Yesterday, I wrote about how Universal Music Group has been making animated videos for classic Christmas songs in its back catalog. Turns out UMG is not alone.
Rhino Records, which is now owned by Warner Music Group, just released an animated video for Donny Hathaway’s “This Christmas.” I was tempted to save the song for closer to December 25, but when I realized “This Christmas” is fifty (!!!) years old this year, I figure we should get the anniversary party started now.
One of the challenges I’ve had writing about a Christmas song each day is finding a good video to go with it. A lot of the classic recordings on YouTube are fuzzy bootleg footage with wobbly audio – something someone caught on VHS in 1988. Imagine my surprise when a brand-new animated music video just appeared for Elvis Presley’s “Blue Christmas.”
Then, over in YouTube’s suggested videos, I spotted a couple more now-animated Christmas classics – Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” with a dedication to the armed forces and Ella Fitzgerald’s “Frosty the Snowman.”
I’ve been picking a Christmas song a day to talk about here on the blog, and for the last couple days, I’ve woken up with Elton John’s “Step into Christmas” in my head. Seems like a sign…
A couple Easter eggs – or Christmas presents —
Another quick one today as I go through a holiday song a day until December 25. “Frosty the Snowman” never actually mentions Christmas – unless you go with the modified lyrics from the 1969 Rankin/Bass animated version. In that case, “I’ll be back again someday” becomes “I’ll be back on Christmas Day.” Take it away, Jimmy Durante and Jackie Vernon …
My favorite version of “Frosty the Snowman” is from Leon Redbone’s 1987 album, “Christmas Island.” It’s a duet with Dr. John and certainly the reason why Redbone played a stop-motion snowman himself in 2003’s “Elf” – although Leon the Snowman’s look is borrowed Burl Ives’ character, Sam, in Rankin/Bass’ “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”
For a complete switch-up, yet still great, here’s Cocteau Twins in 1993 with their dreamy Scottish take on “Frosty.”
Today, a Christmas song for the atheists and agnostics from singer-songwriter Tim Minchin. Yep, a non-Christian who loves Christmas. For Tim, Christmas is still a time to gather with family and share the love. He just doesn’t care about the religious part. As the lyrics say, “It’s sentimental, I know, but I just really like it.”
As in a lot of Tim’s songs, it starts out flippant but will sneak up on you. That’s especially true for 2020, when so many of us can’t gather or have lost someone we love. Tim’s from Australia, so his holiday is already different from the northern hemisphere. December means the beach, not snow and scarves. Tim’s song is “White Wine in the Sun.” This version is from 2008.
Each year, Tim donates all November, December, and January proceeds from sales of the song to charity. For 2020, it’s Aspect, Australia’s largest national service provider for people on the autism spectrum.