My Kind of Scene

The Spirit of Christmas

• Cara Diaria • Season 1 • Episode 15

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My Kind of Scene uncovers the past and present of Australian music. In this episode, we travel through the annals of time according to Myer Grace Bros' (not a sponsor!) yearly The Spirit of Christmas charity compilation CD, which for 25 years featured Aussie artists interpreting Christmas tunes. We discuss the highlights and weird-lights and ultimately count down the top 5 versions of the perennial holiday favorite, "Silent Night."

Find the episode playlist on YouTube.  Send questions or compliments to mykindofscenepod[@]gmail.com.

My Kind Of Scene acknowledges and pays respect to the past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders of the land many of us call Australia.

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Intro  00:00:00

🎵 Welcome to My Kind of Scene, where we uncover the past and present of Australian music. I'm Cara Diaria, indie musician and music nerd, bringing my unique perspective to the hits and misses, the movers and shakers, the goodness and greatness that makes the Australian music scene, My Kind of Scene.

 Before we dig in, let's acknowledge and pay respect to the past, present and future traditional custodians and elders of the land many of us call Australia. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners should be aware that this episode contains the names, voices and words of people who have died. 

🎵 I'm coming to you at a time of year that, in some people, inspires joy, gratitude, optimism and happiness. And in others inspires panic, pain, sadness or cynicism. And in some, a combination of all of the above.  I really hope you and yours are getting through the season okay and finding some joy and lightness to propel you into the new year. 

Whatever your feelings about the festive season, it is typically a time of tradition. Whether it's getting together with family, decorating the tree, watching a particular movie or baking a certain seasonal treat, it can be hard to escape the rituals of Christmas. 

One I personally enjoy is watching Carols by Candlelight on Christmas Eve, with my family keeping a running commentary on the best and worst performances and outfits, and Grandma always being scandalised by any gown that shows even an inch of skin, or any musical interpretation that is a little too “modern.”

 Another tradition many Aussies enjoyed for a quarter of a century is also one which brought many of the best Australian musicians together for an annual celebration of Australia's biggest holiday. And no, I'm not talking about Carols in the Domain. Sorry Sydney,  Melbourne's Carols is just better. No, I'm talking about The Spirit of Christmas – the annual compilation CD that department store Myer Grace Bros released every year between 1993 and 2018, in support of the Salvation Army's Red Shield Appeal, and occasionally other charities.

Every year this compilation featured new recordings of traditional and modern Christmas songs by Australian artists, mostly from the pop world, and in hindsight, this is a wonderful little treasure trove of original recordings by Aussie artists. Of course, some of the songs are extremely cheesy, as Christmas songs can often be. But there are many wonderful interpretations of the classics, as well as some more obscure offerings to mix things up. The Spirit of Christmas compilations have not been made available on streaming services, and so these days are relegated to unused CD collections and bins in second-hand shops, which is where I've managed to pick up many Spirit of Christmas volumes.

You may remember a couple of holiday gems from the compilations I shared on our multi-part episode, "It's a Woman's Woman's World": Renée Geyer's gorgeous version of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," and this beautiful rendition of "The Christmas Song" by Venetta Fields.

 Well, today we're going to dig deeper into this collection of annual anthologies that began three decades ago this Christmas. We'll explore and discover some of the best renditions and the most surprising contributions, and indulge in just a little bit of holiday cheesiness. Who knows, this might even inspire you to go hunting in your local second hand CD shop or dust off your parents' Spirit of Christmas collection to soundtrack your silly season.

  

A Country Christmas  00:05:30

🎵 And speaking of silly, let's start with something pretty incongruous, but fun all the same. The very first edition of The Spirit of Christmas, way back in 1993, featured James Reyne with this thigh slapping, toe tapping version of "Santa Claus is Back in Town," the rock n roll Christmas standard first recorded in 1957 by Elvis Presley.

I will say, somehow, despite having taken on the song of a famous mumbler, this is the most consecutive words by James Reyne I've ever been able to understand. But who am I to make fun of the signature vocal stylings of a giant like Reyne, who had huge success in the '80s with band Australian Crawl, belting out songs like "Reckless," "Errol," "The Boys Light Up" and "Downhearted," and then sustained a successful solo career throughout the '90s and beyond.

At the time of this contribution, he was riding high on the success of his hit duet with then-rising country star, James Blundell. The song, a cover of Melbourne country rock band The Dingoes' 1970s hit, "Way Out West," had in 1992 reached number 2 on the Aussie charts and showcased both singers' impressive ranges and down to earth Aussie blokeness. 

Speaking of the devil, guess who else popped up on the 🎵 1993 Spirit of Christmas album? Yes, this is James Blundell's contribution – a fairly faithful acoustic version of "Nothing But A Child," originally written and performed by American country rock legend Steve Earle.

A few other country greats have graced the 🎵 Spirit of Christmas with their presence over the years: 

  • Lee Kernaghan bringing a little yeehaw with this rendition of "Mary's Boy Child." 
  • 🎵 Troy Cassar-Daley channeling The Corrs on his original song, "We Want to Share Christmas with You."
  • 🎵 Gina Jeffreys, sounding not at all country on this lovely version of "Away in a Manger." 
  • Melinda Schneider also largely ignoring her typical genre on her wistful original, 🎵 "Wish You Were Here." 
  • And Kasey Chambers, Poppa Bill 🎵 and The Little Hillbillies sounding very country indeed on their original, "Christmas Time."


Holiday soul, blues and jazz  00:11:45

🎵 While we're talking genres, there have been a few solid soul, blues and jazz performances over the years, including:

  • Diesel in 1995 with "Baby Please Come Home"
  • 🎵 Mahalia Barnes and the Soulmates covering the same classic 13 years later.
  • 🎵 Here's a band you haven't thought about in a while: The Badloves, whose version of "Santa Claus is Back in Town" on the 1996 compilation was a fair bit sexier than James Reyne's version, and maybe even than Elvis's version.
  • 🎵 At least three artists have had a crack at this standard. " Merry Christmas Baby" has been notably recorded in the past by Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ike and Tina Turner, Otis Redding, and many more greats. This leisurely version is by Aussie blues-rock band, The Black Sorrows, in 1995. In the year 2000, 🎵 Jon Stevens delivered a more uptempo rendition, and in 2010 🎵 Diesel took the tempo back down again. 
  • The Rudolphs took us to the bandstand with their 🎵 tight rendition of "Man with the Bag," featuring singer Dannielle Gaha, who, I was interested to learn, is the sister of Eden Gaha, who hosted my favourite game show of the 90s – Vidiot – a pop culture quiz show for teens. Gaha has since relocated to the US where he was a successful producer for shows like Survivor, MasterChef, and The Apprentice. Anyway, his sister, accomplished singer Dannielle, has worked as a backing singer for Glenn Shorrock, John Farnham, Jackson Browne and Jason Donovan. And those of you who remember watching comedians Roy and HG's variety show Club Buggery back in the 90s might recall her as one half of the vocal duo, The Nissan Cedrics.
  •  In 2003, 🎵 Kate Ceberano took us to a cozy, dimly lit piano bar, with snow gently falling outside, with her sumptuous rendition of "I'll Be Home for Christmas." One of the things I admire most about Ceberano is the fact that she's had parallel successful jazz and pop careers spanning several decades. To be good at one is impressive, but to be a household name for both?    


Pop princess Christmas contributions   00:19:15

 Australia's pop princesses 🎵 have certainly made solid contributions to The Spirit of Christmas over the years:

  • In 2000, Tina Arena contributed this sweet version of "One Little Christmas Tree," a track recorded back in 1973 by Stevie Wonder as part of the compilation album A Motown Christmas that also featured holiday songs by The Supremes, The Jackson 5, The Temptations, Smokey Robinson and Marvin Gaye.
  • The same year, the ultimate Aussie pop princess Kylie 🎵 Minogue recorded this version of Eartha Kitt's sultry standard, "Santa Baby," with Malaysian-Australian keyboardist, music director, and producer Chong Lim at the production helm. As well as being released on The Spirit of Christmas, the track was the B-side to her single, "Please Stay," from the album Light Years, the one which produced such hits as, "Spinning Around" and "On A Night Like This." "Santa Baby" showed up again on Kylie's 2010 EP A Kylie Christmas and on her 2015 album Kylie Christmas (yes – imaginative title!). The song has finally found chart success in the streaming era, some two decades after its initial release, actually achieving platinum status in Britain in 2021.
  • 🎵 You might remember Renée Geyer's smoky, standout version of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" from our deep dive into the artist in episode 11. At least three more pop songstresses have contributed versions of what, 🎵 in my opinion, is one of the very loveliest and most poignant of the Christmas songs.
    • In 2000, O.G. Aussie pop queen Olivia Newton-John teamed up with American singer, guitarist, and king of the 80s, Kenny Loggins, on this admittedly very schmaltzy version.
    • 🎵 In 2003, a 19-year-old Delta Goodrem delivered this version that was perfectly fine, if a little forgettable.
    • 🎵 Five years later, Australian Idol veteran, Ricki-Lee, channeled the Christmas Queen herself, Mariah Carey, with her melismatic version.
    • And the year after that, fellow Idol alum, Jessica Mauboy, 🎵 mixed it up with a modern take that was a little confusing production-wise, but certainly showed off her vocal proficiency.
  • 🎵 And speaking of Mariah, in 2010, yet another former Idol contestant, Hayley Warner, had a go at a more acoustic-pop version of Carey's record-breaking Christmas smash, "All I Want for Christmas Is You." Personally, I miss the backing vocals and the sleigh bells, but it's a solid attempt at reinvention of this beloved modern classic.


Pop princes too   00:26:38

It's not just the girls bringing us holiday cheer via The Spirit of Christmas. Pop stars of the male variety have also given us some 🎵 seasonal gifts:

  • Australian Idol winner Stan Walker delivered a rousing version of "O Holy Night" on the 2010 album, showcasing his incredible range.
  • 🎵 Short-lived boy band Mercury4 also recorded a version of the same song in 2003, complete with an Aussie accented Lord's Prayer in the middle. Bit of a cringe factor there, for me at least.
  • Perhaps Australia's best known boy band, Human Nature, 🎵 donated this excellent a cappella version of "Mary's Boy Child" in 2002.
  • But my 🎵 favourite of the boy band efforts was this 1996 contribution from Dandenong boys, CDB, teaming up with South African-born, R&B trio, KPS Jam, on "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen." The first minute or so is sheer a cappella excellence.

 Now, if we're talking about Aussie pop icons, we can't forget "the voice" himself, John Farnham, who appeared on many of these compilations, if not always with the 🎵 most traditionally seasonal of offerings:

  • Although not really a Christmas song, Farnham's version of the 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein show tune, "You'll Never Walk Alone," is absolutely noteworthy.
  • 🎵 I also enjoyed his version of "Love's in Need of Love Today," one of my favourite songs from Stevie Wonder's seminal double album, Songs in the Key of Life, although I'm not really getting a Christmas vibe from this one either.
  • But one Farnham moment 🎵 that is absolutely evocative of the season, involving another of my absolute favourite Christmas standards, "The Christmas Song," is pretty perfectly delivered.

 

Lindsay Field’s gems and surprises   00:32:28

Perhaps this is a good time to recognize the brains behind the entire Spirit of Christmas operation, and the reason John Farnham appeared so many times: talented vocalist and arranger, Lindsay Field. We've talked about Field before in relation to his work with Farnham, with whom he recorded and toured as a backing singer for years.

Field was the executive producer and compiler of The Spirit of Christmas, leveraging his network of musicians at first, and quickly moving beyond it, to put together a strong compilation of diverse Australian talent and unique 🎵 interpretations, year after year. Here's Lindsay duetting with fellow Farnham backing singer, the legendary Venetta Fields, on "Mary's Boy Child," in 1993, the very first year of the Spirit of Christmas series.

Let's go through some of the absolute gems and more out-of-the-box contributions Field 🎵 curated over the years:

  • Christine Anu leaned into her Torres Strait Island heritage on this incredible interpretation of "Carol of the Drum" in 1995.
  • Trailblazing Aussie folk singer, The Seekers' Judith Durham, 🎵 contributed this stirring version of "Bambino," a Christmas song originally written by Dusty Springfield's brother, Tom Springfield, and recorded in 1961 by the siblings in their band, The Springfields.
  • Another music pioneer, one of the first Australian Aboriginal pop stars, Jimmy Little, 🎵 teamed up on the 2000 compilation with Aboriginal actress Leah Purcell and the band Gang Gajang, of "Sounds of Then (This is Australia)" fame, on "The Merry Christmas Polka." It's just so much fun!
  • Speaking of fun, the teenage Nikki Webster's post-Olympics and "Strawberry Kisses" rendition of 🎵 Wham's '80s classic, "Last Christmas," wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. In fact, I kind of enjoyed it. Whamageddon players, don't worry, cover versions don't count. I wouldn't be that cruel, would I? 
  • 🎵 Deborah Conway's mesmerizing original track, "The Last Day of Christmas."  This would have been at home on American slowcore band Low's 1999 Christmas album.
  • Another great version of "God Rest Ye Merry 🎵 Gentlemen," this time by pop duo Bachelor Girl in 2003 
  • 🎵 Multi-genre specialist Katie Noonan lent a light, jazzy vibe to "The Christmas Song" in 2008. 
  • And lent her ethereal pipes again the following year, 🎵 duetting with The Whitlams' Tim Freedman on "Maybe This Christmas," creating a version even plinkier and prettier than prolific Canadian singer songwriter Ron Sexsmith's original. 
  • More prettiness was delivered by future 🎵 Eurovision representative Kate Miller-Heidke, interpreting musical comedian Tim Minchin's original, "White Wine in the Sun."
  • Master of covers Paul Dempsey, at the time on hiatus from his indie rock band Something for Kate, in 2010 🎵 contributed a very sweet rendition of Vince Guaraldi's "Christmas Time is Here," a holiday perennial, originally written for the 1965 TV special, A Charlie Brown Christmas.
  • 🎵 The same year, rockabilly band, The Living End's Chris Cheney pitched in a surprisingly straight rock-pop original, "Street Parade."
  •  Little Birdy frontwoman Katy Steele also got in 🎵 on the action in 2010 with a compelling performance of the song "Send Me Back My Dad," written by her dad, blues musician Rick Steele. 
  • And twin act The Veronicas took things to a darker 🎵 place with their cover of the tune "Grown Up Christmas List," first popularized by American Christian pop artist of the ‘80s and ‘90s, Amy Grant.
  • 🎵 And last, but absolutely not least, Christine Anu earned Spirit of Christmas "MVP" status with her fabulous rendition of "Joy to the World," also featuring Casey Donovan and Hollie Andrew – Anu's co stars from the 2010 stage production of The Sapphires, the predecessor to the hit feature film.

  

Top 5 Silent Nights   00:45:18

I hope you've enjoyed our meander through two and a half decades of The Spirit of Christmas compilation CDs. You might have noticed I don't have all the editions in my possession. There are a few gaps in my collection, so I'll keep hunting in the Dixon's Recycled bins and maybe we can do it all again next year!

 But until then, I'd like to leave you with my top five versions of the perennial Christmas classic, "Silent Night,"  as contributed by Australian artists to The Spirit of Christmas. 

  • Counting down from number five... actually, before that, I'm going to 🎵 drop in an honourable mention for Natalie Bassingthwaighte's 2009 rendition. After a slow start, the TV personality and Rogue Traders frontwoman really gets going in the second verse, and even includes a sneaky key change in the bridge. 
  • 🎵 So then, at number five: I'm nominating James Reyne's angelic 1996 version. A far cry from his previous countrified contribution, this one lets his famed top end soar, especially towards the finish. It's almost the version of "Silent Night" you'd imagine Jeff Buckley doing.
  • Coming in at 🎵 number 4: the celebrated sisters, Vika & Linda with their 1995 gospel interpretation. It starts off very simple but as soon as those beautiful blood harmonies kick in you get the warm and fuzzies. The interweaving call and response of the final verse is really special.
  • At number 3: one I didn't expect to love quite as much as I did, Archie Roach's 2008 version just has a 🎵 beautiful authenticity to it that only Uncle Archie could bring. The gentle pedal steel and gorgeously warm harmonies take it over the top. 
  • Okay, we're getting to the pointy end now!  🎵 Coming in at number 2: this version actually worked its way up the list the more times I listened. Our second sister act of this little countdown is Sister2Sister, whose 2000 version of "Silent Night" starts off very pretty with those perfect harmonies only possible from siblings. At first the drum and bass beat that kicks in around the one minute mark threw me, but it's grown on me and helps build momentum and tension through the very predictable chord progression into a not so predictable and honestly pretty incredible key change around the three minute mark. Looking at the liner notes, I realise why this version is so powerful. It was recorded and produced by Pam Reswick. That name might ring a bell from our last episode, "Baby Look At Me." Pam Reswick co-wrote Tina Arena's huge hits "Chains" and "Burn," as well as Sister2Sister's two biggest hits, "Sister" and "What's A Girl To Do." So, all in all, this was my second favourite "Silent Night" of all the "Silent Night"s.
  • Okay, so... finally! Drumroll please. 🎵 We are ready to announce the winner of our countdown of top five best versions of "Silent Night" on the annual Spirit of Christmas compilation CD.  🎵 Coming in at number one: we 🎵 have... Wendy Matthews! The Canadian-born Australian singer-songwriter's 1993 version is absolutely spine-tingling, goose bump-inducing, quiet but powerful, sparse but complete. The arrangement doesn't need anything fancy – Matthews' voice does so much on its own. The ethereal, drone-like accompaniment stays out of the way, and the minimalist backing harmonies provide just enough support. This was a singer that knew the power of her own voice – she produced and arranged this recording herself. It makes sense when you remember, her biggest selling single was the equally sparse and powerful ballad, "The Day You Went Away," sung over a bass drum heartbeat and a sprinkling of piano. Both tracks are incredibly confident, allowing the raw power and human essence of Matthew's voice to embed itself into the listener's heart. Don't I get mushy at Christmas?

 So, let me know, did I get it right? Or would you have ranked them differently? That's the beauty of music, right? Everyone perceives and responds differently, which makes for a wonderful variety across the musical landscape. 

 

Outro   00:56:58

Well friends, thanks so much for listening to My Kind of Scene. I hope you have a very safe and happy holiday season, and look forward to bringing you more great stories about the Australian music scene in the new year.

🎵 This episode was written, recorded and produced by Cara Diaria. Theme music by Cara Diaria. Source links are in the episode description and you can also find a link to a YouTube playlist of all the songs we played. Sorry, no Spotify playlist this time as most of these songs aren't available on Spotify. If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review us, and tell your friends.

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Cara Diaria

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