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.
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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 that I discovered on YouTube! I notice that some of the holiday tunes that I posted about last year from YouTube are now gone so please click on the link and enjoy this song while you can.
I really don’t have much more to say other than this is a great addition to my Motown holiday music collection and this is why I love YouTube.
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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 collection a decade later in 1980.
This LP is truly a classic. Other songs are repeated from the first Holiday LP, but the greatest of any holiday song that the Temptations EVER sang (IMHO) is on this set — “Silent Night.” Now I loved Eddie Kendricks’ lead on the 1970 “Silent Night”, but the 1980 version is a classic that will be listened to for ages to come!
But back to “The Christmas Song” version 2 – If you have been following OSML then you are aware that the Temptations often made second versions of their songs and always bested themselves. True to course this version has better vocals, better production values and just is a much better listen than the first!
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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 of the same songs.
Since I started out with “The Christmas Song” I will share with you just a few more, frankly more soulful (sorry Otis) renditions of the classic.
The Temptations’ Otis Williams had very few leads and some of his other leads are better than his “The Christmas Song” outing that was presented in the previous post. I question some of his note choices but I believe that those choices came from being the excellent background singer that he is. Everyone is just not meant to be lead singer and I intend the great Otis Williams no disrespect as I admire his tenacity in keeping the Temptations together for many generations. Thank you very much Otis.
But I think you will find this rendition by Stevie Wonder a treat. It comes from his 1967 Christmas LP which you should have in your music collection. Hope you and your loved ones enjoy it.
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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 start out with the Mel Torme & Robert Wells penned perennial favorite “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting). What better way to invoke the holiday spirit that this timeless tune.
This version is from the Tempting Temptations’ first holiday collection from 1970 entitled “Christmas Card.”
I selected this song since it is one of the few leads Otis William has had during his tenure as a Temptation and thought you might enjoy hearing it.
Musically Yours,
Updated 12.13.09 Initially I uploaded wrong song version so I changed text to match song. All is well now
