Advent Calendar of Christmas Songs
A collection of great Christmas songs, some familiar, some not so. Old and new songs can all be found in our – Advent Calendar of Christmas Songs. Including, The Band’s Christmas Must Be Tonight, The Dickies’ Silent Night, Phil Ochs’ No Christmas in Kentucky, Marvin Gaye’s I Want to Come Home for Christmas and, of course, Fairytale of New York, White Christmas and Merry Xmas Everybody.
Derek Shelmerdine, author of Rock’n’Roll Unravelled
is one of the guests on Tony Higginson’s Book Club .
Live on Facebook and Zoom
Facebook – Beyond Books Media Ltd
…7.30 to 12.30 pm (UK) Monday 13 December
……take the opportunity to join in the conversation
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Advent calendar of Christmas Songs
Advent Calendar of Christmas Songs…
A cornucopia of Christmas songs – old and new
An Advent calendar overflowing with Christmas songs, both familiar and some that are probably new to the ear. As well as the classic recordings, some of the songs are performed live by Tony’s guests. There are also festive poetry and prose readings, to punctuate the evening.
The Beatles, Elvis Presley and Cliff Richard have all made a considerable contribution to the the Christmas music charts.
In contrast, some of the Christmas songs are not so well known. For instance, Marvin Gaye’s I Want to Come Home for Christmas, laments the American prisoners of war in the Vietnam conflict. Phil Ochs’ 1960s protest song, No Christmas in Kentucky and John Prine’s look at someone in a place they really don’t want to be, Christmas in Prison.
There are three timeless novelty songs, The Goons with I’m Walking Backwards to Christmas, Spike Jones and His City Slickers’ All I Want for Christmas (Is My Two Front Teeth) and Dora Bryan’s All I Want for Christmas Is a Beatle.
It certainly wouldn’t be Christmas without the perennials. The Christmas chart just wouldn’t be the same without, John Lennon, Wizzard and Slade.
Derek Shelmerdine presents the outline of the story, with Tony and his other guests adding their own covers favourites. Plus, live music, poetry readings and some very lively conversation.
Tony Higginson’s Beyond Books Book Club
Every week Tony Higginson hosts his Beyond Books Book Club, which goes out live on Zoom and Facebook at 7.30 to 10.30 pm (UK) on Monday Evenings.
If you are watching the show live on Facebook – join in the conversation.
Author of Rock’n’Roll Unravelled, Derek Shelmerdine is a regular monthly guest on the Beyond Books Book Club.
The Book Club has a regular panel of writers, poets, musicians and book-lovers in general. The discussion is wide ranging with readings, poetry recitals and live performances from the musicians.
A signed copy of Derek Shelmerdine‘s book Rock’n’Roll Unravelled
is available from Tony Higginson’s online bookshop.
Advent Calendar of Christmas Songs – Beyond Books Book Club
Recorded live on Facebook and Zoom on 13 December 2021
