Christmas Song #15:

The Drifters--White Christmas



Sorry Bing Crosby, but this gets the nod for best rendition of "White Christmas."

I've always considered the song a little bittersweet and wistful (don't know if it's meant to be seen that way, but since my childhood did not involve a lot of white Christmases despite growing up in Minnesota... it became that way for me). So pretty much any rendition of the song is alright by me. But when you add doo-wop into the mix, suddenly the song becomes cool along with bittersweet and wistful. And that's always welcome. (And by "cool," I mean... oh whatever.)

I could listen to this song for ages. Both the bass voice of Bill Pinkney in the first verse and the stylings of Clyde McPhatter in the second verse (and with backing vocals in the first verse) complement each other so perfectly. (Don't actually know their names off the top of my head... I just pulled this from Wikipedia, so... it could be wrong.) It makes me want to go out and form my own doo-wop group, despite having no vocal talents whatsoever. But I'd love it so much.

Apparently (again, according to Wikipedia) this rendition of the song was in rotation only on the R&B stations, until its inclusion in the film Home Alone, in the scene where Macaulay Culkin is putting on aftershave. Which is how I'm familiar with the song too... but at the same time, it's kind of amazing that this fantastic rendition went unknown for so many years. It makes me realize that there is probably so many other great Christmas songs out there, and I am writing about versions of songs that pale in comparison to other versions I've never heard of.

So uhh... sorry for wasting your time and everything.

BONUS SONG:

John Williams--Home Alone Theme



Cause I mentioned the movie, and because it's synonymous with the holidays for anyone that grew up in the 90's.