"Mom", saith my dawta, "I felt like a giant next to her."

Idn't everyday you get to rub shoulders with somebody who has 'em a spot in the Country Music Hall of Fame AND the Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame.  I am going to do a post, hopefully tomorrow, on this most wonderful event we attended where Tara's grandmother was honored, alongside some other fabulous ladies.

Brenda Lee is the shiznit.

Don Helms, the steel guitarist in Hank Williams' Drifting Cowboys band, died Monday morning (Aug. 11) in Nashville [of an apparent heart attack]. He was 81. Helms recorded more than 100 songs with Williams, including "Your Cheatin' Heart" and "Cold, Cold Heart." He also appears on the recordings of Lefty Frizzell's "Long Black Veil," Patsy Cline's "Walkin' After Midnight" and Stonewall Jackson's "Waterloo," as well as some early Johnny Cash albums. His songwriting credits include Brenda Lee's 1961 pop hit, "Fool No. 1," and Hank Williams Jr.'s "The Ballad of Hank Williams." Helms continued to perform following Williams' death, including a stint in the '60s with the Wilburn Brothers as part of their syndicated TV series and touring band. Most recently, Helms played regular monthly gig with the band Brazilbilly at Robert's Western World, a honky-tonk in downtown Nashville. He is survived by his wife, Hazel. - From CMT News

Artist: Brenda Lee
Album: The Definitive Collection

Tracklist :

• Dynamite
• Sweet Nothin's
• I'm Sorry
• That's All You Gotta Do
• I Want To Be Wanted
• Emotions
• I'm Learning About Love
• You Can Depend On Me
• Dum Dum
• Fool #1
• Anybody But Me
• Break It To Me Gently
• Everybody Loves Me But You
• Heart In Hand
• All Alone Am I
• Your Used To Be
• Losing You
• My Whole World Is Falling Down
• I Wonder
• The Grass Is Greener
• As Usual
• Is It True?
• Too Many Rivers
• Coming On Strong
• Nobody Wins
• Big Four Poster Bed
• Tell Me What It's Like
• Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree

Artist: Brenda Lee
Album: Now That's What I Call Christmas! 3 [Cd 1]

Tracklist :

• Jingle Bell Rock

Artist: Brenda Lee
Album: Nikos Garavelas Presents: Timeless 2 (2CD)

Tracklist :

• Break It To Me Gently

Artist: Brenda Lee
Album: Little Miss Dynamite [CD 4]

Tracklist :

• Tables Are Turning
• Funny Feelin'
• Eventually
• Dum Dum
• Let Me Be The One
• Speak To Me Pretty
• Time Is Not Enough
• Here Comes That Feeling
• Just Forget
• Break It To Me Gently
• Fool # 1
• Anybody But Me
• So Deep
• Only You (And You Alone)
• You've Got Me Crying Again
• It's The Talk Of The Town
• You Always Hurt The One You Love
• I Miss You So
• I'll Be Seeing You
• Lazy River
• Send Me Some Lovin'
• Hold Me
• I'll Always Be In Love With You
• Organ Grinder's Swing
• Let The Four Winds Blow
• Everybody Loves Me But You
• Heart In Hand
• She'll Never Know
• Why Me-
• It Takes One To Know One
• Sweet Lovin'

Mickie Most (with Suzi Quatro on his left in photo) was an English producer and label owner who had a run of Number One hits with a stable of artists that included the Animals, Donovan, Suzi Quatro and Herman's Hermits.  Most started his career as a performer in London coffee houses where he met future partner and Led Zeppelin manager, Peter Grant.  He had a semi-successful run during the late '50s and early '60s but grew tired of the touring so he explored opportunities on the business side of music.  He started out in sales and merchandising and soon landed a gig in production at Columbia Records.  His first act was a little band he found called the Animals who he helped record a worldwide hit with "House Of The Rising Sun," and in turn received a Grammy for Producer Of The Year in 1964.  Then came Herman's Hermits who had a string of hits that at one time rivaled the Beatles.   Other artists he recorded included Lulu, Jeff Beck, the Seekers, Nancy Sinatra, the Yardbirds and Brenda Lee.   In 1968, Most partnered with Peter Grant to open RAK Management and a year later, RAK Publishing and RAK Records.  Artists signed to RAK Records included Suzy Quatro, Sweet, Hot Chocolate, and Chris Spedding.  By the '80s, he had discovered Kim Wilde and produced her worldwide smash, "Kids In America."  And later appeared as a harsh judge on a British television talent program called New Faces, which no doubt helped create a future television star by the name of Simon Cowell.  Most died of mesothelioma, a cancer generally associated with the exposure to asbestos.

Artist: Brenda Lee
Album: Now That's What I Call Christmas! (Cd 1)

Tracklist :

• Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree

Artist: Brenda Lee
Album: Christmas Hits [3 CD]

Tracklist :

• Rocking Around The Christmas Tree

Artist: Brenda Lee
Album: Raggare: Rockballaderna Som Smalte Sverige (2CD)

Tracklist :

Title	Bitrate	Size
I'm Sorry	160028	3183980

Though you say we are through
I'll always love you
And you can depend on me

Though someone that you met
Has made you forget
Honey, you know
You can count on me

Well, I wish, I wish you success
And loads, loads of happiness
But, baby, I've gotta confess
I'll be lonely

If you ever, ah, if you ever need a friend
I'll be yours until the end
And you can depend on me

I wish you success
And loads of happiness
But, darling, I've gotta confess
I'm gonna be loney

If you ever, ah, if you ever need a friend
I'll be yours right by your side ah until the end
And you can depend on me

In general, I prefer the more "traditional" renditions of Christmas songs. Having said that, I find Mannheim Steamroller's unique arrangements ("18th century classical rock") to be particularly soothing and uplifting to the soul. I also enjoy the parody hack jobs done by Bob Rivers.

However, in thinking about Christmas music, I realized that the rendition of a handful of songs by particular artists really epitomizes Christmas. That is, they have really become woven into the fabric that makes the season special. I'm not a big fan of federal mandates, but I'd almost be willing to support a federal law banning any further releases of these songs by other artists. So below is my list of songs that I think should be retired, because no one can possible do a better job than the artist listed.

• White Christmas - Bing Crosby
• The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year - Johnny Mathis
• Nat King Cole - The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)
• Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee
• A Holly Jolly Christmas - Burl Ives
• Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer - Gene Autry
• Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town - Gene Autry

There are a few more songs that I think probably should be retired, but I'm not quite ready to lock them in. So the songs below are candidates for retirement in the future:

• Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley
• Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! - Dean Martin
• Winter Wonderland - Tony Bennett
• Jingle Bell Rock - Bobby Helms

1. "Christmas is Coming" by the Vince Guaraldi Trio.

"Christmas is Coming", from Guaraldi's soundtrack to A Charlie Brown Christmas, is consistently overshadowed by "Linus and Lucy" and "Skating". However, this infectious, jazzy little number perfectly personifies the anticipation leading up to everyone's favorite birthing. Whether it's the pert little rest at 0:37 or the meandering interlude at 1:05, "Christmas is Coming" is more vivacious and musically interesting than anything else on the album.

2. The entirety of Nat King Cole's Christmas-themed works.

Yes, his Christmas album is wildly popular. Yes, he butchers the German language in "O Tannenbaum". But it's the best ever, so people aren't listening to it enough. (Epicure friend Lisa says there is a Nat King Cole children's Christmas album. Must acquire!)

3. "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" translated from the Latin by John Mason Neale.

More poetry than carol, this magnificent Advent song is of unknown pedigree and seems to be rarely used even in Church services by Roman Catholics. Sober and solemn, I have seen people moved to tears by it. Not exactly holly jolly fare, but I'm sorta down with that. (Interestingly, the version I learned of "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" has variant stanzas. For example: "O come thou wisdom from on high / Who ordered all thing mightly / To us the path of knowledge show / And teach us in her way to go" etc. Check out more variants here.)

4. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" by Judy Garland.

Sweet Jesus Christ, the melancholy! Old blue eyes' cover of this song - the one you know and love - is nothing like Hugh Martin's original and can be safely called a bastardization. The carol, already once revised because of its brooding nature, first appeared in the 1944 film Meet Me in St. Louis and was marked by its bittersweet tone and Garland's pained vocal delivery. Haunting, perhaps the very embodiment of sehnsucht, this song is a staple for those of us who'd like a taste of our soul being crushed by profound emotion. For a bit more history, check out this article.

5. "Final Waltz and Apotheosis" from Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker.

While the average Christmas enthusiast will immediately recognize the Valse des fleurs or any of the Divertissements from Tchaikovsky's 71st opus, it is much less likely that they will be able to identify the Final Waltz and Apotheosis. Sweepingly Romantic and alive with a sense of triumph and accord, it perfectly exemplifies the elegance with which the work as a whole has come to be associated. I am particularly fond of Peter Wohlert and the Berlin Symphony Orchestra's rendition of the Valse finale et apothéose; it is slightly faster and more expertly conducted than most other recordings.

6. "Here We Come A-Wassailing".

A traditional New Years drinking song that has become associated with yuletide, this little number is a blast to belt out on a snowy doorstep. Nowadays you'll usually hear a version with drastically sanitized lyrics, about caroling and Christmas rather than drink and cash. Wassailing, according to the Oxford English Dictionary (Oh no, L'amour de l'étymologie!?!), means to toast to one's health, and has connotations of "carousing"--their word, not mine! I strongly encourage people everywhere to reclaim the original version of this song by acting out the lyrics as frequently as possible.

7. "I'm Gonna Lasso Santa Claus" by Brenda Lee.

Miss Lee is best known for "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree". In "Lasso" she employs an even more bizarre-cutsey voice to relate a child's conviction to truss, shoot (with a water pistol), torture (tickle...), and finally steal the presents of Saint Nick. The reason for this glut of deviancy? To supply poor kids with presents, Communist style! This isn't the only socially conscious, underrated Christmas carol; check out James Brown's "Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto" for a more saccharine song about impoverished, gift-hungry brats.

8. "Christmas Wrapping" by The Waitresses.

A Christmas carol that begins with "Bah! Humbug!"? Yes please! These deadpan '80s ladies explore the delight an isolated cynic finds in rediscovering the pleasure that is the Christmas season. "Christmas Wrapping" is consistently recognized as a new classic by music-savvy hipsters, but is relatively unknown to the Christmas-celebrating population at large. It has been covered quite a great deal, on and off retail albums; however, alternate versions are odious and should be avoided like the plague.

9. "Once Upon a December" by Deana Carter.

Yeah, I'm man enough to admit that I like it. For the uninitiated, "Once Upon..." is a song from the animated film Anastasia. It occupies a precarious place in this list, as it is popular in the mainstream - with little girls and big fat women that never stopped being little girls - and not really a Christmas song. The in, of course, is the fact that it's generally despised by anyone whose musical sensibilities command respect. Now all you smack-talkers take notice: Hear those sinister chimes in the intro? The rather interesting (for a children's movie) imagery in the lyrics? The shamelessly hilarious backup singer that starts bellowing at 1:03? All pretty damn good reasons to give it another shot, to my mind.

10. "Good King Wenceslas" by John Mason Neale.

Another traditional carol to round out the top ten; I really just love this song because I can shout "Bring me meat and bring me wine, bring me pine logs hither!" at the top of my voice with impunity. Eighteenth Century British scholar John Mason Neale, translator of "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel", composed the lyrics to accompany the 13th Century spring carol "It is Time for Flowering" ("Tempus Adest Floridum" in Latin). Methinks I'm going to have to look into this bloke for a future post; seems he has a monopoly on carols from antiquity.

And we're done! Go out into the world and get these songs from your local library, illegally from the internet, or make them yourself by playing your nose and singing aloud. (If that last one really occurs, please post to YouTube for reasons that need not be verbalized.) Also, look forward to my next Christmas post, which will be about the "Top ten Christmas horror films of ultimate depravity"!

Elton John - Step Into Christmas
Boney M - Mary's Boy Child
Canned Heat - Christmas Blues
Brenda Lee - Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
Gary Glitter - Another Rock N Roll Christmas
George Harrison - Ding Dong Ding Dong
Greg Lake - I Believe In Father Christmas
Wizzard - I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day
Jethro Tull - Ring Out Solstice Bells
Jona Lewie - Stop The Cavalry
Mike Oldfield - In Dulci Jubilo
Mud - Lonely This Christmas
Wham - Last Christmas
Showaddywaddy - Hey Mr Christmas
Slade - Merry Christmas Everybody
The Beach Boys - Little Saint Nick
The Wombles - Wombling Merry Christmas

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Sleigh bells ring, are you listening
In the lane snow is glistening
beautiful sight we are happy tonight
Walking in the winter wonderland

It's the blue bird, he'll stay
It's the new bird, he sings a love song
As we go along
Walking in a winter wonderland

In the meadow, we can build a snowman
We'll pretend that he passing round
He'll say are you married
We'll say "No man"
But you can do the job while you are in town
Later on, we'll conspire
As we dream by the fire
We'll play on a frame the plans that we made
Walking in the winter wonderland

Walking in the winter wonderland

Walking in the winter wonderland

In the meadow, we can build a snowman
We'll pretend that he passing round
He'll say are you married
We'll say "No man"
But you can do the job while you are in town
Later on, we'll conspire
As we dream by the fire
We'll play on a frame the plans that we made
Walking in the winter wonderland

Walking in the winter wonderland

Oh I wish I had someone to love me
Someone to call me their own
How I wish I had someone to live with
'Cause I'm tired of livin' alone
Please meet me tonight in the moonlight

For I have a sad story to tell you
It's a story that's never been told
Oh, if I had wings like an angel
Through the heavenly sky high I would fly
I'd fly to the arms of my darlin'
And there I'd be willing to die

Yesterday all my troubles seemed so far away
Now it looks as though they're here to stay
Oh I believe in yesterday

Suddenly I'm not half the girl I used to be

Yesterday came suddenly

Why he had to go I don't know he wouldn't say
I said something wrong now I long for yesterday

Yesterday love was such an easy game to play
Now I need a place to hide away
Oh I believe in yesterday

Why he had to go I don't know he wouldn't say
I guess I said something wrong, now I long for yesterday

Yesterday love was such an easy game to play
Now I need a place, a place to hide away
Oh I believe in yesterday
I believe in yesterday

I loved you all the summer through
I thought I found my dream in you
Only you were the one
But that was yesterday and yesterday's gone
We walked together hand in hand

But now it's over and done
Cause that was yesterday and yesterday and yesterday's gone

We had such happiness together
I can't believe its gone forever
But wait til summer comes when
Our love had just began
I love you yesterday and yesterday's gone

We had such happiness together
I can't believe its gone forever
Now wait til summer comes again
I hope that you'll remember when
Our love had just begun
I love you yesterday and yesterday's gone

And yesterday's gone and yesterday's gone gone gone
And yesterday's gone

Grab your coat and get your hat,
Leave your worry leave them on the door step'
Just direct your feet,
To the sunny side of the street.

And that happy tune is your step,
Life can be so sweet,
On the sunny side of the street.

I used to walk in the shade,
With my blues on parade,
But I'm, I'm not afraid,
This rover crossed over.

If I never have a cent,
I'll be rich as Rock Feller,
Gold dust at my feet
On the sunny side of the street

I used to walk yes I use to walk in the shade,
Oh with my blues oh with my blues on parade,
But I'm, I'm not afraid,
Because this rover crossed over.

If I never have a cent,
I'll be rich as Rock Feller,
Gold dust at my feet
On the sunny side of the street
On the sunny side of the street

Though you say we are through
I'll always love you
And you can depend on me

Though someone that you met

Honey, you know, you can count on me

Well, I wish, I wish you success
And loads, loads of happiness
But, baby, I've gotta confess
I'll be lonely

If you ever, ah, if you ever need a friend
I'll be yours until the end
And you can depend on me

I wish you success
And loads of happiness
But, darling, I've gotta confess
I'm gonna be loney

If you ever, ah, if you ever need a friend
I'll be yours right by your side ah until the end
And you can depend on me

I walk along the city street,
You use to walk along with me
And every step I take recalls
How much in love we use to be
Oh how can I forget you

Always something there to remind me

I was born to love you
And I will never be free
You'll always be a part of me ooooh

When shadows fall I pass a small caf?
Where we would dance at night
And I can't help recalling
How it felt to kiss and hold you tight
Oh how can I forget you
When there is always something there to remind me
Always something there to remind me

I was born to love you
And I will never be free
You'll always be a part of me ooooh

If you should find you miss the sweet
And tender love we use to share
Just come back to the places
Where we use to go and I'll be there
Oh how can I forget you
When there is always something there to remind me
Always something there to remind me

I was born to love you
And I will never be free

When there is always something there to remind me
Always something there to remind me
Always something there to remind me

Baby baby got the wee willies chee chee chillies for you
Baby baby got the wee willies chee chee chillies for you

Well I shake with the willies shiver with the chillies
I ain't got nothin' warm to hold

Wo wo wo baby ain't it cold yeah

Baby baby got the wee willies chee chee chillies for you
Baby baby got the wee willies chee chee chillies for you

Baby baby got the wee willies chee chee chillies for you
Baby baby got the wee willies chee chee chillies for you

You had to let loose and maybe blow off steam
Just like a radiator
Now you got a cold stare I know you don't care
Feel just like a refrigerator

Baby baby got the wee willies chee chee chillies for you
Baby baby got the wee willies chee chee chillies for you

The chee chee chillies the wee wee willies for you

Buddy Harman, a prolific and influential drummer whose rhythmic signature can be heard on thousands of recordings by the likes of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline and Simon and Garfunkel, died on Thursday at his home in Nashville. He was 79. He had been suffering from congestive heart failure, said his daughter Summer Harman, who confirmed his death. Mr. Harman played on an estimated 18,000 recordings, many of them major hits, in a career of more than five decades. He worked most sessions with the celebrated “A Team” of studio musicians who shaped the Nashville Sound of the 1950s and ’60s, performing on Cash’s “Ring of Fire,” Roger Miller’s “King of the Road” and Tammy Wynette’s “Stand by Your Man,” along with scores of hits by Loretta Lynn, George Jones, Dolly Parton, Ray Price and others. Mr. Harman also made his mark on the pop charts, making distinctive contributions to records like the Everly Brothers’ “Bye Bye Love,” Presley’s “Little Sister,” Simon and Garfunkel’s “Boxer” (as a percussionist) and Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” He played — bass, not drums — on Ringo Starr’s 1970 country album, “Beaucoups of Blues.” Versatility and imagination were among Mr. Harman’s great strengths as a musician. He could play everything from big-beat rock ’n’ roll, as demonstrated by his pile-driving 4/4 on Roy Orbison’s “Oh, Pretty Woman,” to intimate cocktail jazz, as heard on his empathetic brushwork on Cline’s “Crazy.” Drums were not commonly used in country music when Mr. Harman started working sessions in Nashville in the early 1950s. Later that decade, when he became the first house drummer for the Grand Ole Opry, he had to play behind a curtain because drums were not allowed on the show’s stage at the time. Before long, though, Mr. Harman had established his instrument as an integral voice in modern country music. Murrey Mizell Harman Jr. was born Dec. 23, 1928, in Nashville. His mother, who played drums in the family band, was an early musical inspiration, along with jazz players like Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich. Mr. Harman began drumming while in his early teens and went on to perform in bands while serving in the Navy. Later, after two years of college in Nashville, he enrolled in the Roy Knapp School of Percussion in Chicago. On returning to Nashville in 1952 he played in the band of Carl Smith, a future member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, and began doing studio work. By the mid-’50s, Mr. Harman had become the first-call drummer for recording sessions that were being booked on what became known as Nashville’s Music Row. He was less active in the studio as the 1970s gave way to the ’80s. He eventually resumed work at the Opry, while also serving as the business agent for the Nashville chapter of the American Federation of Musicians. Besides his daughter Summer, of Mount Juliet, Tenn., Mr. Harman is survived by his wife of more than 40 years, Marsha Harman; his sons Mark, of Franklin, Tenn., and Stanley and Murrey M. III, both of Nashville; another daughter, Autumn, also of Nashville; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. Another son, Richard, died in 2007. “I just went into Dad’s room,” Summer Harman said in a telephone conversation in June, when her father’s health had been declining, “and he was playing drums in his sleep. He had a smile on his face and was tapping on his chest.” - Bill Friskics-Warren (New York Times)