Croon & Swoon
various artists
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Croon
And Swoon: A Classic Christmas (1998) and its less
impressive companion, Croon
And Swoon: A Classic Christmas, Volume Two (1999),
were released in a fairly crass (and tardy) attempt to
cash in on the lounge craze of the mid-nineties. The dust
having long settled on that particular fad, these discs
still sound pretty damn good, thanks in no small part
to their purity of vision (all classics, no Squirrel Nut
Zippers). You see, there was a time when this music wasn't
"easy listening" - it was popular music - and
these songs come primarily from the years before rock
'n' roll rendered the form irrelevant. Together, the Croon
And Swoon volumes comprise 36 songs from 1940 to 1970,
including a number of arguably definitive renditions.
A good introduction for the enthusiast, a sufficient collection
for the dabbler.
Albums
Essential Songs
- The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) (Mel Torme, 1966)
- The Christmas Waltz (Peggy Lee, 1960)
- Frosty The Snowman (Gene Autry, 1950)
- Happy Holiday (Bing Crosby, 1942)
- Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Judy Garland, 1944)
- Here Comes Santa Claus (Doris Day, 1949)
- It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas (Bing Crosby, 1951)
- It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year (Andy Williams, 1963)
- Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! (Lena Horne, 1966)
- My Favorite Things (Tony Bennett, 1968)
- Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer (Gene Autry, 1940)
- Santa Baby (Eartha Kitt, 1953)
- Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters, 1943)
- Sleigh Ride (Leroy Anderson, 1952)
- (There's No Place Like) Home For The Holidays (Perry Como, 1954)
- This Time Of The Year (Brook Benton, 1959)
- We Need A Little Christmas (from Mame) (Angela Lansbury, 1966)
- Winter Wonderland (Louis Armstrong, 1952)
Further Listening
- What A Wonderful Christmas (Louis Armstrong & Friends, 1997)
- The Voice Of Christmas (Bing Crosby, 1998)
- The Christmas Music Of Johnny Mathis: A Personal Collection (Johnny Mathis, 1993)
- Christmas Kisses: Christmas Classics From Capitol's Early Years (various artists, 1990)
- Santamental Journey: Pop Vocal Christmas Classics (various artists, 1995)
- Ultra-Lounge Christmas Cocktails (various artists, 1996)