re: BAH! HUMBUG!!!:
Is Xmas over yet?
Jack
Oh, no, not more Christmas song chat!
As Jo Jo Gunne sang - Run, Run, Run!!!
Best,
John :)
Well, despite our two resident Scrooges, we're feeling the Christmas Spirit from pretty much ALL of the rest of you out there ... and that includes many of the artists, who continue to send us "Christmas Presents" to share with our readers. (Don't forget ... we DID commit to Twelve Days Of Christmas this year!!!)
So tell me, what would YOU do ... listen to these two Grumpy Gusses ... or embrace the fact that last week we received BRAND NEW CHRISTMAS MUSIC courtesy of the likes of America, The Ides Of March, Aliotta, Haynes and Jeremiah and more???
Sorry, Guys ... but I've gotta go with the artists on this one!!! (kk)
re: BRAND NEW CHRISTMAS MUSIC:
>>>America has re-issued its 2002 album Holiday Harmony with a bonus track! A recent recording of “Holly Jolly Christmas” has been added for 2010. “We wanted to put our stamp on these songs to make it apparent that it was this band America. Our voices tend to do that to anybody who's familiar with our music.” -- Dewey Bunnell On the album, produced by fellow ’70s star Andrew Gold, the band mashes up two of its ’70s hits with seasonal classics “Horse With No Name” melodically joins “Winter Wonderland” and “Tin Man” spices up “White Christmas.” Dewey Bunnell credits Gold with the idea of adding the distinctive touch to the album. But he didn’t want to go too far he and band-mate Gerry Beckley drew the line at sampling instead of having characters such as the “Horse With No Name” or “Sister Golden Hair” appear in holiday stories. Dewey says he “had to be careful, trying to not to cliche those songs.”America has a second holiday connection this season. They’ll be the musical guests on NBC’s skating special airing Christmas day. This year, past Olympic stars skate to their hits a formula that’s worked in past years with fellow hit-makers such as Chicago and Earth Wind and Fire.
>>>You remember their big 1972 hit, don't you? "A Reindeer With No Name".
(Frank B.)
>>>We've actually had America's Christmas album for a few years now. While it's neat to see that they've added a new track ... I am NOT buying it again!!! (lol) Hey, America guys ... if you'd like to send us the new cut, we'd be happy to feature it as part of this year's Christmas celebration in Forgotten Hits! (kk)
And then, INCREDIBLY ... THEY DID!!! Check it out!
Per the band's request, attached please find an MP3 of "A Holly Jolly Christmas" from the Collector's Edition of HOLIDAY HARMONY.
Happy Holidays!
Kyle Whitney
MOREY MANAGEMENT GROUP
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Now how incredibly cool is THAT?!?!? Thanks to Gerry, Dewey and Kyle Whitney, we've got this brand new track to share with you here in Forgotten Hits!!!
You can check out America's Christmas CD (and ALL their great releases) here:
Click here: America Official Website with Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell - Horse With No Name - Sister Golden Hair - Sandman
Earlier in this series we featured "Christmas Twelve Months A Year" by The Buckinghams, which is included on the new "It's About Christmas, Volume II" CD ... but MY favorite Bucks Christmas Song is "Have A Little Faith" ... so we're giving THAT one a spin today, too! (kk)
We heard from a couple of other Chicagoland favorites this past week, too ...
Hi Kent -
I've attached an mp3 of "Christmas on LSD" - the winter version of Lake Shore Drive. The song is considered a summer song, but it was actually written and recorded during the Christmas season. In fact, it was composed on Lake Shore Drive in an Opel GT at three in the morning during a heavy snowfall and recorded on New Years Eve.I thought you might enjoy a real "Chicago" Christmas song.
It's available at http://www.lakeshoredrivemusic.com as a digital download.
If your readers visit the site be sure to check out how you can order a "personalized" version of LSD.
Thanks so much. I love your site. Keep up the good work.
I hope you enjoy “Christmas on LSD” ... I know I do!
Merry Christmas!
Skip Haynes
www.lakeshoredrivemusic.com
How TOTALLY cool! "Lake Shore Drive", of course, is a Chicagoland classic ... and I remember hearing the guys talk about how this song became VERY popular in many of the OTHER cities that also had their own Lake Shore Drive, something they hadn't realized at the time as NOT being exclusive to the Chicagoland area. Man, we're getting ALL kinds of neat new Christmas music to share this year!
(By the way, Skip made me a "customized" Forgotten Hits Version of "Lake Shore Drive" that we'll feature next week. Their website also features an AWESOME "Best Of Aliotta, Haynes And Jeremiah" CD that you just can't get anywhere else, featuring ALL kinds of songs that we grew up loving here in Chi-Town. Be sure to check it out at the link above!) kk
With all the press we've been giving The Ides Of March lately, I wanted to be sure to feature something from their new Christmas CD ... so I asked Jim Peterik what he thought about the idea:
That would be awesome Kent!
I think you'll like some of these new tracks ... hopefully they're not Christmas turkeys! Lol!
Merry Christmas and thanks for everything!
Jimbo
Keep Rocking!
Nope, not turkeys at all ... in fact, between Jim and his Ides Of March bandmate Scott May, they sent us THREE new tracks to feature here today:
Kent -
Here's "Sharing Christmas" by the Ides Of March and "It Wouldn't Feel Like Christmas" by Lisa McClowry
Peace,
Scott May
"Sharing Christmas" is available through The Ides Of March website ... it's just one of the brand new tracks featured on their Christmas CD.
Click here: ::: The Ides of March :::
Jim Peterik has been working with Lisa McClowry on some new material for a while now ... but Scott May hasn't exactly been sitting on his hands lately either ... he just sent me a GREAT new track called "Come Home For Christmas" by Karel King ... hmmm ... might have just a LITTLE bit of trouble selling THAT name to the radio honchos!!! (lol) Seriously, Scott, you may want to rethink that name ... 'cause this one's my favorite of the three! It deserves some airplay and that name may compromise its chances! (kk )
Kent -
I know you didn't ask for this one, but I'm sending it for your approval. It's a Christmas song entitled "Come Home For Christmas" by an artist named Karel King. I co-wrote and produced / arranged this track. Enjoy!!
Peace,
Scott May
Hey, I think it's a GREAT track ... and, with some of the jocks on the list already featuring some of the new Christmas Music that we've been premiering here on the site, I think this one's a keeper! (kk)
Kent -
Thanks for you kind words - that song was a real labor of love, as was the album it is from. The focus, of course, is really on those first two tracks, done by The Ides of March and Lisa McClowry ... but if there's enough room for "Come Home For Christmas", that's cool, too! (I'm glad you dig it so much!)
As for your questions:
Is it the song name or the artist name that you find confusing?
You can use Karl King -- if the confusion is with Carole King ... or if it's still confusing, you can use Charlie King. But a couple of fast facts you should know is that Karel (it's a Czech Name) is a veteran Chicago voice-over guy who always had a penchant for singing. He also loves Christmas, so ... Voila! "Lights, Love, and Laughter", from which "Come Home For Christmas" is culled. The song, which was co-written by the Ides Of March's Scott May (who also produced), is one of 11 totally different cuts which present classic Christmas songs in a new light, along with a few brand new original tunes. It's available on iTunes but I'm happy to "leak" this track through Forgotten Hits.
Scott May
And we're very happy to feature it ... like I said, it's a great track ... so let's hope some of the jocks on the list jump on all THREE of these tracks and support our local Chicagoland talent! Thanks again, Scott! (kk)
Hey Kent ...
All of us in The Rip Chords family want to extend our best wishes to all of our Forgotten Hits friends for a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year!
So ... here's to a Happy Rockin' Hot Rod Holiday for all!
Your Friends ...
Richie Rotkin, Arnie Marcus, Mitch Schecter, Freddy Brog, Bobby Scammell, Tony Tuttle and Amy Lynne ... The Rip Chords
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0YF0T0pzOk
Right backatcha, Guys! Thanks for all your support over the years! (kk)
re: THE ROYAL GUARDSMEN:
We told you a few days ago that The Royal Guardsmen had gotten back together again and were making appearances again. (A quick check of their website shows that a brand new concert schedule will be posted shortly.) It ALSO shows a brand new live recording of their 1968 Christmas Hit "Snoopy's Christmas"!
Click on the audio clip at the bottom of the home page to hear the updated version ... Click here: The Royal Guardsmen
Or listen to the original (and watch the "Snoopy's Christmas" video) here:
Click here: YouTube - Snoopy vs. The Red Baron (Snoopy's Christmas) (CC)
re: OH, CHRISTMAS TREE:
Of course, "Snoopy's Christmas" begins with the old German holiday tune "O Tannenbaum" ... makes sense, I guess, if you're fighting The Bloody Red Baron ... or, as we sang it here in The States, "Oh, Christmas Tree". Well, our FH Buddy Frank B. just sent us another WCBS-FM link that I think you'll find interesting ... if you've ever engaged in the real tree / fake tree Christmas debate! (kk)
Kent ...
Here's another one of my helpful holiday hints.
Frank B.
The 10 Biggest Myths About Christmas Trees « WCBS-FM 101.1
Are you deciding if you should purchase a real Christmas tree or a fake one? Does the thought of vacuuming needles after Christmas make you cringe? Well, ChristmasTree.org has put together a list of the 10 Biggest Myths About Christmas Trees! You may just be surprised by what you’ll read!
MYTH #1: Real Christmas trees are cut down from forests.
BUSTED: Most trees come from a farm where someone plants them. And each year, growers plant one to three seedlings for each tree harvested.
MYTH #2: You save a tree by using a fake tree.
BUSTED: Trees are a crop. They are planted by farmers to be used specifically as Christmas trees. A fake tree comes in a sturdy cardboard box. How exactly is that saving a tree?
MYTH #3: Real Christmas trees aggravate allergies.
BUSTED: A real tree itself is unlikely to produce pollen during December, and even if it did, pollens from pines are not a known allergen.
MYTH #4: It’s better to use a fake tree because you can re-use it each year.
BUSTED: That’s a very short-sighted perspective. According to research, most fake trees are only used six-to-nine years before they’re disposed. Even if you would use one for 20 years or more, it will eventually be thrown away and end up in a landfill.
MYTH #5: Christmas trees are a fire safety hazard and frequently catch on fire.
BUSTED: The reality is, a tree being accidentally ignited is extremely rare — as in 0.0004 percent. And burning trees are often aided by gasoline or lighter fluid.
MYTH #6: Real trees cost too much.
BUSTED: Like anything else, you can find a wide range of prices, and spend what you want to spend. The bottom line is you can spend $15 to more than $200 on a tree in many places.
MYTH #7: Fake trees are fireproof.
BUSTED: Um, no, they’re not. They catch on fire every year. According to a report from the National Fire Protection Association, 28 percent of home fires involving a Christmas tree were fake ones.
MYTH #8: Real Christmas trees have pesticides and chemicals on them.
BUSTED: There has never been a scientific research article suggesting that harmful levels of chemical residue exists on Christmas trees, and in fact there have been studies looking for it.
MYTH #9: Real Christmas trees end up in landfills.
BUSTED: Christmas tree recycling programs are available nationwide, and many are quite creative. A farm-grown Christmas tree is 100-percent biodegradable.
MYTH #10: Real Christmas trees are a hassle and a mess.
BUSTED: It’s all relative. The first thing to ask someone if they say, “I don’t want a real tree because I might have to vacuum up needles” is this: “Does that mean you don’t vacuum normally?”
Thanks, Frank ... after teaching all of us "How To Wrap A Cat For Christmas" last week, this is another VERY helpful course for the holiday season! (kk)
AND ONE "MUST SEE" VIDEO:
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer 'Roxanne' Mashup - Video - The Daily Beast
Kent ...
Have you seen this one yet ?
Frank B.
Nope, but I LOVE it!!! (lol) Take a few minutes to check this one out! (kk)
