I want to welcome you to the ultimate Thumpin’ Thursday edition – the Christmas edition!
Today I bring you an acoustic cover of Irving Berlin’s classic song “White Christmas”. It’s a song we all know and love. I won’t get mad if you sing along.
I had a great Christmas – I got to spend it with my family all day. We talked, ate, opened presents, gave each other presents, and had an overall wonderful time. Sherry & I then came home and exchanged the nights’ worth of Hanukkah gifts. She loves her new digital photo frame too!
Tomorrow Sherry & I are going on vacation to a resort in NY. We will be gone until Tuesday. Because of this, I will have a post “auto-publish” on Sunday. But if you just can’t wait, look me up on Youtube to see a preview of Sunday’s song.
I hope your Christmas was wonderful, and I hope you have nothing to bring back tomorrow. Come back tomorrow for Jim to enlighten us with another wonderful acoustic cover. See you then!
Editor’s Note: Unfortunately, Jeff’s acoustic cover song music videos are no longer on YouTube, but we decided to keep his cover song blog posts up. We figured these music blog entries would be good for posterity’s sake and because Jeff always gave such insightful posts each Session. We hope to see Jeff’s impressive catalog of acoustic rock songs here on the Laptop Sessions cover songs and original music blog again in the future. But, for now, please make sure to check-out hundreds of other acoustic cover songs from all of your favorite bands here on the Laptop Sessions music blog!
Well, tonight’s going to be a brief one, and I apologize. But I made up for it by calling in the big guns — aka one Jim Fusco for additional guitar stylings and harmony vocals — to make this video one my favorites that I’ve done. It’s certainly the best Christmas video that I’ve recorded. We had a lot of fun playing it, and I think that comes through on the recording.
I hope you enjoy it!
Oh, yeah, I should probably mention what song it is. This is “Green Christmas,” one of the holiday originals on the Barenaked Ladies’ Barenaked For the Holidays album. Second only to “Elf’s Lament” and maybe “Christmastime (Oh Yeah),” this is one of my favorite original tracks on the album. There’s just the right mix of humor and seriousness on this record, and I think this one leans more toward the serious side. I especially like the middle part — “Green, cause of everything I miss. All this missletoe, no kiss…”
Simply put, this was a lot of fun to record.
And it’s certainly not like we haven’t played it before. It’s been a while, but this song is officially part of our MoU Christmas Chord Book, Part II. That’s right, we needed multiple chord books to contain the number of songs we learned for our Christmas shows.
The reason this post is so brief is that I remembered and recorded my video much later than I would have liked, and then, Jim and I watched the SNL “Best of Christmas Past” DVD while wrapping our gifts for Christmas. It felt good to accomplish that while simultaneously watching some great skits — the Matt Foley “motivational speaker” Santa, Alec Baldwin’s “Shvety balls,” Eddie Murphy’s “Mr. Robinson’s neighborhood, and boy does the list go on… — and laughing (a lot!) together.
A week away. I just can’t believe it. I haven’t had time to breathe, but I’ve managed to set up the whole house, buy and wrap gifts, and watch Christmas movies in this short period we call Christmas time. During these last few days, I’m trying to make the absolute most of it, and that involves doing things I actually want to do when I get home. I’m glad to bring you tonight’s Original Wednesday.
You know, I tried to present a new song here tonight, but my last Original Wednesday of the Session-a-day project rounds out with yet another Christmas song. I can’t believe we’re at the end of this project already. I mean, it’s been a lot of work and a long time in the making, but I look forward to the time when I can actually go back and appreciate it all. It’s been a great life-journal over these past few months.
Tonight’s orignal song is a tune that my father dictated to me, to which I attempted (back in 2000 or 2001) to add chords to. He’s maintained throughout the years that I didn’t get it right. The original music had a flute behind it. I remember the flute part exactly. I know that’s what he wanted in there. He says I don’t sing it right, either, but I suppose that’s the nature of cover songs…and the nature of transposing a song from a tune to the piano when you really don’t know how to play. Again, this was seven years ago when I was still VERY new to any of the “musical” instruments. I knew how to play the drums, but picked up piano and guitar on my own.
I actually remember being out at, I think, a place like Sturbridge Village with my aunt many summers ago and specifically buying one of those tin flutes so I could play this song’s flute part. I know I have a version of it somewhere. Wow, I think it’s actually right in front of my face right now on the desk in my room. If Chris gets me REALLY drunk (kidding!) maybe he can talk me into playing that almost certainly embarassing tape of Christmas songs for him. Hey, free fast-food always helps. But, then again, I owe him for last night’s dinner because I forgot to pay for his! What a friend I am…
I got to do a little shopping tonight, allowing me to neglect my nightly freelance work in favor of spreading some Christmas cheer. I hope I have a nice weekend and a nice time leading into Christmas.
Oh, and as one last note: I made a comment at work today about one of the reasons I love Christmas music so much. I really do like it more than just about anyone. I have over 200 Christmas songs and love every single one. Anyway, one of the reasons I love it so much is because of how happy the songs are. I can count on one hand the sad Christmas songs. And even those have sleigh bells…
Tonight’s original song is one of those sad songs (with sleigh bells) that basically points out how Christmas can be a sad time if no one’s there to make it a big event. I took my father’s verses (whether he says they’re correct or not) and appended the fast part way back then. The parts actually work together well and the lyrics even follow the same sentiment: “I want to be home on Christmas. If I’m not, then I’ll be sad. If you’re wondering why I’m sad, just look around and notice that I’m not home and around loved ones for Christmas!” So, it all comes back around.
Good night and see you on Saturday! Stay tuned for a great Thumpin’ Thursday post with Chris Moore tomorrow!
Hey, there, all you listeners out there in Internet radio land! Have I got news for you!…
The Saturday after Thanksgiving was a momentous occasion for those of us at Fusco-Moore Productions, as all seven original WCJM cast members re-united for a nearly three hour morning show that took place in the morning! (If you’re a long-time fan, you may be aware that we often record in the late afternoon or evening.)
The title of this new installment is the Tenth Anniversary Show, as it was recorded only three months after the ten year anniversary of our very first WCJM Moore Hits in the Morning show, starring (then) only Chris, Jim, and Mike. Well, ten years later we’re still recording these shows, now with the longtime additions of Alberto, Dave, Matt, and Jeff.
This show is truly our best yet. I say this without having heard the show yet, but just being there… If you combine a year’s worth of quality skits, an amazing variety of music chosen by all seven cast members, and fairly equal distribution of talking by all during the show, you get “The Tenth Anniversary Show.”
So, to answer the question that’s on everyone’s minds… How do I watch the show??
Well, I’m glad you asked. It’s as easy as going to www.wcjm.com and clicking on the “Moore Hits in the Morning” section.
