10. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" Rolf the Dog and John Denver
Off the soundtrack of their T.V. special "A Christmas Together," which still hasn't been released on home video, John Denver and the Muppets came together to celebrate the holidays and cheer our spirits. Though, to be blunt, a few of the songs, especially "When the River Meets the Sea" and "It's in Every One of Us," sound more depressing than cheerful, which is ironic considering I just explained this is a Christmas album by John Denver and the Muppets. The standout track for me though is the second, which I noticed is the CD slot usually reserved for an album's best tune. "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" is probably my favorite Christmas carol, and this is definitely one of my favorite versions. It's less than two minutes, but Rolf and John make beautiful music together, even if half of their duo is a furry, inanimate Muppet. Sweet and tuneful in its simplicity, with Rolf accompanying John's vocals on piano, it fortunately keeps the newer, less discouraging lyrics, ditching the inferior bleak lines like "From now on, we'll have to muddle through somehow." My favorite line is, "From now on, our troubles will be out of sight," because it reminds me, during all the crazy hustle and bustle of the season, to just relax and enjoy it. Christmas is supposed to be fun. Besides, I like the idea of leaving your worries for the rest of the year.
Michael Perone has written for The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore City Paper, The Island Ear (now titled Long Island Press), and The Long Island Voice, a short-lived spinoff of The Village Voice. He currently works as an Editor in Manhattan. And he still thinks Michael Keaton was the best Batman.
