12 Christmas Blues, R&B and Soul Songs
It’s not the 12 Days of Christmas, but Blue Notes put together a playlist of 12 favorite Christmas Blues, R&B and Soul songs for the Holidays.
Silent Night – Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings
Merry Christmas Baby – Charles Brown
I Want To Spend Christmas With You – Lowell Fulson
Christmas Tears – Freddie King
White Christmas – Otis Redding
I Want To Come Home For Christmas – Marvin Gaye
The Christmas Song – Aretha Franklin
Oh Holy Night – The Supremes feat. Florence Ballard
Please Come Home For Christmas – Aaron Neville
Blue Christmas – Elvis Presley
What Christmas Means To Me – Stevie Wonder
(Rockin) Winter Wonderland – The Fabulous Thunderbirds
Listen to the entire playlist at Youtube
Our playlist begins with the late Sharon Jones, whose passing in 2016 still affects us. The very soulful blues rendition of Silent Night is from her Christmas album, It’s a Holiday Soul Party. Her courageous struggle may be seen in the documentary “Miss Sharon Jones.”
Next is Charles Brown with the classic Merry Christmas Baby, probably the most popular blues Christmas song ever recorded. Brown is followed by two of the greatest blues guitarists, Lowell Fulson, famous for his West Coast blues, and Texas bluesman Freddie King, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.
Many have performed the Irving Berlin classic White Christmas since Bing Crosby recorded the original in 1942, but there is no more heartfelt version than the one by soul music legend Otis Redding. A much lesser known recording is one of our most favorite Christmas songs, Marvin Gaye’s I Want to Come Home for Christmas. If you’re not familiar with it, all you need to know is that it was recorded the same year (1973) as his album Let’s Get It On.
The recently departed Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin performs Mel Torme’s The Christmas Song, best known as sung by the great Nat King Cole. One might think that it’s Diana Ross on The Supremes’ rendition of Oh Holy Night, but it’s the very impressive voice of backup singer Florence Ballard.
No one could mistake the voice of Aaron Neville on Please Come Home for Christmas. Blue Christmas fits our list perfectly, especially because Elvis began his career by recording a blues song, That’s Alright Mama.
You might want to dance to the last two songs on the list, Stevie Wonder’s What Christmas Means To Me and (Rockin’) Winter Wonderland by the Fabulous Thunderbirds, featuring the harmonica of Kim Wilson and guitar of Jimmie Vaughan.
Thanks for reading Blue Notes. We look forward to a great 2019.
-
- Sharon Jones performing in Indianapolis, 2016. Photo Credit: Larry Philpot
Sharon Jones performing in Indianapolis, 2016. Photo Credit: Larry Philpot
-
- File Photo: Sharon Jones performing with the Dap Kings in Indianapolis, 2016. Photo Credit: Larry Philpot
File Photo: Sharon Jones performing with the Dap Kings in Indianapolis, 2016. Photo Credit: Larry Philpot
-
- File Photo: Sharon Jones performing with the Dap Kings in Indianapolis, 2016. Photo Credit: Larry Philpot
File Photo: Sharon Jones performing with the Dap Kings in Indianapolis, 2016. Photo Credit: Larry Philpot
-
- File Photo: Sharon Jones performing with the Dap Kings in Indianapolis, 2016. Photo Credit: Larry Philpot
File Photo: Sharon Jones performing with the Dap Kings in Indianapolis, 2016. Photo Credit: Larry Philpot
-
- File Photo: Sharon Jones performing with the Dap Kings in Indianapolis, 2016. Photo Credit: Larry Philpot
File Photo: Sharon Jones performing with the Dap Kings in Indianapolis, 2016. Photo Credit: Larry Philpot
-
- File Photo: Sharon Jones performing with the Dap Kings in Indianapolis, 2016. Photo Credit: Larry Philpot
File Photo: Sharon Jones performing with the Dap Kings in Indianapolis, 2016. Photo Credit: Larry Philpot
-
- File Photo: Sharon Jones performing with the Dap Kings in Indianapolis, 2016. Photo Credit: Larry Philpot
File Photo: Sharon Jones performing with the Dap Kings in Indianapolis, 2016. Photo Credit: Larry Philpot
-
- File Photo: Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings at the Forecastle Festival in Louisville, Kentucky in, 2014. Used with Permission. (Photo Credit: Onstage Media/ Tyson White)
-
- File Photo: Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings at the Forecastle Festival in Louisville, Kentucky in, 2014. Used with Permission. (Photo Credit: Onstage Media/ Tyson White)
-
- File Photo: Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings at the Forecastle Festival in Louisville, Kentucky in, 2014. Used with Permission. (Photo Credit: Onstage Media/ Tyson White)
-
- File Photo: Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings at the Forecastle Festival in Louisville, Kentucky in, 2014. Used with Permission. (Photo Credit: Onstage Media/ Tyson White)
-
- File Photo: Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings at the Forecastle Festival in Louisville, Kentucky in, 2014. Used with Permission. (Photo Credit: Onstage Media/ Tyson White)
-
- File Photo: Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings at the Forecastle Festival in Louisville, Kentucky in, 2014. Used with Permission. (Photo Credit: Onstage Media/ Tyson White)
-
- File Photo: Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings at the Forecastle Festival in Louisville, Kentucky in, 2014. Used with Permission. (Photo Credit: Onstage Media/ Tyson White)
-
- File Photo: Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings at the Forecastle Festival in Louisville, Kentucky in, 2014. Used with Permission. (Photo Credit: Onstage Media/ Tyson White)
-
- File Photo: Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings at the Forecastle Festival in Louisville, Kentucky in, 2014. Used with Permission. (Photo Credit: Onstage Media/ Tyson White)
Related Posts
One Comment
Leave a Reply
Cancel reply
Latest News
-
The James McGowan Ensemble release 16-track inner journey, ‘Reaching In’
The James McGowan Ensemble is a 13-piece group consisting of...
- Posted November 29, 2023
- 0
-
Brooklyn-Austria-based power indie rockers superWAV release aTypical, a heady, bluesy EP
Brooklyn-and-Austria-based power indie rock band superWAV are back with aTypical, a heady,...
- Posted November 28, 2023
- 0
-
California Independent songwriter Patrick Ames releases two new powerful singles
At age 69, Songwriter Patrick Ames Grows Ever More Determined...
- Posted November 27, 2023
- 0
-
Ava Della Pietra’s Latest Single ‘talk it out’ – A Heartfelt Exploration of Emotional Connections
Ava Della Pietra, a name swiftly gaining traction in the...
- Posted November 10, 2023
- 0
-
Open Studio Pioneers a New Era in Jazz with the Upcoming Album ‘Peter Martin & Generation S’
Listen to the album’s lead single, “Groove Echo Chamber” Groundbreaking...
- Posted November 6, 2023
- 0
-
Exploring Connections and Destinies: Rebel Kicks Drop “Past Life” Ahead of ‘somewhere.in.between.’ EP
Rebel Kicks are set to perform at The Cutting Room...
- Posted November 1, 2023
- 0
-
#EgoDanceContest – Ava Della Pietra Hosts National Dance Competition
Join the dance challenge and win cash prizes while showcasing...
- Posted October 24, 2023
- 0
Like us on Facebook
Latest Backstories
-
The Real Story behind the song, “Mr. Bojangles”
In our continuing weekly series, we examine the backstory...
- September 6, 2023
- 0
-
RIP Robbie Robertson.
Canadian, Robbie Robertson, legendary lead guitarist of “The Band”...
- August 9, 2023
- 0
-
Celebrate Good Times: The Story Behind Kool and the Gang’s Hit Song
If you have ever been to a wedding, a...
- July 12, 2023
- 0
-
Gold Dust Woman: The Story Behind Stevie Nicks’ Signature Song
The song was written earlier in her life in...
- July 6, 2023
- 0
-
Stevie Nicks Honors Tom Petty at Emotional Louisville Show
Stevie Nicks, the High Priestess of Rock and Roll...
- June 28, 2023
- 0
Latest Photo Galleries
-
The Zombies in Nashville, Indiana 10.19.23
The Zombies are one of the most enduring and...
- October 20, 2023
- 0
-
Barry Manilow in Louisville, Review and Photos
If you are a fan of pop music, you...
- August 24, 2023
- 0
-
Post Malone delivers in Indianapolis
Ruoff Music Center was electric as Post Malone brought...
- July 10, 2023
- 0
-
Peter Frampton Rocks the House at the PNC Pavilion in Cincinnati
Peter Frampton is a living legend, and he proved...
- June 29, 2023
- 0
-
The Doobie Brothers Celebrate 50 Years of Rocking Down the Highway
The Doobie Brothers have been on the road for...
- June 29, 2023
- 0
Pingback: A New Year With Classic U2 – OnStage Magazine.com