my new friend

It is official. I love the IPod. Now, I don't have some big mammoth one with a 2000 gig hard drive, 46" screen, and all that good stuff. It's just a used IPod mini with a 4 gig drive and it is officially the newest member of my circle of friends. Here's a picture of it (or one just like it)below.

I played it last night on my way to and from Lawtey, FL, (which was a surprisingly good trip) and subjected my fellow traveler, Shoup, to my favorite Christmas songs. Now, I am a total sucker for Christmas and Christmas related stuff and I love Christmas music. But much of the music I love is older, big band type stuff that my grandparents would play at their house. I don't have anything against Harry Connick or Mariah Carey and their versions, but give me Bing Crosby any day. So over the years I have lamented not being able to have what I consider to be the definitive versions of certain Christmas classics. And then came ITunes.

Dear Lord in heaven what did we do before this marvelous product. It took some time but I was able to search for specific songs by specific artists (even preview songs to make sure I had the right one) and then buy those, and only those, songs so that I didn't have to buy 20 different Christmas compilations. Here's what I came up with:

Jingle Bell Rock - Bobby Helms (great early rock)
The Most Wonderful Time of the Year - Andy Williams
I'll Be Home for Christmas - Bing Crosby (ever notice how sad this song is?)
Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee (she sings so cool)
Holly Jolly Christmas - Burl Ives (also I believe the narrator for Frosty the Snowman)
Sleigh Ride - Ella Fitzgerald (how cool is she, I bet she was a knockout too, just sounds beautiful talkin' about snuggling up on a sleigh ride)
Santa Claus is Coming to Town - Perry Como
Little Drummer Boy - Harry Simeone Chorale
White Christmas - Bing Crosby (one of my favorite Christmas songs of all time)
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Judy Garland (Dorothy sings so pretty)
Winter Wonderland - Tony Bennett (big band at its best)
The Christmas Song - Mel Torme (Judge Harry on the TV show Night Court loved this dude and I never knew it was him singing this particular version that I love so much, also this is my other favorite)
Christmas Song - Dave Matthews (one of two new ones that I allowed in, I just love it)
Gabriel's Message - Sting (the other newbie, beautiful vocal work)

I need to add Frosty the Snowman to this. If you have read this far and notice a song or version you think I should add, leave it in the comments section.

Anyway, my IPod is awesome, my brother-in-law is cool for selling it to me for next to nothing, and Christmas is great, even in February.