OT Happy Holidays

On Dec 15, 10:39*am, Ken Fortenberry
wrote:
Nat King Cole sings a great version of The Christmas Song
(Chestnuts roasting on an open fire) but that song is owned
by Mel Torme. For a long time I thought Bing Crosby owned
the Irving Berlin classic White Christmas, but I was wrong.
White Christmas is *owned* by The Drifters.

Well, there's legal ownership and there's artistic ownership. For my
money, NKC "owns" the Christmas Song and Bing "owns" White Christmas.
(FWIW, I'd sell my soul to the devil for a voice like Crosby's.)

These two renditions, among a few others, are so definitive that
anyone else who sings them will inevitably look wanting by
comparison. It's probably a generational bias to prefer the version
we hear growing up.

But to echo your sentiment, Happy Chrismahannukwaanzaka to all!

Joe F.

rb608 wrote:
Ken Fortenberry wrote:
Nat King Cole sings a great version of The Christmas Song
(Chestnuts roasting on an open fire) but that song is owned
by Mel Torme. For a long time I thought Bing Crosby owned
the Irving Berlin classic White Christmas, but I was wrong.
White Christmas is *owned* by The Drifters.

Well, there's legal ownership and there's artistic ownership. For my
money, NKC "owns" the Christmas Song and Bing "owns" White Christmas.
(FWIW, I'd sell my soul to the devil for a voice like Crosby's.)

These two renditions, among a few others, are so definitive that
anyone else who sings them will inevitably look wanting by
comparison. It's probably a generational bias to prefer the version
we hear growing up.

I never thought I'd see a sentence referring to Mel Torme
which contained the words "sings" and "wanting". So long
as your soul is for sale you might want to ask the devil
for a new pair of ears to go along with your new voice.
I mean preferring the traditional rendition is one thing
but "wanting" ?!? MEL TORME ??!!??

--
Ken Fortenberry

On Dec 15, 11:55*am, Ken Fortenberry
wrote:
I never thought I'd see a sentence referring to Mel Torme
which contained the words "sings" and "wanting". So long
as your soul is for sale you might want to ask the devil
for a new pair of ears to go along with your new voice.
I mean preferring the traditional rendition is one thing
but "wanting" ?!? MEL TORME ??!!??

No disrespect intended for the "Velvet Fog". It's just that NKC's
version is so ubiquitous as to set the standard. It is something
about folks "our age" that we prefer crooners from our parents'
generation? Crosby, Torme, Bennett, Sinatra, and their cohorts were
the great ones; and today's youngsters seem like pop imitations.
Buble, Grobin, et al just make me gag. /old fart rant

Joe F.

On Dec 15, 12:08*pm, rb608 wrote:
On Dec 15, 11:55*am, Ken Fortenberry

wrote:
I never thought I'd see a sentence referring to Mel Torme
which contained the words "sings" and "wanting". So long
as your soul is for sale you might want to ask the devil
for a new pair of ears to go along with your new voice.
I mean preferring the traditional rendition is one thing
but "wanting" ?!? MEL TORME ??!!??

No disrespect intended for the "Velvet Fog". *It's just that NKC's
version is so ubiquitous as to set the standard. *It is something
about folks "our age" that we prefer crooners from our parents'
generation? *Crosby, Torme, Bennett, Sinatra, and their cohorts were
the great ones; and today's youngsters seem like pop imitations.
Buble, Grobin, et al just make me gag. */old fart rant

Joe F.

i am telling you that 40 is spot on with his drifter's choice.
the really cool cats at high point, nc, high school, circa 1959, used
to boogie (i think the dance is now called "shag") to that tune every
late fifties christmas party season. when clyde mcphatter rolled in
with that octave high verse, the chicks would weaken, perceptively, at
the knees.

yfitons
wayno(and there is nothing more impressive than a perceptive knee
weakening)

On Mon, 15 Dec 2008 09:08:38 -0800 (PST), rb608
wrote:

On Dec 15, 11:55*am, Ken Fortenberry
wrote:
I never thought I'd see a sentence referring to Mel Torme
which contained the words "sings" and "wanting". So long
as your soul is for sale you might want to ask the devil
for a new pair of ears to go along with your new voice.
I mean preferring the traditional rendition is one thing
but "wanting" ?!? MEL TORME ??!!??

No disrespect intended for the "Velvet Fog". It's just that NKC's
version is so ubiquitous as to set the standard. It is something
about folks "our age" that we prefer crooners from our parents'
generation? Crosby, Torme, Bennett, Sinatra, and their cohorts were
the great ones; and today's youngsters seem like pop imitations.
Buble, Grobin, et al just make me gag. /old fart rant

Joe F.


Agree wholeheartedly! The other day I heard "Baby, It's Cold Outside"
(poorly) done by Jessica Simpson and Nick what's-his-name. Some of
the worst CRAP I've EVER heard!

On Tue, 16 Dec 2008 12:02:43 -0600, Charlie S. w5cds (at) arrl (dot)
net wrote:

Agree wholeheartedly! The other day I heard "Baby, It's Cold Outside"
(poorly) done by Jessica Simpson and Nick what's-his-name. Some of
the worst CRAP I've EVER heard!

Best rendition ever:

http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=G5Rbkcxiibw

On 16-Dec-2008, Dave LaCourse wrote:

ree wholeheartedly! The other day I heard "Baby, It's Cold Outside"
(poorly) done by Jessica Simpson and Nick what's-his-name. Some of
the worst CRAP I've EVER heard!

Best rendition ever:

http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=G5Rbkcxiibw
===================

Great song great rendition
Thanks


Aprpops of I do not know what?
try this one

Fred

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...39902111226220

On Dec 17, 2:40*pm, "Fred" wrote:
On 16-Dec-2008, Dave LaCourse wrote:

ree wholeheartedly! *The other day I heard "Baby, It's Cold Outside"
(poorly) done by Jessica Simpson and Nick what's-his-name. *Some of
the worst CRAP I've EVER heard!

Best rendition ever:

http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=G5Rbkcxiibw

===================

Great song great rendition
Thanks

Aprpops of I do not know what?
try this one

Fred

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...39902111226220

http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=70_fUU58-ls

--riverman

On Dec 16, 2:14*pm, Dave LaCourse wrote:
Best rendition ever:
http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=G5Rbkcxiibw

That beats the **** out of the pablum that spews 24/7 on the local
easy listening station here. I go into Grinch mode as soon as SWMBO
turns on the radio. (And not even Bing Crosby & David Bowie together
can make me like "Little Drummer Boy". Gawd I hate that song.)

Which brings up the question, why *don't* radio stations play decent
holiday music? It's not like Ray Charles isn't mainstream enough.
Why does it have to be Jingle Bell Rock, and Alvin & the Chipmunks,
and Leroy the Redneck Reindeer. Are they *trying* to make us stupid,
or just assuming we are?

Joe F.

On Wed, 17 Dec 2008 13:44:30 -0800 (PST), rb608
wrote:

Are they *trying* to make us stupid,
or just assuming we are?

Joe F.

Yeah. :-D

Tell me: what's worse - Little Drummer Boy or Do You Hear What I Hear?