Thursday, February 7, 2013

New Celtic Thunder Christmas CD

This is only the second month of the new year and I feel like time is just slipping by, before I know it March will be here along with PBS promos for Mythology.  I still need to figure out how I'm gonna get the two disk deluxe CD from the CT Website but I'll get it eventually.  Since the new CD is already in the bag I think its time the Lads record and produce a new Christmas CD since that's the only way they will have Christmas Shows again.  

With the addition of Colm Keegan last year and Emmet Cahill the year before I think its high time they did just that.  I know that last summer Lady A recorded their new Christmas CD that came out before Christmas and this coming summer seems like the perfect time to record a New Celtic Thunder Christmas CD.

Their first CD contained: It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas and When You Wish Upon A Star which were both solo's of Neil Byrne.  Then there was Winter Wonderland and Our First Christmas Together which were  solo's of Damian McGinty, who is no longer with the group.  Then there's Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow and Baby, It's Cold Outside two solo's by Ryan Kelly.  Last Christmas and All I Want For Christmas Is You which are two amazing solo's by Keith Harkin.  Going Home For Christmas and I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday two solo performances by George Donaldson.  Then there was Ave Maria the only solo performance by Paul Byrom, who also is no longer with the group.  Then you have a bunch of ensemble performances which includes: Silent Night, Christmas 1915 and a Christmas Medley of The Most Wonderful Time of the Year/We Wish You A Merry Christmas.

I've asked a few people who are frequent visitors to the CT Pub which is part of the the CT website for help in coming up with a list of Christmas songs the lads might sing on a new CD.  I created a playlist on Spotify which I posted on both Facebook and Twitter.  The following is a list of songs that were chosen and the artist who has recorded it: 

1.   Blue Christmas, I chose the Michael Buble not the version recorded originally by Elvis  the following video as taken from Michael Buble's Christmas Special on NBC http://youtu.be/CxieY7dKyt0 

2.   Wonderful Christmastime  recorded by  Paul McCartney
http://youtu.be/V9BZDpni56Y

3.   Step into Christmas recorded by Elton John http://youtu.be/9Fjik78LapA

4.   Carol of The Bells (voice)  the version that John Williams recorded  which was apart of the Home Alone soundtrack http://youtu.be/xajv-YAYUJk

5.    Christmas[Baby Please Come Home] recorded by  Michael Buble the following was part of the X-Factor Live Final http://youtu.be/pbwO2nyUYYA  

6.    (There's No Place Like)Home For The Holidays recorded by Perry Como  http://youtu.be/7WqdBtEXoWo

7.    Little Saint Nick recorded The Beach Boys, the following video is  an original video so its in black and white
http://youtu.be/P-vAZabkn3U  

8.    Christmas Dreaming recorded by Frank Sinatra
http://youtu.be/fsaH3al730k

9.    It Came Upon A Midnight Clear  recorded by Josh Groban, the following video came from the Dec 10, 2007 episode of Regis and Kelly  http://youtu.be/cXTk9tadkvY

10.  Jingle Bell Rock the Glee Cast version not the original version by Bobby Helms   http://youtu.be/r9lfPy5eCk0

11.   Happy Christmas (War Is Over)  the Glee Cast version not the John Lennon version  http://youtu.be/Dh5aNLVJvkE

12.  Twelve Days Of Christmas  recorded by Bing Crosby 
http://youtu.be/AF-cTsxRW_8

13.  White Christmas which was made famous by Bing Crosby,  this is from the movie Holiday Inn which also features White Christmas   
http://youtu.be/9Yg5g_Xl-uU 

14.   Christmas in Killarney another song recorded by Bing Crosby   http://youtu.be/_KgoUNH2f8c

15.   Home (Christmas Version) recorded by Blake Shelton featuring Michael Buble can be found on Blake Shelton's Christmas CD the following video was part of  Michael Buble's Christmas show on NBC http://youtu.be/wKEPXzfxPRc

16.   We Need A Little Christmas the  Johnny Mathis version of the song from the musical Mame, its the version I hear every Christmas   http://youtu.be/_FB3h8IFCro

17.   Marshmallow World the Dean Martin version  http://youtu.be/f1HCQ3pOdRY


18.   River recorded Sarah McLachlan http://youtu.be/E2t9J4YBI_0

19.   A New York Christmas recorded by  Rob Thomas the following video is from Live at Rockefeller Center 2009 http://youtu.be/X2-vMdNk7fw

20.  Do They Know It's Christmas the Band Aid version is the best but I couldn't find it so I went with The Pop Royals instead.  The following is a video of the original 1984 Band Aid from Top of The Pops http://youtu.be/NoGAC7ELG9Q

21.  Grown-up Christmas List recorded by Anthony Evans and Amy Grant, the following video is the Amy Grant version http://youtu.be/RmF2rsDHOZc


That's a lot of music but its all songs that have been recorded at one time or another by other artists. I'm pretty sure most everyone has heard these songs played on the radio during the Christmas season.    As for who should sing what, I'm still working on that but here's what I've come up with so far:  Little Saint Nick and Step Into Christmas would be ideal for Keith while Neil could really brighten up the song Blue Christmas; It Came Upon A Midnight Clear would be an excellent choice for Emmet to sing, I can hear him singing that song right now;  Ryan would be perfect choice to sing Christmas in Killarney while I think George could definitely bring new life to the song Happy Christmas(War Is Over) which was made famous by John Lennon/Yoko Ono and even though the song River was recorded by Sarah McLachlan I definitely think it would make an excellent choice Colm to record.

I know that's not every song on the  list but its a start.  I definitely think that 12 Days of Christmas and Do They Know It's Christmas would have to be an ensemble songs. I think the Christmas version of Home would be an excellent duo between Ryan and Colm.  

I'm pretty sure that there are more songs that I could add to this list but I thought this would be a great start.  If you know of any Christmas songs you think the lads should record please leave me a comment with the title of the song and who recorded it also let me know  should it be a solo, duet or ensemble piece.  If it should be recorded as a solo let me know which one of the lads should sing it. 

It really is time they recorded a new CD besides they won't do Christmas shows until a new one is recorded.

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