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.
It's such a shame that John Denver is gone. Imagine a trio of Christmas music by Denver, Aiken, and Manilow. The only way it could be better would be if Debbie Gibson, Tiffany, Debbie Boone, Melanie, and Nancy Sinatra could do background vocals.
Probably before your time. From auctionbytes.com:
"Tiger Beat magazine was founded in September 1965 (issues cost 35 cents) by Los Angeles-based Teen magazine founder Charles Laufer. He saw further need - and profit - in promoting a publication devoted to the rising young stars / teen idols who ran the gamut of TV, movie, fashion, sports, music, and stage. Laufer found devoted female readers, whose ages averaged from 10 to 19. The magazine was published by Ralph Benner.
*****
The magazine was renowned for its vividly colorful covers and "pin-ups" (so-called because girls tacked and adorned them on their bedroom walls) with photos of the latest teen idols on them. Tiger Beat held its office right on the fabled Hollywood Boulevard, where it captured a generation of youth with cheesy articles and quality photos taken by excellent staff photographers.
The magazine ran articles with such catchy titles as "Shaun: A Junk Food Junkie?" "Leif's Sad Childhood," "Bobby's Favorite Type of Girls," "Olivia's New Love," "Marie: Fighting with Donny?" and the like. The magazine also ran a staple of columns: Meow! by Sharon Lee and contests (Treasure Chest, for one), such as vying for the stars' personal belongings."
I want to see "Clay Aiken and Sam Harris: Christmas Duets".
I believe Aiken and Rod Stewart have the same producer. Stewart has said about his "American Songbook" collection that he is only now singing the songs he always wanted to, because he had a career to maintain. Perhaps the same approach is being taken with Clay. This kid will have great career longevity, if he doesn't decide to dump the whole thing and go back to teaching!
Clay is okay, but nobody does "Oh Holy Night" like Josh Groban.
I know what Tiger Beat is. What I didn't understand was your post #32. It made no sense.
Can't say that I'm a huge Denver fan, though.
At least, not as an independent singer/songwriter.
"nobody does "Oh Holy Night" like Josh Groban."
There are few who can match Josh Groban on ANY song. He's in a totally different level altogether....up there with Sarah Brightman, Charlotte Church, etc.
Those voices are in another stratosphere!
Yeah, I've never thought he was gay. BTW, I'm reading his book right now. Good thing he can sing; he'd starve as a writer. :-) The guy had a real crap childhood as far as fathers go. Birth father was a drunk who basically had nothing to do with him, and the stepfather who came into the picture later did things I can't fathom doing to a child. The stepfather would trash Clay's room just to make him clean it up. Put stink bombs under the bed and then raise hell about the room being a foul-smelling mess. Invite "the whole family" for a ride in the new car, then say, "Oh, not you" as everyone else is piling in. Unreal. As Clay put it, "I really was the red-headed stepchild."
MM
John Berry. I'll check it out. The reason I bought Aiken's CD was it's not too genre. I always have a lot of family at my house for the holidays, and I like a lot of music. So finding something fresh, that everyone can enjoy can be a real challenge. And...I want spiritual music that's not too heavy.
My point, however obtuse, was that the tone of the thread (other than your injection of much-needed humor) was one of teeny-bopper gushing over Clay Aiken (thus the Tiger Beat reference), and that further humorous barbs would likely be met with additional hysterical responses admonishing you for daring to take a discussion of Mr. Aiken lightly (thus the expectation of "hissy responses").
Ooooh! MP3 for later download!
Groban's a classic tenor. That's a different story.
Ronan Tynan. Sigh!
Agree. John Berry does an excellent rendition of Oh Holy Night. The best.
He is one of the better tenors I've heard.
Which is surprising, when you consider the fact that music wasn't even his chosen profession.
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