Tis The Season (For Music!)

 Just in case you missed my last post, I told you that our friends had treated us to "A Christmas Cabaret" here in our small town which was put on by The New Depot Players.  Lots of songs!  One of them was sung by a petite young woman but like Brenda Lee, she really belted it out! (She sang and then, went around the little theater imploring the gentlemen to "please come home". After all, they are actors!)   This song is being played a lot and by many singers but listen...the one we heard right here in Conyers, GA was wonderful! Can you guess which song it is? If I say I "love" it, can you guess?  "Baby, Please Come Home for Christmas"! (Big hit for the wonderful Darlene Love!)  

Another song that I keep singing/humming (and I really might be driving even myself nuts with it) is a song by someone from....England!  Oh yes, it has been covered by many artists now but the original was a great vocal and I am happy to say that he is also the songwriter! Sadly, George Michael is no longer with us but this song will remain, "Last Christmas".   In the show that we saw, the young women singers combined their voices to sing this song and it was most effective. 

As much as I love Christmas songs, I also love the anticipation of Christmas, the quiet season of Advent.  The two CD's that I listen to leading up to Christmas are the ones that I have shown you above! The music from "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and "The Nutcracker Suite" by the London Philharmonic Orchestra are my favorites! (It is interesting to read about Charles Schulz and how he had to not only work on letting the network agree to this music from a jazz artist but also to allow him to quote from the King James Bible.)

 

Let's see, I have given you four videos here! Now, go wrap some presents as you listen to these tunes!  Take care, everyone! And remember music is for all! Tis the season! 

Please Come Home for Christmas

 

Just a few photos here from Conyers, Georgia! In that last photo, I am on a bench with Santa in front of the old train depot which is now used as a welcome center.  (Can you see the train tracks behind the fence? No passenger trains now, but freight trains rumble through on a regular basis!)  At one time, the depot was in danger of being torn down, but a group of citizens banded together, and it was saved. (It has been used in quite a few films. I was pleased to recognize it in a movie with Melissa McCarthy and Jason Bateman. It was "Identity Thief". Watch it when you can! It is very funny!) Also, the theater group here used to have plays in the depot. When a train came through, the actors would freeze in place until the train has passed! That always got a round of applause! Now, the actors have their own little theater in town, and I am pleased to tell you that our friends gave us tickets to see a performance- A Christmas Cabaret! (By the New Depot Players.)

I have been driving everyone crazy humming the songs ever since the show. Want to know some of the songs? 

A group of the men were grouped around a bar, and they started singing a great song that was a big hit for the Eagles!  I found a video for you which I think you will really like! (Please bear with me on this video, there is some talking at first but it's well worth the wait for the song!) "Please Come Home for Christmas".

Don Henley mentions the songwriter's name is Charles Brown. I found ANOTHER video that has Charles Brown himself singing his song!  I find it interesting that not very much was changed when the Eagles did it.  I don't blame them. It is a great song!

So, I have only told you just ONE of the songs from the concert! I have more! To be continued....  Happy Christmas to all!

Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree (Break It To Me Gently)

 December 5, 2023- Brenda Lee is at the top of the Billboard Top 100 with "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree"! It is 65 years since it was first released.  Just last month, Brenda did her first music video ever, lip syncing the song with her friends Tanya Tucker and another Georgia Girl, Trish Yearwood. (Yes, Trish Yearwood is from just down the road from me, Monticello, Georgia!)   I saw the clip on TV where Brenda Lee was given the news that her song was at number one!  Of course, that reminds me of a song....

Recently, when our son visited us at Thanksgiving, I asked him if he knew a certain song. The answer was in the negative, so I was happy to share it with him.  After hearing it, he looked at me and said, "That was perfect".  Now, instead of good news, think of being given bad news. You would want it broken gently, wouldn't you?

The lyrics to "Break It To Me Gently" were written by a woman, Diane Lambert. (Of course, they were!) I think that Brenda Lee is not only a great singer but a great actress as well to portray the kind of heartache in this song. She married at the age of 18 and is still married to the same man.

 "Little Miss Dynamite" indeed!

Just in case you haven't seen the music video that she did of "Rockin", here it is!  (It was the first one she had ever done.) Brenda Lee has also spoken recently about the SONGWRITER of "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree", Johnny Marks! Brenda is a woman after my heart reminding us of songwriters!) Johnny Marks deserves a post of his own, stay tuned!

Happy December, everyone!