bboat11
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Post by bboat11 on Nov 1, 2020 5:58:02 GMT -5
Hello everyone!!! 'Tis the season!!!!! I know many of you may not participate until after Thanksgiving, and that's fine. I cannot stop you from depriving yourself of joy until a very arbitrary point in time arrives.
As you know, we have just completed the '90s phase of our Reba McEntire album series!! A nice summative rankdown of all the best album tracks from this phase of her career can be found here It's due just before Thanksgiving, and should be one of the hardest and most fun rankdowns you have ever done thanks to it being such a strong group of songs!!! Once we have finished the album tracks rd, it will be time for us to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year before we dive into the early years of Reba's career!
Conveniently for us, Reba released a Christmas album in both the '80s and the '90s. Therefore, we will be using this set as a bit of a bridge between the two decades (thank you for this idea, tim )! We will start by ranking her '90s album, to put a nice bow on top of our '90s phase, and follow it up with her '80s album, thereby turning the page to the next phase of her career!
I know Christmas rankdowns are not always the most popular occasions on Pulse, but I am excited to have fun with those of you who want to join And if you choose to sit this one out, you can at least look forward to Reba's '80s phase beginning in earnest during the new year!!
Secret of Giving: A Christmas Collection (1999) Tracklist: (Runtime 36 min) 1. This Is My Prayer For You 2. I Saw Mama Kissing Santa Claus 3. One Child, One Day 4. Mary, Did You Know? 5. Up On The Housetop 6. The Angels Sang 7. Santa Claus Is Coming Back To Town 8. The Secret Of Giving 9. This Christmas 10. 'Til The Season Comes 'Round Again
Merry Christmas To You (1987)
Tracklist: (Runtime 35 min)
1. Away In A Manger 2. On This Day 3. O Holy Night 4. The Christmas Guest 5. Silent Night 6. Happy Birthday Jesus (I'll Open This One Just For You) 7. White Christmas 8. I'll Be Home For Christmas 9. A Christmas Letter 10. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) Due: December 6th, 2020
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bboat11
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Post by bboat11 on Nov 1, 2020 6:00:48 GMT -5
Just a couple followup notes to make sure we are all on the same page: -Yes there are two separate albums here, and yes they will be ranked separately! Two separate lists, one deadline Just like we do with the George Strait series, the Trisha Yearwood series, etc. (Just clarifying because frequently Christmas rankdowns have been combined into one. I felt that between the three albums, Reba had too many Christmas songs to combine into one rankdown. Small chunks will be easier.) -Reba does have a 3rd Christmas album from a couple years ago... That will not be part of this. I don't want to overload you. We will catch that one next year
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Post by RobbyFlorida on Nov 1, 2020 9:28:47 GMT -5
Seemed like about damn time for me to start this The first bite we take out of this album is closing track for the regular album, "We're All Alone". This is a power ballad of epic proportions, meant to end the album on a strong note no doubt. Unfortunately, the fact that it is half in Spanish TOTALLY takes me out of the song! Reba's part is so beautiful and powerful...and then she ditches us for the majority of the rest of the song The song is a classic, covered by several people though the years...but I am not entirely sure where the Spanish came from? Was that something that had been done before, or did Reba do it just to be creative? Either way, that is a creative decision was a swing and a miss for me. The Reba solo version (posted above) is sooooo much better!! I have a version that split the US and Brazilian versions. The US version was the one here 1/2 in English and 1/2 in Spanish. The Brazilian version 1/2 English and 1/2 in Portuguese (different duet partner not Jose y Durval) Now the difference was Reba sang different verses in English for each version. So if you cut her English parts in both versions and combine them she sings the whole song in English
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Post by RobbyFlorida on Nov 1, 2020 9:39:40 GMT -5
Feels so warm and so safe here, now don't get me wrong, But it's selfish to stay here. I'd be leading you on. Maybe someone else can give you What you really, really want. But I'm not your girl.
They say people change. I wish it were true. It's something I've tried so hard to do. I can't explain Why right feels so wrong, And I keep hearing the same old song.
4. "I'm Not Your Girl"
Track 6 Runtime: 3:41 I found this song title interesting since the song that was on the B Side of Reba’s debut single “I Don’t Want To Be A One Night Stand” was “I’m Not Your Kind Of Girl”. Sadly, the song was never put on the debut album. Only on the single.
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Post by RobbyFlorida on Nov 1, 2020 9:59:32 GMT -5
Wish you had all 3 of her Christmas albums listed.
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bboat11
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Post by bboat11 on Nov 3, 2020 2:30:27 GMT -5
Wish you had all 3 of her Christmas albums listed. Well I would have just combined them into one big rankdown, but each of her albums are so different it would be impossible to rank them together in my opinion. Also tim had the brilliant idea of using this as a bridge from the '90s to the '80s parts of her career, which of course wouldn't have worked with her newer album thrown in the mix. And like I said above, I didn't want to overload people. There will also be Christmas rankdowns for Alan Jackson, Trisha Yearwood, and Carrie Underwood, plus a rankdown of New Christmas Releases, which is a lot for people to do in one month. Especially with the Reba '90s album tracks rd being due just a couple weeks before. Which, by the way, I hope you will participate in!!! ;)
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bboat11
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Post by bboat11 on Nov 3, 2020 2:31:18 GMT -5
It also doesn't help that last time I checked, most of her new Christmas album was not even available on YouTube... Maybe by next year more people will have uploaded it!
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taylor
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Post by taylor on Nov 14, 2020 14:54:40 GMT -5
It also doesn't help that last time I checked, most of her new Christmas album was not even available on YouTube... Maybe by next year more people will have uploaded it! I could've sworn that My Kind of Christmas was on streaming! I'd also listened to it in 2018 thanks to a series of videos (not from Reba herself) that contained audio of each track
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bboat11
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Post by bboat11 on Nov 22, 2020 13:01:07 GMT -5
Let's do our first reminder, shall we? There is still a bit of time to get in on these. The deadline is now two weeks away (holy cow!!!!) I will be open to extending it a few days if need be, since her '90s album tracks are due right before that, but I also don't want to encroach on other people's Christmas rankdowns. So try to get them done on time if you can :)
Secret of Giving Participants:
Merry Christmas To You Participants: Due: December 6th, 2020
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bboat11
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Post by bboat11 on Dec 1, 2020 19:38:47 GMT -5
Happy December everyone!!! At this point most of us are starting to get into the Christmas spirit and are directing our attention towards our upcoming wave of Christmas rankdowns... And as you direct your attention to said Christmas rankdowns, don't forget that Reba is among the first wave of Christmas rankdowns to be due!!!! Castle's shuffle rankdown and Reba's two Christmas albums are both coming up this weekend!
There are only five more days to get to these two Reba albums :) Like I said last time, I can extend a few days if you need me to, but I also don't want to encroach on anyone else's Christmas rankdowns! So try to get it done by the deadline if you can! I'm going to extend her album tracks again, so that y'all are not too overwhelmed...
Secret of Giving Participants:
Merry Christmas To You Participants: Due: December 6th, 2020
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Cody Wants Out...
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Post by Cody Wants Out... on Dec 1, 2020 20:46:53 GMT -5
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codyj100
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Post by codyj100 on Dec 1, 2020 21:51:31 GMT -5
Happy December everyone!!! At this point most of us are starting to get into the Christmas spirit and are directing our attention towards our upcoming wave of Christmas rankdowns... And as you direct your attention to said Christmas rankdowns, don't forget that Reba is among the first wave of Christmas rankdowns to be due!!!! Castle's shuffle rankdown and Reba's two Christmas albums are both coming up this weekend!
There are only five more days to get to these two Reba albums :) Like I said last time, I can extend a few days if you need me to, but I also don't want to encroach on anyone else's Christmas rankdowns! So try to get it done by the deadline if you can! I'm going to extend her album tracks again, so that y'all are not too overwhelmed...
Secret of Giving Participants:
Merry Christmas To You Participants: Due: December 6th, 2020
OMG! How did I almost miss this? I’ll submit tomorrow
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bboat11
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Post by bboat11 on Dec 5, 2020 14:33:33 GMT -5
Hello hello!! It is officially time for our one day warning!!!!! Can we get to 10 participants?! Will codyj100 get a list in? Stay tuned to find out!!!
Secret of Giving Participants:
Merry Christmas To You Participants: Due: December 6th, 2020
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someguy
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Post by someguy on Dec 5, 2020 14:35:23 GMT -5
Very much looking forward to seeing how the s turns out.
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codyj100
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Post by codyj100 on Dec 5, 2020 17:20:18 GMT -5
Ugh, I hate that I'm going to miss this. We have people coming over and I won't be able to finish in time. Please tag me so I can follow along still.
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.indulgecountry
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Post by .indulgecountry on Dec 5, 2020 18:22:30 GMT -5
Excited to see the results for Secret of Giving as that album really surprised me. One of the best country Xmas albums I've heard! OTOH, her 80s Xmas effort was a travesty and I struggled to find even a couple songs I liked. If we ranked them together as a set of 20 songs, there'd probably be only one song at most from it in my top 10 if that.
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sbp17
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Post by sbp17 on Dec 5, 2020 19:46:16 GMT -5
Interesting. I’m the exact opposite. I loved Merry Christmas To You but only about two songs on Secret of Giving.
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someguy
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Post by someguy on Dec 6, 2020 1:14:56 GMT -5
I would love for her to do just regular Christmas album with traditional songs. I know her last album had traditional songs, but the piano only arrangement made them feel different.
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bboat11
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Post by bboat11 on Dec 6, 2020 2:57:24 GMT -5
I would love for her to do just regular Christmas album with traditional songs. I know her last album had traditional songs, but the piano only arrangement made them feel different. Agreed 100%! Reba has a lot of Christmas music, but there is a huuuuuuuge gaping hole because she has so few contemporary-sounding Christmas classics using a full band. "Up On The Housetop" and "Mary Did You Know" occupy that niche nicely from her '90s album, as does Kelly Clarkson's "Silent Night" ft. Reba and Trisha. But that's just about it. Her other Christmas classics are dated and campy (from the '80s, lol), or held back by the instrumentation being too samey and sparse (the '10s album).
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bboat11
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Post by bboat11 on Dec 6, 2020 17:41:06 GMT -5
Ugh, I hate that I'm going to miss this. We have people coming over and I won't be able to finish in time. Please tag me so I can follow along still. I'll start by revealing the '80s album, so that'll give at least 2-3 more days to get the '90s one done if you end up having time :)
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bboat11
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Post by bboat11 on Dec 13, 2020 21:34:49 GMT -5
Merry Christmas To You Rankdown: Results Time!
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Post by bboat11 on Dec 13, 2020 22:07:09 GMT -5
I'm dreaming of a white Christmas, Just like the ones I used to know May your days be merry and bright And may all your Christmases be white
10. "White Christmas"
Track 7 Runtime: 3:03
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taylor
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Post by taylor on Dec 13, 2020 22:09:41 GMT -5
I have to disagree on the covers. The original is just more Christmasy imo; captures the mood and essence better
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bboat11
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Post by bboat11 on Dec 13, 2020 22:11:14 GMT -5
The nearly unanimous distaste for "White Christmas" shocked me, tbh. I think the fact that the intro goes on for waaaaay too long must have factored against it. It's long enough to trick you into thinking it's going to be an instrumental. Once she starts singing it honestly isn't bad, just kinda dated, but certainly no moreso than the rest of the album! castleoblivion26, someguy, and sbp17 get a perfect ranking, and nobody loses a top 5 ranking!
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bboat11
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Post by bboat11 on Dec 13, 2020 22:12:33 GMT -5
I have to disagree on the covers. The original is just more Christmasy imo; captures the mood and essence better You also put a spoken word poem at #1, so I'm not sure you want to go sharing your opinions regarding this album ;)
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Post by tim on Dec 13, 2020 22:12:58 GMT -5
I have to disagree on the covers. The original is just more Christmasy imo; captures the mood and essence better And....I have to completely disagree lol! I absolutely can’t stand the original cover for the album as I find it be rather campy.
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bboat11
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Post by bboat11 on Dec 13, 2020 22:14:43 GMT -5
Next, we pivot from our least polarizing song to our MOST polarizing!!!
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Post by bboat11 on Dec 13, 2020 22:19:22 GMT -5
Three times I knocked, and three times I came in. And each time I found the warmth of a friend. Of all the gifts, love is the best. And I was honored to be your Christmas Guest.
9. "The Christmas Guest"
Track 4 Runtime: 5:23
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bboat11
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Post by bboat11 on Dec 13, 2020 22:20:14 GMT -5
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Post by castleoblivion26 on Dec 13, 2020 22:22:25 GMT -5
I enjoy the poem, and I think it works rather well so no regrets from me.
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