(SOUNDBITE OF LEROY ANDERSON SONG, “SLEIGH RIDE”)
AYESHA RASCOE, HOST:
You recognize, folks can get a little bit feisty about vacation music, and I positively am certainly one of them. Everybody has opinions, numerous opinions. Mine are all appropriate, however we determined (laughter) to ring within the season with a problem – a vacation music throw down between me and a particular visitor, Weekend Version Saturday host Scott Simon. Welcome to Sunday.
SCOTT SIMON, BYLINE: It is excellent to be with you, Ayesha, and within the spirit of the vacation. I am so glad we will get collectively in an environment of amity and mutual respect.
RASCOE: (Laughter). And…
SIMON: And anyone else is right here, proper?
RASCOE: And another person is right here.
SIMON: Both that or Scott Detrow is simply lurking.
RASCOE: (Laughter).
SCOTT DETROW, BYLINE: I am simply – yeah, I am simply creeping within the nook of the studio. I – do you want me?
RASCOE: We want a referee.
DETROW: Wow, glad to be right here.
RASCOE: So sure.
DETROW: All proper, so I’ve acquired an inventory of questions right here. The query I’ve here’s a track that you have to sing together with loud and proud regardless of the place you’re, and it’s written right here for me to say, you’re required to sing your response.
RASCOE: (Laughter).
SIMON: (Singing) Chestnuts roasting on an open fireplace, Jack Frost nipping at your nostril…
DETROW: That is good.
SIMON: (Singing) …Yuletide…
RASCOE: Yeah.
SIMON: (Singing) …Carols being sung by a choir.
RASCOE: What…
SIMON: And it is – I ought to say, all the things traces by means of Chicago. It is a track with the fingerprints of two nice South Facet Chicagoans. It is written by Mel Torme and, after all, initially recorded by Nat King Cole.
RASCOE: So mine – no person needs to listen to me sing, however I’ll sing a little bit little bit of it.
SIMON: Yeah.
RASCOE: (Singing) What do they do? What do they do at Christmas?
SIMON: I feel that is lovely.
RASCOE: (Laughter).
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “WHAT DO THE LONELY DO AT CHRISTMAS?”)
THE EMOTIONS: (Singing) What do they do? What do they do at Christmas?
RASCOE: And who – what – who am I speaking about?
(Singing) What do they do? What do they do at Christmas?
I am speaking concerning the lonely. What do the lonely do at Christmas? And it’s a must to sing it with ardour as a result of that is the way in which The Feelings sing it. They’re, like, how can I be completely satisfied when I’ve no person (laughter)?
DETROW: It is a draw since you each introduced such ardour and…
RASCOE: OK.
DETROW: …Spirit to it.
RASCOE: OK, it is a draw.
DETROW: And I loved listening to…
RASCOE: So we each get a degree.
DETROW: …Each of you sing.
(SOUNDBITE OF JOSE FELICIANO SONG, “FELIZ NAVIDAD”)
DETROW: What’s a track that is simply acquired to be performed in your home as a result of your youngsters like it, not essentially since you like it? And I ask this having pushed to highschool this morning listening to a model of “Jingle Bells” wherein it wasn’t lyrics however relatively farts.
RASCOE: (Laughter).
DETROW: Scott, what’s…
SIMON: “Feliz Navidad.”
DETROW: Yeah.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “FELIZ NAVIDAD”)
JOSE FELICIANO: (Singing) Feliz Navidad, Feliz Navidad, Feliz Navidad, (singing in Spanish)…
SIMON: (Singing) I wish to want you a merry Christmas…
RASCOE: (Laughter).
SIMON: (Singing) I wish to want you – look. See. They’re transferring within the management room. However I – sure, I am sorry.
RASCOE: So mine is one which I actually like, however my youngsters like it and need to hearken to it on a regular basis.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU”)
MARIAH CAREY: (Singing) I will not even keep awake to listen to these magic reindeer click on, ‘trigger I simply need you right here tonight, holding on to me so tight…
RASCOE: And my daughter, my center youngster – she goes, (singing) all I would like for Christmas is you.
After which she goes, mommy, how did that – does – do not I sound similar to her?
SIMON: Aw.
RASCOE: And I say, sure, you do. You do sound similar to her.
SIMON: That is lovable.
DETROW: Level Ayesha.
RASCOE: (Laughter).
SIMON: Yeah, yeah, even I agree with that.
(LAUGHTER)
DETROW: What’s a track that makes you weepy or nostalgic at Christmastime, Ayesha?
RASCOE: So my weepy and nostalgic track is “White Christmas” by Otis Redding.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “WHITE CHRISTMAS”)
OTIS REDDING: (Singing) And should all, all your Christmases – and should all, and should all your Christmases, child, might your days, might your days be merry, merry, so merry and brilliant, Lord, have mercy…
RASCOE: The way in which he sings that track, it is like a gospel track. It is like he’s wishing – he – like, he has all this love in his coronary heart, and the way in which he is wishing to provide that to the particular person – he is saying, I would like you to have a white Christmas.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “WHITE CHRISTMAS”)
REDDING: (Singing) I am dreaming of a white Christmas. I am dreaming, dreaming of a white, white Christmas, child…
RASCOE: I am about to cry now. It is lovely.
SIMON: It’s lovely.
RASCOE: It is a gospel track. It actually looks like a gospel track.
DETROW: What about you, Scott?
SIMON: “Have Your self A Merry Little Christmas.”
DETROW: Yeah.
SIMON: Judy Garland model. Judy, Judy, Judy. When she will get to the road…
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS”)
JUDY GARLAND: (Singing) Sometime quickly, all of us will likely be collectively, if the fates permit…
SIMON: …Oh, if the fates permit. I consider my mom, my late mom. I consider my late mother-in-law. I consider youngsters I grew up with.
DETROW: Yeah.
SIMON: My Auntie Chris (ph), my Auntie Abba (ph) – – their recollections are nonetheless a part of our lives.
DETROW: Yeah. I’ll give that time to Scott, and I…
RASCOE: Yeah.
DETROW: …Thanks each. I can hear each of these songs and the way in which that you just hear them, and I perceive how they register, and I additionally love them each.
OK, it is a tone shift, however I am very curious to listen to the solutions to this one – a track that you just by no means wish to hear once more.
(LAUGHTER)
DETROW: What is that this Christmas track? You are simply – nope, cannot do it. Scott, what about – you go first.
RASCOE: Yeah, you are first.
SIMON: “Grandma Bought Run Over By A Reindeer.”
RASCOE: Oh, my goodness.
SIMON: I do not wish to hear that ever once more.
RASCOE: Yeah.
SIMON: I imply, it isn’t a foul tune, however I discover the lyrics unfair to Santa.
RASCOE: So the one which I do not wish to hear anymore – and it isn’t that I do not wish to hear it anymore – we will get letters. Hear, it is simply not my cup of tea. However I’ll be trustworthy as a result of it is the Christmas season.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “AVE MARIA”)
MIRUSIA: (Singing in non-English language).
RASCOE: I am not…
SIMON: Whoa (laughter).
RASCOE: …Into it. I am not into it.
AYESHA RASCOE AND SCOTT SIMON: (Singing) Ave Maria…
RASCOE: I like – look, I like the Lord. I like Jesus. I like Mary. However I do not need it. I do not need that track (laughter).
DETROW: You recognize what? You recognize what? I simply need Sister Geraldine (ph) and everyone else listening who helped educate me to know that I am giving Scott this level. As a result of “Ave Maria” is a lovely track. I can by no means hear sufficient of. Nothing dangerous about it coming from me.
RASCOE: (Laughter) OK, properly…
SIMON: Oh, my God, she’s been became a pillar of salt.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “AVE MARIA”)
MIRUSIA: (Singing in non-English language).
DETROW: Second of fact right here – what’s your all-time favourite vacation track? Ayesha?
RASCOE: That is simple – my all-time favourite vacation track – as a result of I do know it’s the finest Christmas track ever made. And that’s “This Christmas” by Donny Hathaway. The way you make a love track to Christmas? That is what Donny Hathaway did. One of the best track ever – I do not know what you are going to say. If it isn’t “This Christmas,” you are flawed.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “THIS CHRISTMAS”)
DONNY HATHAWAY: (Singing) Dangle all of the mistletoe. I am gonna get to know you higher this Christmas. And as we trim the tree, how a lot enjoyable it is gonna be collectively this Christmas.
RASCOE: (Singing) This Christmas.
SIMON: Even I am singing alongside.
DETROW: Yeah.
RASCOE: After which we gon (ph) carol by means of the night time.
AYESHA RASCOE AND SCOTT DETROW: (Singing) Caroling by means of the night time.
DETROW: Yep.
RASCOE: (Singing) And this Christmas will likely be – it is gon be a really particular Christmas for you and me. That is it.
DETROW: It is solely going to be a particular Christmas for Scott Simon, relying on the power of this final reply…
SIMON: Yeah, I do know.
RASCOE: So what is that this? What is that this?
DETROW: All-time.
SIMON: In opposition to all expectation – and I feel it is probably the most suave Christmas track ever – Tim Minchin, finest often called the composer of “Matilda The Musical” – Tim is an outspoken atheist and probably the most fantastic track that he wrote when he was spending his first winter in London and his toddler daughter had been born, and he was considering of his household in Australia, the place it is summer time…
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “WHITE WINE IN THE SUN”)
TIM MINCHIN: (Singing) They will be ingesting white wine within the solar.
SIMON: …And I’ll get a little bit overcome as a result of he sings to his daughter…
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “WHITE WINE IN THE SUN”)
MINCHIN: (Singing) And you will not perceive however you’ll be taught sometime that wherever you’re and no matter you face, these are the individuals who’ll make you’re feeling protected on this world.
SIMON: Wherever you’re and no matter you face, these are the individuals who’ll make you’re feeling protected on this world.
RASCOE: Oh…
SIMON: I am sorry (laughter).
RASCOE: That is lovely.
SIMON: I am sorry. I simply…
RASCOE: That is lovely. That is lovely.
SIMON: I feel it is probably the most…
RASCOE: Yeah.
SIMON: And that is what the vacations and humanity are all about.
DETROW: You recognize what? It is a little Hallmark film in in a single radio phase proper right here.
RASCOE: Sure.
DETROW: As a result of we began with Ayesha’s competitors and confrontation…
RASCOE: (Laughter) Sure.
DETROW: However I’ve been received over by the spirit of affection right here.
RASCOE: (Laughter) Sure.
DETROW: And I like all these Christmas songs. And Christmas is the winner – The Christmas season is the winner.
RASCOE: Christmas – oh, there is no winner. That is true. That is true.
DETROW: My coronary heart is rising three sizes as we communicate.
RASCOE: (Laughter) Three sizes…
DETROW: I would like to maneuver again from the microphone.
SIMON: Your buttons are popping.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “WELCOME CHRISTMAS”)
EUGENE PODDANY: (Singing in non-English language) Welcome Christmas, come this fashion.
RASCOE: Properly, thanks, Scott Detrow, for instructing us all of the that means of Christmas…
DETROW: (Laughter).
RASCOE: …The true that means, and in addition being the host of All Issues Thought-about – each of the Scotts. Thanks each of you for becoming a member of us.
DETROW: Each Scotts have been completely satisfied to be right here.
SIMON: Each Scotts have been completely satisfied to be right here.
RASCOE: (Laughter).
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “WELCOME CHRISTMAS”)
PODDANY: (Singing in non-English language) Welcome Christmas, Christmas day. Welcome, welcome…
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