Author Archives: Mark M. Meinero

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HOLIDAY SONG COUNTDOWN – DEC. 24

“FELIZ NAVIDAD” – CHRISTMAS EVE

The best version of this Jose Feliciano song I ever heard isn’t recorded – unfortunately.

It was performed on December 24, 2010, at my family’s Christmas Eve celebration.

Every year, my father would give a toast as he celebrated the gathering of his family. That gathering meant so much to him – he and my mother viewed us as their greatest achievement, and Christmas Eve was the manifestation of that.

Instead of his usual toast, he began to sing “Feliz Navidad.” He made up words as he went along, mixing in Spanish, English and – because he was my father – Italian.

It was magical, if not particularly loyal to the original.

And, as I look back on it, it was a gift. He knew that he was beginning to disappear into the world of Alzheimer’s – and this little song was his way of saying goodbye to us. He would live another six difficult years, but this was his last real chance to tell us how much he loved us.

To me, the songs of this season are not mere words and music. They have a power to evoke memory and remind us of what’s great about life. When they do that, they make the friends and family we love immortal – at least as far as we’re concerned.

So Jose Feliciano’s version will suffice. I’m grateful to him for it – for inspiring my father to wish us a Buon Natale from the bottom of his heart.

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HOLIDAY SONG COUNTDOWN – DEC. 23

“FRUITCAKE” – 2 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS

There are bad silly Christmas songs that needn’t consume any of our time.

And then there’s “Fruitcake.”

It was recorded by the Superions in 2010, a good year for Christmas comedy. The group was a side project of B-52’s lead singer Fred Schneider, recording an entire album called “Destination…Christmas.”

“Fruitcake” was the most promoted track, released as a single in September and made available on iTunes when it used to give away those free songs at Starbucks.

As for the namesake item, I wouldn’t think this applies to a decent Italian panettone. I think it’s more about one of those things you get from mail order that breaks your teeth if you bite into it.

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HOLIDAY SONG COUNTDOWN – DEC. 22

“THE FIRST NOEL” – 3 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS

I always thought this song was French. I mean, Nöel is in the title.

But apparently it’s Cornish – from Cornwall in southwest England – and dates back to the early 19th century. It tells a simple story of the Nativity.

The most popular versions of this song were performed by Whitney Houston and Christian rapper TobyMac with the electronic music persona Owl City.

I just heard my favorite version in the wild for the first time. It was in Maui, of course, because the performer was the Hawaiian singer Justin. He gives the song a sort a doo wop sound that enhances its message.

Hope you enjoy it:

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HOLIDAY SONG COUNTDOWN – DEC. 21

“FROSTY THE SNOWMAN” – 4 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS

“Frosty” is one of those holiday season songs that’s about the weather and not Christmas. Like “Winter Wonderland,” “Sleigh Ride” and “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,”

What I didn’t know until I started writing this is that Armonk, New York, in Westchester County, claims Frosty as a homeboy.

One of the song’s composers, Steve Nelson, is from Armonk and supposedly had the town in mind as the place Frosty and the kids run around. The community’s former police chief is credited with yelling “Stop!,” ending the apparent hoodlum spree through the streets.

In fact, Armonk has a whole day dedicated to Frosty. It was December 1 this year, so maybe next year.

Here’s Ella Fitzgerald’s version of the song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hmw4Fu4XupE

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HOLIDAY SONG COUNTDOWN – DEC. 20

“FATHER CHRISTMAS” – 5 DAYS TO CHRISTMAS

I think of this as more curiosity than canon.

The Kinks released this punk rockish song as a single in 1977. It is among the more, uh, violent tunes of the season. There’s also a certain crassness to it – preferring cold cash to the silly toys that can go to the little rich boys.

Including the fact that the title is “Father Christmas,” this song seems very British. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

I thought about linking to a version other than the original. But this song seems about getting to the point – “Give me some money!” – so here are The Kinks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPPCPqDINEk

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HOLIDAY SONG COUNTDOWN – DEC. 19

“EVERY TIME IT SNOWS” – 6 DAYS TO CHRISTMAS

This Olivia Newton-John/Jon Secada duet was actually co-written by Newton-John and Canadian composer Amy Shy.

It might seem a little sad, but I think it’s a really nice ballad that captures the feeling of loss just about everyone feels at this time of year. 

I was never a big fan of Olivia Newton-John when she strung together Top-40 hits in the ’70s. And while “Grease” is not a movie I watch again, she’s the best part of it – there’s an enthusiasm in her performance that comes through. So this song would have to rank among the best I think she’s done.

Newton-John died a few years ago after multiple bouts of breast cancer. So I imagine this song is a bittersweet memory for her loved ones and her fans.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BF87eHRPny0

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HOLIDAY SONG COUNTDOWN – DEC. 18

“DONA NOBIS PACEM” – 7 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS

It’s a simple – and I mean simple – holiday piece. And yet, under the right conditions, it sounds wonderful.

“Dona Nobis Pacem” is a round – like the ones that delighted kids in first grade (see “Row, Row, Row Your Boat”). It consists of three words – I’ll bet you can guess what they are.

No one knows who wrote the melody, which appears to date back to the 18th century. That’s great for those of you looking to record holiday music and avoid paying residuals.

The version I like the best is by pianist Richard Stoltzman, a classical and jazz clarinetist. He gives this song an almost tropical feel and throws in an occasional key change.

I also like the message, even if it is only three words: Give us peace

.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEWOBGakJr4

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HOLIDAY SONG COUNTDOWN – DEC. 17

“DOMINICK THE DONKEY” – 8 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS

We’re about at the seventh inning of the countdown – or the seventh-inning stretch, if you will.

Which makes this song appropriate, at least if you’re a New York Met fan.

Lou Monte is perhaps best known for his rendition of “Lazy Mary,” the Sicilian song that plays at Citi Field after “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.”

But Monte’s holiday epic is “Dominick the Donkey,” a spirited romp with a hero better equipped than reindeer to handle the hills of Italy. 

The idea that he’s delivering an item of clothing made in “Brook-a-leen” is quaint at a time when it’s more likely to have been made in Burkina Faso.

The video is good if you’d like to sing along.

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HOLIDAY SONG COUNTDOWN – DEC. 16

“MELE KALIKIMAKA” – 9 DAYS TO CHRISTMAS

It was my pleasure to spend the much of the past week in Maui. Where, believe it or not, it is also Christmas time.

The reason you might not believe it is that it’s nothing near cold there. We were walking by the beach in T-shirts, shorts and flip-flops while it was 19 degrees at home.

But there are decorations – below is a picture of the Christmas tree just after sunset outside the restaurant where we had dinner. 

And there is music. It should not surprise anyone that the one song we heard play most in the seven December days we were there was “Mele Kalikimaka.” It was written by R. Alex Anderson, who was born in Hawaii. Bing Crosby popularized it in 1950.

Because it’s in English – other than the words “Mele Kalikimaka,” which mean Merry Christmas – it’s not considered traditional Hawaiian music. But it’s fun to hear Hawaiian musicians play it in Hawaii.

Unfortunately, there are few versions online, but this video by Josh Tatofi is most reminiscent of what I heard during a glorious week in paradise.

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HOLIDAY SONG COUNTDOWN – DEC. 15

“DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR?” – 10 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS

Peace is a common theme of the holiday season. But it seems unusual that holiday songs would make a political statement about it.

Introducing “Do You Hear What I Hear?”

Yeah, I know, it doesn’t seem like it has a message other than the more obvious one about the holiday. The night wind. The little lamb. The shepherd boy. And so on.

But the song was written by a married couple in 1962 as the Cuban Missile Crisis was unfolding. Those of us old enough remember that as a very scary moment in our lives. The composers were scared, too, and they wrote this as a plea to end the tension.

Bing Crosby popularized the song. It was originally recorded by the Harry Simeone Chorale of “The Little Drummer Boy” fame. Here is their version:

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