Favorite Holiday Songs #s 1, 2, and 3 – Merry Christmas Everybody!

Posted by thebestmusicyouhaveneverheard on December 25, 2012
Posted in: Holiday Songs, Rock History. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone that reads this blog.  I wish you all the best!

To close out our favorite Holiday Songs series I have two special Holiday Greetings from the southern US where I live.  First up is Christmas in Dixie which was written and recorded by the group Alabama.  For those of you that are not from the US, Dixie refers to the southern states in the US.

Next up is a great song by Jimmy Buffet called Merry Christmas Alabama.

Our final post in this series is my all time favorite Holiday song, I Believe In Father Christmas by Greg Lake one of the very best voices in rock music.  Christmas, as it is celebrated today, has become overly commercialized in my opinion and I think this song is a wonderful protest against what Christmas has become.  As always…..let me know what you think!

Favorite Holiday Songs #s 4 and 5

Posted by thebestmusicyouhaveneverheard on December 25, 2012
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It’s Christmas Eve here in North Alabama.   I hope that each of you that read this post are fortunate enough be spending this time with your loved ones!  Today’s favorite Holiday songs are focused on that very topic.  First up is U2 with their rendition of Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)……

Next up is the Eagles singing Please Come Home for Christmas.

On this Christmas Eve, I offer up your final gift of the season.  Today’s gift is great holiday mix courtesy of one of my favorite music blogs I Am Fuel You Are Friends.  You can grab the free download using the following link……

http://www.fuelfriendsblog.com/2012/12/12/all-is-calm-all-is-bright-the-fuelfriends-2012-holiday-mix/

Favorite Holidays Songs #s 6 and 7

Posted by thebestmusicyouhaveneverheard on December 24, 2012
Posted in: Holiday Songs, Rock History. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

So today I have a couple of Holiday songs with a strange but completely logical connection.  First up is a great song/video that takes me back to the 1960s, Hippie Holiday with Jefferson Airplane.  You have to listen to and watch this one to get the maximum enjoyment……

The second song today is Christmas Time in the City by Mary Chapin Carpenter.  So you are probably scratching you head and thinking that I have lost my mind.  How could I ever put Jefferson Airplane and Mary Chapin together in the same post?  Here is how I got to this point….Jefferson Airplane are the best representatives of the San Francisco sound, San Francisco is my favorite city in the whole world, and this year in particular I would like nothing more than to spend Christmas in San Francisco (actually anywhere other than North Alabama).  That is not going to happen, so instead I will listen to Mary sing about Christmas Time in the City.  Well….it made sense to me!

My special gift to you today comes courtesy of my friends at Infinite Foolishness, a 1968 concert by the amazing Jefferson Airplane.  Grab it while it is still available at the following link.

http://www.infinitefool.blogspot.com/2012/12/blog-post_17.html#links

Favorite Holiday Songs #s 8 and 9

Posted by thebestmusicyouhaveneverheard on December 23, 2012
Posted in: Album Of The Week, Holiday Songs, Overlooked Music, RIP, Rock History, Tragic Rock Stories. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

Today we have two great Holiday vocal performances.  First up is a beautiful Beach Boys song called Morning Christmas.  From what I have been able to determine, this song was pretty mostly a solo effort by Dennis Wilson, the most overlooked of the three Wilson brothers that were the foundation for the Beach Boys.  Let’s listen…….

Next up is On This Christmas Morning, a beautiful song as performed by the incredible Moody Blues.  I think you will like it!

My special gift to you today is Dennis Wilson’s only solo album, Pacific Ocean Blue, which was released in 1977.  The album was critically acclaimed and provided Dennis with some well deserved attention after being overshadowed by his brothers Brian and Carl for most of his career.  In a case of unbelievable irony, Dennis, the only Beach Boy that lived the surfing lifestyle that Brian Wilson wrote about, drowned in 1983.

RIP Dennis!  Here is a tribute to Dennis prepared as part of this years 50th anniversary celebration for the Beach Boys.

Favorite Holiday Songs #s 10 and 11

Posted by thebestmusicyouhaveneverheard on December 22, 2012
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So….you may or may not have noticed that I have not called this set of posts my favorite Christmas Songs, it is my favorite Holiday Songs!  In that spirit, the first song up tonight goes out to all of my Jewish friends, Adam Sandler’s incredible Hanukkah Song……

Next up is my favorite punk Holiday song, The Ramones Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight) by as covered by Steve Van Zandt at a Bruce Springsteen show in 2003.

Your surprise gift tonight once again comes from my friends at Big O Audio Archive.  It’s another great set of Bruce Springsteen live performances highlighting mostly Holidays songs.  It’s yours for the taking so get it while its available!  By the way, the performance above is one of the tracks!

http://bigozine2.com/roio/?p=352

Favorite Holiday Song #s 12 and 13

Posted by thebestmusicyouhaveneverheard on December 21, 2012
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Today we feature two of my favorite singer/songwriters, James Taylor and John Mellencamp.

First up, James Taylor with Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas….

Last, but certainly not least, John Mellencamp with I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus….

Your surprise gift today comes from my all time favorite singer/songwriter….Bruce Springsteen.  Click the link below to visit the Big O Archive and download 11 great live Holiday songs by Bruce.  This is really good stuff.  Enjoy!

http://bigozine2.com/roio/?p=957

Favorite Holiday Songs #14 – Jesus Christ

Posted by thebestmusicyouhaveneverheard on December 20, 2012
Posted in: Holiday Songs, Other Music Blogs Of Note, RIP, Rock History, Under Appreciated Singer/Songwriter, Underachievers. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

Big Star is one of the most influential, but under rated, bands from the early 1970s.  I have always been a huge fan.  Here’s a demo of a little Holiday ditty written by the late, great Alex Chilton and performed by Big Star.  I hope you enjoy it!

To try to get back into the Holiday spirt I have a special Big Star holiday gift for you.   Chick on the link below to visit my friends at the Aquarium Drunkard music website and download a great 1974 live performance by Big Star.

http://www.aquariumdrunkard.com/2012/12/14/big-star-cambridge-performing-arts-center-march-31-1974/

RIP Alex

Favorite Holiday Songs #15 – Do They Know It’s Christmas

Posted by thebestmusicyouhaveneverheard on December 20, 2012
Posted in: Great Rock Stories, Holiday Songs, Rock History. Leave a comment

Today’s Holiday song is the most famous ensemble Christmas song of all time, Do They Know It’s Christmas.  It is worth listening and watching just to see the many musicians that participated as they looked in 1984.  Here is the list as provided in Wikipedia:

Adam Clayton (U2)

Phil Collins (Genesis)

Bob Geldof (The Boomtown Rats)

Steve Norman (Spandau Ballet)

Chris Cross (Ultravox)

John Taylor (Duran Duran)

Paul Young

Tony Hadley (Spandau Ballet)

Glenn Gregory (Heaven 17)

Simon Le Bon (Duran Duran)

Simon Crowe (The Boomtown Rats)

Marilyn

Keren Woodward (Bananarama)

Martin Kemp (Spandau Ballet)

Jody Watley (Shalamar)

Bono (U2)

Paul Weller (The Style Council)

James “J.T.” Taylor (Kool & the Gang)

George Michael (Wham!)

Midge Ure (Ultravox)

Martyn Ware (Heaven 17)

John Keeble (Spandau Ballet)

Gary Kemp (Spandau Ballet)

Roger Taylor (Duran Duran)

Sara Dallin (Bananarama)

Siobhan Fahey (Bananarama)

Pete Briquette (The Boomtown Rats)

Francis Rossi (Status Quo)

Robert ‘Kool’ Bell (Kool & the Gang)

Dennis J. T. Thomas (Kool & the Gang)

Andy Taylor (Duran Duran)

Jon Moss (Culture Club)

Sting (The Police)

Rick Parfitt (Status Quo)

Nick Rhodes (Duran Duran)

Johnny Fingers (The Boomtown Rats)

David Bowie

Boy George (Culture Club)

Holly Johnson (Frankie Goes to Hollywood)

Stuart Adamson (Big Country)

Bruce Watson (Big Country)

Tony Butler (Big Country)

Mark Brzezicki (Big Country)

Enjoy the song…….

Sorry I Haven’t Posted Recently

Posted by thebestmusicyouhaveneverheard on December 20, 2012
Posted in: Coming Attractions. 1 Comment

My dad has had serious health issues for the past week and a half.  During this time I have spent all of my time either at Work or at the Hospital and have been  running on about 2 hours sleep a night.  I  have just not had the time or energy to post.  Sorry

Before I quit posting, we were right in the middle of a holiday song countdown.  To keep everything in sync I will be posting two songs a day between now and next Monday.

Favorite Holiday Songs #16 – Blue Christmas

Posted by thebestmusicyouhaveneverheard on December 11, 2012
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From the Boss to the King….today’s holiday song is from the incredible Elvis 1969 comeback special.  Best TV concert ever!

Oh……you were not lucky enough to see the 1969 comeback special?  Well, today is your lucky day because your special surprise gift today is the complete concert.  Enjoy!

By the way, I saw Elvis perform Blue Christmas on his last concert tour.  Sure he was “fat Elvis” by then but the man could still sing and had incredible charisma.

RIP Elvis!