Two Christmas classics I usually associate with Rankin and Bass’ classic animated specials. Only, you can replace Fred Astaire with The Boss on the first of these. With Clarence Clemons as Santa. (Ought to put paid to all that recent Fox News silliness of the last few weeks.) I think it’s my favorite version of this carol.
The second, written by Johnny Marks (no relation to speak of, other than that we’re both Jewish by birth) originated two years after I did. Burl Ives is a perennial favorite and this is the only voice that sounds right singing the song. The video’s a compilation of stills for the season, but if I picked a Rankin & Bass version, it’d be down again before next year. I predict this version will have better staying power.