We are celebrating the release of Deep Fried Murder by Maddie/Edith set at Memorial Day and the mass market paperback release of Irish Coffee Murder set at St. Patrick’s Day, which includes Barbara’s novella Perked Up.
From patriotic songs for Memorial Day to Irish songs on St. Patrick’s Day, many holidays include music. Do you have a favorite holiday song?
Julie: Congratulations to Barb and Edith/Maddie! Holiday songs are laden with meaning as life progresses, aren’t they? Choosing one, I’d say “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” Such a simple song that can make me weep, yet fill me up with warm memories.
Jessie: Congratulations Barb and Edith! I love most versions of “What Child Is This?” because it is set to one of my favorite tunes, that of Greensleeves. I also adore the perhaps now considered a bit creepy song Baby It’s Cold Outside as covered by Dolly Parton and Rod Stewart.
Sherry: Woo-hoo Barb and Edith! More books for us to read! I love Little Drummer Boy by Bing Crosby and David Bowie. If I’m thinking of St. Patrick’s Day Oh, Danny Boy sure gets to me every time I hear it.
Liz: Congrats Barb and Edith! Yay! Can’t wait for the books. I love “The Christmas Song” by Bing Crosby – it reminds me of childhood Christmases when my dad was alive.
Edith/Maddie: Thank you all! Since my new book is set on Memorial Day weekend, I need to go with parade music. I know some have militaristic overtones, but I love a rousing band number played outdoors with people marching in step. I don’t know if “Seventy-Six Trombones” is actually played in parades, but it’s about one, so that gets my vote.
Barb: Thanks, everybody! Jessie, I am not on the whole Baby It’s Cold Outside-is-a-terrible-song bandwagon. Every interpretation I’ve ever heard makes it clear the woman is completely in on the joke. The objections assume women never have agency and are always victims –and, and, don’t get me stahted. (As we say in New England.) Anyway, on a slight tangent (another tangent?) my daughter texted sometime in early November, “What’s that Christmas song that’s a man and a woman singing back and forth?” and Bill and I are, of course, “Baby It’s Cold Outside.” No, no, no, she says. More recent. From the eighties. Finally she comes back, “Oh yeah. Fairytale of New York by the Pogues.” Bill and I listen to it and both swear we’ve never heard it before. Which is odd since it’s a hugely popular song, a Christmas favorite in the UK and Ireland–from whence cometh most of our entertainment. In fairness to me, I gave birth to two kids in the eighties and the whole decade is a blur. Anyway, it was one of those things where you’ve never heard of something and suddenly it’s everywhere. Clearly, I had been living under a rock. Then on November 30, Shane MacGowan, the lead singer and co-writer of the song died. At his funeral, Glen Hansard, the remaining Pogues, and other musicians did a rousing version (the song is rousing in the first place), which I have been watching on YouTube in a loop. Now my YouTube algorithm is completely %^& and I hear the song in my head all day long.
Readers: Do you have a favorite holiday song?
The Wickeds 
My favorite holiday song?
Trans-Siberian Orchestra’s “Old City Bar” from their debut album ‘Christmas Eve and Other Stories”.
Since the band was born out of my favorite heavy metal band Savatage, I’ve long been a fan. But that song is just so incredible. The singer for that song (on the album) is a guy named Robert Evan and his voice was just perfect for the setting of the song.
Another song I like is a swinging jazzy TSO song “The Three Kings and I (What Really Happened)” from their album ‘The Christmas Attic”. It’s sung by the late Daryl B. Pediford whose voice is incredible and when combined with the lyrics, it’s just a magnificent performance. He also sang on the songs “For The Sake of Our Brother” and “Music Box Blues”.
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I always love your music recommendations!
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Sherry, since I’m usually the only person with an interest in rock and metal music here or over on Jungle Red, I get to let everyone in on a style of music they wouldn’t know about, so thank you!
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As strange as it sounds, I love the sound “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus”. Really it’s not the song so much as the memories it brings up. During that time in my childhood and that song, there are some terrific memories of fun times, family and being together happy with just enjoying a song together with a smile on our faces. As for more meaningful songs, I love any thing that Pentatonix sings. Such an amazing group and they manage to bring emotions to the surface with their wonderful songs.
2clowns at arkansas dot net
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It’s amazing how much evokes memories. Pentatonix are fantastic!
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Barbara…on your tangent about “Baby It’s Cold Outside”. I’ve always had two long married consenting adults in my head when hearing that song. Perhaps memory has muddled over the years, but reminds that couple appears as my parents. Congratulations on the novella bookday!
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I personally like John Legend’s rendition of Baby It’s Cold Outside, but I like John Legend, period.
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Congratulations to Edith/Maddie and Barbara on the new books. That’s always a cause for celebration!
My favorite Christmas song is any version of O Holy Night. I also love The Drifter’s version of White Christmas. Another favorite is The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole — it was my dad’s favorite and reminds me of him.
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I remember learning to play O Holy Night on the piano and singing to it. It’s a beautiful song.
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Jessie & Barb, I’m with you on “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.” I had this argument with my daughter and told her, “Listen to the lyrics.” The woman is obviously in on the joke. So many good renditions of that song, but the original with Dean Martin is classic.
Also, “Santa, Baby,” by Eartha Kitt. It’s supposed to be a come-hither kind of song. I heard a rendition by Kylie Minogue that was perky and thought, “No, no, NO!” Madonna’s version is a close second.
Love “Little Drummer Boy” by Bing Crosby and David Bowie. Also Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas” gets me dancing every time.
And I don’t know if it’s really a “holiday” song, but Tchaikovsky’s “War of 1812,” especially as a backdrop to fireworks, is a Fourth of July must.
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I’m on the Baby It’s Cold Outside bandwagon too! And you are right War of 1812 is a masterpiece!
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BTW, if you want to settle the debate about “Baby, It’s Cold Outside”, the daughter of the person who wrote the song said he told her there was nothing untoward about the lyrics.
People putting their own two cents in about a song so that it fits their necessary manufactured outrage can go sit on a tack.
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I love Baby It’s Cold Outside and am happy to see others do too. I don’t think the writer meant anything untoward about it at all. aprilbluetx at yahoo dot com
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We could start a movement!
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I love most Christmas music – the older, the better. I’m in the don’t see what the problem is camp with Baby It’s Cold Outside. I love Pearl Bailey and Hot Lips Page’s version. No overt suggestions there – obviously just having fun, a lot of fun. Also love Vince Vance and the Valiants’ All I Want for Christmas is You.
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Another vote for Baby It’s Cold Outside!
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I love Carol of the Bells. There are so many very creative interpretations. One of my favorites is the version by pianist David Foster. Happy New Year to everybody ❣️ Luis at ole dot travel
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I like Fairy Tale of New York by the Pogues. Several of the Philadelphia Eagles did a spoof on it for their Christmas album (don’t laugh these guys have tremendous voices.) The line goes, “You promised me Broad Street was waiting for me.”
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