Favorite Christmas Song

[Baz]

[Baz]

[Baz]

On November 25th 1984, ‘the song that changed the world’ was recorded at SARM Studios in West London. This ‘shout that rang around the world’ was written by Bob Geldof of the Boomtown Rats and Midge Ure of Ultravox and sung by a bunch of young English pop stars who were more or less just out of school and had taken over the pop culture of the world. They hadn’t heard the song, or seen the lyrics but they turned up, on their only day off, and sang their hearts out.
They created a song which raised critical funds for the famine stricken in Ethiopia, prompted its brother recording ‘We Are The World’ by USA for Africa, fired the starting gun for Live Aid and Live 8, and culminated 20 years later in forcing the global political process to bend to its focused will at the Gleneagles G8 summit of 2005.

'Do They Know It’s Christmas?' topped the UK charts for five weeks and became one of the fastest-selling singles in British history. And it really did change the world.

Producer: Midge Ure
Video Director: Nigel Dick

The recording features the following artists (in alphabetical order):

Robert "Kool" Bell (Kool & the Gang)
Bono (U2)
Pete Briquette (Boomtown Rats)
Adam Clayton (U2)
Phil Collins (Genesis and Solo Artist)
Chris Cross (Ultravox)
Simon Crowe (Boomtown Rats)
Sara Dallin (Bananarama)
Siobhan Fahey (Bananarama)
Johnny Fingers (Boomtown Rats)
Bob Geldof (Boomtown Rats)
Boy George (Culture Club)
Glenn Gregory (Heaven 17)
Tony Hadley (Spandau Ballet)
John Keeble (Spandau Ballet)
Gary Kemp (Spandau Ballet)
Martin Kemp (Spandau Ballet)
Simon Le Bon (Duran Duran)
Marilyn
George Michael (Wham!)
Jon Moss (Culture Club)
Steve Norman (Spandau Ballet)
Rick Parfitt (Status Quo)
Nick Rhodes (Duran Duran)
Francis Rossi (Status Quo)
Sting (The Police)
Andy Taylor (Duran Duran)
James "J.T." Taylor (Kool & the Gang)
John Taylor (Duran Duran)
Roger A. Taylor (Duran Duran)
Dennis Thomas (Kool & the Gang)
Midge Ure (Ultravox)
Martyn Ware (Heaven 17)
Jody Watley (Solo Artist)
Paul Weller (The Style Council)
Keren Woodward (Bananarama)
Paul Young (Solo Artist)

[wswartzwel]

I like Good King Wenseslas. I get emotional about helping those in need.

https://youtu.be/SQVUMG6LZGM?si=se2o0vlW0Nhm5gwI

[wdfifteen]

Lots of good songs here, and good memories. Thanks.

Do you remember this Gene Autry song?

"Up On The Housetop"

Up on the house top reindeer paws
Out jumps good old Santa Claus
Down through the chimney with lots of toys
All for the little ones, Christmas joys

Ho, ho, ho! Who wouldn't go?
Ho, ho, ho! Who wouldn't go?
Up on the house top, click, click, click!
Down through the chimney with Old St. Nick"

I have always passed right over the "click, click, click." I thought it was just filler and had no meaning. This week I found out differently.
Reindeer's feet make a "clicking" sound when they walk. It helps them keep the herd together in snow storms and fog, when visibility is bad, which happens a lot in their environment. I have no idea how Gene Autry knew that.

[Baz]

[Baz]

If you love Hogans Heros, this is a gem. Werner Klemperer (Col Klink) and John Banner (Sgt Schultz) sing Silent night in their native language. Then Robert Clary (Corp Louis LeBeau) sings a French Carol.

[Baz]

[Baz]

[Baz]