Clay Aiken: The First Noël

[giovannina]

I've just heard a download of Clay Aiken's "The First Noël," from his 2006 Christmas concert in Waukegan, IL 12-1-06. The song is not on Clay's 2004 Christmas album, "Merry Christmas With Love," or on the 2006 Wal-Mart exclusive CD "All Is Well," but it reached #8 (IIRC) on the AC charts in 2003 as a cut from the American Idol Holiday Classics CD.
It was not available as an individual paid download (e.g., on iTunes) until this year or last, but I think it's not only one of Clay's best recordings but one of the best versions of that carol that I've ever heard.

You can hear a clip of the song from the AIHC album at iTunes, of course, but here is Clay's "The First Noël from last night's concert:

[JCMF3]

I love this version.

[doodlebug]

He has done fantastic with this song. Every concert he just blows it out the roof. I have actually heard this (one of the few Clay songs) several times at the store playing and once on the radio. Shame they don't play it or his other ones more often. His voice is totally amazing on Christmas songs.

[giovannina]

Sadly, I think one reason this song (like Clay's duet with Kim Locke on "Silver Bells") gets played more often (on radio and in stores) than Clay's other Christmas songs is that it's not on either of his own Christmas albums. It's on the American Idol Holiday Classics CD. I think RCA and 19 are more interested in pushing the AI franchise than backing Clay.

I also think this song could have been a Gold digital download if it had been available as an individual cut at iTunes, etc., in 2003 or 2004. But back then you had to buy the whole album. It's only been in the past year or two that you could download it individually.