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Both
individually and collectively, Booker
T. & The MG's (read more)
were the heart and soul of Stax Records - writing, arranging,
playing, or producing a huge percentage of the rhythm & blues released
on Stax, Atco, and Atlantic during the 60's, including Atco's landmark collection, Soul
Christmas (1968). When MG's cut their own holiday
album, In
The Christmas Spirit (1966), they struck the perfect
balance between easy listening and soul. While the group's
trademark southern stew is abundantly in evidence, their gentle
instrumental interpretation of twelve seasonal favorites
never runs afoul of good taste. The MG's jocular "Jingle
Bells," funky "Winter Wonderland," and
playful "Silver Bells" - each prominently featuring
Booker T. Jones' organ - are definite highlights, but
Steve Cropper's guitar workout on "Merry Christmas
Baby" is not to be missed. The MG's were just too
cool for school, and listening to their fresh treatment
of these old standards is like a refreshing breeze during
a hot, sticky Memphis heat wave.
In
The Christmas Spirit was originally issued with a different
cover, which was replaced the following year with one pictured above. This cover
was used on the Rhino CD reissue (1991), but Sundazed restored
the original jacket when they reissued the LP in 2000. Friday Music reissued it on CD again in 2014, this time using the second cover. In 2015, Edsel Records, as part of an extensive MG's reissue campaign, paired Christmas Spirit with another 1966 album, And Now!
By the way, Booker
T. & The MG's recorded one other holiday song, an instrumental written
by Isaac Hayes and featuring him on piano. Called "Winter Snow," it
was released as the b-side of Stax's 1967 single of "Silver Bells," but
it is not included on the Christmas
Spirit reissues. To my knowledge, the song is only available on the gargantuan-but-indispensible Complete
Stax-Volt Singles 1959-1968 boxed set (1991). In 1969, Isaac Hayes cut a
vocal version of "Winter Snow" as the b-side to his single "The
Mistletoe And Me." Both of Hayes' songs are included on the Stax compilation, It's
Christmas Time Again (1982). [top of page]
Albums
Songs
- Jingle
Bells
-
Merry Christmas Baby
-
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
-
Silver Bells
-
Winter Wonderland
Further
Listening
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