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Hello and Happy Holidays Forum friends!! I have always loved Christmas songs and the season in general. To me, the beginning of school in the Fall (for those of that age) and Christmas season are the 2 times of the year that really connect a person to the past. I have so many memories of Christmases with family and friends, and hearing the songs (particularly Nat King Cole, Sinatra, and Happy Christmas by John Lennon) bring back those wonderful and care free days. Although I love the religious songs (Silent night, etc.), I tend to lean toward the standards of the 50's era. This is one of those songs. Hope you like it! I treasure your feedback. Take care, and Merry Christmas all! Greg

https://soundcloud.com/gjohnson-2/xmas-lights


Christmas Lights

Christmas lights, on those stormy nights
Help to keep my spirit bright
And I like to call, when snow starts to fall
Just to make sure you’re alright
And I count the days, in my weary haze
Until we meet again
But the Christmas lights keep me goin’
Until then

Christmas time always has a shine
Brings a warmth into my heart
And, the great surprise, in the children’s eyes
Guess that’s still my favorite part
And it’s understood, peace and brotherhood
Are the joys the season brings
With each jingling bell
An angel gets their wings

Ebenezer gets to save his soul
George Bailey’s friends come through
And I can’t wait to share it all with you

The fire is burning low, so to bed I’ll go
I know I’ve got to get some rest
So I’ll blow a kiss, to you, the one I miss
And pray the angels keep you blessed
And I’ll hold you tight, through the stormy night
That sweet dream will pull me through
And someday soon, I’ll watch those Christmas lights
With you


The players:

Bass. 2311
Piano. 487
Drums. Jazz swing brushes snare
Trombone 492
Strings 2952

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Hi Greg ...

I fully agree with your love of the pop Christmas songs of the 50s. I grew in that era and have such wonderful memories of the time ... the innocence and carefree comfort of that lifestyle. You certainly brought it back into the spotlight with this fabulous song. It's a wonderful song ... reminds me of Nat King Cole more than anyone.

So few people have such a fabulous gift as your voice. Thank you for sharing it with us fortunate listeners. There is so much "wow factor" in everything you do. Listening to your music is a precious treasure for Diana and me.

wishing you and yours a wonderful Christmas and a very prosperous New Year in 2021. Take care, my friend.

Alan & Di


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I love songs from that era too, and this stands up with any of them.

Instant classic!

Best to you and yours for Christmas, Greg.

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Greg Johnson. A great jazz group. A new Christmas song. That velvety voice.

Can't think of a better combination. A Christmas present for us all.

It is NOT easy to come up with a Christmas song that sounds NEW and OLD at the same time. The hits the mark. So well-written (lyric AND melody).

Gorgeous.

This should become a standard.

fj

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Ah, my favourite crooner of the BIAB/PG Music Showcase forum ... you NEVER disappoint. You take me to an era I never knew in person (I'm an eighties child) ... and yet it's like I'm there. Thank you.

In this song, at least, you remind me a little of Bing Crosby. Bravo.

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Right? Man, I can hear any of the crooners from that era cutting this as the first track for Side A of their Christmas classics album, but I much prefer hearing you do it, Greg. Quite a range in there. I can hear you tucking in your chin for some of those "Someday soon..."s. Great choice for the trombone solo. Outstanding write capturing the sound of the times, and a magical presentation. Happy Christmas, Greg!!

Last edited by BabuMusic; 12/14/20 11:02 AM.

Enjoy whatever happens!
marty

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Definitely a modern classic! Beautifully sung and produced. Simply a great write and the mix is outstanding. This is superlative in every way. Happy Holidays to you and yours,Tom

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Great song, great singing and I love the references to some great Christmas movies as well. Whatever else happens, I always watch It's A Wonderful Life each December. Happy Holidays to all!


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It has come out of that genre, Greg, but is a fresh new take on the standards. No wonder they have been listened to and loved for so long by so many. More like this, please.

Last edited by edshaw; 12/14/20 04:49 PM.

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Very smooth sound. It hits the mark of that classic Christmas song style (Cole, et. al.). The band has the spirit too. Nice work.


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Greg

Superb work - such a smooth endearing sound.

Merry Christmas from Australia.

Peter

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Hello Greg,

what a beautiful tune that is! Love the band and the arrangement, the trombone solo is just awesome. And your vocal is just devine.

Very, very nice !,

Take care,

Stefan

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Hi Greg
The fifties is also my favourite decade for Christmas songs and this one certainly captures that feel. Great vocal performance as always. Merry Christmas and stay safe.
Regards,
Leon

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Beautiful Greg.

smile

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As others have said, a modern classic. Velvet smooth, and the underappreciated trombone gets a chance to solo.

Lyrically, hits all the right buttons, from Christmas films to feeling lonesome holiday blues.

Lovely melody, and a great arrangement, especially the understated strings. Your vocals are gorgeous as always.

Thanks for the early Christmas present! laugh


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I've saved it to my 'favorites list' in my browser. What more can I say? smile

Last edited by Ghostgum; 12/16/20 01:22 AM.

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Hello Greg,

Superb atmosphere and very soft voice. You manage to make us experience this magical Christmas atmosphere. The solo trumpet very pleasant and the whole leaves us a sweet impression. Well done.

Good new year

Derochette
alais JaniJackFlash


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Nat all the way. Velvet smooth indeed.

We enjoyed the Bailey reference!

We loved floyd's "old and new at the same time."

We have both listened to the classic crooners over the
years and have a genuine appreciation for what
you accomplished with this production.

Well done.

J&B


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Beautiful Christmas song Greg. Super vocal. These songs transcend time. Well done


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I LOVE crooner songs! Loved the melody, the vocals and the sweet vibe in that special time of the year. Thank you!

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