COOL YULE by Bette Midler and HOME FOR CHRISTMAS (2-CD Set)

19 Replies

I’m a big fan of Rhino Records so when I saw this Home For Christmas CD set, I had to have it. Rhino usually takes a historical approach to their compilation CDs and Home For Christmas follows this methodology. Just about all the Christmas songs I grew up listening to as a kid are here. It’s a trip down Memory Lane. How many of these Christmas Classics do you remember? GRADE: A

I own many of Bette Midler’s albums but I only got around to listening to her Cool Yule Christmas CD last week. Bette Midler alternates jazzy renditions of Christmas songs with conventional interpretations. While I liked “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” I was less pleased by the Hawaiian “Mele Kalikimaka” which I’ve always regarded as a “gimmick” song. And adding Christmas lyrics to “From a Distance” does not make it a better song…or a true Christmas song. So, Cool Yule is a mixed bag: some good songs, some duds. GRADE: B-

TRACK LIST:

  1. “Merry Christmas” (Fred Spielman, Janice Torre) – 3:13
  2. “Cool Yule” (Steve Allen, Eric Kornfeld) – 2:28
  3. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (Ralph Blane, Hugh Martin) – 3:55
  4. “Winter Wonderland/Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” (duet with Johnny Mathis) (Felix Bernard, Richard B. Smith/Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne) – 2:46
  5. “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” (Kim Gannon, Walter Kent) – 3:21
  6. “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” (Frank Loesser) – 3:58
  7. “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” (Irving Berlin) – 3:25
  8. “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow/Johnny Marks) – 2:47 [bonus track on CDs released at Target]
  9. “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel (Veni, Veni Emmanuel)” (Traditional) – 3:12
  10. “Mele Kalikimaka” (Robert Alexander Anderson) – 2:34
  11. “From a Distance” (Christmas version) (Julie Gold/Special holiday lyrics by Jay Landers) – 5:11
  12. “White Christmas” (Irving Berlin) – 3:20

Tracklist:

1-1Leroy Anderson–Sleigh RideMusic By – Leroy AndersonMusic By – Leroy Anderson
1-2Burl Ives–A Holly Jolly ChristmasMusic By, Lyrics By – Johnny MarksMusic By, Lyrics By – Johnny Marks
1-3Bobby Helms–Jingle Bell RockMusic By, Lyrics By – Jim Boothe, Joe BealMusic By, Lyrics By – Jim Boothe, Joe Beal
1-4Judy Garland–Have Yourself A Merry Little ChristmasMusic By, Lyrics By – Hugh Martin, Ralph BlaneMusic By, Lyrics By – Hugh Martin, Ralph Blane
1-5Johnny Mathis–Carol Of The BellsAdapted By – Johnny MathisMusic By, Lyrics By – Leontovich*, Wilhousky*Adapted By – Johnny MathisMusic By, Lyrics By – Leontovich*, Wilhousky*
1-6Fred Waring & The Pennsylvanians–The Twelve Days Of ChristmasWritten-By – TraditionalWritten-By – Traditional
1-7Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters–Jingle BellsMusic By, Lyrics By – James S. Pierpont*Music By, Lyrics By – James S. Pierpont*
1-8Mabel Scott–Boogie Woogie Santa ClausMusic By, Lyrics By – Leon ReneMusic By, Lyrics By – Leon Rene
1-9Gene Autry–Here Comes Santa Claus (Down Santa Claus Lane)Music By, Lyrics By – Gene Autry, Oakley HaldemanMusic By, Lyrics By – Gene Autry, Oakley Haldeman
1-10Brenda Lee–Rockin’ Around The Christmas TreeMusic By, Lyrics By – Johnny MarksMusic By, Lyrics By – Johnny Marks
1-11Connie Francis–I’ll Be Home For ChristmasMusic By, Lyrics By – Buck Ram, Kim Gannon, Walter KentMusic By, Lyrics By – Buck Ram, Kim Gannon, Walter Kent
1-12John Fahey–Joy To The WorldMusic By, Lyrics By – George F. Handel*Music By, Lyrics By – George F. Handel*
1-13Roger Whittaker–Away In A MangerLyrics By – James Ramsey Murray*Music By – Unknown ArtistLyrics By – James Ramsey Murray*Music By – Unknown Artist
1-14The Orioles–Oh Holy NightMusic By, Lyrics By – Adolphe Adam*Music By, Lyrics By – Adolphe Adam*
1-15Eartha Kitt–Santa BabyMusic By, Lyrics By – Joan Javits, Phil Springer*, Tony SpringerMusic By, Lyrics By – Joan Javits, Phil Springer*, Tony Springer
1-16Johnny Mercer–Winter WonderlandMusic By, Lyrics By – Dick Smith (3), Felix BernardMusic By, Lyrics By – Dick Smith (3), Felix Bernard
1-17Charles Brown–Merry Christmas BabyMusic By, Lyrics By – Johnny Moore (2), Lou BaxterMusic By, Lyrics By – Johnny Moore (2), Lou Baxter
1-18Paul Anka–Oh Little Town Of BethlehemArranged By – S. Feller*Written-By – TraditionalArranged By – S. Feller*Written-By – Traditional
1-19The Inner Voices*–We Wish You A Merry Christmas/Caroling CarolingArranged By – Morgan AmesMusic By [Caroling], Lyrics By [Caroling] – Alfred Burt*, Willa Hutson*Written-By [We Wish You] – TraditionalArranged By – Morgan AmesMusic By [Caroling], Lyrics By [Caroling] – Alfred Burt*, Willa Hutson*Written-By [We Wish You] – Traditional
1-20Mel Torme*–The Christmas SongMusic By, Lyrics By – Mel Torme*Music By, Lyrics By – Mel Torme*
2-1Bing Crosby–White ChristmasMusic By, Lyrics By – Irving BerlinMusic By, Lyrics By – Irving Berlin
2-2Harry Simeone Chorale*–The Little Drummer BoyMusic By, Lyrics By – Harry Simeone, Henry Onorati, Katherine Davis*Music By, Lyrics By – Harry Simeone, Henry Onorati, Katherine Davis*
2-3Vaughn Monroe–Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!Music By, Lyrics By – Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne*Music By, Lyrics By – Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne*
2-4The Beach Boys–Little Saint NickMusic By, Lyrics By – Brian WilsonMusic By, Lyrics By – Brian Wilson
2-5Jimmy Boyd–I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa ClausMusic By, Lyrics By – Tommie ConnorMusic By, Lyrics By – Tommie Connor
2-6Buck Owens And His Buckaroos–Santa Looked A Lot Like DaddyMusic By, Lyrics By – Buck OwensMusic By, Lyrics By – Buck Owens
2-7Mario Lanza–Ave MariaWritten-By – TraditionalWritten-By – Traditional
2-8Brook Benton–This Time Of YearMusic By, Lyrics By – Brook Benton, Clyde OtisMusic By, Lyrics By – Brook Benton, Clyde Otis
2-9The Jackson 5–Santa Claus Is Comin’ To TownMusic By, Lyrics By – Haven Gillespie, J. Fred CootsMusic By, Lyrics By – Haven Gillespie, J. Fred Coots
2-10Spike Jones & His City Slickers*–All I Want For Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth)Music By, Lyrics By – Don Gardner*Music By, Lyrics By – Don Gardner*
2-11Jackie Wilson–Deck The HallsArranged By – Michaels*, Tarnopol*Written-By – TraditionalArranged By – Michaels*, Tarnopol*Written-By – Traditional
2-12Mahalia Jackson–Silent NightMusic By, Lyrics By – Franz Gruber, Joseph MohrMusic By, Lyrics By – Franz Gruber, Joseph Mohr
2-13Jimmie Rodgers (2)–Little Shepherd Of Kingdom ComeWritten-By – TraditionalWritten-By – Traditional
2-14Bing Crosby–Adeste FidelesWritten-By – TraditionalWritten-By – Traditional
2-15Gene Autry–Rudolph The Red Nosed ReindeerMusic By, Lyrics By – Johnny MarksMusic By, Lyrics By – Johnny Marks
2-16Bobby Darin–Go Tell It On The MountainWritten-By – TraditionalWritten-By – Traditional
2-17Harry Belafonte–Mary’s Boy ChildMusic By, Lyrics By – Jester HairstonMusic By, Lyrics By – Jester Hairston
2-18Frankie Lymon–It’s Christmas Once AgainMusic By, Lyrics By – E. Blackman*, E. Blackman*, L. Blackman*Music By, Lyrics By – E. Blackman*, E. Blackman*, L. Blackman*
2-19Perry Como–There’s No Place Like Home For The HolidaysMusic By, Lyrics By – Al Stillman, Robert Allen (3)Music By, Lyrics By – Al Stillman, Robert Allen (3)
2-20Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians*–Auld Lang SyneWritten-By – TraditionalWritten-By – Traditional

19 thoughts on “COOL YULE by Bette Midler and HOME FOR CHRISTMAS (2-CD Set)”

  1. Steve Oerkfitz

    No kid’sboth. The second set has too many kids songs and too many artists I don’t like-Bing Crosby, Gene Autry, Burl Ives (hate his song, ugh), Connie Francis, Paul Anka, Perry Como. And where is Run, Rudolph, Run by Chuck Berry?

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    1. george Post author

      Steve, I wondered about the absence of Chuck Berry’s “Run, Rudolph, Run,” too. Maybe RHINO couldn’t secure the rights to the song.

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  2. Deb

    I think I’ll give a pass to both CDs. At this point, I think I’ve listened to every Christmas song (secular and religious) known to man. “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” is my favorite Christmas carol (although, technically, it is an Advent carol, with two verses sung on each of the four Sundays leading up to Christmas, with the entire eight verse extravaganza sung on Christmas Eve), but—as much as I love Bette—I’m not sure I’m up for her interpretation.

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    1. george Post author

      Deb, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” is the best song on COOL YULE. l’m slowly reaching reaching my saturation point on Christmas music. Patrick and Katie arrive next week so their brand of Christmas music will rule the stereo speakers.

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  3. Byron

    Rhino did an amazing amount of great compilation CDs back in the day and both of these collections look fine. I have almost all of these tracks, or other renditions of comparable quality, on the many Christmas CDs I already own. I agree with you about “Mele Kalikimaka” which I never need to hear again. I’m pretty much a kid about Christmas music and love or at least don’t mind almost anything recorded up through the late sixties. I’m a real sucker for the Arthur Fiedler, Eugene Ormandy, Robert Shaw and Leroy Anderson recordings as well as the Ultra Lounge compilations Capitol put out in the nineties. Almost everything recorded after that sounds lacking to me regardless of the talent involved. I’ve never understood people who hate Christmas music and anyone who says they are sick of hearing it in stores is simply spending way too much time in stores.

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    1. george Post author

      Byron, I’m a real sucker for Fiedler, Ormandy, Shaw, and Leroy Anderson recordings, too! I also listen to Christmas albums by Ray Coniff and Percy Faith. Retro Christmas albums dominate my music listening time in December.

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    1. george Post author

      Michael, I try to push the “When Will It End” point a little farther off by listening to Christmas CDs I haven’t listened to before. It seems to work.

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  5. Jeff Meyerson

    Yeah, gotta agree with you. I hate “From a Distance” in whatever version it is. Jackie bought a few Bette Midler CDs (her Rosemary Clooney one is pretty good), but no Christmas albums.

    How many of the others do I remember? Most of them. That doesn’t mean I like them. I’ve always disliked “Holly Jolly Christmas” and anything by Bing Crosby. THe original “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” is certainly the earliest I remember. I’ve always gotten a kick out of the way Gene Autry sings “Here Comes Santy Claus” and I love “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” by Judy Garland (from MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS originally).

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    1. george Post author

      Jeff, the RHINO HOME FOR CHRISTMAS CDs include the original artists and the Christmas songs I listened to as a kid. Sure, better versions are available, but listening to these versions of these songs sent me right back in Time to when I was running around in pajamas!

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  6. Rick Robinson

    Since I’m not a Midler fan, that album would be a No for me. The set is fine, I grew up listening to Crosby, Sinatra, et. al, and like them just fine – never sure why so many hate Bing. Anyway, I haven’t taken the big box of Christmas CDs out in a couple of years, it’s so easy to just tap “Holiday” on Amazon music app on the iPad and select any of dozens of artists and collections. We listened to Christmas music for the first time yesterday.

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    1. Jeff Meyerson

      People hate Bing because he was a stone hypocrite – a violently abusive father who posed as a great family man.

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    2. george Post author

      Rick, I have a little over a week of listening to Christmas CDs before they go back on the HOLIDAY shelf. Bing Crosby was NOT A NICE PERSON off-screen.

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      2. Deb

        It’s the old “appearance versus reality” conundrum. Crosby was a complete shit of a human being, but his persona was one of a laid-back and loving family man. Bob Hope wasn’t exactly a prince among men, but he did not verbally and physically abuse his wife to the point that he drove her to hopeless alcoholism as Crosby did to his; and, as opposed to Bing, none of Hope’s kids committed suicide.

  7. wolf

    We just took our neighbour ( a very nice lady whose husband died in spring …)to a visit to a local farmer’s market and after that had a very nice pizza at a restaurant on the Danube. Yes, Hungarians know how to make pizza!
    But all the time we were exposed to/drowned in Xmas songs – luckily we had a continuous conversation with our neighbour so didn’t really register that music.
    It really gets kind of boring.

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