I have had a great time hunting down some of the music that you all suggested for us to give a listen. Thanks for all of the suggestions! I am still wading through it, and will let you know what I find. Right now I can't stop listening to the new Sara Groves CD, Fireflies and Songs. It is so good.
I woke up this morning and the first thing I did was turn on our all-day Christmas music playlist. People, is there anything happier than Christmas music? I love it so much. Now, granted, I'm a little bit picky about Christmas music. The Christmas music I love the most has a ring of nostalgia to it. And sentiment. And tradition. And beauty. And oldness. But few things really tug at my heart like my favorite Christmas music.
So I thought I would share my favorites with you. This is TRAVIS' TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS CD'S. There's nothing record-breakingly original or out of the ordinary. But if you are looking for something new to listen to this Christmas (if, of course, you don't already have this, wink, wink), give one of these a try.
12. The Carpenters - Christmas Portrait
11. Currier and Ives Holiday Collection: Christmas Treasures - London Symphony Orchestra
10. Amy Grant - A Christmas Album
9. Bing Crosby - Merry Christmas
8. First Call - An Evening in December
7. Mannheim Steamroller - Christmas
6. John Denver and the Muppets - A Christmas Together
5. James Taylor - At Christmas
4. Amy Grant - Home For Christmas
3. The Cambridge Singers Christmas Album - The Cambridge Singers and John Rutter
2. Elf - The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
1. A Charlie Brown Christmas - The Vince Guaraldi Trio
This is just 12 of the 30 or 40 Christmas CD's we love to listen to.
What are your favorites Christmas CD's?
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33 comments:
My iTunes 'Christmas' playlist currently includes 'Ring the Bells' (not even kidding, though I have to listen to 'Jesus Saves' all year long), Amy Grant's Christmas Album, Vince Gill's 'Let There Be Peace on Earth', Harry Connick's When My Heart Finds Christmas, and, the family show-stopper (though my kids are getting to be WAY too old, Veggie Tales' A Very Veggie Christmas. Beyonce's Ave' Maria is one of my current faves, as well. We have very eclectic tastes at my house...
For some reason I love, "Our Christmas", a random collection from about 1990 of CCM folks. MWS is on there, Bryan Duncan, Al Green, Amy Grant & Sandi Patty...you know...OH and First Call.
I think my sister bought it when I was young and we just listened to it all the time while I was growing up...
I just love it.
this will make you laugh. i have TWO, just TWO CD's on your top 12 list. FIVE others are in my possession on cassette tape. at least they aren't on 8-track. time to go broke on itunes!
Well I do not have an i tunes but I will get one eventually but my Favorite is Travis Cottrell Christmas CD I just heard Oh Holy Night gives me chills every time I hear that song .
Have a Great Thanksgiving
A seista in Albuquerque NM
Carol
All three Harry Connick, Jr albums are must plays.
Love the classic Nutcracker soundtrack. Great background for Christmas home movies.
And an individual song I MUST hear each year is Michael Crawford's O Holy Night.
One of my favorite Christmas CD's is 'Portraits of Christmas' by Wind Machine. It's all instrumental, and they have a beautiful rendition of "Carol of the Bells". I'm going to check out some of the ones on your list, starting with John Denver and the Muppets!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Adrienne
Denver and the MileHigh Orchestra
Ring the Bells
anything by Amy Grant
Christmastime - Michael W Smith
my choir's recording of the Messiah
and
"a Soulful Celebration"
Other than yours (not kidding even a little bit-my son’s favorite is Hark! The Herald Angels Sing), right now I’m loving Chris Tomlin’s Glory in the Highest. Also, you can’t have Christmas without some Harry Connick, Jr. and Point of Grace!
When My Heart Finds Christmas by Harry Connick, Jr. and
Go Tell it on the Mountain by Blind Boys of Alabama.
They are both fabulous!!
Have a wonderful Christmas season.
Anna
Love JOhn Rutter! I'm going to have to pick up the Cambridge Singers Christmas!
The Preacher's Wife soundtrack...:)
Whitney in her prime singing Joy, I Love the Lord, and Who Would Imagine a King!
Just finished watching the movie for the firs time this season...and I'll watch it again and again and again! :)
Happy Thanksgiving to the Cottrells!
Dori
Thanksgiving weekend each year, Angela breaks out "Alabama Christmas." The season is officially started once the country crooners start to sing.
Mercy Me - The Christmas Sessions... their version of "Drummer Boy" brings me to tears nearly every time I hear it.
Love Third Day's "Merry Christmas" (enjoy the whole Christmas Offerings cd but that song is special to me!)
Celine Dion - These Are the Special Times
Barenaked Ladies & Sarah McLachlan have my fav version of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Michael W. Smith - Christmastime
I just bought my new Christmas album for the year. It was released last year by Casting Crowns, "Peace on Earth." It has some really interesting arrangments of old hymns. Lifeway in my area has it on sale for only $5.00. That's cheaper than iTunes.
Happy Thanksgiving to the Cottrells!!
Ok Travis... here goes my list of Christmas CD goodies and suggestions for you[not in order]:
Los Lonely Boys: Christmas Spirit
James Taylor:
Shane & Shane: Glory in the Highest
Israel: Timeless Christmas
Brian McKnight: I'll be home for Christmas
Harry Connick Jr: When my heart finds Christmas
Michael Buble: Let it snow
that's all for now... i know there are lots more:)
We like "Bluegrass, White Snow" by Patty Lovesless. And I just bought "Snow" by Go Fish for my kids this year.....we all love it!
Right now I'm lovin' the medley of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" with "Carol of the Bells" by Mannheim Steamroller.
Of course, it would be nice if you, Travis, would put out another Christmas CD. "Ring the Bells" is great and we would love to hear more from you!
Happy Thanksgiving!
The Best of Christmas (Various Artists) and Christmas Sax (Sam Levine). First heard Christmas Sax while shopping in a gift shop either in Boone or Blowing Rock, can't remember which. Bought it on the spot!
I actually have 6 of the ones you listed! And you are so right...nothing better than Christmas music. Add some Harry Connick and you're set! :)
Some of my favorites are:
Celine Dione These are Special Times; It's Christmas Time (Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, and Louis Armstrong); The Best of Aaron Neville, The Christmas Collection; Josh Groban, Noel; Luther Vandross, Home for Christmas; Songs 4 Worship Christmas; The Andy Williams Christmas Album plus I have a lot of LPs. Two of my favorite LPs are Merry Christmas, Johnny Mathis with Percy Faith and His Orchestra; and The Carpenters' An Old-Fashioned Christmas. Now you know how "old" I am (but still young at heart)!
A very obscure Christmas CD, but a favorite of mine is Dan Fogelberg's, "First Christmas Morning". The album has sort of an old world feel to it, but one song in particular that just moves me is "In the Bleak Midwinter". Sounds cheerful, huh? You can check it out on itunes. It shares the Christmas message in such a sweet yet powerful way.
The Carpenters Christmas Portrait album is definitely a favorite of mine!! LOVE IT! Also, my family loves the Gloria Estefan: Christmas Through Your Eyes is really nice :) Happy Holidays!
Thanks for sharing the information on TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS CD'S.. I would buy it as a gift for somebody on Christmas.
Am I allowed to laugh at your #12??
B/c I am...
Of course, if I owned it and actually started listening to it, I'd probably end up loving it. So I'll stop :)
One of my favs is Crystal Lewis' Holiday: A Collection of Christmas Favorites. Josh Groban's is great too.
There are so many! Some of my favorite albums are: John Denver Rocky Mountain Christmas (I grew up listening to this one), Billy Dean The Christ, The Charlie Brown Christmas, Third Day's Christmas Offerings, Straight No Chaser's 2 Christmas CDs (mostly non-traditional songs, but their 12 Days of Christmas and Christmas Can-Can are hilarious). Favorite songs would include What Child is This, Silent Night, The Christmas Song, and Glorious Impossible (my church did this song a couple of years ago, and I LOVE it!)
Surprisingly enough, Garth Brooks' "Beyond The Season" is a great Christmas Album.
Also, the acapella group "Straight No Chaser" has a really great Christmas album.
Chris Rice is one of my favorite Christmas albums - the Living Room Sessions Christmas from him is fabulous!
Kathy Mattea "Good News", Mannheim Steamroller and Point of Grace "Christmas Story", Mariah Carey's "Merry Christmas". First Call, "Evening in December" might be my all time favorite. My new favorite is "Jesus Saves", from "Ring the Bells", although I must admit I listen to it all year long.
Elvis' Christmas Album!!!
MercyMe Christmas Sessions is at the TOP of the list. It is a must have. It dethroned Bryan Duncan's Christmas is Jesus which had the reigning spot for probably 13 years.
Brooklyn Tabernacle's Light of the World is also awesome.
Love yours too.
I didn't have anything original to add to the conversation until today...nothing I have on the iPod is terrifically groundbreaking. HOWEVER! My pastor (!) put me onto Straight No Chaser - a male a capella group. They have 2 Christmas albums out. If you love crazy good harmonizing and awesome interpretations on Christmas tunes then click to Amazon pronto and download it all! But if you can only have just one, I defy you not to laugh right out loud at their take on 12 Days of Christmas. Absolutely masterful! And if you can only do two...add the Christmas Can-Can! I am LOVING them!
I have a bunch of things playing usually when I'm not working - usually a combination of:
Ring the Bells (Cottrell)
It's a Wonderful Christmas (Smith)
Home Alone Score (Williams)
Elf score (Debney)
The Polar Express score/soundtrack (Silvestri)
A bunch of random songs by anyone from Clay Aiken (The First Noel - great orchestrations) to The Brian Setzer Orchestra
and my personal eclectic random favorite, the score to "The Santa Clause" by Michael Convertino.
Merry Christmas & Happy holidays, everyone!
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