Billy Blagg's 18th Annual Advent Calendar of Christmas Songs

[Billy Blagg]

Bloody hell! They've tarted this place up, haven't they? I remember back in the day when this was The Ironworks and Alex V, me and Major Wager were working from out of a wooden shed at the bottom of Alex's garden. Now look at it! It's even a .co.uk. How exciting is this? 

Anyway, as long as this site survives in some form and I've got breath in my body, there will always be an Advent Calendar, and it returns for its 18th run starting December 1st. It's the usual guff: one song each day of Advent up until the 25th. No repeats, all genres, some crackers, a few chestnuts, a good few turkeys, some stuff to make your heart sing and some to make you long for January.

As usual, there is a landing page at:
https://www.billyblaggsannualadventcale ... ngs.co.uk/ 
This page has links to all previous Calendars and every corresponding Spotify page.
There will also be a 2024 Calendar page at 
https://blaggadventcalendarchristmasson ... gspot.com/

Stop moaning now. Remember Comfort & Joy.

[Coffee one sugar]

For pedants everywhere!


 

Superb!

[Billy Blagg]

It's the first shopping Saturday of the season so time for another Blagg GOFGOF (Get One Free, Get One Free). This involves the astonishing story of Claudine Longet.

For the full tale head over to the blog at Advent Calendar

As a taster, here's one of the songs but I urge you to seek out the Longet one at the web site and you may even want to search for the St Etienne one too. 

I Don't Intend To Spend Christmas Without You - YouTube
 

[easthammer]

Just caught up with the last three numbers, as others have said  the Harmony Sisters seemed less than authentic, Keith Sweat wasn't Sweet but of the three Lightnin lit up the room. 

[Billy Blagg]

Talking of parties, it's Friday and the first party night of the season, so here's a bit of Keith Sweat for that chilled-out Soul / R'n'B type thang.

Christmas

[BRANDED]

Yesss Billy

[Mex Martillo]

Lovely all the same. Thanks Billy

[kylay]

I'm with you Blagg. Not having this 'just discovered'. Even the photograph is a little too polished (booth teeth and resolution) for that era. AI may have struck again.

[Billy Blagg]

I pride myself on the Calendar research I do here at the new Blagg Acres, but I must admit I'm confused by this one.

There was a Harmony Sisters from the mid-1930s, a Finnish vocal group who were very popular all over Europe at the time, but who don't seem - as far as I can see - to have recorded any Christmas swing records. Similarly, a later band of the same name formed in 2002 to tour with the Bill Blanchard Little Big Band but don't seem - visually at least - to be the same group here.

The blurb from this suggests that these girls are singing 'lost songs from World War II' (not to be confused with the one we're planning for next year!) found after an 'estate sale' and I'm assuming the ladies concerned are the ones pictured on the YouTube page. But I'm just suspicious of the whole thing. Have we really only just 'discovered' songs from the 1940s? This seems highly unlikely. If they are new songs done in a 40s swing style, I'm happy enough about it, but I just want to know.  

I'm sensing some sort of trap here. I think given the song's title and the ladies concerned, they are thinking I'm going to channel my 1980s Christmas-party inner Gregg Wallace and say something totally inappropriate about attractive women and mistletoe. But I'm too smart to get myself cancelled like that. Far too smart.

Anyway, you enjoy the excellent close harmonies and toe-tapping swing while I find my hair net. This Roast Guinea Fowl and Truffle won't sample itself, you know.  


  

[Billy Blagg]

Thanks Kylay, I forgot to mention it here but there is a link on the website to the 18th Spotify page. It looks like only three of the first five are available there though. 

It's here at:  

 

[kylay]

Blagg, are you bothering with spotify this year?

[Mex Martillo]

Just did a bit of catch up on last three days. Lightening Hopkins today, excellent. Love his sound and nice to know he has a Christmas tune.

[Billy Blagg]

Born in 1912, Samuel John 'Lightin'' Hopkins was an America country blues singer, songwriter and guitarist who has recorded more blues albums than any other artist and is considered a primary influence on rock guitarists from the 60s on.

In 'Santa' Hopkins promises that if we 'take our stocking and hang it up on the bed, In the morning Santa Claus gon' see that we all is fed'.

Seems fair enough to me.

[honky cat]

ive just joined and testing it out, molly has a lovely orange cat. Enjoying the songs

[easthammer]

Heartbreak and loss are not really my cup of mulled wine during the festive season, and I have an aversion to "Happy Holidays" and much prefer "Happy Christmas", so it was some low expectations that I tuned in to today's offering of "Holiday" Dreaming from Ms Burch, at first I wasn't pleasantly surprised but I have to admit that by the end I found the offering more than tolerable. Was it the guitar that won me over? Or maybe it's just the season of goodwill?

[stubbo-admin]

Wondering if pinning the thread results in some 'thread blindness'?

Will try it back in amongst the main threads if it stays low-engagement.

Thanks again Billy! Nice selection today.

[Monsieur merde de cheval]

Bloody hell! They've tarted this place up, haven't they? I remember back in the day when this was The Ironworks and Alex V, me and Major Wager were working from out of a wooden shed at the bottom of Alex's garden. Now look at it! It's even a .co.uk. How exciting is this? 

Anyway, as long as this site survives in some form and I've got breath in my body, there will always be an Advent Calendar, and it returns for its 18th run starting December 1st. It's the usual guff: one song each day of Advent up until the 25th. No repeats, all genres, some crackers, a few chestnuts, a good few turkeys, some stuff to make your heart sing and some to make you long for January.

As usual, there is a landing page at:
https://www.billyblaggsannualadventcale ... ngs.co.uk/ 
This page has links to all previous Calendars and every corresponding Spotify page.
There will also be a 2024 Calendar page at 
https://blaggadventcalendarchristmasson ... gspot.com/

Stop moaning now. Remember Comfort & Joy.

Blagg

[Billy Blagg]

Molly Burch is a Californian Singer/Songwriter with a penchant for songs about heartbreak and loss - right up my avenue - and I discovered her Christmas album late last year and spent a lot of time playing 'Holiday Dreaming' as I love its restrained groove and plaintive guitar sound. I was looking forward to hearing it again this season, hoping it would have the same effect and I'm pleased to report it made me feel so festive I went into the kitchen searching for the Stilton, crackers and truffle honey. There wasn't any. More heartbreak and loss.

[Billy Blagg]

Have to say I'm really impressed that the posts now embed the link in. I got quite dizzy when I saw it for the first time. I noted easthammer's comment, but I think it's probably you guys that find it easier. No more cutting and pasting. It's making it a lot more fun.

Nice comments from everyone - really appreciated - and if you want to help out, if you could take the time to visit the 18th calendar page a few times over the 25 days it would really help. As we get further along I'll add some more stuff there.

https://blaggadventcalendarchristmasson ... gspot.com/
 

[stubbo-admin]

Very much enjoyed that today.  Looking forward to tomorrow.

[easthammer]

Missed the official "switch on" this illuminating Christmas event yesterday, but caught up today. Great that that Billy has done this once again. Also good that it has been pinned to the top and have to say it is also a great improvement to be able to easily view the offerings in situ. That must make Billy's task of posting a lot less hassle. Looking forward to opening up the rest of the calendar. Today's offering both funny and informative 

[North Bank]

Yuletide greetings Billy, Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without Blaggs Advent Calender to see us through

[Billy Blagg]

For pedants everywhere!

 

[Mickey Rat]

Thanks Billy, Great to see and hear the annual advent calendar back for another year and good choice for the opener, it's now officially Christmas! Take care mate and have a good Christmas 

[Dowies Love Child]

Hey Billy,

It is such a joy to see the advent calendar back. It never fails to bring a bit of warmth into what can often be a somewhat trying time.
Also by choosing In Dulci Jubilo you have reminded us that the recorder doesn't always have to sound like it is straight out the bowels of hell itself. Anyone who has had a child who was forced to learn it will appreciate where I am coming from. 

[Haz]

Nice one Billy! Always good to see this thread. Long may it continue!