Dreaming of a Classic Christmas #MusicMovesMe

 It's Monday, and it's time for holiday music.

Let's introduce the Music Moves Me bloggers. We blog about music each Sunday or Monday and if you have music to share with us, you are most welcome to join! (Music Posts Only-meaning at least one music video, please!)   Our head host is Xmas Dolly, and our co-hosts are Cathy from Curious as a Cathy, joined by the knowledgeable Stacy of Stacy Uncorked and yours truly.

For the month of December, we've traditionally had holiday music. Last week, we had a great variety.  There is so much Christmas music out there, and I have to admit, I'm a bit more partial to Christmas songs from my childhood.  More about that in a moment.

But first, as it is still Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, my first selection will be in honor of Time's Person of the Year, Taylor Swift.  Presenting Jewish a capella group Six13 with their 2023 Hanukkah song, Era-lution of Taylor Swift (Chanukah's Version).  Highlights of 14 Taylor Swift songs rewritten for Hanukkah joy await you.

The rest of my Christmas selections today were all written or co-written by Jewish songwriters.  I've blogged about this before and I have to admit, I am so thrilled to announce my first selection.

Brenda Lee and "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" have hit #1 this year on the Billboard Hot 100 (it only took 65 years!) and Ms. Lee has become the oldest artist (she will turn 79 on December 12) to hit #1, taking the crown away from Louis Armstrong.  Here Brenda Lee is in her first video for this song, joined (through cameos, not singing) by Trisha Yearwood and Tanya Tucker.  This song was written by Johnny Marks.

 This second song is also a Johnny Marks selection.  Here's Burl Ives and "A Holly Jolly Christmas".

In 1944, Mel Torme and Robert Wells, both Jewish, wrote "The Christmas Song", a personal favorite. I choose the version by Nat King Cole.  It's estimated that there are some 80,000. covers of this song, but the one I'm choosing is the original recording by the King Trio in June (yes, June) of 1946.  It has a different sound than later recordings by Cole.  I like the sound of this original recording, which was not released until 1989.

 

Winter Wonderland has a sad backstory.  This was co-written by Felix Bernard (Jewish composer) with lyrics by Richard B. Smith (not Jewish) in 1934 at a time when Smith was undergoing treatment for tuberculosis.   Sadly, Smith died the following year.  This recording by Perry Como dates from 1946.

And one more sad story.  Perhaps the all time #1 Christmas song, White Christmas, is another song written by a Jewish songwriter (Irving Berlin, born Israel Isidore Beilin or Baline in Siberia).  Sadly, Irving Berlin's son Irving Baline died on Christmas Day 1928, less than a month after he was born.  I'm partial to the Drifter's 1954 doo-wop cover.

And that's a wrap!  

Join me again next week for another holiday episode of MusicMovesMe.