The Ultimate Christmas Song

Music

Harry Connick Jr.’s take on When My Heart Finds Christmas.

Connick is one of the most underrated singers ever — by the public, not by other singers — with his matchless range, phrasing and timing.   As I’ve written before, he makes Sinatra look like a barroom busker.

I’m a former chorister, an alumnus of the Royal Schools of Church Music.  Back in the day, I could sing anything off the sheet music you put in front of me, whether I’d seen it before or not.

But there are times that I listen to Harry Connick Jr., and when he does one of his trademark vocal tricks, I find myself saying:  “How the hell did he do that?”

And his Christmas album, while a little too jazzy for some (even me, at times), is a true classic.

5 comments

  1. “As I’ve written before, he makes Sinatra look like a barroom busker.”

    Actually, I think Sinatra aspired to become a barroom busker. Shame he never made it.

  3. As a jazz geek I’ve always liked HCJr, but I have an unresolvable pet peeve: godawful sappy strings, which absolutely ruin this for me. In the meantime, I submit the following – for the same reason my dog licks the empty sack where his testicles used to reside: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fu0xyYDfxKk

    You’re welcome.

  4. Good morning Kim,
    I find it highly ironic that Connick Jr., who is Jewish (born to a Jewish mother, ergo a member of The Tribe) sings Christmas music. Then again, Irving Berlin penned a lot of Christmas music, so there’s that.

    Taking off on a musical tangent, last night SWMBO and I watched the PBS special .. an IL Volo tribute to Ennio Morricone. Those three Italian young men have quite the range, etc. They’ve been performing for about 10 years, and the oldest of the trio still hasn’t achieved 30 years of age. I’m no expert, far from it, but they strike me as supremely talented. Moreover, it’s a genuine pleasure to watch young performers take a classical/traditional path. They’re coming to my neck of the woods at the end of March. If ‘rona is waning … I’d almost venture up to Milwaukee for their show there. Go into “the city” for a show .. not so much.

    Enjoy …

    1. I suspect most of us don’t consider these things mutually exclusive. But it is funny that the most popular Christmas song ever was written by a tribe member. At least he got paid

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