Caroling While You Work

Hello Everyone!

Today, I went to work, and then came home and did...nothing. I was supposed to be waiting for the cable guy to come and fix the television in the basement, BUT he never came; so there's that. For the good part of the day, I played various Christmas songs on ukulele and piano. Therefore, I think today's post should be dedicated to the tunes of the holidays.

I'd like to start out by saying that on JUST my iPod, I have accrued....277 Christmas songs. TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY SEVEN! That's almost THREE HUNDRED! I'm not one to defend this; it has gone a little bit overboard. Don't judge. I can hear you judging even through this screen. Yeah, you! Right there!

Anyway, there are a couple songs that I feel should be mentioned because not only do they not get enough play on the radio, but they are AWESOME.

1. Dominick the Italian Christmas Donkey, by Lou Monte: This song features an accented Lou Monte explaining about Santa's pal Dominick who helps deliver presents in Italy on Christmas Eve. He does this because apparently the reindeer "can't climb the hills of Italy" to which I say, WHAT?! First, reindeer can fly, and second, NO. Reindeer are magical and while I quite enjoy Dominick, he doesn't have to steal the show from the reindeer. Why can't they just work together?

2. Crabs for Christmas, by David DeBoy: A CLASSIC Baltimorian/Marylander song. It is all about a grown man who goes into a department store in Texas and asks Santa for crabs. I don't want to give anything away, but seriously, check that one out.

3. All songs by Straight No Chaser: A ridiculously good acapella band, Straight No Chaser puts out Christmas albums as well as popular music albums throughout the year. While their most popular songs are The Christmas Can-Can (which I LOVE and highly recommend) and The Twelve Days of Christmas, the radio stations should take it upon themselves to explore the other options; because although the other songs are just classic versions of the tunes (and not funny or altered like the most popular two) they are good, and deserve to be heard by Christmas music enthusiasts like myself and others.

4. Santa Baby, by...Michael Buble? : I bet you thought I was going to say Madonna. Now, I love the original version of this song, but I always wondered if anyone was going to modernize it. Last year, I discovered Buble's version. He both modernizes the lyrics, AND changes them to be from a male point of view. For example, instead of a "sable" under the tree, he asks for a "Rolex" and instead of Santa "Baby," he croons Santa "Buddy." As well as Santa Baby, Buble produced an entire Christmas album which includes some very interesting duets. I'm partial to the version of Jingle Bells that he did with the Puppini Sisters.

5. White Christmas, by Michael Buble and Shania Twain: I just want to start out by saying that I only liked ONE version of White Christmas before I discovered this. That version was by The Drifters and I discovered it through watching the movie The Santa Clause. I just really enjoy the "dup-dup" (if you don't know what I'm talking about, listen to it on youtube). Anyway, Michael Buble turned that version of the song into a duet and sung it with another of my favorite singers: Shania Twain. I have to admit, I thought he ruined the song when I heard it the first time on the radio, BUT I bought the song on a whim, and now I'm in love with it.

So those are the songs that I feel deserve mentions and listens, but I am a fanatic about all Christmas music. I just think that different versions of the classics, and entire new songs should get played just as much as Bing Crosby's White Christmas or Perry Como's There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays.

Question of the Day: What are your favorite Christmas songs? Any of the ones that I mentioned above? Let me know in the comments down below!

Until next time,
Lasagna Claus

P.S.- 133 Days Until Christmas!