Christmas Music
Hurrah. I was up before the lorrikeet chorus this morning. About an hour ago one of them cracked a funny and they all had a big belly laugh. Then they sang a few choruses of "*%^$#@" which I think is roughly equivalent to 'our' song "Roll Out The Barrel".
It's a grey, windy morning and I'm so glad it's Christmas. Why? NO MORE CHRISTMAS MUSIC FOR ANOTHER YEAR!!! Yippee! Working in a large department store I've heard the lot of them over the past 3 weeks. The swinging carols, the choirs, the 'celebrity' carols album, the kenny g XMas album, the piano muzak album ... oh boy. How they figure playing these songs will push people into buying stuff they don't need, and their relatives don't want, is beyond me. When I'm boss of the whole world they'll be playing Tom Waits' "Misery's the River of the World" in the supermarket. The Big Fresh dancing carrots could swing their oars in time with "everybody row ..." But anyway, because we live in a less than perfect world I've had to make do with the aforementioned endless stream of XMas songs.
I have to admit to having a few favourites. I've heard each of these songs several times now. Oops, typo. Several HUNDRED times. Ella Fitzgerald singing Mel Torme's XMas song has me singing along every time. Her voice is exquisite and he could have written the song - with all its lovely modulations - just for her. As I'm listening I hear, superimposed over Ella, Jim Shield's filthy version of the song. A lovely duet. I'm sad the shoppers only get half the story.
I also confess to being partial to Georgie Fame's XMas album. Something about his voice makes me smile. I recall being at a jazz club in King Street in the city (it's now called St Patrick's Tavern - and in case you weren't sure there are huge shamrocks stuck over the doorway) some years ago. I was thre to hear Dale Barlow play his tenor. Quite late in the evening he announced that a special guest was in the audience and was now going to perform a couple of numbers. Mr Fame himself stumbled onto the stage and despite seeming incapable of remembering his name (I think it was wine=1, Georgie=nil that night) he obligingly sang his heart out to a cheering crowd. No, Kate - this is not a hint. Please don't order "Gergie Fame Swings at Christmas" through Amazon for me (or I'll staple your knees to the floor).
The last rip snorter is one I always only recognise at the end because at the very end of the song the big band stops and a horse whinnies. Then big band plays final chord (and then we all get to go home???? I wish). I heard it every few hours and would think "oh, there's that song!" while attempting to answer the question "does my bum look big in this?" with a blank expression.
Happy holidays everyone. I'm going to get some sleep now!
It's a grey, windy morning and I'm so glad it's Christmas. Why? NO MORE CHRISTMAS MUSIC FOR ANOTHER YEAR!!! Yippee! Working in a large department store I've heard the lot of them over the past 3 weeks. The swinging carols, the choirs, the 'celebrity' carols album, the kenny g XMas album, the piano muzak album ... oh boy. How they figure playing these songs will push people into buying stuff they don't need, and their relatives don't want, is beyond me. When I'm boss of the whole world they'll be playing Tom Waits' "Misery's the River of the World" in the supermarket. The Big Fresh dancing carrots could swing their oars in time with "everybody row ..." But anyway, because we live in a less than perfect world I've had to make do with the aforementioned endless stream of XMas songs.
I have to admit to having a few favourites. I've heard each of these songs several times now. Oops, typo. Several HUNDRED times. Ella Fitzgerald singing Mel Torme's XMas song has me singing along every time. Her voice is exquisite and he could have written the song - with all its lovely modulations - just for her. As I'm listening I hear, superimposed over Ella, Jim Shield's filthy version of the song. A lovely duet. I'm sad the shoppers only get half the story.
I also confess to being partial to Georgie Fame's XMas album. Something about his voice makes me smile. I recall being at a jazz club in King Street in the city (it's now called St Patrick's Tavern - and in case you weren't sure there are huge shamrocks stuck over the doorway) some years ago. I was thre to hear Dale Barlow play his tenor. Quite late in the evening he announced that a special guest was in the audience and was now going to perform a couple of numbers. Mr Fame himself stumbled onto the stage and despite seeming incapable of remembering his name (I think it was wine=1, Georgie=nil that night) he obligingly sang his heart out to a cheering crowd. No, Kate - this is not a hint. Please don't order "Gergie Fame Swings at Christmas" through Amazon for me (or I'll staple your knees to the floor).
The last rip snorter is one I always only recognise at the end because at the very end of the song the big band stops and a horse whinnies. Then big band plays final chord (and then we all get to go home???? I wish). I heard it every few hours and would think "oh, there's that song!" while attempting to answer the question "does my bum look big in this?" with a blank expression.
Happy holidays everyone. I'm going to get some sleep now!
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