HAPPY CHRISTMAS SONGS TO EVERYONE!!!

HAPPY CHRISTMAS SONGS TO EVERYONE!!!

Di solito a Natale si usano tante parole, spesso poco originali (me compreso natualmente), per esprimere un concetto semplice: BUONE FESTE!

Allora quest’anno il mio augurio invece di esprimerlo a parole ocome al solito in fotografie, ve lo esprimo in musica, facendo un “giro” tra le classiche arie di Natale, cantate da autori classici e non!

I commenti in inglese li ho presi da http://www.musicworksforyou.com/background-music/the-top-10-christmas-songs-of-the-last-decade.html

Partiamo (senza un ordine preciso) da una canzone che e’ nei nostri cuori e nelle nostre orecchie: “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” dei Band Aid http://youtu.be/w5cX_ncZLls

A rivedere il filmato sembrano essere passati 70 anni (ma ne sono passato comunque 27!!!!)

The song was written by (Sir)  Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise money for relief of the famine in Ethiopia  and was released by Band Aid on 29th November 1984. Band Aid was  formed by Geldof and the song was performed by many of the most popular Irish  and British musicians of the time. It sold a million copies in the first week  alone and went on to become the biggest selling single in UK chart history  until 1997 when Elton John’s Candle in  the Wind was released as a tribute to Princess Diana.

E sempre in tema di revival degli anni ’80, ecco “Last Christmas” di George Michael http://youtu.be/60obcSGXAHQ

Released in 1984, Last Christmas was written by George Michael, one half of Wham! The single was expected to be a winner of the coveted Christmas number 1 spot but the Band Aid single beat them to it. However, George Michael’s involvement in Band Aid did at least ensure Wham! had some representation in the Christmas number 1 and Wham! Subsequently donated all their royalties from Last Christmas to the Ethiopian famine appeal. The song made #1 in several other countries.

La canzone di Jona Lewie, “The Cavalry”, come leggerete dal commento sotto, non e’ proprio di natale ma mi piaceva molto all’epoca http://youtu.be/EOe18JcatZo

Although this song was never intended as a Christmas hit, the line “Wish I was at home for Christmas” as well as the brass band arrangements made it an appropriately styled song to play around Christmas time. The song peaked at number 3 in the UK singles chart in December 1980, only being kept from number 1 by two re-issued John Lennon songs following his murder on the 8th December that year. The song was written as well as performed by Jona Lewie.

Andiamo avanti negli anni e troviamo Mariah Carey in “All I Want For Christmas Is You”

http://youtu.be/pA8UHeoYHQM

Released in November 1994 as the lead single from Mariah Carey’s 4th album Merry Christmas it was written by Carey and Walter Afanasieff. An up-tempo love song combining pop music and traditional beats. The song’s inspiration came reportedly from Carey’s sentiments towards her then husband Tommy Mottola. The song is one of only a few recent songs to be considered a Christmas classic and continues to set records each year. It reached number 2 in the UK and stayed there for three consecutive weeks and is her best-selling single in the UK, being certified as platinum.

E per farvi capire quanto Bocelli sia famoso negli States, eccolo con  Natalie Cole, mentre cantano Christmas Song nel 2009 http://youtu.be/MTYtaBIBDXA

Ma quali auguri sarebbero senza i grandi classici di Natale!

Uno tra i massimi classici e’ Jingle Bells, magari cantato da Frank Sinatra http://youtu.be/b_4zqvWHuiU

E perche’ non la versione di Bill Idol.

http://youtu.be/NB2xA9b026k

Poi c’e’ “So this is Christmas” di Robin Williams, che non e’ proprio un classico, ma quasi

http://youtu.be/LtWSR89UhRg

Super classico e’ “White Christmas“di Bing Crosby (canzone che ha venduto piu’ copie del genere natalizio) http://youtu.be/GJSUT8Inl14

According to the Guinness Book of World Records this is the best-selling single of all time (as opposed to most played in last decade) The song was written by Irving Berlin and reminisces about an old-fashioned Christmas. In 1942 the song spent eleven weeks at the top of the Billboard charts. The version most heard today is not in fact the one Crosby recorded in 1942; it had to be re-recorded because the original master became damaged through overuse.

Bella anche la versione di Michel Buble’.

http://youtu.be/btf3506ERbY

Per i patiti del rock c’e’ anche la versione dei Gun’s Roses, sinceramente difficile da digerire!

http://youtu.be/mS7aPE_YbVM

E non vogliamo parlare della bellissima e unica “We wish you a Merry Christmas” di Enya?

http://youtu.be/nYZRxq3jCJo

Altra atmosfera celtica e natalizia me la da Sinead O’Connor, con la canzone  Silent night http://youtu.be/87q5dmW6zDg

Non meno bella e la versione di Elvis Presley, vero mito della canzone mondiale  http://youtu.be/yZUZ_twxVwY

Altro classico, ma molto americano, e’ “Santa Claus is coming to town“:

- versione Disney http://youtu.be/0QmzaU7l-yc

- versione tecnologica di Arthur http://youtu.be/nAI_xI9wQnE

- versione animagic http://youtu.be/MB3TCiA1rgI

Tra le mie preferite “Let it snow! Let it snow”  di Dean Martin

 http://youtu.be/mN7LW0Y00kE

Curiously this song was written in Hollywood, California during one of the hottest days on record and although it’s commonly regarded as a Christmas song due to its seasonal lyrics it never actually mentions “Christmas”. The song first became a hit in 1946 when recorded by Vaughn Monroe but this version was recorded in 1966 by Dean Martin.

Da non disdegnare affatto la versione di Frank Sinatra

http://youtu.be/vGRC2LYmHfU

E concludiamo il nostro rapido viaggio tra le canzoni di Natale, con un tocco esotico: “Felix Navidad” di Jose Feliciano http://youtu.be/fAimJ-EXOF8