Ella Fitzgerald | Hollywood Yesterday

Carol Burnett and Ella Fitzgerald

The adorable photo of two legendary women, above, is from Ella Fitzgerald’s October 24, 1969 appearance on The Carol Burnett Show. The mind is a funny thing, isn’t it? I can remember the words to just about every Carol Burnett skit and can distinctly remember seeing this episode (in reruns while growing up)… yet I forget why I walk into a room at least once a week!

I need to buy The Carol Burnett Show on dvd because I love it now perhaps EVEN more than I did back then. Carol Burnett has always been one of the most hilarious people in show business and her cast was right there with her.

She also seems just genuinely likable, doesn’t she?

I rewatched this episode not long ago – because I love Ella Fitzgerald and Carol Burnett so much. If you haven’t seen it in awhile, I hope you’ll find it and give it a look.

Wonderful, wonderful ladies.

I would say that Christmas is already on my mind but, if we’re being honest, it’s never OFF of my mind.

Yes… I’m one of those people and I make no apologies for it.

I have a large, wonderful family and shopping year-round for gifts is the only way I can stay sane or stand a chance to get things done. I buy things in stores and online (often starting the day after Christmas!) and hide them away in totes. Admittedly, sometimes I dip into the totes during the year for little, “Here’s this… just because I love you..” expressions, but that’s fun too.

I’ve begun a #ClassicFilmGifts series of tweets on Twitter and will now also begin a series of Christmas Gift Ideas posts here on Hollywood Yesterday. Granted, very often (very, very, very often in fact), we’re the only one in our family who collects Classic Hollywood collectibles and one of the only ones who watched old movies – in which case, the gift ideas are actually for US.

Again… that’s fun too!

These particular gift ideas are actually ones I’m sure you (like me) will want long before Christmas and will want all for yourself! They’ll each be on their Merry way to our house right away. These artists are some of my favorite in the world and I can’t wait to spend the Christmas season with them.

Continued Below Ella Beautifully Singing The Christmas Song…

Christmas With Ella & Friends

Christmas With Ella & Friends is one of the ones that’s already in my Amazon shopping cart. I searched for Ella Fitzgerald Christmas CDs and literally gasped when I saw the list of friends she brought to the Christmas party with her!

Louis Armstrong
Bing Crosby
Frank Sinatra
Doris Day
Eartha Kitt
Dinah Washington
Dean Martin
Brenda Lee
The Platters
And more …

The CD cover states that there are 40 songs included in the 2 CD set, but Amazon lists 50. Either way, that’s a lot of wonderful Christmas songs from some of the greatest voices of all time. I will let you know for sure how many there are as soon as my CD arrives!

Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas

Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas is another “must have. Who better than Ella to get a swinging Christmas and jazzy new year off on the right note??!

This 1960 collection includes:

1. Jingle Bells
2. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
3. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
4. What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?
5. Sleigh Ride
6. The Christmas Song
7. Good Morning Blues
8. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
9. Winter Wonderland
10. Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer
11. Frosty The Snowman
12. White Christmas
13. The Secret Of Christmas
14. Medley: We Three Kings Of Orient Are/O Little Town Of Bethlehem
15. Christmas Island
16. The Christmas Song
17. White Christmas (Alternative Take)
18. Frosty The Snowman (Alternative Take)

Continued Below Lena Horne’s Gorgeous Rendition of White Christmas

Merry From Lena

If you read very much of what I write (bless your heart), you know I love Lena Horne. Like, A LOT. I could listen to her all day/all night and never complain. I actually once had this CD but will have to reorder it.

I guess I wore it out! I remember playing my favorite songs (The Little Drummer Boy, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Santa Claus is Coming to Town) over and over and over.

Jingle All The Way
The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You)
Winter Wonderland
White Christmas
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
The Little Drummer Boy
Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer
What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Silent Night
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

These are the songs that are the soundtrack to Christmas and no one… absolutely no one…. sings them more beautifully than Lena Horne.

Lena Horne, like Rita Hayworth and a few other select entertainers, gets so much recognition for her beauty (and, come on, it’s understandable) but she was so much more than a beautiful face. She could act, sings (could she ever sing!), and dance.

And if you’re talking about stage presence and a certain “it” factor – Lena was all over it. If you aren’t familiar with her music, I hope you’ll familiarize yourself right away.

I hope you’ll click through these links and order at least one of these wonderful Christmas song collections. Christmas music is one of the most beautiful (magical, even) things about Christmas.

In fact, as something of an expert on Christmas (immodestly, I put myself right up there with Mrs. Claus in the category), if I were to recommend a way to make the Season even sweeter, I’d suggest starting a Christmas CD collection – and these are a few of the CDs I’d recommend for you to start with.

I will write about more Christmas CDs in the coming weeks – in fact, I was near the middle of a “Top 10 Christmas CDs” post but I got too excited about these three and had to share them immediately. Christmas (and these artists) do that to me. ~ Joi (“Joy”)