing what happened!

[liberalhistorian]

32. Amen to that,

hon! And may she continue to stand firm amid the relentless onslaught of the repuke shitstorm.

[texas1928]

33. Hey I am with you.

People laugh at me but Christmas music calms me down. I listen to it all the time. I have all the Mannheim Christmas Albums. Hell I watched a christmas movie the other night. So don't let them get on you to much I am with you.

[liberalhistorian]

34. Cool!

Nice to know I'm not alone and that I'm not totally crazy!

[texas1928]

36. My parents call my wife and ask her if I am listening to Christmas

Music yet. Gotta love those parents.