Christmas music, and other stuff
Dec. 22nd, 2019 09:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pensnestLast night's singout… sigh. The four of us went with a handful of others, and I don't want to do that again. Our quartet's bass has more enthusiasm than judgment or musicianship. It's a pity—I love her dearly, but she has no idea how much she doesn't know. If I'd been one of the people eating an expensive dinner I would have been very unimpressed to have our group as the musical entertainment. Although from the way The Twelve Days of Christmas went, I don't think there was anybody particularly musical in the audience.
*
Speaking of musical entertainment, heh, despite my usual protestations about Christmas music, I have succumbed to the lure of Robbie William's Christmas (double) CD, and I am glad!
The first disc is 'Christmas Past', and I like it very much. I enjoy Robbie in swing mode, and this CD is pretty much all that.
Winter Wonderland I actually have a soft spot for, as it's one I used to sing harmony on in a duet. Robbie's version is reasonably lively. One could do a plausible foxtrot to it.
Merry Xmas Everybody Oooh! A swing version of Slade's hard-belting pop number, this is a lotta fun. Plus, memories of my teen years, and… every Christmas ever since.
Pretty much everything I said about Winter Wonderland also applies to Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!
Not even Nat King Cole can make me love Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, and Robbie can't do it either.
Coco's Christmas Lullaby is new, a gentle waltz, and rather sweet. It's for his youngest child. Robbie is a Daddy. Three kids. OMG. This is an album with quite a lot of family feeling.
Rudolph. I LOVE THIS. I love it. It references the Carol of the Bells, and there's also a musical theme which I cannot identify but I've loved for ages, I think it might be something from a long-ago TV show but I'm blowed if I can figure out which. This song actually had me Viennese waltzing round my kitchen (an enterprise fraught with peril) as well as singing merrily. It's delightful.
Yeah! It's Christmas. Robbie as curmudgeon. Quite fun. He can't quite keep it up all the way through.
It's a Wonderful Life. Singing with his Poppa. Awwwww. Nicely swinging, and they sound good together.
Let's Not Go Shopping. Bit like something from an old-fashioned musical, also reminds me of one of the NPH intros to the Tony Awards (Bigger). Really, I should make sure Beast is in the room when I play this so that we can smooch about in the dining room.
Santa Baby. Nothing will ever match Eartha Kitt's version, but he's having fun with it. Although, you really can't follow "Some bling" with "But not on the phone." Hmph.
Best Christmas Ever starts, disconcertingly, exactly like Snowblind. It's not as good a song as Snowblind, but it's very much an 'all about the family' song.
One Last Christmas. Overblown drama, which you'd think he could do well, but eh.
Coco's Christmas Lullaby Reprise has one of those Deeply Personal Messages spoken to You, Dearpurchaser Listener, which always make me cringe. Oh well.
On to the 'Christmas Future' CD, which is no longer swing and therefore no longer making me want to sing. It might appeal more to someone who actually likes… whatever kind of music Robbie usually makes? Pop? I don't really know what the young people are into these days.
Time for Change It's okay.
Idlewild Working class boy meets classy chick and misbehaves. Eh.
Darkest Night Rhymes 'redundant' with 'London' and makes it work… Fun, but I still miss the swing. Needs a video with lots of fireworks.
Fairytales (with Rod Stewart, oddly) Meh
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) An oldie, shang-a-lang style, which is actually a lot of fun.
Bad Sharon - lyrics are entertaining and it is jolly. Boppy. Office Christmas Party winner.
Happy Birthday Jesus Christ, unsurprisingly irreverent, quite enjoyed it. Something in the harmonies is reminding me of something, which I quite like. I wish I could figure out my tenuous musical memories, though.
New Year's Day Ok
Snowflakes - I was very dubious as it started out in a plinkety-plonk style, but it is hilarious!
Home starts out like a film score. Sweet, and growing on me.
Soul Transmission I quite like the production on this, interesting backing.
Overall verdict: totally worth it just for Rudolph, but there's quite a lot to enjoy. I shall certainly be listening more to Past than to Future.
*
Found this beautiful embroidered art via Metafilter. I think my favourite is the entirely golden one of wheatfield and bright sky., but they are in general very beautiful.
*
Bun and her Beau are going off to Berlin at (I think) the end of January, to visit many interesting things, eat lots of tasty things, and presumably to freeze their butts off.
*
After the necessary expotition to the butchers and Aldi tomorrow, for last minute stuff, I think we are Christmas-ready. I spent most of this morning creating a garland for the front door and a decoration for one end of our humungous dining table, so there's another table decoration to be done and a mincemeat tart to make tomorrow afternoon. Bun is tasked with creating 'something lemony' for pud on Christmas Day, so it's a bit of a shame I bought quite so much cream cheese. Ah, perhaps we can have bagels for breakfast on The Day instead of croissants. Hmmmmm. Hmm.
Perhaps I should get writing! Pop peeps, don't forget the Christmas Cracker challenge! You can post stories from Tuesday onwards until and including 6th January. There are some really nice prompts up there, and room for more. I hope some of you feel inspired!
*
Speaking of musical entertainment, heh, despite my usual protestations about Christmas music, I have succumbed to the lure of Robbie William's Christmas (double) CD, and I am glad!
The first disc is 'Christmas Past', and I like it very much. I enjoy Robbie in swing mode, and this CD is pretty much all that.
Winter Wonderland I actually have a soft spot for, as it's one I used to sing harmony on in a duet. Robbie's version is reasonably lively. One could do a plausible foxtrot to it.
Merry Xmas Everybody Oooh! A swing version of Slade's hard-belting pop number, this is a lotta fun. Plus, memories of my teen years, and… every Christmas ever since.
Pretty much everything I said about Winter Wonderland also applies to Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!
Not even Nat King Cole can make me love Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, and Robbie can't do it either.
Coco's Christmas Lullaby is new, a gentle waltz, and rather sweet. It's for his youngest child. Robbie is a Daddy. Three kids. OMG. This is an album with quite a lot of family feeling.
Rudolph. I LOVE THIS. I love it. It references the Carol of the Bells, and there's also a musical theme which I cannot identify but I've loved for ages, I think it might be something from a long-ago TV show but I'm blowed if I can figure out which. This song actually had me Viennese waltzing round my kitchen (an enterprise fraught with peril) as well as singing merrily. It's delightful.
Yeah! It's Christmas. Robbie as curmudgeon. Quite fun. He can't quite keep it up all the way through.
It's a Wonderful Life. Singing with his Poppa. Awwwww. Nicely swinging, and they sound good together.
Let's Not Go Shopping. Bit like something from an old-fashioned musical, also reminds me of one of the NPH intros to the Tony Awards (Bigger). Really, I should make sure Beast is in the room when I play this so that we can smooch about in the dining room.
Santa Baby. Nothing will ever match Eartha Kitt's version, but he's having fun with it. Although, you really can't follow "Some bling" with "But not on the phone." Hmph.
Best Christmas Ever starts, disconcertingly, exactly like Snowblind. It's not as good a song as Snowblind, but it's very much an 'all about the family' song.
One Last Christmas. Overblown drama, which you'd think he could do well, but eh.
Coco's Christmas Lullaby Reprise has one of those Deeply Personal Messages spoken to You, Dear
On to the 'Christmas Future' CD, which is no longer swing and therefore no longer making me want to sing. It might appeal more to someone who actually likes… whatever kind of music Robbie usually makes? Pop? I don't really know what the young people are into these days.
Time for Change It's okay.
Idlewild Working class boy meets classy chick and misbehaves. Eh.
Darkest Night Rhymes 'redundant' with 'London' and makes it work… Fun, but I still miss the swing. Needs a video with lots of fireworks.
Fairytales (with Rod Stewart, oddly) Meh
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) An oldie, shang-a-lang style, which is actually a lot of fun.
Bad Sharon - lyrics are entertaining and it is jolly. Boppy. Office Christmas Party winner.
Happy Birthday Jesus Christ, unsurprisingly irreverent, quite enjoyed it. Something in the harmonies is reminding me of something, which I quite like. I wish I could figure out my tenuous musical memories, though.
New Year's Day Ok
Snowflakes - I was very dubious as it started out in a plinkety-plonk style, but it is hilarious!
Home starts out like a film score. Sweet, and growing on me.
Soul Transmission I quite like the production on this, interesting backing.
Overall verdict: totally worth it just for Rudolph, but there's quite a lot to enjoy. I shall certainly be listening more to Past than to Future.
*
Found this beautiful embroidered art via Metafilter. I think my favourite is the entirely golden one of wheatfield and bright sky., but they are in general very beautiful.
*
Bun and her Beau are going off to Berlin at (I think) the end of January, to visit many interesting things, eat lots of tasty things, and presumably to freeze their butts off.
*
After the necessary expotition to the butchers and Aldi tomorrow, for last minute stuff, I think we are Christmas-ready. I spent most of this morning creating a garland for the front door and a decoration for one end of our humungous dining table, so there's another table decoration to be done and a mincemeat tart to make tomorrow afternoon. Bun is tasked with creating 'something lemony' for pud on Christmas Day, so it's a bit of a shame I bought quite so much cream cheese. Ah, perhaps we can have bagels for breakfast on The Day instead of croissants. Hmmmmm. Hmm.
Perhaps I should get writing! Pop peeps, don't forget the Christmas Cracker challenge! You can post stories from Tuesday onwards until and including 6th January. There are some really nice prompts up there, and room for more. I hope some of you feel inspired!
no subject
Date: 2019-12-22 10:50 pm (UTC)I love those embroidered pieces; I could never master along stitch, but she does great things with that. overall, the aerial views are wonderful. I kept translating them in my mind's eye to the fields and pastures on the farm - it would be interesting to get some screen caps off google earth and give it a try
no subject
Date: 2019-12-23 03:25 am (UTC)Sorry the singout was a bit... problematic.
I'm still waiting to pick up some writing inspiration. My mind has been creatively blank for awhile, but I'm not sleeping the best so that could be why.
no subject
Date: 2019-12-24 01:53 pm (UTC)Gorgeous embroidery! My favorite is the one with the lightning bolts and all the purple, because I am over-dramatic af. :)
no subject
Date: 2019-12-24 06:15 pm (UTC)And now, so do you!
no subject
Date: 2019-12-24 09:26 pm (UTC)(Happy/Merry Everything, btw!)
no subject
Date: 2019-12-25 08:15 am (UTC)Go you with all those preparations done!
no subject
Date: 2019-12-29 12:42 am (UTC)