The Christmas Song, also known as "Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire" or "Merry Christmas To You", is one of the most recorded Christmas songs of all time. It was written by Mel Tormé in 1944 and first popularized by Nat King Cole in 1953. If Stacie was the one making this list, she would most likely have The Christmas Song at the #1 spot. She has told me more than once that it is her favorite Christmas title. I don't know if she would have chosen Nat King's Cole version of it, but I wouldn't be surprised if she did.
I chose this version not only because he was the first to popularize it, but because I think he sings it better than anyone. Nat King Cole had an amazing voice, no doubt, yet I don't think any recording of his could top the richness in his rendition of this song. There are so many classic Christmas songs performed by the crooners of the 1930s-1950s, which make creating lists such as this one difficult to select the songs to include. While this song isn't particularly nostalgic for me, I didn't feel I would have a complete list without this Christmas classic in the countdown.
The video below is one of those where the best I could find was what some amateur YouTube-r put together in his basement on some cheap, for-dummies video editing software. I can't blame them, as I would probably do the same thing if I had the time to make a video. However, it just doesn't really do the song justice.
Nat King Cole - The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)
Jesse's top 12 favorite Christmas songs (vocal)
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11- Nat King Cole - The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)
12- Celine Dion - Don't Save It All For Christmas Day
If I had little nostalgic connection with The Christmas Song above, I have even less (no) connection with this song. Nevertheless, I chose to place it on my instrumental countdown for the same reason I placed NKC's The Christmas Song on my vocal countdown...what's instrumental Christmas today without including the Trans-Siberian Orchestra?
The video below was not available to embed on my blog, so the link to the YouTube video is below the title. The video is not a traditional Christmas music video, but then again, TSO is not a traditional orchestra.
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11- Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Christmas Eve
12- Boston Pops Orchestra - Sleigh Ride
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