Nothing else brings out the child in me like Vince Guaraldi Trio’s O Tannenbaum, better known as the O Christmas Tree theme for A Charlie Brown Christmas. When I hear it, I can still remember Charlie Brown and Linus going in the tree lot to pick out that pitiful Christmas tree that I love. So while I get comfortable in my footed pajamas and cozy up beneath my favorite blanket,  here is my favorite happy go lucky, jazz rendition of O Tannenbaum.

“City sidewalks, busy sidewalks, dressed in holiday style”

Anytime I hear this song it gets me so pumped for the holidays. It reminds me of my childhood, gift wrapping, shopping and all the smiling kids who were just as excited as I was. But I especially love CeCe’s rendition because it feels just right to me. It’s one of those things that helps me to remember that Christmas isn’t just about celebrating the holidays or the gifts or spending time with family, but it reminded me then and now, that without our Lord and Savior there would be, really, no reason to celebrate at all.

GFM family, I hope you enjoy this 12 Play to Christmas selection by the anointed and talented CeCe Winans.

I can’t believe Christmas is almost here

There’s something beautiful in the blend of Luther’s voice and the sentimental longing of this song. The tune creates an imagery of a hopeful spirit waiting for love to return again. As in Luther’s vocals, they are unquestionable and rich with emotion that everyone can’t execute with such a masterful flair. From my personal standpoint,  I have such a soft spot for stories or songs of unrequited love. A person has to touch some very deep wells to perform such an emotion with great believability.  Between Luther’s force and the song’s passion, I feel similar to this hopeful lover longing for “this song” to return  “Every Year, Every Christmas.”!!!

Everytime I hear this song, I just feel like breaking out the brown liquor with an Afro wig doing the George Jefferson dance down a Soul Train line. Don’t ask me why but this song usually has me lit up like your drunk uncle at the family reunion!!! Being a kid from the ghetto, this song has some comical memories for me. I can remember asking my mama how Santa got into our apartment without a chimney. Of course, she said he had keys to all the apartment buildings. With that description, you can easily see why I thought of Santa Claus as Bookman from Good Times.

Anyway, enjoy one of my favorite Christmas songs from Soul Brother #1, James Brown!!!

Christmas time is a time for sharing and giving. But for grandma, she may wanna share something more than her eggnog underneath that mistletoe. So before Grandma shares her stories of opening the “back door” for Santa cause he wanted some lovin’, here’s a few naughty and nice brown liquor songs that may make her feel…..well….. a little moist!

Awwwwwww daaaayyyuuummm, grandma!!!! No you didn’t do it on the dinner table with Santa -  we just placed the ham in that spot!!!

Merry Christmas, ya’ll

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A few new Christmas albums for your enjoyment.  Listen below or follow the links — Rahsaan Patterson, Al Jarreau, Bishop Paul S. Morton, Bishop T.D. Jakes, Brian McKnight, Coko, Ledisi, Nat King Cole, Spyro Gyra, Verve’s Remixed Christmas & The Washington Projects.