Friday, December 17, 2010

Christmas tunes

Here are some of my favourite Christmas tunes.  By no means is this anywhere near a complete list but these are just a few that are somehow more meaningful to me. I have a warm spot in my heart especially at Christmas for two singers who have absolutely nothing in common. One is a very linguistically talented woman known for her intellectual looking dark rimmed glasses and angelic voice. The other is a smooth talking, velvet voiced sophisticate who somehow seems almost perpetually pickled.
They are Nana Mouskouri and Dean Martin.
If these choices say something about my personality, then so be it! You are free to interpret this in any way you wish!


I love this song when anyone sings it, but to me, no one can sing it as well as Nana Mouskouri.

Old Toy Trains



Here's Dean Martin singing my favourite of his Christmas tunes. He owns this song, as far as I am concerned! However, a little help from Frank Sinatra in this video is always a bonus!

Winter is a Marshmallow World






  I love this French Christmas song and though I prefer Nana Mouskouri's version (Click here), I really enjoy the scenes on this video and also the fact that the lyrics are there to sing along.
This version is by Tino Rossi,, a famous french tenor and film star who had a huge hit with this song back in 1946.


Petit Papa Noel

Apparently this singer and movie star was renowned for making women swoon.
 

Now here is an actor who makes many modern women swoon.  I only wish I had a recording of him singing a Christmas tune.  For all you Richard Armitage fans out there thanks to Santa:


Not exactly a wallet size portrait, eh?

9 comments:

MaryKwizMiz said...

awwwh - petit papa Noel... one of my all-time favourites... (must try and find the ska version I have somewhere.. :)
thanks for the festive tunes, and for the reminder.. have been meaning to post some of my faves (actually, just one - Fairytale of New York) .. got sidetracked by other projects... must hurry now.. ho ho ho

Phylly3 said...

The Ska version! That sounds very interesting -- I hope you do post it! I'm not sure I'm familiar with the other song either. Hope you are not too busy getting ready for Christmas! I am behind as usual!

MaryKwizMiz said...

still digging.. will post Fairytale though later tonight..
getting a wee bit busy now (due to 3+ weeks of procrastination and denial :) but Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without last minute frenzied attempts to catch up and then using the improvisation skills that have been honed over he years :)
visual prezzies done. aural ones to follow.
ho ho ho...

Phylly3 said...

LOL You sound just like me! Glad to know I'm not the only one going crazy. :)

Maria Grazia said...

Thanks for your final pic/gift, Phylly! And for this lovely Christmas post, of course.
Merry Christmas Time to you and all your readers and friends!
MG

Phylly3 said...

Thanks MG, but this may not be my final post! Depends how crazy busy I get! :)
Merry Christmas to you -- and all my loyal blog readers! (Just in case I don't get back to you before the big day!) :)

NovemberBride said...

Thanks for the songs, Phylly! I love Christmas music and Dean is one of my favs also! That smooth singing voice of his matches Mr. RA's smooth speaking voice. I must share likewise-recently discovered this Christmas album,"Joyous Day" arranged by Barlow Bradford and perfomed by the Utah Chamber Artists. Wonderful! "Star Candles" is on the album and you can listen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfiFauBcq3s
Christmas blessings to you all!

Phylly3 said...

That is such lovely music NovemberBride and the corresponding art is also a visual treat. Thanks for sending that link!
Ahh! So you see some ressemblance between RA and Dean Martin? Hmmm! Verrry interesting! :)
Does that mean I see myself as Nana Mouskouri. LOL! I wish!

NovemberBride said...

A resemblance, maybe, tho mostly audibly. They are both dark, handsome...Dean was 3" shorter than RA, so the tall part goes out the window. My daddy actually strongly resembled Dean (but, bless his heart, he couldn't carry a tune in a bucket!) I always teased Mother that was why she married him but of course, Dean wasn't a star till around 1950 and they married in '49.

Nana is rather pretty so I say go for it. And she can sing!!!!!