Christmas is just a few weeks ahead of us, but its essence remains the same; a classic celebration to remember the birth of Christ expressed through presents and holiday fun. And once again, Ronnie Milsap has prepared a special gift for us as he did three decades ago. That is to serenade us with ‘Merry, Merry Christmas Baby’ which was originally sung by Dodie Stevens in the year 1960s.
Christmas Never Gets Old
Remember when Ronnie Milsap last sang Christmas songs in his album ‘Christmas With’ in 1986? He featured classics like ‘O Holy Night’, ‘Silver Bells’, and ‘I’ll Be Home for Christmas.’ Fortunately for the younger viewers here today, his hiatus from making these seasonal songs ended because he missed the fun he had in recording something “Christmasy.”
His career has been going on strong for more than 50 years presenting multitudes of #1 hits like ‘It Was Almost Like a Song,’ ‘Smoky Mountain Rain’ and ‘(There’s) No Gettin’ Over Me.’ But as Milsap observes his progress, he came to a thought about how Christmas songs never get old.
A Legend’s Spin to a Classic Song
Steven’s ‘Merry, Merry Christmas Baby’ suddenly became reminiscent to Milsap along with the Tune Weavers’ rendition. His thoughts? Despite the doo-wop appeal of the song, and as he reads along the lines, its message is a tragic love story about losing someone, and how it can drastically change how we perceive holidays. In his cover, Milsap puts in a personal spin through his signature piano playing with the traditional saxophone vibes. He managed to retain the song’s original identity and message while of course not being redundant.
The times may have changed but the sentimental value of the holiday is still like yesterday. The song ‘Merry, Merry Christmas Baby’ ended in the sending of cards to a former lover. It contained well wishes for him to find love that was just as true as the sender. Today, these cards may be obsolete but the human heart can still be just as fragile.
We still do not know what else Ronnie Milsap has in store for all of us in the future, but as the past converges with the present, the 77-year-old Country Hall of Famer greets us ‘Merry Christmas’ the way he was greeted in his prime.
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