I’ve enjoyed several movies featuring Bette Midler and am well aware of
her musical talents, but I never sat down and listened to an entire
album of hers before. Getting into Christmas mode inspired me to do just
that when I discovered Cool Yule, which came out in 2006. While
most of the tracks on the album are pretty peppy, it’s the slower songs
that really showcase her vocal abilities.
Merry Christmas
is a soft, cozy sort of song full of tinkling chimes, rippling harp
notes and violins. It’s a very soothing way to start off the album, and
it also makes it feel like she’s standing right there in the room as she
sings, “Hang a wish from me / on your Christmas tree / for a very merry
Christmastime.”
Cool Yule is a very jazzy,
piano-driven song filled with lingo like “cat,” “dig” and “groovy”. A
brassy interlude midway through adds to the fun of this throwback to
Louis Armstrong. “He'll come a callin' when the snows the most / When
all you cats are sleepin' warm as toast / And you're gonna flip when Old
Saint Nick / Takes a lick on a peppermint stick.”
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and I’ll Be Home for Christmas
are separated by only one track, which is a medley. I think it would
have made a lot of sense to put these two slow, wistful songs together
as well. Both include the introductory portions that are often left out,
which makes them sound even more complementary. I like the latter
version a bit better because of the instrumentation, which includes some
nice flute work reminiscent of birdsong. Both are pleasant, but I think
I would’ve preferred them in one track.
Winter Wonderland / Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
includes a new introduction in which Bette melodically addresses Johnny
Mathis, her singing partner for the track who she describes as “the
King of Christmas.” The two songs, which are chipper reflections on
winter rather than Christmas, go well together, as do the voices of the
two singers. Piano and brass are prominent throughout this very upbeat
number.
What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? also
includes an introduction I hadn’t heard before, though I’m not sure if
it’s new to this album. This track is slow and smooth, with a jazzy feel
to it accentuated by the piano and the steady percussion. This is a
natural choice to bring out the seductive quality of Bette’s voice. I’ve
never been a huge fan of the song, but her rendition is nice.
I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
is another song with a romantic theme, this one with a much more
confident speaker than the last, though Bette doesn’t sound so
vulnerable on the last track as the lyrics might indicate. In any event,
the two tracks go together well, except that this one is much peppier.
It also includes a brief musical quote of Baby It’s Cold Outside, along with some fun finger-snapping.
O Come, O Come Emmanuel
seems strangely out of place here, since it’s the first religious song
on the album, and the only traditional one. But Bette sings it
beautifully, while violins and guitars and eventually a choir add to the
loveliness of the track. Bette adds a lot of grace notes to her
version, which I sometimes find annoying, but I think it works well
here.
Mele Kalikimaka begins with a couple of lines
from a really annoying high-voiced chorus, but the main song, a
faced-paced ukulele-driven number, is fun, and the male chorus isn’t
nearly as grating as its female chorus. Kind of a goofy song, but I like
it, especially since it always reminds me of LOST.
From a Distance (Christmas Version) begins with instrumental lines from The Little Drummer Boy and O Come All Ye Faithful
before going into the main song, which features chimes and a variety of
other delicate instruments, along with brief appearances by the Uillean
Pipes and Irish whistle. The song goes on to quote from Silent Night, Angels We Have Heard on High and Joy to the World.
A Christmas-ized version of one of her biggest hits, this lovely,
heartening song is my favorite track on the album. “From a distance /
There is harmony / Do you hear it echo through the land? / It's the song
of joy / It's the song of peace / It's the heart of every man / In the
season of / Universal love / This is the song of every man.”
White Christmas
ends the album on a soft tone that makes a good bookend to the
beginning, as it again feels like Bette is directly addressing the
listener. It also fits very nicely with her liner notes, which feature
silver snowflakes falling against a white backdrop.
Bette
Midler is a wonderful vocalist. She may be a little too aware of that;
the liner notes have an annoying self-congratulatory ring about them,
and there’s something slightly sacrilegious-sounding about calling
oneself “Divine” on a Christmas album. I’m sure she doesn’t mean it that
way, though, and a few paragraphs down she comes across as humble as
she dedicates the album to a dearly departed friend. I wish that she had
done a few more sedate numbers like From a Distance, but all of the songs are excellently performed. Anyone who appreciates her style is bound to find a lot to love about Cool Yule.
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