Music History Today: December 25, 2021

According to the Newsweek article "The Top 20 Best-Selling Christmas Songs of All Time," dated December 10, 2019, Brenda Lee—at number 9—had the highest spot for songs released in the 1950s decade with "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree."

Home Free Sings: Auld Lang Syne

Scottish poet Robert Burns is credited with penning the poem known as “Auld Lang Syne” in 1788. He was quick to admit, however, that he’d been inspired by a drinking song he’d heard an old man singing in a pub.    

"Why we sing 'Auld Lang Syne'" 

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PMJ Singers: What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?

"What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?" is a popular song written in 1947 by Frank Loesser as an independent song—not written for a particular movie or musical.

Rayvon Owen & Olivia Kuper Harris

Robyn Adele Anderson Sings: My Favorite Things

"My Favorite Things" is a show tune from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The Sound of Music. In the original Broadway production, this song was introduced by Mary Martin playing Maria and Patricia Neway playing Mother Abbess.  

Read more: Wikipedia 

Robyn Adele Anderson

Postmodern Jukebox: I'll Be Home For Christmas

This was originally recorded by Bing Crosby in 1943. It quickly became one of America's most popular holiday songs along with "White Christmas," which Bing had put onto disc the previous year. 

Frank Sinatra Sings: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

The 25 Greatest Christmas Albums of All Time

Number 13: Frank Sinatra, ‘A Jolly Christmas’ (1957)
Rolling Stone magazine

Frank Sinatra, ‘A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra’ (1957)

Released in 1957, the same year as Elvis Presley's hit Christmas album, Sinatra's first Christmas record is like a conservative op-ed in response to the King's subtly radical bum rush. It's the essence of Eisenhower's America, bottled and gift-wrapped with a red and white bow on top.

Michael Bublé Sings: It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

"It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" is a Christmas song written in 1951 by Meredith Willson. The song has been recorded by many artists, but was a hit for Perry Como and The Fontane Sisters with Mitchell Ayres & His Orchestra on September 18, 1951. Bing Crosby recorded a version on October 1, 1951, which was also widely played.  Read more: Wikipedia

(fullYouTube playlist here)

The Piano Guys: Angels We Have Heard on High

The Piano Guys are an American musical group consisting of pianist Jon Schmidt, cellist Steven Sharp Nelson, videographer Paul Anderson, and music producer Al van der Beek. They gained popularity through YouTube, where in 2010 they began posting piano and cello compositions combining classical, contemporary, and rock and roll music, accompanied by professional-quality videos. 

Read mireL Wikipedia

The Piano Guys

Home Free Sings: O' Holy Night

"O Holy Night" is a well-known Christmas carol composed by Adolphe Adam in 1847 to the French poem "Minuit, chrétiens" (Midnight, Christians) written by wine merchant and poet Placide Cappeau (1808–1877). 

Home Free Acapella Group

Johnny Cash Sings: Ballad of the Harp Weaver

The Christmas Spirit is the first Christmas album and seventeenth album by country singer Johnny Cash, released on Columbia Records in November 1963. 

Josh Turner's Guitar Sings: The Christmas Song

"The Christmas Song" (commonly subtitled "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire" or, as it was originally subtitled, "Merry Christmas to You") is a classic Christmas song written in 1945 by Robert Wells and Mel Tormé. 

Josh Turner Guitar Sings: Let It Snow

"Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!", also known as "Let It Snow," is a song written by lyricist Sammy Cahn and composer Jule Styne in July 1945. It was written in Hollywood, California, during a heat wave as Cahn and Styne imagined cooler conditions. 

Kate Davis Sings:Blue Christmas (Dueling Basses)

"Blue Christmas" is a Christmas song written by Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson and most famously performed by Elvis Presley. It is a tale of unrequited love during the holidays and is a longstanding staple of Christmas music, especially in the country genre.

Read more: Wikipedia

Band Aid Sings: Do They Know it's Christmas? 1984

"Do They Know It's Christmas?" is a song written in 1984 by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure in reaction to television reports of the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia. It was first recorded in a single day on 25 November 1984 by Band Aid, a super-group put together by Geldof and Ure and consisting mainly of the biggest British and Irish musical acts at the time. 

Band-Aid 1984

Brenda Lee Sings: Rockin Around the Christmas Tree

"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" is a Christmas song written by Johnny Marks and recorded by Brenda Lee in 1958; it has since been recorded by numerous other music artists. By the song's 50th anniversary in 2008, Lee's original version had sold over 25 million copies with the 4th most digital downloads sold of any Christmas single. 

Benda Lee - Rockin Around the Christmas Tree

Von Smith Sings: Joy To The World

"Joy to the World" is a popular Christmas carol with words by Isaac Watts. As of the late 20th century, Joy to the World was the most-published Christmas hymn in North America.