by Marianne Meyer
If you’re not a regular music shopper at Amazon, or a follower of the retail powerhouse’s Twitter feed, you may not have heard about a cool daily offer that will beef up your seasonal song collection. Each day this month, through Christmas, amazon.com is posting a new addition to its 25 Days of Free, a fresh holiday song yours for the clicking. Previously posted songs are available, too, in case you want to catch up (the freebies started on the first of December).
The musical styles being given away run the gamut from vintage classics like Bing Crosby’s take on “Adeste Fideles” (available on the massive $7.99 compilation, “Joy To The World: 50 Greatest Christmas Songs of All Time)” to raw rockers like Twisted Sister’s “Deck the Halls” (from the band’s own “Twisted Christmas” CD).
You can grab a bit of orchestral sentiment in the form of "Greensleeves" by Mannheim Steamroller (from the ensemble’s “Christmas Symphony") or an indie original (“My Dear Acquaintance (A Happy New Year)”) from songstress Regina Spektor, pulled from a fun compilation of Warner Bros. artists, “Gift Wrapped: 20 Songs that Keep on Giving” (the full 20-track album is $5.99).
Among the rarities, the site offers “Ave Maria” an advance from the upcoming album by Celtic Woman, and Brian Wilson’s “Peace On Earth," an Amazon mp3 exclusive from his album, “In the Key of Disney.” The voice of Sixpence None the Richer, Leigh Nash, performs “O Holy Night,” part of a 20-song collection ($12.99) that also includes holiday tunes from The Format, Sarah McLachlan and others, and there’s a swingin’ Robbie Hardkiss remix of Duke Ellington’s take on “Jingle Bells,” from yet another worthwhile compilation, “Christmas Remixed - Holiday Classics Re-Grooved” ($5.99). Bayside’s pop/rock take on “Angels We Have Heard on High" brings to nine the number of tracks curently available for the taking. And there will another tomorrow and the day after that and that day after that...
Each year, here at DAME headquarters, the making of the annual Cool Yule mix is a happy tradition, and it’s great to have some fine new choices to keep the party moving.
There will be plenty of digital holiday music news in the coming days - including more freebies - so please consider subscribing (the button's up top) and you'll get the scoop as soon as it goes online.
What are your favorite holiday tunes? Feel free to comment below.
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