Just thinking of my comments on Timmer’s post here, our readers might only think I only like “sad” Christmas tunes. Well, that’s hardly the case. But, as a phenomenon of the traditions within my family, where Christmas has been all about the children, now that all the cousins have become adults, and taken off for distant parts of the globe, and – in their turn – started their own families, Christmas is a melancholy season of remembrance, and detachment.

But yes, I like some “happy” Christmas tunes – but they are almost all kiddie stuff, which I used to sing to my little nieces and nephews – Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer comes to mind.

But there are a few “happy” and “adult” Christmas tunes I like. Most notable is Santa Baby – which, like any old standard, has many covers. The best, IMHO, is Eartha Kitt’s. Imagine that Catwoman purrrrrr applied to “hurry down the chimney to me” – do you get it? Oh, and there have been huge rape-jobs; what comes immediately to mind are Madonna and Kylie Minogue. Anyway, you will find Eartha’s cover – along with several other greats, including Judy’s Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, here. This would be a good buy.

Also, I want to note: apart from Eartha, I couldn’t think of any better voice to do Santa Baby than Bernadette Peters. And there are many supposed covers out there on the web. But these are phonies. To the best of my knowledge, and a couple of pros I have consulted, Bernadette has never covered Santa Baby.

Caveat Emptor