This isn’t a Motown cover but a beautiful interpretation performed by the songs co-writer Mel Torme and and the legend herself Judy Garland — just for you on Christmas Day!
Mel Torme and Judy Garland sing a wonderful rendition of “The Christmas Song.” Amazingly, Mel wrote this classic carol at the age of 19.
Mel and Judy performed this duet on the Judy Garland Show in December, 1963. It’s available for purchase or rent on several different DVD sets.
Again, please enjoy this video while it lasts and may you all be enjoying a blessed Christmas Day as you browse this site.
Musically Yours,
Note: This post was auto scheduled for Christmas Day and I have just logged on 2 days later to find an error message that said “Missed post.” This has happened twice in a row and I apologize. I previously updated my WordPress version so apparently it has a problem with scheduing posts: I will no longer use that function.
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This song is from the third LP released by the J5 in 1970: a holiday set that they had to sneak off to the studio and record since their mother, of the Jehovah Witness faith, did not allow Christmas celebrations.
You may not agree that this is the best Motown rendition of “The Christmas Song” but it happens to be the most memorable version for me.
As a teen I , like most teen girls, was in love with the Jackson Five. Michael was the cutest, but to me Jermaine was a smooth singer and my fantasy beau: since he was closest in age to me I suppose in my mind I had assumed that he was the most attainable. Of course once he married Hazel Gordy I was through with Jermaine and set my sights on the “older man” Jackie.
Watching the “Jackson Family Dynasty” mini seris these past two Sundays, and seeing the J4 personalities as grown men, let me know I made the right decision in dumping Jermaine as a teen. (LOL)
Nevertheless, Jermaine’s lead vocal on this song takes me back to a special time when both my parents and maternal grandparents would spend Christmas together. All four are gone now – but at least this song remains for me and it will always make me feel that special time in my life.
Mrs. Jackson, if you ever read this, please know that this album is special to millions of people and that your boys most assuredly did the right thing when they disobeyed you to record this classic.
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Smokey has sung lead on this tune with The Miracles and you have heard a few versions of the Temptations take on this classic.
But this has got to be the smoothest Motown rendition of this classic holiday tune yet! With Smokey AND Dennis Edwards, Melvin Franklin and the rest of the Temptations gang giving it there all — well how can you go wrong?!
This audio (provided in case the YouTube cClip vanishes) is from my latest Motown Holiday Collection (yes, I had to purchase yet another one but I had a good reason). And of course it is the audio from the classic 1987 Motown Merry Christmas TV Special of 1987.
I feel very fortunate to have found this clip on YouTube, but does anyone know if this show is available on DVD please?
Watching this clip makes you feel all warm and fuzzy doesn’t it?
Musically Yours,
Note: This post was scheduled for yesterday 12/21/09 @ 7am and for some reason when I logged on today I see “Schedule Missed” in red letters. I don’t know what happened but I am so sorry for the delay.
[Audio clip: view full post to listen] Even though this song is almost 50 years old it is new to me and a great way to pay tribute to the year of Motown50 in it’s final few holiday season weeks. It is a simply marvelous LIVE, soulful rendition of “The Christmas Song” by Marvin Gaye [...]
[Audio clip: view full post to listen] A week ago today I shared with you the first rendition of the Temptations performing “The Christmas Song” featuring one of the few leads by Otis Williams. Well today I would like to share with you the second version the group released that appeared on their second holiday [...]
[Audio clip: view full post to listen] I must repeat it is so good to be back to blogging about the oldies! As for the Motown Holiday sounds, initially I thought I would do different songs with every post for December. But I have now decided to compare different Motown artists’ renditions of a few [...]
[Audio clip: view full post to listen] It is so good to be back at OSML. This will make my recuperation complete! Of course December means Holiday oldies and since this has been the year of Motown 50 I am, naturally, closing out the year with holiday tunes sung my Motown artists. I decided to [...]
