Xmas Carols.

[Stephen Hawkins]

This is a tough one for me, as I am Agnostic.

We often theme our evenings at the folk club, celebrating all the saints days by learning a few tunes relating to the patron saints of England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Brenda & I are not comfortable with this arrangement, choosing instead to play secular tunes which relate to those nations. ("If Paradise is Half as Nice" by Amen Corner was my choice for St David's Day)

Last Xmas I did learn a couple of the less religious Carols, though I was still not totally relaxed about playing them. My intention this year is to look at non-religious Xmas Hits from the last 30 to 50 years, and select a couple of the easier ones to learn.

Does anyone here have any favourite, non-religious, Xmas Hits?

Kind Regards,

Stephen.

 

[GOM]

I fell out with God and I guess he reciprocated a while back. However I don’t have a problem with Christmas, particularly with the sentiment of goodwill to all men (and women).
I’m quite happy to pay lip service, finger service in Carol playing, singing etc. I’ve even led communal carol singing at my Bowls Club Christmas bash. As a saxophonist I have loads of backing tracks of this genre which get dragged out at this time of year at varios functions. My take on playing music is that it’s not a selfish pastime, if listeners get pleasure out of the performance, carols or whatever, then I have succeeded in “playing to the audience”.
You asked for secular favourites and I guess mine has to be ‘Chesnuts Roasting’ which translates very nicely on accordion when played with feeling.

 

[JEBrown]

I have a book called With Christmas in Mind (available from Musicroom here https://www.musicroom.com/product-detail/product3456/variant3456/with-christmas-in-mind/[/url]). Its got a good songlist:
• Wonderful Christmastime
• Mistletoe And Wine
• Merry Christmas Everybody
• A Rootn Tootn Santa Claus
• Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
• Sleigh Ride
• Christmas Alphabet
• I Believe In Father Christmas
• Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (this is the Chestnuts Roasting referred to by GOM)
• Saviours Day
• The Little Boy That Santa Claus Forgot
• When Santa Got Stuck Up The Chimney
• Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
• Marys Boy Child
• Baby Its Cold Outside
• Winter Wonderland
• Carol Of The Drum
• Last Christmas
• Jingle Bells

Its got a melody line with piano accompaniment written out and guitar chords, so would work ok for accordion, although some of the accompaniments may need simplifying (the song Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas is really nice but has many chords which are impossible to play on the accordion unless you do right hand only). Im sure youll find leadsheet versions of many of these on the internet or in other books.

Most of these are non-religious songs. Id add Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, We Wish You a Merry Christmas, and White Christmas, which are all good sing-along songs. Would you play these kind of Christmas songs when you play at nursing homes, etc.? I imagine they would be popular choices. Ill be visiting England just after Christmas and will see a relative in a home, I hope to bring my accordion and bash out a few tunes for the residents, inspired by your example.

Im not a believer, but Im very happy to play and sing Christmas carols as they are part of a rich tradition. Im not Scottish either, but I wore a kilt and played Scottish dance tunes all night last Friday to celebrate St. Andrews Day (a bit early), and will do the same for Burns night, and Irish tunes for St. Patricks Day next year (has anyone else here tried playing Siamsa from Riverdance?).

 

[jozz]

• Last Christmas

as in Wham! - Last Christmas :?:

 

[JEBrown]

• Last Christmas

as in Wham! - Last Christmas :?:

Thats the one!

 

[bocsa]

You don't have to be a Rambler to sing/play The Happy Wanderer

Yes, it's a road of cobras, as Benny Hill used to say, but some of those Bah Humbug tunes are quite jolly :b

 

[jozz]

Thats the one!

Love it {}

 

[JerryPH]

That would be interesting to hear that one done on accordion!

 

[Stephen Hawkins]

Wow, you have all given me so much to think about. Thank you for your suggestions, one and all.

This thread was never intended to be a comment on religious observance, as I firmly believe that everyone is entitled to go to hell in their own way. Good Will and Jollity are not, however, the sole preserve of religious adherents, and it is my intention to play only secular tunes throughout the mid-winter festivities. For me to do otherwise would be an hypocrisy and a betrayal of my genuinely held beliefs.

I am currently considering "Wide Eyed and Legless", which was a Christmas number 6 by Andy Fairweather Low in 1975. The lyrics are a bit naff, but I won't be singing them anyway. I will also have a look through Robert Palmer's back catalogue, as I quite like some of his work. (Jonny & Mary springs to mind) I can't remember exactly what time of the year it was released, but I like the Amen Corner song, "If Paradise is Half as Nice", which was a number 1 hit sometime in the latter half of 1969. Amen Corner broke up very shortly after it was released, with Andy Fairweather Low going on to pursue a successful solo career.

The tunes I select, whatever they are, will need to be fairly simple, as I only have a few weeks to cram them into my head.

Kind Regards,

Stephen.

 

[jozz]

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[george garside]

ones religious or otherwise leanings are a personal matter that is or should be of absolutely no interest to members of this forum which is about boxes and the music played thereon!

george

 

[wirralaccordion]

ones religious or otherwise leanings are a personal matter that is or should be of absolutely no interest to members of this forum which is about boxes and the music played thereon!

Are not boxes and the music played thereon also a personal matter?

Surely ones religious or otherwise leanings have a great deal to say on ones choice of music. I myself will be making the most of the christmas season to play christmas carols on the streets but I dare say that I will also be playing a few of the secular songs as well.

All I want for christmas is my two front teeth is quite a jolly example.

 

[george garside]

'boxes and the music played thereon' is a personal matter that it is totally appropriate to air on a box forum! I too will be playing traditional Christmas music both religious and secular at Christmas but my personal take on the meaning of Christmas is of no relevence to forum members
george

 

[Stephen Hawkins]

Hello George,

Perhaps you missed the bit where I said that this thread has nothing to do with religion.

I am merely asking for non-religious music which relates to mid-winter festivities, in the same way that I may state a preference for one genre of music over another. It doesn't seem unreasonable to me that I briefly mention the reason behind it.

Kind Regards,

Stephen.