'THE CHRISTMAS SONG' - Tiny Tim :
Tiny Tim Takes 'SILENT NIGHT' To A
Whole New Level :
~ Stephen
T. McCarthy
(aka
D-FensDogg)
YE OLDE
COMMENT POLICY: All comments, pro and con, are welcome. However, ad hominem
attacks and disrespectful epithets will not be tolerated (read:
"posted"). After all, this isn’t Amazon.com,
so I don’t have to put up with that kind of bovine excrement.
.
These were awesome! Especially Silent Night! Maybe the best ever.
ReplyDeleteI dropped the coin on time this year, unlike last, when I mistakenly waited, turning it into a New Year's wish.
SHEBOYGANBROTHER SIX ~
DeleteMusically speaking, apparently you will always remain an enigma to me. I figured for sure you would ABSOLUTELY hate these songs through and through. Wonders never cease, and I have to admit that it seems I haven't the slightest bit of a handle on your musical tastes. Regardless, I'm pleased you liked these songs (sez I while scratching my head).
Brother Nappy and I were on the freeway, going to Park Central Mall to make our annual wish for Tiny Tim's second hit song. I had put 'Tiny Tim's Christmas Album' into the CD player.
I have owned this CD for some years now, and although I don't play it often (maybe once a year during the Christmas season), I know all the songs on it. I don't like many of the songs where Tiny uses his falsetto, but I likes the "Big Baritone Tiny".
Anyway, on the freeway, while we were on what is known as "the Durango Curve" here, 'The Christmas Song' was playing. And for the first time I was really paying close attention to it. I'm listening and thinking: allah's unholy trousers! Tiny scats on this!
I was really digging the song, and said to Nappy, "Hey! This one is really pretty good." Nappy agreed and then I added, "You know, THIS could actually be Tiny's second hit song!"
By the time it was over, I was thinking that this might very well be my favorite version of 'The Christmas Song' (eat yer heart out, Nat King Cole!)
Anyway, thanks so much for joining Nappy and me in our 'Christmas Day Tiny Tim Tradition'. I think it's a really neat, fun tradition and one that is so quirky I'm sure Tiny Tim would have loved it.
But I didn't even bother to promote it on my blog this year because I've come to believe that no one else really "gets it" and thinks it's fun(ny). But apparently YOU do. So... thanks again for your participation, Brother Six.
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
Brother McCarthy -
DeleteAll I can say is: I really liked 'em! I can tell you why I liked these, but I cannot articulate how all the pieces of my musical taste fit together into a consistent whole. My own taste makes sense to ME, but I'll admit that it is pretty eclectic and makes no sense to anyone else.
I think I'd agree with Disccccconnnnnected (not sure of the precise number of c's and n's required here) that these are "novelty" Christmas songs. And I certainly could not listen to these as my primary holiday diet. But it IS awesome when TT goes off at 2:16-4:20, ranting passionately about our hypocrisy, which are points well-taken. His growling spoken words fit well with the song, and - what can I say? I thought it was great.
With "The Christmas Song," I love it when he started scatting at 2:46. HOLY ALLAH'S TROUSERS, indeed.
I do appreciate the fun new tradition you've inspired. Not only do I think it is funny, for me it is also a way to recognize YOU (JW) on Christmas, from 1500 miles away.
As for the answer to that Killers video in the other blog thread: I apologize for believing the lying reviewer. THEY said that an animated Zevon appeared in the vid. I'd only watched it before reading the article and thought I'd just missed him, so I passed their statement along to you. NOPE. He ain't there. Sorry! But I WAS sure you'd like the scenes of your beach, et al., so I was right about that. I have not gone back yet, but I was going to stop frame at the lifeguard shack and blow it up to see if I could see a number on it.
As I type this reply, I am listening to one of the new compact discs I got for Christmas. This one came from the Flying Aardvark, and it's the movie soundtrack to... 'HAIR'.
DeleteJust thought I'd toss that in there since we're yakking about our tastes in music and I know how much you love the songs from 'HA!r'
I learned something from the liner notes that pretty much blew my mind. I know this won't really interest you much because it's Hair-related but...
If you remember when FAE, Lee, and I all did 'Hair' songs in the same Battle Of The Bands edition (I think it was #3 or #4), I put the Broadway version of 'Easy To Be Hard' against the Hollywood movie version. I know you hated it, and some voters felt the vocals in the Hollywood version were too acrobatic, but it was one of the rare times when I totally loved the acrobatic vocals, and I consider that to be one of the all-time greatest vocals in a song.
Well, the singer was Cheryl Barnes. I have often wondered why we never heard from her again. I mean, anyone who can sing like THAT... Sheesh! She could have / should have had a huge career, but she seemed to disappear after 'Hair' was released. Well, the liner notes clear up the mystery:
[The director, Milos] Forman later recalled that "the most impressive audition for 'HAIR' was done by Cheryl Barnes," an unknown who was working as a motel maid when she turned up at an open audition and stunned everyone with her beautiful voice and commanding presence. She was promptly cast as the jilted fiancee of a tribe member named Hud, and her powerful rendition of 'Easy To Be Hard' struck many critics [Stephen T. McCarthy, too!] as the musical highlight of the entire film. Regrettably, Barnes wasn't inclined to actively pursue a show business career after 'Hair', depriving the entertainment world of a formidable talent.
HOKEY-SMOKE! That's unbelievable! I thought Cheryl Barnes was terrific (frankly, I was even somewhat attracted to her in "that" sort of way) and, in my opinion, her performance of 'Easy To Be Hard' is off-the-charts and soul-deep amazing! And she decided she didn't want to be a music and movie star?
Hoo-Wee! Cheryl Barnes is the Barry Sanders of the music world! And now I'm even MORE attracted to her.
No problem about the bad info on The Killers video. I'm actually relieved to find that I'm not blind and brain-dead, because I was trying to "Find Warren" and couldn't understand how I could have kept missing him.
I'm pleased you liked the Tiny songs (which really aren't tiny at all). He performed them in a unique way, in keeping with the uniqueness of himself. In fact, I think Tiny Tim is one of the most interesting, fascinating celebrities I've ever learned about, and I really like him... in a "John Wayne way", of course!
And thanks again for supporting our tradition. Maybe I'll return to promoting it next year, if I'm still at this gig come Christmastime.
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
That should have been "allah's unholy trousers," or "allah's holey trousers..." ANYTHING but "holy allah's trousers!" Thank you for not jumping me about my stupid typographical error. I am sure we'd all agree: nuttin' holy about allah.
DeleteYeah, I knew whatcha meant.
DeleteIf there truly is an allah (and I think there really might be), he or it is nuttin' but a demon.
By the way... I use that expression, "allah's unholy trousers", fairly often, and I never capitalize "allah". I came up with it by altering the expression "God's holy trousers!", which is uttered several times in the great movie 'The Man Who Would Be King'. I recommend the movie to anyone who has never seen it. (That was back when Hollywood still turned out some brilliant work.)
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
I thought about this, but could not remember if it was a Chriistmas Day or New Years Day tradition. Since we didn't leave the house yesterday, it didn't happen. Today I will be sure to make that wish. Better a day late than never, eh?
ReplyDeleteThanks, FAE.
DeleteFor future reference, remember it like this: Tiny Tim is a character in Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol' story, and 'A Christmas Carol' is a Christmas story. (Ha!) And also... one needn't go outside to make the wish. A penny dropped in a glass of water will work (or, more precisely, NOT work) just as well as a wishing well.
I hope you're having fun in Funville.
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
I love this. Tiny Tim had not just an incredible voice (and vocal range) but his quirky way of performing was top notch. And that Silent Night message... so poignant and true. The man was outspoken with his faith and absolutely true to it, and you don't nearly see enough of that these days.
ReplyDeleteSo, now then, on a lighter note... no mention of Santa Claus Has Got The Aids This Year?
Hope your Christmas was a fantastic one, beer brother.
~6B
6-B ~
DeleteIt was a nice Christmas. I got a pretty late start on it, but everything that needed to get done did get done. And I trust that in your neck of the woods a good time was had by all.
Tiny Tim was one of the most unique performers of all time. I used to think - like so many people still do - that Tiny was the bottom of the barrel when it came to music. But as soon as I started listening to some of his others stuffs, beyond just 'Tip-Toe Thru The Tulips', I discovered that I really like quite a number of his songs, and some of them I actually flat-out love.
Tiny was quite a character in real life, but it wasn't a "put on", he truly was strange and utterly unique. He once said that originality is the key to success, and NO ONE was more original than Tiny Tim. Today we have a lot of copy cat performers (like Lady GagGag, who is just this year's model of Madonna), and true originality is hard to find. But Tiny, he was the real deal.
Finished your gift, Beer Brother. Thanks so much. I will give you some of my thoughts about each one as soon as time permits. Also, when time permits, I will return your packing material, making use of it again, too.
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
POSTSCRIPT:
Delete>>... no mention of Santa Claus Has Got The Aids This Year?
No, because Santa Claus got better.
Unfortunately, some witch then turned him into a newt, but hopefully he will again "get better".
~ D-FensDogg
I guess we all use "awesome" differently...
ReplyDeleteI actually liked the first couple minutes of "Christmas Song," until the "quirky" started.
After hearing this, I am campaigning to get the Bad Religion Christmas CD nominated for a grammy!
Not horrible, and I may still look for the TT Christmas disc, but to my ears, more of a novelty than a true Christmas tune.
But, I gotta respect him doing it his way...
You've got a regular cult following of TT going here...
LC
LC ~
DeleteThe uptempo middle portion is my favorite part of Tiny's version of 'The Christmas Song'.
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'
I listened to both of these and must say that they will never be my favorites. I didn't like The Christmas Song until it hit the up-tempo section and then... "This is better than I thought." I believe it is the section you refer to as scatting. Can't say that I loved Silent Night either. I appreciate the originality and him speaking his mind, but it is NOT the version I would want to hear more than once.
ReplyDeleteEven though these aren't my favorites... I appreciate you sharing them. It's always good to expand the musical library a bit.
ROBIN ~
DeleteI am in agreement with you about 'Silent Night'. I would not want to hear Tiny going off every single time I listened to 'Silent Night'. And that's one reason I usually play this album just once during the Christmas season.
But his version of 'The Christmas Song' I could listen to repeatedly especially because of that uptempo middle section, which my ears find to be a lot of fun.
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Underground'