Playlist: Listen, my eager-eared Ebenezers! Christmas 2021

.

In the words of Moby Grape… listen, my friends! Yes, it’s the (hopefully) monthly playlist presented by George’s Journal just for you good people.

There may be one or two classics to be found here dotted in among different tunes you’re unfamiliar with or never heard before – or, of course, you may’ve heard them all before. All the same, why not sit back, sip a glass of mulled wine, munch on a mince pie and listen away; for in the words of Noddy Holder, ittttttt’s… well, I’m sure you know what comes next…

.

CLICK on the track titles to hear them

.

James Stewart ~ I Want To Live Again! (1946)¹

Leonard Bernstein, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra ~ The Twelve Days of Christmas (1963)

Doris Day ~ Snowfall (1964)

John Lennon and Peter Cook ~ London’s Most Fashionable Lavatory Spot (1966)²

Laura Nyro ~ Christmas Is In My Soul (1970)

Elton John ~ Ho! Ho! Ho! (Who’d Be A Turkey At Christmas?) (1973)³

Donna Summer ~ Winter Melody (1976)

Kiri Te Kanawa ~ Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (1986)

Electric Mayhem ~ Jingle Bell Rock (1987)⁴

Sarah Vaughan ~ Happy Holidays/ White Christmas (1988)

Sarah Brightman ~ Make Believe (1989)⁵

David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst ~ Del Boy Goes Jet-Skiing (1991)⁶

Simon Callow ~ The Cratchit’s Dinner (from A Christmas Carol) (2018)

Felicity Kendal ~ ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas (2020)

Nat King Cole ~ The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You) (1961)⁷

.

¹ Hollywood’s Christmas classic for all-time, It’s A Wonderful Life, celebrates its 75th anniversary this year

² A sketch featuring the then mop-topped Beatle from the Christmas special of Peter Cook and Dudley Moore’s BBC comedy show Not Only… But Also (1964-70), originally broadcast on December 26th 1966

³ The little known, even rarer played-on-radio, B-side to Elton’s iconic festive glamrock hit Step Into Christmas (1973)

⁴ As featured in the wonderful seasonal TV special A Muppet Family Christmas (1987)

⁵ The closing theme from UK TV Channel 4’s animated special Granpa (originally broadcast on December 31st 1989) and made by the team behind the legendary The Snowman (1982) and Father Christmas (1991)

⁶ From ‘Miami Twice’, the feature-length (and audience-laughter-free) 1991 Christmas special of Only Fools And Horses

⁷ This version of the classic Robert Wells and Mel Tormé Christmas tune – its most-played and so most iconic recording – celebrates its 60th anniversary this festive season.

.

.

.