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Gentle Readers,
Not much to add.
Almost a sacrilege to mention that if you cannot see the video you should look here.
I believe that Franz Schubert composed the music around 1825 and that, originally, the lyrics came from Lady of the Lake. The Latin, Ave Maria, was superimposed later.
You don't have to be Catholic to appreciate the lyrics or the haunting beauty of Karen's song stylings.
May your Christmas be blessed.
TWC
Good Morning Gentle Readers,
First performed by Nat Cole in 1946, this reprise was performed in 1961 for his television show. Aptly titled The Christmas Song, it is America's Christmas Song, and is arguably the finest Christmas song every written.
Although it's been sung, many times, many ways, by many others, all are but pale imitations, none of which can compare to The Christmas Song.
Look here if you cannot see the video.
Although it's been said, many times, many ways.....
From Casa de las Rocas Grandes, Merry Christmas to you.
As Ever,
TWC
Gentle Readers,
My kids love this.
Paige worked a Christmas Tree lot one year shortly after we graduated high school and was called upon to deliver a Yuletide Tree to Jose Feliciano's home in Villa Park. More than the excitement of meeting a celebrity, Paige was enthralled with both the caliber and the sheer number of instruments casually strewn about Mr Feliciano's home. Don't think he got his autograph. Course Paige was into Jethro Tull at the time. Now he's into bagpipes.
Click here if you can't see the vid.
As Ever,
TWC
tip of the glass to Karen
Good Morning Gentle Readers,
Although TWC makes no claim of musical historian, I suspect that Winter Wonderland, penned in 1934, may mark the beginning of the commercialization of Christmas music.
My Ma loved this song and she filled the house with her own renditions of it every Christmas season.
As a toddler, my boy was drawn to two musical genres. Classical, which enthralled him (he'd sit listnening to the piano at Nordstroms as long as you were willing) and Brian Setzer, who puts a big-band rockabilly spin on this timeless classic here.
As Ever,
TWC
Good Morning Gentle Readers,
Wilson Elementary School had a little Christmas program the other night and here's Jake and the House Blonde belting it out.
I'm still learning this stuff but it seems like every time I post a video on YouTube it darkens up. I dunno.
That's Jake down front without a hat. Katie is in the back, third from the left because short kids should be placed directly behind really tall kids so nobody can see them. Katie's friend Hailey is two to the right of Jake (another tall girl, in front, with flouncy black curls) and Alissa is way down to the left on the end. Apparently she was midget enough to rate the front row.
That's probably more than you wanted to know so I'll shut up now and let you watch the video that took a record 11 hours to upload.
UDATE: Got some emails wondering how come a public school can put on a Christmas program and as Brian mentioned in the comments, some public schools just don't do that at all. In this case, the parents are pretty involved in the school and I think that can make a difference. For example, Mrs TWC's friend Michelle is PTA boss and she didn't ask, she just plunked a tree in the office foyer and had a bunch of kids decorate it. No comments. Just some applause from the staff.
It's not like PC isn't in evidence, there was plenty of Frosty, Santa, and Christmas in the Tuesday show, but the kids weren't singing Away in a Manger. Wasn't any talk about Baby Jesus, neither.
And don't even get me started on what happened when the teacher asked The House Blond to bring a plastic toy rifle to school for the Daniel Boone play about America moving west.
Oh, if you can't see it, click here.
Merry Christmas,
TWC
Gentle Readers,
The Tuneography moves on and TWC planned to bag on Yoko but, man, it's Christmas, the kids are in the kitchen making cookies with Mrs TWC and I can hear them singing along.
Can't see the video? It's right here.
As Always, TWC
Gentle Readers,
For those of you who aren't busy cleaning all the global warming off your driveways in the mid-west.........
We've done this classic Drifter's rendition of White Christmas in the past (animation by Joshua Held) and also want to offer many thanks to all of you who have sent me the link this season, most recently Ken F.
You can see a full screen and very cool flash version of it here.
If you can't see either video, look here.
On another note I'm trying to get used to this new, ergonomic keyboard. This thing has more curves than the Victoria's Secret catalogue. Not sure, but ergonomic might be overrated--although my icepick fingers are beginning to find the right places. Try finding the insert key though.
As Always,
TWC
Gentle Readers,
Continuing with the TWC Twelve Days of Christmas Tuneography and there is not a whole lot left to be said about this tune. The quintessential So Cal mid-century experience (omigod, does that term just want to make you puke?) was the Beach Boys. Prolly should have said mid-sixties? Or early sixties?
TWC quite fully bought into that myth. There was a girl with a tan of golden brown waiting on the beach for me. But we kept missing each other because every time I went to the beach she'd gone home for lunch. And I went to the beach a lot. [shrugs]
Show of hands. Guys. Who remembers the first time you hugged a skimpily attired girl on the beach? Knocked yer socks off. Eh?
Can't see the video? Tough. Just kidding, it's here.
And a particularly nice cover.....
Okay, if you can't see that neither, look right here.
As Ever,
TWC
Good Morning Gentle Readers,
TWC has not ever chopped down a Christmas Tree (or anything else) with an ax, much less with a hatchet, yet on a chilly late Sunday afternoon, That Boy did the deed for us.
Oh. The kids love the Christmas Tree plantation. Acres of trees, Mini Cooper sized climbing rocks, bon fires in 55 gallon drums (for hand warming), and free hot coffee (using the term coffee loosely). Yes, even The House Blond has a cup.
Bonus: For about the same price as you'd pay the local big box hardware store for a tree, you get to hand select your own fresh Yuletide Tree and fell it.
Real Men cut their own trees.
Real Men also fetch the tree home and are chivalrous enough to allow the ladies to ride.
And now, finally, So Cal has fallen into a normal winter weather pattern. Typically eases in with high pressure over Utah, that translates into a few breezy balmy evenings. That fades into a cold, rainy, windy storm surge from up north that produces the high surf that's been in the news. On the heels of the storm comes clear, cold, breezy days with scudding clouds dancing on bright blue skies. Then it starts all over.
With God on our side, we'll be free of the dreary marine layer, swaddling the southland in a gray blanket of puick that's enough to set a body to huntin' for razor blades and a hot bath.
If every day was like Sunday, well, I'd stop complaining about traffic and crowds and the government for a couple of hours. I mean, look at the snow on Mt Baldy. BTW, that's looking across Lake Mathews from the Casa at San Antonio Peak, which is about 45 miles away.
Mrs TWC and Michelle packed a truckload of cherubs off to the local Christmas Tree Lane last Saturday. It was late when they got back and Michelle took pity on my sorry backside and sent Mrs TWC home with some from-scratch chicken soup that was, hands down, the best ever. Deeeee-licious. You know the kind I mean, with actual chicken. Now that's what I call The Christmas Spirit, man.
I'm with Der Bingle, it's..........
Ladies and Gents: That was Bing Crosby, 1954, and did you hear that part about the five and ten? And the pistol that shoots? Times do change, eh?
Can't see the vid? Look here.
As Always,
TWC
Good Morning Gentle Readers,
No TWC Twelve Days of Christmas Tuneography would be complete without Adam Sandler.
Can't see the vid? It's here.
As Ever,
TWC
tip of the glass to Mrs TWC
