Sunday, December 25, 2011

"This Christmas" and Sunday Soul


Last night I searched high and low for soulful Christmas music on TV, including satellite radio channels, but came away somewhat dismayed.

No Temptations.  No Sarah Vaughn.  Not even Mariah.  And certainly no old footage of Redd Foxx doing "Chestnuts roasting on an open fire" ... you gotta love that gravelly voice and Fred Sandford stance :0)

What stuck in my head though was a scene from a movie I happened on earlier in the day where Chris Brown is doing a rendition of the Donny Hathaway classic, "This Christmas".   

Can't get the tune out of my head, even as I should be writing elsewhere and not here.  

I like Hathaway's more up-tempo version.  It is the standard.  But I also like the version by The Whispers.  Perhaps more because it is a little more soulful, at least to me it is. 

Oh did I tell you that it is so hot in Kimberley that I wish it would snow.   

Come to think of it, the last white Christmas we had here in South Africa was right before Mandela became president - so that would make it December 25, 1993 :0)

Onward!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

come on up already. this is one xmas too many. and there's ice and snow on tap in boston this holidays. love you stacks "this xmas" and then some.

lauren
xoxo

Ridwan said...

Hi Lauren:

Merry Christmas to you. Again!

I would love to frolic in the snow with ya :) - it would be a blast!

And, a bonus just getting out of the frying pan here by the hole.

But I think after a week of Boston weather I would be looking for a sauna - luckily I know some folks in Atlanta :)

I trust your holidays are off to a great start and you not like me trying to make a Jan 5 article deadline.

Did I tell you my two month old Dell laptop threw a wobble and destroyed my hard drive and all my work (and now I am rewriting from memory and feeling the pain)?

If I did please humor me - I am still reeling and feeling a little unloved by the gods.

Oh and I remember you had lotsa issues with a Dell some years back - go figure.

So enjoy some egg nog for me too. Please. And if you see Santa tell him to pick me up on his way back to the north pole.

Even if it is out of his way. Or maybe he can just drop me off in Boston huh?

Oh, I luv you more.

Peace to you and the folks.

Ridi

Ps. If you even thinking that I should have backed my work up you are absolutely right - geez - and I luv you even more despite ;0)

Charmaine said...

Ridi take the lady up on her offer. Don't let come over there and pinch your ears!

Merry Christmas Lauren. You know he is a stubborn goat at times.

Love to you and your mother Ridi.

C.

Ridwan said...

Hi Charmaine:

I trust you and your family enjoyed your Christmas celebrations.

What are you doing online anyway? :0)

Oh, if you plan on pinching my ears you gonna have to get in line. The line/que is considerable and growing :)

Just jiving. I'm on the next plane.

Sorry for the late reply - peace and luv to you.

Ridi