The holidays are fast approaching, and Norah Jones has given us all an early gift in "I Dream of Christmas" her first ever holiday album. She and I got to spend some long over-due time together catching up, talking about Christmases past, jello molds that don't set, candied jams with burnt marshmallows, and all the other perfectly imperfect happenings that make the holiday's special!
This new album is full of nostalgic numbers and six brand-new original tracks. Join us to hear which is Norah's favorite, and which is mine! ~ Delilah
I am so fortunate to be able to speak to some really, really amazing guests on my podcast series Loves Someone. I like to mix things up and keep them fresh, keep them interesting, And with the cool weather that's set in, I'm guessing I'm not alone. We're well into autumn, now, cooler, shorter days of the norm. That summer we thought would never end is becoming a faded memory and something to now look forward to after we get through the winter months that are surely ahead. But first there is pumpkin carving, apple bobbing, pie making and feasting, feasting, feasting while giving thanks and being grateful for all that we have. One of those things I'm very grateful for is some new music will be showcasing and talking about today and the phenomenal artist that's bringing it our way. Her mellow, melodic voice is instantly recognizable. It's very hard to describe, but you you know it when you hear it. We welcome in these dusky songs when our hearts are hurting or hopeful, or calling to us to be heard. Her music, her warm and reassuring voice, touches our soul and dances with our spirits. And now she's done a thing I don't think any of us would have anticipated. She's released a holiday album. It comes nearly twenty years since her two thousand and two debut album, Come Away with Me, became a familiar companion to millions of people around the world. Nora Jones, the nine time Grammy winning singer and pianist, has made her first ever holiday album with I Dream of Christmas. It's um delightfully cozy collection of timeless seasonal favorites and some brand new originals that are said to explore the complicated emotions of the past year and our hopes that this holiday season will be full of joy and togetherness. Her words and that sweet explore the complicated emotions. Oh boy, haven't they been complicated of this past year? And our hopes that this holiday season will be full of joy and togetherness. Will welcome our dreamy guest to love someone in just a minute right now, I need to tell you about the holiday magic that is one of the sponsors of today's podcast. If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. That's an African proverb I've always loved. It's something I believe to be true because I've seen the impact that going together brings and it's one of the reasons I love Mercy Ships so much. They don't go at it alone. They believe in the power of together. They're all volunteer crew of doctors, nurses, teachers, engineers, and housekeeping staff come together to help transform the lives of suffering people in developing nations. If you've ever wanted to make your mark on the world, this could be the moment you've been waiting for. Because Mercy Ships has volunteer opportunities on their ships. We've all said one day I'll do something to help change the world. Make that one day today and make your mark. Go to Mercy ships dot org to learn more. Hi, Norah Jones, thank you for joining me on Love Someone. Happy Holidays. Hi back to you. Thank you for having me. I don't know when the last time I had you on my show was, but it's been a minute. It has It's been a minute, and we got a lot to catch up on, especially a lot of great Christmas music. I'm in that vibe. I'm swaying to your tunes because I was listening right for I got to do this podcast. I was listening to the different songs on the album and just kind of closing my eyes pretending I had rhythms swaying a little bit fun stuff. Nor you know what, the whole album sort of takes me back. It's got like a retro vibe of when Christmas was a lot less complicated. I mean, I think Christmas in general just it's got that nostalgia that's kind of what I was trying to do, but also do something you know, a little bit new with it. But yeah, I love simpler times. It definitely every song, even the new song, still had that vibe that made me miss like Christmas at home with my folks and my grandparents before you know, there was all these expectations of the holidays. Just back to that sweet, simple time. Yeah, I'm and I think everybody has their own relationship with the holidays, but there's des sense of nostalgia, and there's always like either you had that sweet time or you always wanted it. So there's that feeling that you miss even if you never had that classic Christmas thing. So which was it for you growing up? Did you have that sweet time or were you longing for it? I think a little bit of both. I grew up with a hard working single mom. So we always went to my my aunt or my uncle's or my grandma's for Christmas, and so we definitely had that sweet time with her extended family, but it was just us. Sometimes we went camping for Christmas and it was actually always fun, but it was never traditional unless we went to their house. Well well, well back up you went. Your mom took you camping for Christmas. I love that. Yeah, one year and then one year we have you know, I'm from Texas. I grew up in Texas, so we had like a cactus decorated. I think you know, she put up a real Christmas tree only one time because we would always go away. So so why go to all the bother of putting one up and then having to tear it down if you weren't even going to be there, right, Yeah, And I kind of used to be like that because I just didn't grow up with that tradition of putting up a tree. But you know, as an adult, it's become like I'm the one making us do these traditions because it's sweet, and uh, I don't know, there is something about it because I maybe didn't quite have it in the same way as you see in the movies, but it makes me want it even more. Well, the songs on your new Christmas album make me feel like the old Christmas movies. In fact, I gotta be honest with you, I was prepared to be disappointed with Christmas Time is here because that is such a mainstay in my heart. With Christmas. The Charlie Brown song, Charlie Brown Song and Nora It's so sweet and so good. Thanks. There's so many great Christmas songs, I mean, it was actually hard to narrow them down, but that one. I wasn't even sure it was going to make the album, but it's just such a great song. The lyrics are so beautiful and so spot on for how everybody feels, you know. So I'm glad it made the album. I'm glad you liked it. I'm glad it made the album. But I am so glad it didn't disappoint, because, like I said, you're glad I didn't suck. No, it's not even I mean, there are so many artists that have done it, and you know, I mean, they've got beautiful voices or whatever. But it's like when something is perfection, you don't want it to be polluted, and your version of Christmas time is here is so spot on and so filled with that Christmas beauty that hope, I just I loved it, thank you. That was kind of the hard thing about making the album was that I wanted it to be beautiful and inspired, you know, and so many of these songs, we know, we all grew up with these amazing versions of them, so it is kind of hard to redo some of them. But you know, when you go in the studio and you just kind of try some stuff, it either sticks or it doesn't. You can either make it your own or you can't. Be either feeling it deep in your heart or you're not. So we only went with those classics. So on the thirteen songs on the album, how many of them are ones that are brand new for the world to hear. I think six yeah, and they really informed the rest of the songs, the cover choices as well, because I've never been inspired to make a Christmas album. It's certainly come up before, but it's just never been what I was inspired to do. But this time I really was. From this whole last year, we used to we listened to Christmas music on Sundays during the beginning of the pandemic, just to sort of cheer ourselves up, and and so I was excited to think about maybe doing it. And then I didn't really know my way in because there's many ways in um, but I just started writing, and these original songs kind of informed it, and I like the way they all mixed together. So you said that, and I had read this that during the shutdown when we were all locked up, that you and your family would have a Christmas on Sunday and listen to Christmas music and make pancakes. Were your kids young? Like, I don't even know what age range they are, but yeah, did that become something where now that maybe you're not doing it every Sunday, they're whining no, no, because they didn't really get that into it. Because after the first Sunday they thought it was cute. The second Sunday they were like, okay, so what are what what presents are we getting? And we're like, it's not that kind of a Christmas. So it was almost more for the adults. It was that feeling for the adults. The kids kind of like, you know, they kind of were whatever, say with my kids, I can do something once, but once I do it twice, especially with my son Zach, who has has left this world and changed his address to heaven. But once I did something twice, it was a tradition and it had to be repeated. Like I like to make pancakes like in shapes for my kids, Like I make the letter their name starts with her, like butterflies or whatever. I put it in a catchup bottle and draw pictures with pancakes. Once I did that two times. When my son Zach had sleepovers, it was tradition. I had to do it every time he had somebody sleepover, you know. And I'm like, no, no, no, no, no, it's not it's not a pancake Sunday tradition. O. Yes it is, mom, Yeah that makes sense. I'm so sorry about your son. I know what you mean. Though. Yeah. They get really intent on um keeping things the same and doing things over and over. But that one they were it was it was really more comforting for the adults. I could listen to Christmas mus every weekend. I could listen to Christmas music all year. I love Christmas music. I mean I love it. I actually love it. I mean, you know, And I have like a pretty great playlist going of of a lot of stuff that you know, a lot of people know, and then stuff that they don't know. There's so much out there, and there's so many roads to take for um, making a Christmas album. So I'm glad it looked out. So I know this is a weird question, um, but is there like a favorite you re? You release Christmas Calling first? Was that your favorite? Like? How did that come today? Well? That is definitely my favorite of the originals. I really, you know, every every song has its own sort of flavor, but that's my favorite of the originals, and I love it. I love the way it came out. I love the sentiment of the lyrics. Friends who feel like family. That's kind of what I was missing during the the whole last year. You know, I was stuck with my family, but I missed all my friends. But of the classics, I really loved the version of the Chipmunk song Christmas don't be late that we did it. Really, I was expecting to hear that when I played it, and and I was pleasantly surprised to not hear the Chipmunks. Yeah, we didn't want to go to Chipmunk on it. It has a good vibe. I think I really loved the way it came out. So those are the first two songs and the sequence. It has such a great vibe, and your voice is indescribable. It's like it's kind of nostalgic. It brings back, it evokes all those wonderful, old, classic kind of jazzy Christmas songs, but it's breathy and edgy and rich and full all at the same time. Thank you, I appreciate that. So beautiful. For me doing all these classic Christmas songs, it made a lot of sense because I come from this deep jazz tradition. I mean, that's what I learned, That's the music I was sort of steeped in. You know. I used to listen to Billie Holiday and try to just play all those old songs, and that really relates to all these a lot of these classic Christmas songs. But I'm also from Texas and I'm you know, I remember Frank Williams and Willie Nelson and there's that whole country Christmas thing too. I mean, it was a really nice way for me to sort of mix up a lot of my traditional influences. So you said that your mom was a single mom raising you in a little different way. Christmas cactus as opposed to a Christmas tree. Is there a Thanksgiving recipe or a Thanksgiving tradition or a holiday tradition that mom passed on that just means the holidays to you? Well, she always made this saying that her mom used to make, and so I let her make it usually because when I make it, I mess it up. But it's just a cranberry jello salad, kind of old timey, but it is kind of good and it reminds me of my grandma and grown up. And did she put oranges in it? No, but she puts celery in it, which is kind of weird but also nuts. And there's been many Thanksgiving where it you know, you take it out of the fridge and the jello hasn't set and it has, you know, the whole thing tumbled onto somebody whoever's taking it out of the fridge. So that's happening like at least four times in my lifetime. So in in my family, I always do candied yams like my grandma used to, and I put marshmallows on top of them, and one percent of the time, without fail, I forget that I put them in the oven to broil and to brown the marshmallows, you know, to make them puffy. And I burned the damn marshmallows on the time. It's like, but they're good. Like that. I assigned people. I'm like, okay, your job is to do this, put the candy yams in with the marshmallows and take them out before they burned, because I can't be trusted with that assignment anymore. And they still burn them. Yeah, but that's part of holiday tradition, is all those things that don't go exactly as they're supposed to. You know, remember the Norman Rockwell painting of Holiday with everybody sitting at the beautiful table and the perfectly oh hell no, no, no, no. Now we use paper plates because there's you know, except with COVID last year, there's just way too many people. No way, I'm doing that many dishes. And we have, you know, four tables set up because we've got kids and we got grandkids, and we got friends and we got cousins. And the marshmallows are burnt. And I do like a jello thing, not your grandma's, but I do that, and just like with you half the time. It doesn't set up. I don't know why. It's like, why Jello are you doing this to me? Yeah, it's like the chemistry just isn't perfect or something. Yeah, I don't know if it's like if it's raining outside that doesn't I don't know what it is. It's very weird. So there's there's another song I want to talk about on the album that You're Not Alone. Oh yeah, if I could give a gift to anybody who was hurting for any reason, I would give them the gift of cut number eight You're Not Alone. Yeah, that one was special. It kind of came we started playing at the studio. I just started playing it, but I didn't have any lyrics, so we just kind of recorded it and then I sort of fiddled around with the lyrics after and figured it out. So the music came to you before the lyrics. Yeah, when you write, do the lyrics normally come first? Does the song come first and then the lyrics come? Like? How does that work for you? Usually usually there's something that comes with the music, like a melody and maybe like a piece of a lyric, and then you can usually piece it together after that. But it's nice when lightning sort of strikes at once for the main part. But that one was just the piano a part. It was sort of based on some old Willie Nelson guitar riff, and then I had Brian Blade on drums and Tony Sharon based and we were just playing through it like we were in church, you know, and it was really hypnotic and kind of circular type of chord structure, and I loved it. And then a few days later we decided to record it, and I had a little bit of a melody and a few lyrics, but the year Not Alone part was the main, the main thing. Like I said, if I could, I would wrap that song up in a beautiful package and send it to everybody, not just my people, not just the people I know that are hurting, but everybody who is grieving, hurting, lonely, despondent, depressed, angry. There's so much anger in the world. And when I listened to that song, it just like deep breath, Okay, we're not alone. That's why we celebrate Christmas. It's just that little reach out, you know. It's that, you know, a little reminder. Our podcast sponsored today is Annie's Kit Clubs. While the leaves fall outside, the kids will be busy crafting inside, making beautiful keepsake decorations for the holidays. Annie's has introduced new Autumn and Christmas themed kids that are fun for all. We love them because they're perfect for family time and hands on creativity, and they make it so easy sendings supplies and instructions and exciting colorful packages to your mailbox every month. Get crafting and creating beautiful memories with your family. Visit Annie's Kit clubs dot com slash radio now for seventy five percent off your first kit. That's Annie's Kit Clubs dot com slash Radio. So now that things are I don't want to say calming down because or not, but yeah, who knows? Who knows? Who knows? Are you touring again? Are you? Are people able to go see you? A lot of people are, but I am not yet, but I probably will be next summer. I'm hoping. Yeah, that's my dream. The dream is to be able to get in front of people by next summer. Yeah, that would be my dream. My dream is to be able to get into my jeans by next summer. Well, that's also my dream, at least if I have a show book. They'll have something to work for. I have to have a purpose, you know. You have to tell me I'm going to be on screen or something. Otherwise the sour dough is winning this war. Oh me too. I love to eat. It's too fun, but that's good. And why I made a Christmas album because I was just looking for a little bit of joy. And you know, last spring I was trying to, you know, think of what I was doing with my life without touring. Um My last album that came out during really did It was a little dark. So I thought, oh, let's try a Christmas album. But of course, you know, it's a melancholy Christmas alp of Indian. But that's okay. It's melancholy, but it's hopeful and it's got a lot of joy and it's got a lot of memories. So I think, whatever space you're in, whatever you're going through, when you put it on, if you're lucky and can go someplace quiet without a thousand kids pulling at you, um and just listen to it. Oh my gosh, I think it touches every emotional nerve and it did in my heart. Well, I'm so glad. You've got to hear it, you know, it's so nice to hear that. Um, that's how I felt about it, And I felt like, I felt that it was really special and it was coming from a very genuine place. So I'm glad you felt it. And one more thing I need. We need to talk about the movie Elf. Oh, it's the best movie on the planet ever made. It's my favorite movie. Forget about Christmas movies. It's just my favorite movie, favorite movie of all time. It is. I mean, it's definitely my my most watched movie of all time. Mine is Princess Bride. I love that. That's like number two. Yeah, that's one of the reasons my husband and I got together when we both discovered that we had both separately before we ever knew each other, watched Princess Bride like five thousand times. It was like destiny. But Elf is right up there in our family. They want the costumes, they want the tights, they want the whole shebang. The cool thing about that movie is it's great for the clids and they they love it. But there's all these nostalgic references in it that go deep for us, you know what I mean. So, you know, goes back to our childhood, all the acclamation bits and the Christmas story kid is in it. You know, he's one of the else so it's it's so cool. It's just a great movie. I cry every time. I seriously cry. I'm so weird. But I don't really cry a lot. But every single year when we finally start watching Elf, because we watched it many times over the holidays, I do cry, usually at this one part every time, whenever in the New York one, you know, lady is not believing it, and then it all is believable all of a sudden, and the thing flies over her head, the sleigh that I always cry at that, which is so weird to me that I cry. That's when I cry once a year. See for me, it's when they're having tea at the end. Well, I've already I've already busted the water works out at that point, so I'm usually still crying at that point. But but you know, the real the worl waterfall is right before my five year old discovered Elf last year. And you know when kids find a movie they love, they want to watch it over and over and over. Yeah, morning, noon, and night. He had to watch it to the point where he had every line in the movie, not just the lines memorize, but he would hop up out of the seat where we're watching it and start acting it out in front of the screen. And I wish I had videotaped it, but you know, sometimes I just I don't want to spoil a moment by trying to capture the moment. Yeah, I know what you mean. Yeah you can't. But that's the best, and it's a it's a very quotable movie. And also the soundtrack is great. It's one of my favorite Christmas albums to put on. It's the soundtrack because there's a lot of clastics on there and some good new stuff. I have a new favorite Christmas album to put on with great soundtracks now, thanks to you. That's great. So Many and Blue Christmas. Yeah, that's one of my favorite covers on the album. It is beautiful, Beautiful. That's one of my favorite Christmas songs, just from childhood. My my aunts who passed away when I was seventeen, she loved Elvis, so we always listen to that. My mama loved Elvis. She was from Arkansas, and I think anybody who was from anywhere remotely close to where Elvis grew up kind of felt a possession or an ownership. Yeah, that makes sense. And I was I was a kid on the air at the radio station and Elvis died. Wow, Yeah that is crazy. But his all of his Christmas songs are wonderful. But Blue Christmas definitely definitely in a top ten position. Yeah, I love how all the gospel Christmas. There's also a great Staples singer's Christmas album that's pretty incredible. We we just discovered so much great Christmas music diving in for this. I'm gonna put a bunch of playlists together. What's the plan this year? Will you be home with family? Will you be at somebody else's home or do you know where you're going to be come Christmas morning? And who bakes the cookies that you'll leave out for Yeah? At me, horrible. My husband's the baker. But I'll probably just be home and my mom lives near me now, which is nice, and the kids are a little so it's fun still. I mean, I think my son is still excited for Sam Clay seven, so we'll see hopefully. Nora, thank you for spending this time with me. Merry Christmas, Happy holidays, and thank you to Merry Christmas, Happy holidays. Especially thank you for your not alone. That really, that really blessed my heart. I appreciate that, alright. I'm a great one. I cannot tell you the number of times I've played a Nora Jones song on my radio program. They are perfect for any number of dedications, and listening to her is like grapping your heart in a warm blanket and letting the stress in your life every way. I don't think would ever be so key as to get a Christmas album from Nora, and I'm so thankful that we have. Nora has been super busy since the pandemic put the kabash on her touring plans. She's not only released this holiday album, but she and fellow Puss in Boots bandmates released Sister last year, and Nora dropped a full solo album, pick Me Up off the Floor, in the summer of check out our social pages for all the fun details on those. Since we flipped the switch to all Christmas music earlier than many on the Delilah Radio show, this new music coming from such a beloved and celebrated performer is very welcome. Indeed, I dream of Christmas is just as dreamy as it sounds, and it's available for purchase and download right now. Add it to your playlist and tell me which is your favorite. You already know which is mine. You heard me saying You're not alone? Who I can listen to that twenty times and it so inspiring. We've got a lot more great music coming your way on the Delilah Radio Show and here on Love Someone. I hope it's helping to get you into the holiday spirit, the holiday spirit of love and hope and joy to the world. I will talk to you soon. Until then, take some time out of your busy holiday schedule to slow down and love someone.