Thursday, December 16, 2021

Are These The BEST Christmas Albums?

When it comes to Christmas music we prefer pop sounds or what some might call "easy listening". Of course, we also like country music because country and Christmas just seem to be a perfect fit.
And yes, we do still collect and play CDs and like to listen to a whole album of music. But we also have special songs we like on each of our favorite collections. No contradiction there. It's just the way we like to roll, or spin. So, having admitted our preferences, here are some of our favorite Christmas music collections of all time listed ins no particular order:

Seth MacFarland's Holiday for Swing
MacFarland croons in an upbeat and updated style that proves intoxicating. Fun numbers include Snow (from White Christmas), Little Jack Frost Get Lost and Warm In December.

Alabama's Christmas (The Red Album)
This original collection of Christmas songs stands at the pinnacle of holiday collections and includes the haunting Santa Claus (I Still Believe In You), Thistlehair The Christmas Bear and Christmas In Dixie.

Louis Armstrong and Friends Christmas Collection
A compilation of numbers featuring the inimitable Louis and collected from various sources. We particularly like Christmas Night In Harlem, Christmas In New Orleans and Satchmo's distinctive interpretation of White Christmas. 

Loretta Lynn's White Christmas Blue
The queen of country music in a relatively recent collection (2016) that includes Lynn's original title song as well as her Country Christmas and To Heck With Ole Santa Claus. Great fun!

Michael Buble's Christmas
Another upbeat pop album full of Buble's interpretation of classics. BublĂ© is paired with some fine artists here and just about every song is first rate. 

Elvis' Ultimate Christmas Collection
This two disc set contains 30 of Elvis' best including three bonus tracks. Some songs are duplicated as they feature Elvis in Christmas duets. Of course you'll find Blue Christmas in this collection as well as If Every Day Was Christmas and It Won't Seem Like Christmas (Without You). 

George Strait's Fresh Cut Christmas
King George with a Christmas album that exudes Texas charm and hospitality. It includes the captivating Up On A Housetop and Deck The Halls but omits a favorite of ours, Christmas Cookies. That one can be found on another collection.

Diana Ross' Wonderful Christmas Time
Two albums were brought together for this compilation which was released recently and includes the title song as well as Someday At Christmas and I Heard The Bells. Some non-Christmas gems have also been slipped in including Amazing Grace and His Eye Is On The Sparrow.

Alan Jackson's Honky Tonk Christmas
Only Alan Jackson could bring Christmas and Honky Tonk together and make the pairing seem smooth and sensible. You'll enjoy the title song as well as If We Make It Through December and Santa's Gonna Come In A Pickup Truck.

Brooks and Dunn's It Won't Be Christmas Without You
The supreme country duo with nearly a dozen songs including Hangin' 'Round The Mistletoe, Santa's Comin' Over To Your House and Who Says There Ain'y No Santa.

Clint Black's Looking For Christmas
Every song on this album is a Clint Black original and you're bound to enjoy the title number as well as The Kid, Christmas For Every Boy And Girl and Till Santa's Gone (Milk And Cookies).

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