[ScoJo]

Someone asked about favourites somewhere (can't trace the post sorry...) so thought I'd throw this up.

My Holy three as follows:

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These are the ones which I habitually reach for once the season truly kicks in. Gling Glo, in case you're unfamiliar, is a very young Bjork Gudmondsdottir with a spiffy Icelandic jazz trio, it's mighty fine cheerful stuff and while not being an actual Xmas record has always been associated as such for me - my ex-wife and I were obsessed with it, good feels :)

The other two - just, no brainers right?

[Spun out of control]

Good picks @ScoJo - I'd like to add Low's Christmas EP and any James Brown album with Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto on on it...





PS... picked up that Bjork Gling Glo album on my first ever trip to Iceland, to celebrate my 30th. Tried to get into Bjork's club in town and was refused entry because of the 'wrong footwear'. The cab driver did however point out her bright yellow house in the centre of Reykjavik - so yeah, pleasant memories here too.

Being an indie kid at heart am also partial to St Etienne's Christmas-themed A Glimpse of Stocking LP that first came out as a ltd CD and was subsequently re-released on vinyl last year. It includes this take on Chris Rea's 'classic':

[deafmetal]

@ScoJo - Interesting choice with Gling-Gló. I also adore that LP, but have never associated it with the holidays. I think I will bust it out this year though. Also, your other two picks are totally on point. :)

May you have dry socks and the warm glow of spirits (in your belly) this Christmas...

[ScoJo]

@deaf/@spun -

Whatever the f*** she's singin' about on the title track, it sure sounds plausibly Xmass-ey to me ;)

[Mateo Sanboval]

Nice selections, gents. I have all of the Christmas themed LPs except for St Etienne (my education there is deficient) and Guaraldi is my all time favorite Xmas album. I'd also add these to the list of heavy Holiday rotators:



With honorable (not-as-yet) mentions going to Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, John Fahey, and Walter Brennan.

[monsterworship]

[chiefbrody]

There is nothing to compare to A Christmas Gift For You. Far from being just a great Christmas record, I could easily argue that it should be up there with the very best records of all time. It's a perfect album.

Another fan of Low's Christmas mini-album - 'Just Like Christmas' is a brilliant original.

No shout-outs for Silent Night, Deadly Night? A great Death Waltz release.

I also hold the soundtrack/score to Home Alone very dear, I think a sign of my age, as much as anything else.

[Mateo Sanboval]

I just watched Home Alone this past weekend, Chief. Still great fun. Speaking of one's age as we were, how's that for a ripping Saturday night?

[static14]

My go to's

[Mateo Sanboval]

Oh, wow. I'd forgotten about the John Williams/Boston Pops album. Ma 'n' Pa Sanboval definitely had that LP.

[static14]

@Mateo a good collection of music, and a really, really good recording to boot.

[texasvinyl]

I love Christmas spins!! Great post. Here are my go-to albums:

Sharon Jones is a newer addition this year. Sucks to think she may have been hurting or in the hospital signing these. :( She signed a ton of copies for an Amazon exclusive. They couldn't give them away (price went down to $9 at one point) until she passed, then they sold out immediately. It is a funky fun record that even opens with a funky Channukah jam. And if you like "Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto" you'll surely dig "Ain't No Chimneys in the Projects"

The James Brown and the Famous Flames Sing Christmas Songs on King is one of my favorites, I like it better than Soulful Christmas--more of a straight soul sound, earlier recordings.

Philles Christmas of course, although I don't like this red vinyl pressing but I've never been able to find a good original copy.

Ramsey Lewis Trio's Sound of Christmas is a winner.

Charlie Brown Christmas will always be the best. There won't ever be a better Christmas record. I love the story of the drunk animator yelling "it'll run for a hundred years" when the network thought it would bomb and also how Schulz hated jazz music.

Christmas in New York Volume 2 and Mario Lanza Christmas Hymns and Carols are dear to my heart because they belonged to my grandparents long ago.

The three on the right side are KVIL Christmas volumes 1, 2 and 3. '82, '83 and '84. They were my parents', the first one came out when I was just a newborn. They are locally produced by an old station 103.7 KVIL which used to do an 18-hour Christmas special every year (now we have 30+ straight days of it... how things change!). The tracks were all recorded in Dallas by local DFW musicians. The cover of Volume 1 is also really amazing, it is a mashup of Dallas skyline on the left, Arlington in the middle and Ft Worth on the right, all set as a reflection in a Christmas ornament.

She & Him is pleasant, my wife especially likes that one. I probably need to add Elf if I can find it on a super bargain at some point.

G.M.O. Christmas is cheeky 8-bit Japanese fun from 1987. A couple of the arrangements are pretty great though, managing to fuse NES vibes with Christmas tunes really well.

Grinch, Christmas Songs and Carols and Merry Snoopy's Christmas are good when kids are in the house.

Then we have the forum label Xmas stuff, Black Christmas, Home Alone, Krampus, & Christmas Evil.

I have some Christmas 45s around somewhere, but it's always such a pain to dig them out so I usually don't. 45s are fun but so hard for me to keep organized in any kind of meaningful fashion.

Hope you all are winding down work stuff and able to take a few days off to spend with friends and family. I have in-laws coming, fifteenth reunion high school Christmas party (usually almost half our tiny graduating class makes it every year!), Xmas Eve with my nephews and my family, friends coming in from all over the country. It's gonna be a great time.

Bonus basinet in the background :-)

[Mateo Sanboval]

Sharon Jones is a worthy addition, Tex. That's a really fun album. I think I have all of the Daptone Holiday 7" records in my collection. Those are loads of fun. I never knew about the Jb and The Famous Flames LP;I'll have to give that a listen. I am aware of the Ramsey Lewis Trio LP, but have never heard it; I should probably amend that as well.

[ScoJo]

Great selections indeed!

More SJ essentials:

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And for the perfect spooky, Eastern European vampire side of the season:

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[milliondollars]

some good stuff being mentioned. wondering i did not see Sinatras Christmas Album in here as i think this is one the best.

may i throw my cheese christmas library records list in once again?

https://www.discogs.com/lists/Christmas-Library/308683

[ScoJo]

@million

You may, you may!

So that's where I got the idea originally....thanks, it was doing my head in ;)

[milliondollars]

this is what i call the wildest christmas record ever made. but nobody seems to love it, haha!

great cosmic synth drum machine styles. check the funny Silent Night, Holy Night cover version for example:



those crazy drum machines hitting your christmas party hard:



lovely cover art, too!

there should be one in every blessed home...

[ScoJo]

My go to's

@static -

I squealed and jumped onto the cogs for the Rudolph OST within seconds of seeing it! That's why I love this place - for the stuff you had no idea existed :)

Consider that your Xmas gift to me bro, thanks!

[milliondollars]

@million

You may, you may!

So that's where I got the idea originally....thanks, it was doing my head in ;)

merry christmas to you and all the good folks in here...

[Mateo Sanboval]

Anything Burl Ives at Christmas is legitimate.

[static14]

[Mateo Sanboval]

[Aremagod]

Here's my vast Christmas collection.

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