Christmas at 33 1/3

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I've started listening to my Christmas vinyl--there's a lot of it. While I type this I'm actually listening to--and digitally ripping--the record you see above. I've had a copy for years, so long I don't even remember where I picked it up at (probably an antique store, sometime around 2002). I thought of this record when Andy Williams passed earlier this year, and I have no shame in admitting that I really like like "It's The Most Wonderful Time of The Year", which first debuted on this record (Released to the public in October of 1963).

Is this music/record "hip"? Well, I suppose most would say no. Sinatra is hip, Dean Martin is hip, Tony Bennett sure is. But Andy Williams? Hmm. I'm not saying it's bad, that it doesn't have merit, just that in the context of most modern music listeners, this isn't one they're apt to pull out and play. I'm sure they think of it as "grandma music." But I'm not your average modern music listener, and here's the other big thing--I really kinda like these kinds of records.

Sure, I'm eclectic  I listen to Frank Zappa to Frank Sinatra. I have the Ramones one shelf down from Miles Davis and Louie Armstrong. I have my Rolling Stones just a stone's throw away from Henry Mancini. I'm not saying you should rush out and buy up a bunch of copies of this, and I don't care if you like this or not. I'm just saying that for me, these records have merit. They're like putting on a nice, cozy, familiar sweater--despite that this record was first release some 22 years before my birth.

We live in an age when we're supposed to be moody, and bitter, and cynical. I have been at times, but I just try to enjoy life too much to fully give in. Some nights I just wanna slap some Andy Williams on the turntable. It's nothing I have to think too much about, just the thing to unwind with. I listen to Sinatra when I wanna feel confident, or think about women from my past. I listen to Esquivel when I want to feel quirky and whimsical  But I put on these old "adult pop" albums, when I just wanna relax, and be myself without giving a damn what anyone else thinks.

I like Andy Williams, and I like his Christmas record.

So what?

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