This album opens with “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” which Dave Rudolf delivers with a reggae vibe. You know, you give anything a reggae beat, and it becomes kind of fun, kind of relaxed, kind of cool. And that’s how it works here, because this sound itself gives us “comfort and joy.” The backing vocalists repeat, “Joy, joy, joy,” a nice touch. And then of course there are steel drums in the second half of the track. This opening number sets the tone for the album. It’s followed by “Hawaiian Holiday,” an original composition by Dave Rudolf that has a gentle, relaxed Hawaiian sound. “We’ll build a bonfire on the beach/Come away, come away/We’ll be somewhere the snow can’t reach/Come away, come away/Ooh, Christmas in this paradise/Wouldn’t it be so nice/Where the palm trees sway.” I love his sweet vocal performance. Plus, this track features some nice work on guitar. And it plays with the idea that when Santa arrives, he’ll want to stay. And why not? Must be a nice change from his home in the North Pole.
When I was visiting family earlier this month, I ended up watching Love Actually again with my girlfriend and my mom. There is a funny moment when Hugh Grant’s character is asked by some children to sing, and he begins to deliver “Good King Wencelas.” The funny bit is when he wordlessly urges his aide to join him, and the man turns out to have a fantastic voice. Anyway, that’s what I think of now when I think of this song. Dave Rudolf’s rendition has a light feel and features some nice work on steel drums. That’s followed by “Santa’s Gone Surfin’,” an original composition about Santa needing a vacation. “He’s overworked and cranky, he’s not been so nice/He needs a short vacation, he needs to get away/Santa’s gone surfin’, he’s catching a wave.” Yeah, this is a totally fun number, obviously done in the surf style. “The elves have been nagging, the toy shop’s a mess/When he gets on the surfboard it relieves a lot of stress.” I bet there are a lot of folks in this country who are wishing they were surfing right now. The pleasant island vibes continue with “Christmas Limbo,” another original number. This one finds Santa bending under the limbo stick. By the way, when I first read the song’s title, I was thinking about something along the lines of purgatory, an endless Christmas; you know, being in limbo. But this makes much more sense with the album’s theme.
“We Wish You A Merry Christmas” is one of those songs that played a big part in our holidays when we were children and then was somewhat forgotten. Wasn’t it one the teachers always chose for the children to sing at the annual Christmas concerts in school? Perhaps because the song is a bit of fluff, a trifle in the holiday songbook. But Dave Rudolf delivers a fun rendition that reminds us of what we enjoyed about it when we were kids. That’s followed by “Holiday Candle,” an original song, this one with a sweeter, mellower tone. Several Christmas songs were written in 1940s for soldiers who longed for home, and this one follows in that tradition, but moves beyond that to include others “who are yearning.” This is a pretty song, somewhat different in tone from most of the album’s other tracks, and for me is one of the album’s best.
Things then get fun again with Dave Rudolf’s rendition of “Deck The Halls.” It’s an instrumental rendition, along the lines of those great surf instrumentals, and it leads straight into an instrumental rendition of “O Christmas Tree,” performed in the same style. I seriously dig this track. For me, it’s another of the album’s highlights. It returns to “Deck The Halls” before the end. Then “Christmas Cheer” is an original song with a more serious sound and theme. “Give hope and share your bounty/To those who have much less.” And I appreciate these lines: “Some act like the Christmas season is time for wealth and greed/Yet those who claim they’re Christians should help all those in need/Not all the sparking presents or all the Hallmark cards/Get sent to the children whose lives are cold and hard.” This track also features some good work on guitar. That’s followed by an enjoyable rendition of “Night Before Christmas,” featuring a strong, prominent rhythm, and including a cool section with drums and bass. Jamie Wirt plays bass on this track. I also like those backing vocals.
“Mary’s Boy Child” is one I don’t hear as often these days. It’s probably still the Boney M version that we think of most. Dave Rudolf delivers a rather sweet, gentle, pretty rendition. That’s followed by an original song titled “Hope You Have A Merry Christmas.” This is a light, playful number. “They don’t want to go to bed/They want to see the reindeer and the sleigh.” Steve Wing and Jim Frels join Dave Rudolf on vocals on this one. The track features some really nice bass work, as well as a good lead on guitar. The music turns serious again with “The Manger,” another original composition. This is a beautiful, spiritual number featuring some really good work on guitar, as well as some nice work on keys. This for me is perhaps the most surprising track on the album. It is different from most of the other tracks, but really works. Andy Dumaresq plays drums on this one. The album concludes with a cheerful rendition of “Joy To The World” with a strong island vibe. Those steel drums have a prominent place in this version. Todd Mizera plays bass on this track. Dave Rudolf includes some lyrics that are sometimes left out, such as these lines: “No more let sins and sorrows grow/Nor thorns infest the ground/He comes to make his blessings flow/Far as the curse is found.”
CD Track List
- God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
- Hawaiian Holiday
- Good King Wencelas
- Santa’s Gone Surfin’
- Christmas Limbo
- We Wish You A Merry Christmas
- Holiday Candle
- Deck The Halls/Oh Christmas Tree
- Christmas Cheer
- Night Before Christmas (Christmas Eve)
- Mary’s Boy Child
- Hope You Have A Merry Christmas
- The Manger
- Joy To The World
Tropical Christmas
was released on November 12, 2012.
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