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A Christmas Music Recommendation: Clay Aiken
vanity | 12/15/2004 | GVgirl

Posted on 12/15/2004 8:55:30 PM PST by GVnana

Thank you, Clay Aiken for singing the clean, sweet spirit of Christmas.

I never watched “American Idol” even when friends who knew I loved music would tell me, “You gotta hear this guy.” I couldn’t have cared less. I tuned out of popular music years ago. The entire genre had become too degraded. Clay Aiken may change all that for me, but back to Christmas.

Aiken’s CD “Merry Christmas with Love” is the music your entire family can enjoy. You won’t find an over-the-top, joking or corny song in the entire batch.

This is the real deal. His medley of “Hark the Herald Angels/O Come All Ye Faithful” will sent you right back to church. Aiken’s version of “Joy to The World” makes me want to stand and sing.

“Oh Holy Night” is one of my favorite Christmas songs, and Aiken’s version is devotional, but not over-wrought. His Christian choir roots shine through on “Don’t Save it All for Christmas.”

The standards, “Sleigh Ride” and “Winter Wonderland” are purely sung and slightly swinging. The title track is as touching as a Christmas card.

Well, like my friends said, "You just gotta hear this guy!"

I can’t go without mentioning the song “Mary Did You Know?” A beautiful American folk song I could seldom find. I finally have it for keeps on Aiken’s CD.

Brush aside your tired, worn and maudlin Christmas music. Make a fresh space for the new kid. He’s earned it.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: christmas; christmasmusic; clayaiken; music
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To: dangus

Good point :)


21 posted on 12/15/2004 9:21:56 PM PST by silent_jonny (It's CHRISTmas, not Xmas!!!)
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To: GVgirl

Actually that is last album she did, back in 1994.


22 posted on 12/15/2004 9:23:04 PM PST by Republican Wildcat
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To: silent_jonny; dangus

Can you jokers find someplace else to play?


23 posted on 12/15/2004 9:23:28 PM PST by GVnana (If I had a Buckhead moment would I know it?)
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To: Republican Wildcat

What happened to her? I wasn't a disco fan, but she had talent.


24 posted on 12/15/2004 9:25:02 PM PST by GVnana (If I had a Buckhead moment would I know it?)
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To: GVgirl

I'm sorry. I didn't know this was the "We Love Clay Aiken Even Though He Obviously Has No Interest In Women Thread".


25 posted on 12/15/2004 9:26:21 PM PST by silent_jonny (It's CHRISTmas, not Xmas!!!)
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To: silent_jonny

What is your purpose here?


26 posted on 12/15/2004 9:28:35 PM PST by GVnana (If I had a Buckhead moment would I know it?)
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To: GVgirl

I was like you....never had seen American Idol, but had heard of Clay just through the news.

Then the night of his Christmas TV special, I just happened across his show while changing channels. Decided to stop and see what he was about. What a pleasant surprise! He's got a great voice, and the entire TV show was the best thing I've seen on TV in months. Very clean, great songs, great singers.

Yes, I'm really impressed with Clay's voice. I plan on getting his Christmas CD through I-Tunes.

I'm not that crazy about his "pop" CD's. His voice is just too good---he should leave that crummy-sounding music alone and just sing classier stuff, like the Standards from the 40's, or Broadway, or maybe try jazz. I think his voice fits those genres much better. Few "pop" songs nowadays are quality enough for great singers, except for maybe the slow songs.


27 posted on 12/15/2004 9:33:32 PM PST by Cedar
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To: GVgirl
What is your purpose here?

To irritate you :)

28 posted on 12/15/2004 9:40:10 PM PST by silent_jonny (It's CHRISTmas, not Xmas!!!)
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To: Cedar
Yeah. I checked-out samples of his "Measure of a Man". Well produced, very youth-oriented. That's where the money is. I understand Clive Davis is his producer, and he's signed with RCA so he's got the best management around.

I'm going to watch his career with interest. The pop music field is so full of scumbags, you'd have to wonder how he'll survive.

29 posted on 12/15/2004 9:44:05 PM PST by GVnana (If I had a Buckhead moment would I know it?)
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To: GVgirl

Merry Christmas


30 posted on 12/15/2004 9:45:36 PM PST by Baraonda (Demographic is destiny. Don't hire 3rd world illegal aliens nor support businesses that hire them.)
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To: Baraonda

And Merry Christmas to you!


31 posted on 12/15/2004 9:46:11 PM PST by GVnana (If I had a Buckhead moment would I know it?)
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To: silent_jonny

Please don't point out that this is Free Republic, not Tiger Beat. It'll just get you three more hissy responses.


32 posted on 12/15/2004 9:47:34 PM PST by Luddite Patent Counsel ("Evil is just plain bad")
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To: Luddite Patent Counsel

Say what?


33 posted on 12/15/2004 9:49:08 PM PST by silent_jonny (It's CHRISTmas, not Xmas!!!)
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To: Cedar

My wife and I have been Clay fans since his AI audition. Love his voice. And it's an added bonus that when his record label wanted to dirty up his music to broaden his appeal, he declined, basically saying that's not what God gave him the gift for. How rare is THAT?

I listened to the Christmas CD a few nights ago via On Demand, but I think I'll go ahead and buy the disc.

MM

P.S. I was also excited to see that he's moved beyond Fox; the Christmas special was on NBC. Where's Ruben?


34 posted on 12/15/2004 9:50:48 PM PST by MississippiMan (Americans should not be sacrificed on the altar of political correctness.)
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To: MississippiMan
Where's Ruben?

Singing to Elmo on Sesame Street.

35 posted on 12/15/2004 9:54:23 PM PST by silent_jonny (It's CHRISTmas, not Xmas!!!)
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To: MississippiMan

I hope Clay can stay true to his Christian faith in corrupt music-land. A few good guys/gals do.

I might go ahead and buy the CD--better music quality than internet download.

About NBC: I even wrote them an email thanking them for his TV special. There's very little to watch on TV nowadays that's decent, so I appreciated their showing his Special.


36 posted on 12/15/2004 9:58:07 PM PST by Cedar
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To: GVgirl; cyborg
ping.
37 posted on 12/15/2004 10:04:08 PM PST by Do not dub me shapka broham (Why did it take me so long to come up with a new tag-line, huh?! What's up with that?)
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To: GVgirl

I'm sure they'll market him to all the teeny-boppers for lots of money.

But his voice is too good to waste on some of those inferior pop songs. Hopefully, someone who is REALLY concerned about his talent will guide him into other quality stuff. He shined with those traditional Christmas songs. He would also with jazz, I think. And Stephen Sondheim songs, Rogers/Hammerstein, etc.


38 posted on 12/15/2004 10:05:26 PM PST by Cedar
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To: MississippiMan
Where's Ruben?

Ruben was in the hospital a week or two ago. Some reports said he had pneumonia, others said he suffered from exhaustion.

BTW, Clay Aiken says he is NOT gay. He may just be a decent guy who has strict Christian beliefs and actually tries to live by those beliefs. He certainly seems like a decent guy to me. Not to mention the fact that before AI with his looks he wasn't exactly a chick magnet.

39 posted on 12/15/2004 10:05:59 PM PST by jamaly
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To: GVgirl
Good lord, Donna Summer! Is she still around? Her version of "Oh Holy Night" was a knock-out.

Oh Holy Night is perhaps my favorite Christmas song. You should really hear John Berry sing it, WOW!

I'll have to see if I can find Donna Summer's version but Berry will be a tough act to follow.

I remember Donna Summer did a tounge-in-cheek country song once and did a pretty good job of it.

40 posted on 12/15/2004 10:10:42 PM PST by Colorado Doug
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