On this episode, special guest Jeff Baham from the Moustalgia podcast counts down his favorite versions of Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas. Plus, you’ll learn about the life and career of Andy Williams. In addition, you’ll hear about an “interesting” new type of holiday treat, a new way to get your Christmas tree and hear our latest pitch for a TV movie with “All the hallmarks of a great Christmas movie.”
00:00 – 01:24 Intro
01:24 – 02:45 We Need a Little Christmas Now
02:45 – 16:35 Five Golden Things (featuring Jeff Baham)
16:35 – 20:09 Santa Babb’s Mailbag
20:09 – 23:57 Feedback From Our Last Show
23:57 – 24:52 All I Want For Christmas is News
24:52 – 44:17 A Salute to Andy Williams
44:17 – 46:03 Who Sang It Best (Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas)
46:03 – 47:57 Hallmarks of a Great Christmas Movie
47:57 – 50:10 Wrap Up
50:10 – 52:13 Outtakes
“We Wish You A Merry Christmas” United States Marine Band
“Jingle Bells” Performed by Kristen Nowicki
(The embedded player for the episode is bellow the poll and links)
When the River Meets the Sea – Who Sang It Best Poll
Clamdy Canes
https://mcphee.com/products/clamdy-canes
Andy Williams Interviews
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLACA1C3826001F3B6
Christmas TV History: Andy Williams Christmas Shows
http://www.christmastvhistory.com/2012/11/andy-williams-christmas-shows.html
Tim on Tis the Pod
https://tisthepodcast.podbean.com/e/listen-scrooge-if-men-were-measured-by-kindness-youd-be-no-bigger-than-a-speck-of-dust/
Tim on Prime Direction
http://www.cosmicpotato.com/2018/09/the-prime-direction-23-tim-babb.html
Stephen Colbert Clip
(Warning: bleeped mature language)
http://www.cc.com/video-clips/1pktzf/the-colbert-report-craziest-f–king-thing-i-ve-ever-heard—mayo-kitchen
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Christmas Crackers! perfect!
I agree that Andy Williams and his ex wife probably modelled how holidays could still be handled together. He was probably a role model for many divorced and separated families.
Soooo glad I found this Podcast. Thank you!!! Andy Williams is a Christmas elf of the highest order like Dean Martin. I could care less about Christiana, she’s not a thing to me…but I’m old ha. Merry Christmas!
I was admittedly a bit appalled over the thought of Judy Garland’s version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” coming in second place to anyone else’s; like Bing’s “White Christmas” or Mariah’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” cover versions are well and good, but nothing tops the original.
Although in thinking more about it, there are some cases where I like a cover better. I prefer Hanson’s take on “Little Saint Nick” to the Beach Boys’, The Shins’ version of “Wonderful Christmas Time” over Paul McCartney’s, even El Vez’s “Feliz Navidad” over Jose Feliciano’s. And let’s face it, there are plenty of recordings of “Silver Bells” that are better than the Bob Hope one; he just happened to get there first.
And judging Christmas media becomes even more subjective, since so much of what we love about the holidays is tied into nostalgia, and what we liked when we were kids, and the memories we associate with specific songs, movies and TV shows. All that to say, we like what we like for any number of reasons. But Andy Williams still owns “The Most Wonderful Time of Year,” and I will hear no arguments to the contrary. 😉