I've been a fan of the Booker T. & The MG's rendition of "Jingle Bells" for a few years now - in fact it ended up as my ringtone for a few Christmases in a row. But it wasn't until this year that I decided to dig into the entirety of their 1966 Christmas album In the Christmas Spirit, and discovered that it's basically the definition of holiday perfection. Subtle and timeless, it sounds as phenomenal thirty three years after its release as I'm sure it did on the very first day you could pick up a copy.
"Jingle Bells" is still my favorite song in the collection and the first track on the record - it's bright and peppy, and easily one of my favorite takes on the song ever. The rest In the Christmas Spirit is much more low-key and Christmas-cool, slouching down into its chair with sunglasses and a heavily spiked mug of egg nog, but every song delivers from top to bottom. "Winter Wonderland" gets a slow, jazzy kick, "Silver Bells" has a steady sugar coating of sleigh bells, and "Merry Christmas Baby" is licked with the mournful blues of an electric guitar. Laced throughout is that famous Booker T. organ, slicing smoothly and effortlessly through classics like "Silent Night" like a hot knife through butter. A suitably shimmying "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" wraps up the collection of songs, where no track stretches beyond the three and a half minute mark. It's so short and sweet you can take a full handful of spins through the whole record album before you even think about getting bored.
Booker T. & The MG's - "Jingle Bells"
*bonus!* - "Winter Wonderland"
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