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Annual Holidays with a Musical Twist
JANUARY 1: New Year's Day FEBRUARY 4: Across the Universe Day FEBRUARY 14: Valentine's Day APRIL 1: April Fool's Day For April Fool's Day with a sharp musical edge, "Top 10 Classic Rock 'Fool' Songs for April 1st" at VH1.com cuts it well with a back to the future twist: More>. Something silly and from a different era might be a nice escape for a few minutes today. Popeye and Betty Boop, in this old cartoon with America's most memorable kid's song of its day, "I'm Popeye the Sailor Man," might hit your funny bone today: More>. If musical cartoons with pranks aren't your thing, maybe a bevy of classic politically incorrect and corny comedians will make the day one long big laugh (but you'll have to hum to yourself while you watch, since little music can be found here). For those who prefer the politically incorrect, albeit tame, jokes of a bygone era, Rodney Dangerfield talks with Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show in 1983: More>. The one-of-a-kind Don Rickles throws the insults and laughs around with Johnny Carson in 1973: More>. The full crazy range of Robin Williams blooms with Johnny Carson in 1991: More>. Going back to when black-and-white TV ruled, the wit of Grocho Marx makes for a funny, if not educational, fool's day experience on a "What's My Line" episode": More>. Some say the greatest comedian of all time, W.C. Fields in The Diner Sketch makes his mark: More>. The Honeymooners features, at the time, America's favorit fools, Ralph Kramden and Ralph, who brush up on the Hucklebuck dance: More>. Saturday Night Vintage with Richard Pryor, Richard Thalmus Rasulala and Laraine Newman get the job done on any day, especially Fool's Day, in The Exorcist skit: More> Last and least, what goes as humor for some with a different stroke in this world of upside down politics, maybe "25 of the Most Offensive Advertisements" at List25.com might make the shake-your-head April Fool's cut at the Republican White House pajama party this year, and perhaps inspire a few protest songs as a result: More>. NOVEMBER, 4th Thursday: Thanksgiving Day DECEMBER 25: Christmas Day There are so many great tunes and carols that bring out the kid in us all. DigitalDreamDoor.com put together an excellent and nicely organized 100 Greatest Christmas Songs; here's its complete list: More> To give a listen, Digital's number one Christmas song is "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby (of course!). Number 2 is "The Chipmunk Song" by (who else?!) The Chipmunks. Bringing up a respectable third place was "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" by Gene Autry. Number four is "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" by Jimmy Boyd. Number five is "Jingle Bell Rock" by Bobby Helms. Number six is "The Christmas Song" by Nat King Cole. Many other Christmas greats include: "Little Drummer Boy" by Harry Simeone Chorale; "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee; "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" by Bruce Springsteen. Jingle Bells is one of the most recorded songs of all times; here's a notable list of artists to pick from at Wikipedia. However, no proper Christmas season could pass without "Jingle Bells" by The Singing Dogs. And "Frosty the Snowman" by Gene Autry is unforgettable as well. There are so many great holiday songs, such as "It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas" by Perry Como and The Fontaine Sisters; "Feliz Navidad" by Jose Feliciano; "Blue Christmas" by Elvis Presley and Martina McBride. Then there is "Silent Night" by Barbra Streisand; "Silver Bells" by Johnny Mathis; "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" by Andy Williams. What would Christmas be without these favorites? "The Twelve Days of Christmas" by Ray Conniff Singers; "Twas the Night Before Christmas" by Fred Waring and The Pennsylvanians; "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow" by Dean Martin. For those who haven't had enough, there's always "Sleigh Ride" by The Ventures, a funky instrumental for sure; "Snoopy's Christmas" by The Royal Guardsmen; "Donde Estes Santa Claus" by Augie Rios; "Baby's First Christmas" by Connie Francis. For native Ashevilleans who moved away, Christmas wouldn't be complete without "Home for the Holidays" by Perry Como. For those weary of war, there's no other more fitting song than "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" by John Lennon and Yoko Ono. For a foot-tapper, "Jingle Bell Rock" by Chubby Checker and Bobby Rydell. For those missing the shore, "Little St. Nick" by The Beach Boys is the ticket. There's no better reminder for the reason for Christmas than "Do You Hear What I Hear" by Bing Crosby. For those who dream of a winning smile, here's the classic: "All I Want Is My Two Front Teeth" by Spike Jones & His City Slickers. To help keep Asheville weird, there's the one and only "I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas" by who knows who. The heart of the season might best be summed up with "Give Love on Christmas Day" by The Jackson 5. Hope springs eternal around the holiday season. Perhaps the reason Tiffany of Asheville and so many others say: "Christmas is absolutely my favorite holiday." So maybe they embrace the hope that by this time next year our troubles will be miles away, as predicted in "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" by Frank Sinatra. Again, from one to 100, here's the complete DigitalDoorDream.com list of best Christmas songs with its selection of artists who they deemed to do the best rendition: More>
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