What’s Your Christmas Soundtrack?

December 24, 2019
by Rodney Olsen
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One day you’re walking through the shopping centre as normal, then the next day, WHAM!

Not just Wham, but Mariah Carey, Michael Buble and a host of others singing Christmas favourites. I think I first heard Christmas music playing as the soundtrack to my shopping experience back in late October this year.

For those who enjoy the music of the season, you’ve probably had a good couple of months of ever-increasing Christmas melodies ringing in your ears. For those who don’t, you won’t have to block your ears much longer.

I’ve got over five hundred Christmas songs on my iPod and they’ve been filling our home and car with Yuletide cheer … whatever that is … for weeks. Everyone from Michael Buble to Diana Krall, Bing Crosby, Run DMC, Barry White, The Wiggles, Guy Sebastian, Jimmy Barnes and even Russel Coight, along with many others, are singing about Christmas on our stereo.

What is your favourite Christmas music?

Do you have a favourite Christmas song? Do you have a favourite artist at Christmas time? Does Mariah Carey’s very successful Christmas album still get a spin at your place each December?

A few of my favourites.

I couldn’t possibly fit all my Christmas favourites in one post, but here is a handful.

I’m not a huge fan of the song Little Drummer Boy but I am a fan of both Bing Crosby and David Bowie so I love hearing their Little Drummer Boy / Peace On Earth medley around this time every year. The chat at the start of the video is cheesy and somewhat awkward but I just love it.

A new favourite this year is a reworking of the old Slade classic, Merry Christmas Everybody. Yes, I’ll admit it. I do enjoy a little Robbie Williams. I’m also a fan of Jamie Cullum so this combination is just joyful.

One of the strangest Christmas songs ever released has got to be this one by Bob Dylan. Bob is definitely a favourite of mine and so this one’s certainly worth a mention and a viewing. It seems that everyone in the video is having an amazing time, except Bob. It’s weird and wonderful.

This collaboration between Elvis Costello and Stephen Colbert is just wonderful.

I certainly feel that friends don’t let friends go through life without knowing about the great Gregory Porter, so I absolutely must include a song from one of the greatest voices of our time.

While I could go on forever with Christmas favourites, maybe I’ll finish off with this one from Diana Krall.

Let me know about your musical tastes around Christmas.



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Tom Burlinson swings by for a chat

August 30, 2012
by Rodney Olsen
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Tom Burlinson started appearing on our televisions in the late seventies but his big break came in the early eighties with the massive success of the movie, The Man from Snowy River.

He’s performed in a variety of stage productions and even been a judge for a number of seasons on Australia’s Got Talent.

He was recently named Australia’s Most Outstanding Club Performer of the Year and Vocal Performer of the Year at the 2012 Annual ACE Awards.

He’s in town for his new show, Now We’re Swingin’.

Come fly with Tom Burlinson and a fabulous band of top musicians as Tom salutes the masters of vocal swing: Frank Sinatra, Nat ‘King’ Cole, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis Jr, and Bobby Darin. Also celebrating the swing superstars of today – Harry Connick Jr, Michael Bublé and Robbie Williams.

Following on from his successful Frank Sinatra shows, Tom has expanded his horizons and his song list to create a feast for lovers of swing, including Sway, Just in Time, Beyond the Sea, L-O-V-E, Birth of the Blues, The Way You Look Tonight, Ain’t That a Kick in the Head? and Feeling Good. It also features Sinatra classics such as I’ve Got You Under My Skin, Summer Wind, That’s Life and Mack the Knife.

This morning on my radio program he was my special guest. You can listen to our conversation by clicking the play button on the audio player below.

Tom Burlinson will play one show with his eight piece band at the Octagon Theatre, University of WA, 8:00 p.m. on Saturday night.



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