In my introduction to the Christmas Present series, I panned Christina Perri’s attempt at covering Karen Carpenter’s “Merry Christmas Darling” for playing it too close to the original, but without having the vocal warmth of Carpenter.  Fortunately, Perri’s “A Very Merry Perri Christmas” (ugh, the rhyme), released this year, has a gem of its own.

Perri’s “Something About December” fits Perri’s voice like a glove; I actually think Perri’s in finer vocal form than I believe I’ve ever heard her. Although slower, its warm and comforting sound and lyrics are a beautiful companion to the season, and is a nice addition to the holiday soundtrack.

Additional listening

Here’s Perri’s version of “Merry Christmas Darling.” She can certainly sing, and this isn’t a bad song for her vocals.

The problem is the arrangement is awfully close to the original, originally recorded by Karen Carpenter more than 40 years ago and re-recorded in 1978 when they recorded an album of Christmas music.  Carpenter’s rendition is a staple on my playlist to this day, thanks to the impeccable arrangements and music by her brother, Richard, as well as her warm, rich vocals.