The Best Christmas Music of 2023; Check Out Holiday Gems from The Gothard Sisters, Samara Joy, The Philly Specials, Seth MacFarlane, Johnny Mathis, Gregory Porter, Kate Rusby, Straight No Chaser, Chet Atkins, Linda Ronstadt and many more.
Garret Roberts, Beaver County Times
Greetings! It's that time of year again. It's probably no revelation if I point out that it comes around faster each year.
If you think about it, most of the albums are recorded in the middle of the summer in order to come out now. Years ago, I used to be fairly strict about not listening to Christmas music until after Thanksgiving, that is until I began writing about it. In order to keep up, some years I would begin listening to Christmas music as early as right after Labor Day. When people would hear me listening to Christmas music in September, October, even November, they usually comment (sometimes derisively) something to the effect of, "You must really like Christmas music." Mostly, it wasn't worth the true explanation, so I'd say something like, "Guilty as charged." My main reasoning there is that it's all true. I found that I really do love Christmas music.
I was going to go into my pet peeves about Christmas music, but in what follows is a Christmas music horror story by guest columnist Sara Clancy.
Have a Cup of THIS!
There are two kinds of people who work retail during the Christmas season; those who can block out the piped in music and blithely go about their tasks and those who go quietly insane. (I'm told there is a third type who enjoys the whole thing, but I've never met such a person.) I belonged to the group that required medication before punching in.
Imagine for a moment, say, 35 chirpy songs in a random order that repeats throughout the work day. Multiply it by a 40 hour week times the number of weeks between Halloween and New Year's. Now plug in such masterpieces as "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus," "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," "Have a Holly Jolly Christmas" and that winter #MeToo song everybody hates and try to maintain your yuletide equanimity enough to get through your 8 hour shift without doing yourself a harm.
You can have strategies, like confronting the late, great John Lennon with a "thanks so much for reminding me that another year is over, and no, I haven't done anything of note! Nothing whatsoever. Now, piss off!" (while the customer looks for someone else to help him find an "I Can Haz Cheeseburger" calendar for his wife). Or you can shut down Judy Garland's plaintive hope for your tiny little Christmas by gently asserting that though you appreciate her wish, your whole family is 3000 miles away, you're stuck at a Barnes & Noble and, in your experience, the fates generallydon't allow shi aren't known for being kind.
These are songs I theoretically, possibly, just maybe might have even liked had I not heard them 625 times a season. It can warp your appreciation for the genre permanently, I'm afraid, as even now, some 25 years later, I still get an unpleasant shudder of dread should Burl Ives assault my carefully arranged good cheer in the cheese section at Trader Joe's.
Never mind the truly awful; the chipmunks, barking dogs, children's choirs, Mariah and the melisma maidens and the 160 celebrity versions of "Santa, Baby." The only holiday music untouched by this retail blight are actual carols, preferably on acoustic guitars, harpsichords or symphony orchestras, without vocal accompaniment. As these are generally tasteful and religious in nature, they are absent from most retail establishments and remain safe.
So, if you want me between now and New Year's Eve, I'll be holed up in front of the fireplace with my hot chocolate, my dog, ...and John Fahey, George Winston, maybe Joan Baez or even the Monkees singing "Ríu Chíu."
There are two kinds of people who work retail during the Christmas season; those who can block out the piped in music and blithely go about their tasks and those who go quietly insane. (I'm told there is a third type who enjoys the whole thing, but I've never met such a person.) I belonged to the group that required medication before punching in.
Imagine for a moment, say, 35 chirpy songs in a random order that repeats throughout the work day. Multiply it by a 40 hour week times the number of weeks between Halloween and New Year's. Now plug in such masterpieces as "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus," "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," "Have a Holly Jolly Christmas" and that winter #MeToo song everybody hates and try to maintain your yuletide equanimity enough to get through your 8 hour shift without doing yourself a harm.
You can have strategies, like confronting the late, great John Lennon with a "thanks so much for reminding me that another year is over, and no, I haven't done anything of note! Nothing whatsoever. Now, piss off!" (while the customer looks for someone else to help him find an "I Can Haz Cheeseburger" calendar for his wife). Or you can shut down Judy Garland's plaintive hope for your tiny little Christmas by gently asserting that though you appreciate her wish, your whole family is 3000 miles away, you're stuck at a Barnes & Noble and, in your experience, the fates generally
These are songs I theoretically, possibly, just maybe might have even liked had I not heard them 625 times a season. It can warp your appreciation for the genre permanently, I'm afraid, as even now, some 25 years later, I still get an unpleasant shudder of dread should Burl Ives assault my carefully arranged good cheer in the cheese section at Trader Joe's.
Never mind the truly awful; the chipmunks, barking dogs, children's choirs, Mariah and the melisma maidens and the 160 celebrity versions of "Santa, Baby." The only holiday music untouched by this retail blight are actual carols, preferably on acoustic guitars, harpsichords or symphony orchestras, without vocal accompaniment. As these are generally tasteful and religious in nature, they are absent from most retail establishments and remain safe.
So, if you want me between now and New Year's Eve, I'll be holed up in front of the fireplace with my hot chocolate, my dog, ...and John Fahey, George Winston, maybe Joan Baez or even the Monkees singing "Ríu Chíu."
Happy Holidays!
Guest columnist Sara Clancy is a published poet who lives in the Arizona desert with her husband and her dog & cats. Sara is a former retail worker and repetitive Christmas music survivor.
New goodies for 2023:
Jessie James Decker - Decker The HallsWith many irons in the fire so to speak, Jessie James Decker is among other things a social media influencer, a book author, and a recording artist whose latest EP is the holiday themed Decker the Halls. The six tracks include two well written originals (one is a Decker co-write), one carol, and three old favorites. "Sleigh Ride" takes the Phil Spector style and includes a dynamite guitar solo that might make you think that this EP comes direct from Christmas party central. I enjoyed this one.
A Celtic Christmas is the Gothard Sisters' third Christmas album. I was first introduced to this delightful Celtic band about thirteen years ago when they released their first Christmas record, Christmas. What makes the Gothards unusual is that no matter how much they sound like a Celtic band from the Emerald Isle, the fact is that they hail from the Pacific Northwest. It’s no accident that they play beautifully and that the violins are a highlight of their sound; the three sisters were classically trained on the violin and they surround themselves with similarly talented players. Along with one original tune, "Winterberrry Set," the program is mostly traditional Christmas carols with gorgeous familiar melodies that you can get lost in. I have enjoyed listening to the Gothard Sisters over the years (even saw them play live), and to think that it all started with a beautiful Celtic Christmas album like this one…
We really have a wealth of great jazz records this year. What Christmas Means to Me features a workout on Adam Hawley's electric guitar. The chunky /funky jazz guitar not only leads the all-star ensemble, but it also plays the very familiar melodies at the same time, and that's quite a feat. The mostly instrumental record features a couple of great sounding vocals: Kat Hawley on the gospel tune "Mary Did You Know" and Matt Cusson on Kenny Loggins' "Celebrate Me Home." Someone who heard this album the last time I played it remarked, "This makes me want to go home and take down my tree, so I can put it up again." I can't make any testimonial better than that!
In 2021, Samara Joy won the hearts of everyone who heard her debut album, not to mention the awards and accolades, too numerous to list here. For only her third release, this holiday EP offers six tracks of wonderful Christmas jazz. Of the five studio recordings, Joy sings one new original song along with covers of some Christmas classics. Whether on piano or electric guitar, Joy's gorgeous voice is matched with some delightfully jazzy backing. I have to mention that the version of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" has the original unmodified lyric (I wouldn't expect anything less). She sings Mel Torme's "The Christmas Song" jazzier than the original. The EP closes with a live version of same in which she sings a duet with her father Antonio McLendon. The aptly named, A Joyful Holiday, has good vibes to spare.
Flush with the success of last year's charity Christmas album, the stalwarts of the Philadelphia Eagles offensive line, Kelce, Mailata and Johnson, have decided to do it again. Along with producer Charlie Hall (of Philadelphia's own War On Drugs), they have come up with a real gem. Backed by an all star band of Philadelphia musicians, they turned their attention to a superb set of holiday favorites plus one original. In addition, they have a guest list that includes Amos Lee, Patti LaBelle, Waxahatchee, Travis Kelce, Jordan Davis, and Howie Roseman. What makes this all work is that Kelce, Johnson and Mailata really can sing. Kelce even wrote and sings the album's only original song, "Santa's Night." Opening with perhaps the greatest Christmas song of all (Mel Torme's "The Christmas Song") and running through songs first famous by the likes of Judy Garland to Mariah Carey, the Philly Specials (as they now call themselves) play it straight for the most part and like last year they save the ad-libbing for the end of the record. If you're an Eagles fan, you'll love all of the holiday greetings integrated into the last track, "Auld Lang Syne." I didn't even mention that the album includes Jason's version of an Italian novelty song, "Dominick the Donkey," or the Eagles' Howie Roseman taking a turn at singing "The Dreidel Song." There's a lot to love on this album, but for me none so much as the brothers Jason and Travis Kelce covering The Pogues' "Fairytale of New York." Not only have the lyrics been reworked for Philly and the brothers, but these guys sing the heck out of this song. By the end of it's transformation to "Fairytale of Philadelphia," you too will be charmed.
Seth MacFarlane and Liz Gillies - We Wish You The MerriestPeople who know Seth MacFarlane from the Ted movies or The Family Guy animated tv show, are always surprised by his music career. The man can really sing, plus he has a healthy fixation on the Sinatra style singers whose stock and trade is The Great American Songbook. MacFarlane pays attention to every detail; he even has a collection of the actual sheet music that arrangers wrote specifically for Sinatra recording sessions. Now, MacFarlane turns his attention to Christmas, and he has joined forces with Liz Gillies to help sing their way through the holiday season. We Wish You The Merriest sticks to popular song and offers mostly familiar favorites. Among thirteen tracks are several gems that you don't hear all that often, such as "Happy Holiday," "That Holiday Feeling" and the title track.
No, Johnny Mathis is not dead. And yes, he has been recording for a really long time. Christmas Time Is Here is his seventh Christmas album, his first in ten years, and it's surprising in several different ways. First, I would have to say that the quality of his voice is amazing. I'm not saying that it's good for age 88, but it's good without qualification. If you are at all familiar with Johnny Mathis, you would instantly know that it's him. Furthermore, his style and his range is a treat for the ear. The second thing that I find surprising is how intimate it is. Most tracks consist of voice and a very talented piano with a reserved rhythm section and some judicious use of orchestra. The net result is an album I want to listen to. I'll admit that I'm too young to know when Mathis was huge in the pre-Beatles era, but the truth is that he has been recording all these years and now has attained a sort of pop royalty. This set is mostly popular songs along with a carol or two. On one song, Mathis duets with Kristen Chenoweth of Broadway fame. All told, Christmas Time Is Here is a nice gift from Mathis to both old and new fans.
I have always liked the combination of Christmas music and brass. There is actually a long tradition of that, but we haven't heard from such an ensemble for a very long time, until now. Trumpet and flugelhorn player Rick Braun brought together a group of L.A.'s finest horn players to form a brass quintet. When it was time to record, it was a unanimous decision to make it a Christmas album; the sessions also included some serious wine tastings, thus the group's name. In order to make the fifteen tracks dazzle the listener, more than great playing is involved. With a mix of originals, medleys and old favorites, Pinot Noir Brass Christmas offers a touch of tradition along with arrangements of the cool classics of Christmas that are constantly rewarding.
The first thing that strikes me about Gregory Porter's Christmas Wish is that his voice reminds me a little of Nat King Cole. Not that he's a sound-alike, but he makes me think of what Cole might have sounded like without the cigarettes. Cole reportedly liked the texture that smoking gave his voice (nevermind that Cole left us way too soon because of lung cancer). The bottom line is that Porter has an extraordinary instrument in his voice. Christmas Wish a mix of more and less well known carols, some well written originals and a couple of nice covers. The pace is on the relaxed side with an uncluttered production style: just voice, piano, some gentle rhythm plus orchestra. I have many favorites on this album, but I want to mention one of them. The penultimate track is a wonderful version of Stevie Wonder's "Someday At Christmas." This song seems more timely with every passing year and the sentiment that resonates the most is the wish for a future filled with peace, love, and freedom. Christmas Wish by Gregory Porter has everything that I could want in a Christmas album.
Kate Rusby's name is synonymous with quality traditional British folk music, and she also writes her own music in a similar style. Rusby describes it as "joyful memories of music, family, community, warmth and happiness - and a little wine!" I consider myself fortunate to have heard Rusby in the early days of her career and to have been so impressed by her voice and her approach to this material that I take notice whenever I see her name. I've read that Light Years is Rusby's seventh Christmas album. On it she combines traditional carols, both unfamiliar and very familiar, some cover tunes and some original music that she wrote. On her last Christmas album, I found Rusby's humorous cover of "I Want a Hippopotamus For Christmas" to be strikingly ironic in light of her more serious image. On Light Years, she does it again, not once but twice, with "Nothin' For Christmas" and the more traditional sounding parody "Arrest These Merry Gentlemen." Otherwise, I 'd like to point out that on this record, Rusby has largely replaced the expected backing of violins, mandolin and pennywhistles in favor of a brass section. I also love her take on "It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas." I will also note that the song "Nowell, Nowell" is an old English carol that modern audiences will instantly recognize, albeit with some lyrical differences. There is a lot to love on Light Years by Kate Rusby; it's one not to miss.
This is another great Christmas jazz album, this time being an all instrumental affair. The familiar melodies are played alternately on saxes, keyboards and synths. The familiar part is just a jumping off point for a keyboard driven jazz session. Listening to Shulman's work on the Fender Rhodes electric piano, I stopped to look up whether Deodato ("Also A Sprach Zarathustra") had ever made a Christmas album. He did not, but the fact that these tasty jams made me even think of Deodato should tell you something (in a good way). These sessions always come back to the familiar melody to finish. We Wish You a Funky Christmas by Adam Shulman is surely one of the joys of Christmas this year.
Stocking Stuffer is the new Christmas EP by Straight No Chaser, consisting of well known cover tunes, some less known cover tunes, and a few well written originals. The originals are so well done in fact that it's hard to tell them from the less known cover tunes. Furthermore, there is so much going on in the under twenty two minute running time that this EP is not only hard to categorize, it's also hard to characterize. There are so many lyrics contained in these eight songs that they could almost be rap songs. And, that doesn't even include the familiar fare, like "The Little Drummer Boy," "Feliz Navidad," or "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." The best way I can describe this record is to imagine this uber-talented a cappella group standing on a street corner somewhere, maybe around a fire burning in a trash can. It's not exactly doo-wop, but it's close. At this point we've come to expect that the sound of the instruments is coming from the mouth and we aren't supposed to be wowed by this, but the sharp sound of a drumstick hitting the rim of a drum still amazes me. Stocking Stuffer is a well named addition to the Straight No Chaser holiday repertoire.
Isaiah J. Thompson is a gifted pianist who recently studied at the Julliard School of Music where he earned both his bachelor's and master's degrees. His list of accomplishments and awards is already too long to list. On his latest release, he tributes jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi, who wrote and performed original music for the Peanuts' holiday specials including A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and most importantly, A Charlie Brown Christmas. The thought occurred to me that even though the Christmas music doesn't start until track five, and even if you've never heard of Peanuts or Vince Guaraldi, that this is one of the best jazz records that you could want to hear. All the better if you are familiar with Guaraldi's groundbreaking music for those Peanuts' specials. Thompson's amazing piano work is matched by the level of the musicianship of his band, the soloists, and the vocalists. Only a handful of tracks have vocals, most of the tracks are instrumental. The album's set is particularly well chosen and sequenced. There have been other tributes to Guaraldi over the years, but I am enjoying this one quite a lot; considering my affection for the Guaraldi music, that's really saying something.
When the album opens, my first thought was... we haven't had one of these for a while, a very mellow instrumental album of the classics of Christmas. What we have here is some very jazzy violin and piano. After some delightful playing on some very familiar tunes, we find out that this album is much, much more. Mads Tolling is an accomplished jazz violinist who hails from Copenhagen, Denmark and here features The Mads Men (Colin Hogan on piano, keyboards and accordion, Gary Brown on upright and electric basses, and Eric Garland on drums). In addition to the American favorites, Tolling also includes some seasonal songs from his native Scandinavia. The Nordic tunes include a nod to Danish favorite Hans Christian Anderson, whose fairy tales have been an inspiration for generations. Otherwise instrumental, Cool Yule features a guest vocal by Sonny Fredic-Pedersen on the title track. Surprisingly, this is a lesser known composition from comedian Steve Allen, who co-created and hosted the Tonight Show; he was also known for writing hundreds of songs, including "Cool Yule." Tolling has played for the Turtle Island Quartet, the Stanley Clarke Band, solo albums, session work, and extensive touring both here and abroad. His violin together with Hogan's piano creates music that is just as delightful as can be. The listening pleasure derived from this album could only make it a Cool Yule.
Reissues, Remasters, Collections, Expanded Deluxe Editions and etc.
In 2019, Real Gone Music, in association with Second Disc Records, curated and released a collection of all of Atkins' Christmas recordings from both labels. Ordinarily, when Real Gone releases a compilation, they don't make a huge number of copies, so their titles often sell out. Such was the case with this Atkins' collection. Fortunately, in September of this year, the Legacy label authorized a digital-only reissue of this record. With 46 tracks, originally spanning two CDs, this set includes a number of rare singles and other one-offs as well as three LPs in their entirety. The first two are two different versions of Christmas with Chet Atkins, originally released in 1961 and rerecorded in 1976. The third album East Tennessee Christmas was released in 1983. Better than half of the tracks in this set are totally instrumental, and some have background singers. We can forgive the few tracks with kid singers because the producers probably meant well. Over the years, no matter what the production style, there is one thing that runs through every track, and that is Atkins' beautiful guitar work.
This album first came out last year and everything I said about it then still stands. The new tracks included on the deluxe edition are "Let It Snow," "Silver Bells," "E' Natale!" and "Winter Wonderland" plus there are six bonus tracks. Ordinarily, I have an issue with next year deluxe editions. But Bocelli's team has stated that the four tracks are newly recorded and they are a glorious addition to an already excellent album. In fact, "Do You Hear What I Hear" sounds like a tour de force for the generations of the Bocelli family represented here. On top of that, the six bonus tracks are bonefied collector's items, such as a track that they recorded with Pentatonix and one where they sing "Feliz Navadad" with The Simpsons. Virginia Bocelli (11) is featured prominently on the new recordings and not only does she sound terrific, but she sounds much older than her age. All things considered, the ten new tracks make this album well worth buying. I would like a label such as this to offer a replacement procedure, but we have yet to see that happen. So, the question is, would you buy this again if you already had it? The answer is, I would.
Although the world may not need to hear every group's version of the Christmas classics, as someone who has been listening to Chicago since their first album, there is something comforting about hearing those classic songs in the familiar voices and horn section of Chicago. That said, I should also point out that none of their productions are what I would call relaxing, even their slow take on "The Christmas Song." Still, it's nice to have these guys around at this time of year. This album, Greatest Christmas Hits, has songs drawn from all their previous Christmas releases. This reissue comes in either digital, CD or color vinyl including original songs, as well as the beloved favorites that they do so well. It's good to have a serving of their prodigious Christmas output on one platter. For all you super fans, Rhino.com has a three disc package of Chicago's original Christmas albums and they've also made a playlist of all the tracks for your streaming pleasure.
To listeners of a certain age, Christmas music begins and ends with Bing Crosby. There have been numerous Crosby Christmas albums over the years, but this one includes some lessor known and rare tracks from the Crosby archive. The Crosby voice is deep, strong and smooth on these fourteen tracks that comprise Bing Crosby's Christmas Gems. In addition to two songs with Kathryn Crosby, this album also features duets with Ella Fitzgerald on "Marshmallow World" and the medley he sang with David Bowie on "Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth." The latter came from a British TV special, and it's good to have this on a Bing Crosby Christmas record.
Elton John never made a proper Christmas album, but he did release a killer Christmas single back in the 1970s. Back then "Step Into Christmas" was all over the radio and if you bought the single, "Ho! Ho! Ho! (Who'd Be A Turkey at Christmas?)" was the B-side. This digital-only reissue puts those two tracks together with five odds and ends from the vault, which includes some nice live tracks. Download or stream this little Christmas gift from Elton John and party like it's 1973.
If you've been anywhere near a radio at Christmastime during the last 60+ years, you've undoubtedly heard Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree." Now with this digital only reissue, you can hear this and three other tunes of the season by Lee (you may disregard the remix that closes this EP). This recording starts with the original 1958 version of "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," recorded when Lee was a young teenager. Lee was a major cross over star in the pre-Beatles era and her life story is a good read. Meanwhile, see your favorite platform to stream or download and you can rock around the Christmas tree to your heart's content.
In the last few decades of the 20th century, Philadelphia International Records was to the City of Brotherly Love what Motown was to Detriot. Philadelphia International had no shortage of hitmakers, but one stood out in particular. Having made his name singing lead with Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, Teddy Pendergrass struck out on his own and became the lurvemeister of Philly soul. It's easy to see why he had such appeal. Pendergrass' fourteenth and last studio album, This Christmas (I'd Rather Have Love), was his first and only holiday release. Long out of print, this digital-only reissue celebrates 25 years since this album came out in 1998. There are three originals here “Christmas and You,” “Having a Christmas Party,” and “Happy Kwanzaa.” Other than these new songs, Penndergrass sings some covers and carols including a wonderful version of "The Christmas Song." I also have to mention that I realized that no one else this year has covered John & Yoko's "Happy Christmas (War Is Over)," and Pendergrass closes his album with a superb rendition of this timeless classic.
This album was so out of print that I had almost forgotten it. Good that the powers that be reissued this on CD in a new digipack. A Merry Little Christmas seems like two albums in one. On the first five tracks, Ronstadt has made a rather old fashioned sounding record of the popular classics of Christmas. I'll just mention that "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" includes the jollier Frank Sinatraized "hang a shining star" lyric that was also written by the song's author. After the first five, it's a very different album, mostly Christmas carols with a church-like vibe. On some songs, it's hard to discern Ronstadt's voice from the church choir-like backing vocals she's using. The is definitely not your basic Christmas album from a rock star. The bottom line is that Linda Ronstadt may be more devout than we might have thought.
The legendary Smithereens Christmas album was out of print, but it has just been reissued by Hollywood Records. I would be hard pressed to think of a better rock Christmas album. The Smithereens cover a track I've never seen on a Christmas album and that is the Who's "Christmas" from Tommy. They present "Twas the Night Before Christmas" as a rap song leading into a blistering version of Chuck Berry's "Run Rudolph Run." Christmas With The Smithereens is a complete joy from start to finish.
If you are into music from the sixties, more specifically TV shows from the sixties, and even more specifically if you liked a certain western that played every Sunday night at 9 PM on the NBC network, you are in for a Bonanza of a treat. A few years ago, Real Gone Music and Second Disc Records put together The Complete Christmas On The Ponderosa. The good news is that they have reissued this collection digitally. When the set opens, it sounds like either a Christmas special or a Christmas episode. It doesn't matter which, we get some holiday dialogue from co-stars Dan Blocker (Hoss) and Michael Landon (Little Joe) and from Lorne Greene, the star of the show (Ben "Pa" Cartwright). The rest of the way, Greene does all of the heavy lifting. He is a strong voiced singer in the classic Hollywood mode. The Christmas tunes are primarily carols and it gets more and more religious as you listen. The set concludes with a soliloquy that I've only ever heard one other time; it was decades later in the Rockefeller Center Christmas Spectacular.
Liz Story was signed by the Windham Hill label in their first generation and before New Age became a marketing concept. At that time, she released an album titled The Gift, which was a lovely solo piano rendering of Christmas music. That album has been with me all these years and it's included in a digital only reissue called Songs of Christmas. This release collects all of her Christmas and holiday themed recordings, including one offs like single tracks that appeared on various artist compilations over the years. It's still very relaxing to listen to this music, and it's better still to have it all together in one place.
A good Stax collection for me works a lot like a good Motown collection, except that the artists are not so much overplayed. Not that I don't love them both, but I'm pleased to tell you about the new Stax Christmas compilation. The set opens with a heretofore unheard alternate mix of the Otis Redding classic “Merry Christmas Baby.” This song is one of the cornerstones of Christmas. Listening to this, I was thinking that although I've heard this single many times (many ways), I have never heard it sound as clean as this. There are many excellent versions of this Johnny Moore/ Lou Baxter composition, but this one by Otis may be worth the price of admission all by itself. But wait; there are eleven more great tracks on this record, not the least of which is a superb recording of “Blue Christmas.” The Elvis hit sung by Carla Thomas is a newly unearthed take. There are ten more holiday tunes from classic Stax artists like The Staple Singers, Rufus Thomas, Isaac Hayes, and many more. Let's just say that there are many reasons to be joyful on a Stax Christmas.
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