Don Ho - The Don Ho Christmas Album

I found this one, and snapped it up. Sadly it looked to be in better condition than it actually was ... but I can stream it if I want to hear it without the Rice Krispie Players adding their own textures to the songs. It didn't matter, at least for the first few times that I played it in the basement.

Don Ho, you know Mister Tiny Bubbles himself, was someone I knew of, more than I knew of. I always figured he was a one note joke and I didn't get the punchline. I had no idea what to expect, somehow in my mind I figured he'd be milking his 1967 hit, and signature song. "Tiny Snowballs" and the like. "Tiny Bubbles" from what I've read was originally penned for Lawrence Welk as a tie in to his champagne music. Mr. Welk passed, and Don Ho received it and scored a touchdown with it.

Released in 1967 Do Ho nailed it with his easy listening collection of Christmas standards, "Silver Bells", "The Christmas Song", and a wonderfully slowed down and sultry version of "Mele Kalikimaka" that is better than you'd expect it to be.

One of the things I enjoy most about a lot of the older albums is getting to deeper cuts and songs I've not heard before, and in that regard this album delivers. It really delivers, this is such a great album. From the opening track written by Kui Lee is a really great song and a wonderful way to lead off the album.

Don Ho had a really warm baritone, and for an album that I've not heard before it feels like a long lost friend. It still amazes me that I'm still discovering music I've not heard that is this good.

Weird.

The album closes with a really nice medley of "Some Children See Him & Po La'i E (Silent Night)" which tied everything together. The album contained eleven songs, and eight of them clocked in well under three minutes. I know it's an old adage to leave people wanting more, but this seemed to be over so quickly it seemed unfair.

If you're a fan of classic Christmas music, this is really something you need to add to your list.

The Don Ho Christmas album was a great way to kick off the Holiday season. It's too bad he didn't call himself Don Ho Ho Ho at least for this one.

Comments

6 Cylinder

As a kid we had one radio station, not counting CBC, and generally there was very little that was worth listening to, although there were times something would come on that would make you pay attention. It was 1979 and on a couple of occasions I heard "There Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens" and it cracked me up, and I always wanted to get a copy for myself. A few years ago when my niece was dancing, they did a performance to this song, and now I can't separate my niece from a bunch of dancing chicks in chicken suits. Such is life. When I found this in the dollar bin I actually let out a little chirp, my goodness could it be? It was, and it was in great shape - including the inner sleeve. Score. I had no idea what to expect, for all I knew there was only one song worth listening to, and if that was the case it was still a dollar well spent. If I could buy an album by Showdown and enjoy it, odds are I'll find something to enjoy here to. Before I put this on I...

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