Hello dear readers! Welcome to the Christmas special post.
This time of year always had a special meaning for me due to the whole surrounding atmosphere (except the appeals to consumerism associated to it), not by its underlying religious side (because I'm agnostic!), but for the family gathering and traditions associated to it. The opening of the presents, the dinner at Christmas Eve, the Christmas songs you hear on the streets, radio and pretty much everywhere. But Christmas is also a time for helping those who need it the most. So, we have the moral duty to help anyway we can, either through volunteer work or through making a donation (monetary or food wise) to solidarity institutions. In this year of 2011, Christmas will be significantly poorer for most Portuguese families due to the financial and economical situation of the country. Let's hope for better days.
Meanwhile, there are a few things that can't be amiss, and those are the Christmas spirit and joy! And what better way to get it except from music? From "Jingle Bells" to "Oh Holly Night" or "Santa Claus is Coming to Town", through the Portuguese songs "Noite Feliz" (literally "Happy Night") or the inevitable "A Todos um Bom Natal" (literally "A Merry Christmas to All") by the Santo Amaro de Oeiras Choir.
So, today I bring you a Christmas song. It's called "The Christmas Song" (how appropriate!) and it was written and composed in 1944 by North American composers Mel Tomé and Bob Wells. There are countless recorded versions of this song, which is one of the most performed Christmas songs ever, by illustrious names such as Bob Dylan, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Michael Bublé, Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder or Whitney Houston. The version I bring you today is my personal favourite and is performed by one of the most outstanding personality of the american jazz scene, who disappeared too soon at the age of 45 due to lung cancer. His calm, rich and velvety baritone voice is one of his most important characteristics of all, which granted him popularity and recognition till this very day.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I present you "The Christmas Song" by... Mr. Nat King Cole.
I wish you all a Merry Christmas!
This time of year always had a special meaning for me due to the whole surrounding atmosphere (except the appeals to consumerism associated to it), not by its underlying religious side (because I'm agnostic!), but for the family gathering and traditions associated to it. The opening of the presents, the dinner at Christmas Eve, the Christmas songs you hear on the streets, radio and pretty much everywhere. But Christmas is also a time for helping those who need it the most. So, we have the moral duty to help anyway we can, either through volunteer work or through making a donation (monetary or food wise) to solidarity institutions. In this year of 2011, Christmas will be significantly poorer for most Portuguese families due to the financial and economical situation of the country. Let's hope for better days.
Meanwhile, there are a few things that can't be amiss, and those are the Christmas spirit and joy! And what better way to get it except from music? From "Jingle Bells" to "Oh Holly Night" or "Santa Claus is Coming to Town", through the Portuguese songs "Noite Feliz" (literally "Happy Night") or the inevitable "A Todos um Bom Natal" (literally "A Merry Christmas to All") by the Santo Amaro de Oeiras Choir.
So, today I bring you a Christmas song. It's called "The Christmas Song" (how appropriate!) and it was written and composed in 1944 by North American composers Mel Tomé and Bob Wells. There are countless recorded versions of this song, which is one of the most performed Christmas songs ever, by illustrious names such as Bob Dylan, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Michael Bublé, Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder or Whitney Houston. The version I bring you today is my personal favourite and is performed by one of the most outstanding personality of the american jazz scene, who disappeared too soon at the age of 45 due to lung cancer. His calm, rich and velvety baritone voice is one of his most important characteristics of all, which granted him popularity and recognition till this very day.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I present you "The Christmas Song" by... Mr. Nat King Cole.
I wish you all a Merry Christmas!
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