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Now that it’s that time of year, I have to dig through and dust off all of my Christmas CDs. Hey, why waste my time? I know that I’ll only play one of them—Dion’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Christmas.
Dion Di Mucci, popular in the late 1950s as Dion and the Belmonts and in the early 1960s as a solo artist, takes twelve Christmas classics and makes them his own—early rock ‘n’ roll, mixed with doo-wop and R & B.
There’s a lot of variety here. The CD opens with “Rockin’ Around the Christmas
Tree,” a mixture of doo-wop and rock ‘n roll. The intro to “Santa Claus is Coming to
Town” starts out with a Dion rap and then moves to good old fashioned danceable rock ‘n’ roll. Both tunes are complemented with a swift staccato sax solo by Jamie “King” Cotton.
The acoustic “Jingle Bell Rock” sways with classic doo-wop. Dion adds a zydeco rendition to “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.” For blues lovers like me, there’s the favorite “Merry Christmas Baby.” “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” opens in standard Dion 50s style but then the guitars seamlessly switch to country.
I can’t say that the music brings back memories, as Dion’s heyday was definitely before my time. What I can say is that it’s just so much fun to listen to. It’s also amazing how Dion has kept his voice intact for over 30 years. The band, The Wanderers, is tight with superb vocal harmonies.
Dion’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Christmas will definitely push you and your friends into the holiday spirit. Sure, it’s not your traditional Christmas music, but it’s become a tradition in our house.
