Christmas Makes Strange Bedfellows
June 2, 2015 1:56 PM Subscribe
Recommend Christmas carol recordings by unusual pairings of singers?
OK, so I'm kind of a fool to be thinking about my Christmas mix CD in June, but this comment just triggered something for me. I love the combination of Colbert, Stipe and Patinkin as much as I love this particular Christmas carol. So from there, I was reminded of this wonderful combination of David Bowie and Bing Crosby, which hasn't managed to make it onto any of my Christmas mixes yet. And, of course, the title "Christmas Makes Strange Bedfellows" immediately offered itself, so clearly this must go further.
So: who else has recorded this kind of Christmas duet (or trio, etc.) that one wouldn't expect? Traditional Christmas (or possibly other December holiday) songs are probably preferred, but I would make exceptions. Readily available on mp3 is great, but I can go to extremes if they're really good and not easily attainable. Please, no John Denver and the Muppets; they're already represented on another mix. Other than that, the weirder, the better.
OK, so I'm kind of a fool to be thinking about my Christmas mix CD in June, but this comment just triggered something for me. I love the combination of Colbert, Stipe and Patinkin as much as I love this particular Christmas carol. So from there, I was reminded of this wonderful combination of David Bowie and Bing Crosby, which hasn't managed to make it onto any of my Christmas mixes yet. And, of course, the title "Christmas Makes Strange Bedfellows" immediately offered itself, so clearly this must go further.
So: who else has recorded this kind of Christmas duet (or trio, etc.) that one wouldn't expect? Traditional Christmas (or possibly other December holiday) songs are probably preferred, but I would make exceptions. Readily available on mp3 is great, but I can go to extremes if they're really good and not easily attainable. Please, no John Denver and the Muppets; they're already represented on another mix. Other than that, the weirder, the better.
I don't know how strange this pairing is, but I think the standard by which all other Christmas duets should be judged by would be Shane MacGowen and Kirsty Macoll doing Fairytail of New York. Lyrics are a bit NSFW and maybe NSFXMAS, but it's a really beautiful song.
posted by bondcliff at 2:07 PM on June 2, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by bondcliff at 2:07 PM on June 2, 2015 [3 favorites]
To clarify - are you looking for pairings that would be normal in more regular life, but Christmas is what makes them weird (i.e., Neil Young and Springsteen kinda make sense for something like "Helpless", but "Jingle Bells" by them would be funky) or are you looking for combinations that are themselves weird (Weird Al and Yo Yo Ma)?
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:11 PM on June 2, 2015
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:11 PM on June 2, 2015
Response by poster: The latter. Weird Al and Yo-Yo Ma sounds like a beautiful example.
posted by dlugoczaj at 2:19 PM on June 2, 2015
posted by dlugoczaj at 2:19 PM on June 2, 2015
(To clarify, Weird Al and Yo Yo Ma did not to my knowledge ever work together, it was just a for-instance weird pairing I pulled out of my ass.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:21 PM on June 2, 2015
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:21 PM on June 2, 2015
Winter Wonderland as performed by Ozzy Osbourne and Jessica Simpson
posted by mochapickle at 2:24 PM on June 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by mochapickle at 2:24 PM on June 2, 2015 [1 favorite]
One of my favorite Christmas tunes is Barenaked Ladies with Sarah McLachlan, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings. It surprised me when I first heard it for how much I loved it!
posted by hetobeto at 5:57 PM on June 2, 2015
posted by hetobeto at 5:57 PM on June 2, 2015
The 2008 Elvis Presley album Christmas Duets features him singing with a bunch of contemporary artists (Martina McBride, Carrie Underwood, Olivia Newton John, etc.) through the magic of remixing. YMMV as to how weird this is.
posted by Shmuel510 at 4:33 AM on June 3, 2015
posted by Shmuel510 at 4:33 AM on June 3, 2015
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posted by in278s at 2:00 PM on June 2, 2015