Review of Norah Jones, “I Dream of Christmas”
Norah Jones released a Christmas album!
OK, I just lost 75 percent of my readers. Half aren’t interested in Christmas music, and half of those remaining have an irrational allergy to Norah Jones. But those who are still with me are in for a real treat. I Dream of Christmas (Blue Note) is a Christmas album that isn’t just minimally bearable, it’s flat-out great.
Jones has a warm and honest voice, well suited for a Christmas album. She slinks and purrs her way through the Christmas romance songs like “Blue Christmas,” “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?,” and “A Holiday With You.” As if answering someone’s dare, she turns the Chipmunks’ “Christmas Don’t Be Late” into a slow-grinding bordello striptease. Somehow, the longer she stays in New York, the better and sexier her Texas accent gets.
To her credit, Jones writes or co-writes six of the 13 songs, so the album isn’t the same old set of tired holiday standards. The originals are all clever and melodic in the spirit of the genre, and it would be welcome to hear them covered by others (especially country bands). “It’s Only Christmas Once a Year” alludes to the miserable COVID Christmas many had last year, and it reminds us to enjoy the times we have because we never know what may come.
Finally, Norah, if you’re reading this, bless you for following Peggy Lee’s lead and getting rid of the all-time stupidest lyrics ever in “Winter Wonderland.” You know the ones I mean. She replaces them with the slightly sardonic “In the meadow we can build a snowman/And pretend that he’s a Santa clown/We’ll have lots of fun with Mr. Snowman/Until the other kiddies knock him down.”
Let the Bostonians have their snow and sleigh bells, but this one is for those enjoying the holidays on the front porch with mint juleps.
