The Spotify Top 10 w Rick Beato, and some Holiday Favorites...

I don't necessarily agree with everything Beato says, but I thought this review of the (supposed) current (or at least as of September 2025) top 10 songs on Spotify was very informative and interesting...

And this is currently my most recent (Holiday) track on Spotify...

And somewhat in relation to the nature of this blog post, I think this is a really interesting (and well done) bio, and worth checking out, at least for inspiration, if nothing else. Great story. Impressive...

And here are just some of my own favorite holiday songs, that I have shared on my Christmas/Holiday Favorites Spotify Playlist that I think are particularly brilliant, 

and worth checking-out...

From what I understand, this song was originally written by Joni Mitchell... 

Gorgeous rendition by Olivia Rodrigo. It has been performed by other artists as well...

What a unique sound, and such an awesome, infectious hook! Absolutely love this track. In fact, the hook in this tune is what actually inspired the Intro to my own track: Never Knew Before. (See previous blog post). Which is something of an experimental, Progressive Pop/Rock track. (Although, not a holiday song). Just sayin'...

Beautiful track, and so tastefully well done...

Yea, I definitely have noticed that the song: 'Driving Home For Christmas' has become something of a modern Christmas standard (and Holiday Classic) if you will, that has also been performed by a number of different artists. I think this is an excellent rendition here, of an awesome, very well written holiday song...

I think this is probably one of my favorite versions of the song, that I had discovered on Apple Music, and then added to my Apple Music-Christmas Favorites Playlist  Absolutely brilliant rendition...

And from the same playlist, and I guess, more on the spiritual side of the season, I think the production, the performance, and the majestic beauty of this rendition (of a song which has also been recreated by so many artists) is absolutely awe-inspiring, and one of the best I have ever heard...

Ditto on this one. (And another song that has been recorded by so many different artists and musicians, its not funny! This one actually going back to the Baroque composer, Johann Sebastian Bach, and whose music I am a big fan of myself). The chord changes alone in this piece are absolutely brilliant in itself. And the rendition here is among the best I have ever heard. This is from my Apple Music-Celtic Christmas Music Playlist...

The Pretenders - 2000 Miles

The Moody Blues - December Snow & A Beautiful Holiday Poem

A Cold Home On A Bright And Snowy Street

I had a home with all the delights
one could have on Thanksgiving
and Christmas Day: what do I miss
on these beautiful and memorable days?
The tight hugs of family members; 
the smell of a roasting turkey,
and the barking of the dog welcoming
guests with breath steaming, carrying
eye-tempting pumpkin pies
that chubby Brian craved before napping!

I had everything any man could wish for comfort:
an ample house and dreams to live for;
children who ran wild and played music,
Jane who loved to sing jumping on the carpet.
I listened and learned how to write a lyric
for all of my darlings to sing around the hot log...
while all the frosted windows started to fog!
Is anyone looking for me to stop my shiver?

A cold home on a bright and snowy street,
freezes the Yule images in the dreamy mind;
hot stuffing that steams like cymnies at midnight;
peacan pies that Mary used to bake with happy beat....
only Dusky, the hungry dog, made a growling sound!

                                                      -Andrew Crisci