Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Today's Christmas song - All Those Christmas Clichés

This may be my new favorite song of Christmas. It isn't new, but it is new to me. I heard it on the same show that I linked to in the post featuring Memphis in June here. The station plays songs from the American Songbook all the time, but on Saturdays and Sundays from noon to three, there is a show hosted by Jonathan Schwartz. He is the most passionate, most knowledgeable person around when it comes to the American Songbook. He has been one of the four or five important teachers in my life.

Schwartz is a big fan of the late Nancy LaMott who died too young. He played this song the other day, and I was stopped in my tracks. The line about "Johnny Mathis". I still have my mother's Johnny Mathis Christmas Album.


With the date she got it in her handwriting. Means the world to me.


And I got this text from Margaret the other day, which warmed my heart.
Making cupcakes using your chocolate cake recipe for Hazel's birthday at school tomorrow, listening to Johnny Mathis - doesn't get any better!!
So, as they say, without further ado

12 comments:

  1. What a sweet message from Margaret! Coincidentally, I'm listening to Johnny Mathis on Spotify as I type this comment. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh, I just love this Johnny Mathis album. I love all his albums, but his one especially. And how special it is that you still have your mom's album.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Margaret's message is so heart-warming!
    Before this post, I'd not heard of either Johnny Mathis nor Nancy LaMott. There are/were so many great singers and musicians out there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is always interesting to me what singers make it in other countries and which ones don't. I suppose it has a lot to do with touring.

      Delete
  4. I have that very Johnny Mathis LP on the turntable as I type this. My 17-year-old grandson is absolutely fascinated by this new vinyl record album technology so we're giving him a turntable for Christmas along with a few albums from my collection. I've wrapped my 10 Beatles albums for him...he treasures the music of those old guys. LOL

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is pretty amazing. Both you and Les, though she is the modern Spotify and you and I play the albums! I am so very pleased to hear about your grandson. Dear, dear boy. I love what you are giving him. Perfect! I'd love to see his face on Christmas morning!
      I think real music fans listen to all of it. I don't go back before 1900, but I do listen to a lot of early 20th century stuff like Bix Beiderbecke and Django, and many more, as well as new stuff. When I was coming of age, so they say, I was lucky enough to live in Boston where there was the wonderful WBCN and I heard all kinds of music from rock to jazz to everything in between. This was my real musical education.

      Delete
    2. You know, Nan, I think people of a certain age were very lucky that early television had so many variety shows that featured all types of music. I was exposed that way to singers and genres that I would never have known about otherwise. On shows like Ed Sullivan's, especially, you could be exposed to blues singers, opera singers, rock singers, and gospel singers on the night. I still remember seeing Elvis on that show when he made his from-the-waist-up appearance and the first time I ever saw the Beatles was there. And there were so many shows like that over the years. It kind of makes me wonder why no one has tried such a show in recent years - there has to be an audience out there somewhere for that kind of show.

      Delete
    3. You are so right. Even shows like Merv Griffin would have singers that weren't necessarily popular with kids, but I liked them! And Lawrence Welk! When my kids were little - 1980s - we would all snuggle up and watch old black and white LW shows and they loved them! They loved the skits and the dancing and just everything. I remember my parents actually getting up and dancing when the show was on when I was a kid. And I, too, saw the Beatles for the first time on ES. A couple weeks before my 16th birthday!

      Delete
  5. This song made me smile and tear up at the same time. I also have this Johnny Mathis album. I bought it years ago. Do you remember when stores would put albums in big bins and sell them for just a couple of dollars. That is how I got mine. I treasure it because I bought it when I didn't have much money and it brought great joy to our Christmas. I play it every year only I have it on cd now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm so pleased you liked it. Such a special, special song.
      Love it that you have Johnny on vinyl and CD. I never did see stores with bins of records, but I'm not in a city.
      Our records were in the cellar for many years while we got all caught up in CDs and tapes, so I do have some duplicates as well. But years ago we bought a turntable, and we've set up a music area in the kitchen, and I am so happy with it. I should do a blog post sometime.

      Delete
  6. This is the first time I've heard this Christmas song--I can't believe there's one I don't know.

    I have two Christmas songs on old tapes that I've never heard anywhere else. Will have to see if they're on YouTube, almost everything is, right?

    Your mother's album is a precious heirloom!

    ReplyDelete

I'll answer your comments as soon as I possibly can. Please do come back if you've asked a question.
Also, you may comment on any post, no matter how old, and I will see it.