Tag Archives: Daily Dose of Christmas

“The snow turned into rain….” Yup, I feature this every year, because I love it as a song and because thematically it really does capture something of a “dark side” to Christmas. There is always a sense of, “Is this … Continue reading →

We’re a week out now. The night is mustering, the longest night is approaching…but so, too, is light. In many ways. This is generally when I start posting my favorites each year, the repeat selections that live in my heart. … Continue reading →

OK, let’s go down a geeky rabbit hole! Today I’m posting a Christmas selection, if I can find one, from every singer who has ever performed the theme song to a James Bond movie! We’ll start with the glorious Shirley … Continue reading →

I don’t know what the first Christmas song I ever learned was, but I’ll bet it was “Jingle Bells”. This song is such a basic old chestnut of the season that you wouldn’t think a lot could be musically wrung … Continue reading →

I’ve had a really busy day, so I’ll just keep it short and sweet. This one needs no introduction whatsoever, right?  

Speaking of my friend Robert John Guttke, he also loved the music of Ralph Vaughan Williams. Vaughan Williams’s eternally-fascinating blend of modern symphonic sounds and instrumental writing, combined with his fascination with English folksong and melodies dating back to the … Continue reading →

Yesterday was Frank Sinatra’s birthday, so here’s Dean Martin! (With Frank Sinatra.) Well, you can’t stop with just one bit of Frank, so here he is with Bing Crosby: And here’s Frank all by himself.  

“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire….” Such a strong and evocative image of Christmastime…and yet, I’ve never once tasted a roasted chestnut, nor have I come close to roasting one on an open fire. But that’s not my fault: Hopefully … Continue reading →