Fa-la-la-la-la, La Friday Five

Reverendmother from Revgalblogpals writes: "those of you who read my blog know I have a love-hate relationship with the 24/7 Christmas music we're subjected treated to in stores and radio (in the U.S. at least). It gets too sentimentally sticky-sweet sometimes, yet I find myself unable to resist it. Nothing says "it's Christmas" to me like John Denver and Rolf the Dog singing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." "

She poses the following questions to us blogpals:

1. A favorite 'secular' Christmas song. I've always liked "Silver Bells". It's lighthearted and fun to sing. I also like "Carol of the Bells" which is fun and challenging to sing --and it's in a minor key! Yes!

2. Christmas song that chokes you up (maybe even in spite of yourself--the cheesier the better) There's a choir anthem by John Rutter, I think called the "Candlelight Carol," which is absolutely beautiful, text and music both.

you can listen here if you have quicktime and I did the link correctly

I listened --and I blubbered.

There's nothing cheesy about it ... I think as a musician I have played or sung so much cheesy Christmas music in my life that I have developed an immunity. It goes in one ear and out the other, and doesn't usually bang into any brain cells on the way.

3. Christmas song that makes you want to stuff your ears with chestnuts roasted on an open fire. See #3

4. The Twelve Days of Christmas: is there *any* redeeming value to that song? Discuss. No. I like the parallel song which comes out of the African American tradition much better, "Children, Go Where I Send Thee."

5. A favorite Christmas album. Hmmm ... I have a soft spot for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas and the Harry Simone Chorale vinyls I have [Y'know, vinyl? Back when we recorded music by making grooves on giant discs made of thin plastic that had a tiny hole in the center?]