W.O.C.K On Vinyl: Kate Ceberano - Merry Christmas (2009)

 Before things get too serious here at Rock On Vinyl, I thought it might be fun to post a song or album at the end of each month, that could be categorized as being either Weird, Obscure, Crazy or just plain Korny.

Kate Ceberano first came to prominence singing back-up vocals with Melbourne band The Models. The band produced a top five album in 1985 called 'Out of Mind, Out of Sight', before Ceberano found fame with her funk band I'm Talking. I’m Talking are acknowledged as the band “who pioneered New York-style art pop in Australia during the Jurassic Period of Pub Rock”. The group’s ‘platinum’ debut album 'Bear Witness' included three top ten singles and achieved a platinum sales certification. Ceberano won Best Female Vocalist at the 1986 Countdown Awards. After such an auspicious debut album, the group broke up and Kate went solo.

It was here, in the late 80s, that Ceberano earned a formidable reputation for her soul, jazz and pop repertoire. Quite rightly radio labelled her as having “one of the greatest voices our music industry has ever produced” Kate’s first solo album was the live recording "Kate Ceberano and her Septet", released in 1987. In 1989, Ceberano released her acclaimed album 'Brave'. The album was the 20th highest-selling album in Australia in the 1980s and spawned four singles, including "Bedroom Eyes", which became the 5th highest-selling single in Australia in 1989 and the highest-selling single by an Australian artist in that year.

At the 1989 ARIA awards, she won the ARIA Award for Best Female Artist, as well as 'Highest Selling Single' for "Bedroom Eyes". At the end of 1990, she received three Mo Awards for Jazz Performer, Female Rock Performer and Contemporary Concert Performer of the Year. Ceberano contributed "Nature Boy" to the The Crossing soundtrack, before releasing the albums 'Like Now', in 1990, and 'Think About It!', in 1991. In 1992, Ceberano joined the Australian cast of Jesus Christ Superstar, in which she performed the role of Mary Magdalene, and the show toured nationally. Two singles were released from the album, including "Everything's Alright" (with John Farnham and Jon Stevens), which peaked at No. 6 on the ARIA charts.

In 1996, Kate released her next solo album 'Blue Box', which also went Gold and saw her nominated for another Best Female Artist at the ARIA’s. In 1997 Kate wrote and released what has become an Australian pop classic ''Pash''. A gorgeous slice of three-minute pop, the song went Platinum and established Kate as one of our leading female songwriters. The subsequent album 'Pash' shot to #5 in the ARIA charts, was certified gold and produced the singles "Pash" and "Love Is Alive". Richard Wilkins of the Today Show simply referred to her as “Australian Music Royalty”. Ceberano returned with her 2003 studio album 'Girl Can Help It'. 

In 2007, Ceberano saluted the 1980s with her cover album 'Nine Lime Avenue', which was recorded in three weeks while she was on television show Dancing with the Stars. The album was a commercial success, peaking at No. 4 and gave Ceberano her first 'top 5' album since 1989's 'Brave'. Ceberano toured in late 2007 before recording another cover album, released in 2008, titled 'So Much Beauty', which peaked at No. 9 in Australia. Ceberano released three albums in 2009: the first is a collaborative jazz album that was recorded with Mark Isham, titled 'Bittersweet', which earned Ceberano a nomination at the 2009 ARIA awards; the second, an indie album with Dallas Cosmas, titled 'Dallas et Kate'; and in November, Ceberano released her first Christmas album, simply titled 'Merry Christmas', which was certified gold.

Interview With Kate

In 2009, Kate released her first ever Christmas album ‘Merry Christmas’.

Despite some people who’ve questioned it’s release given Kate’s Scientology beliefs, Kate says the album’s intentions were pure and simple. In Kate's words:

“In a nutshell… I think Christmas belongs to family, first and foremost. I don’t think it matters necessarily what you believe religiously, I think people innately all believe in family. And that’s what we honour – and that’s what anybody honours – anybody who isn’t a Grinch. Let’s face it, all the Grinch is really is someone who didn’t get what they wanted for Christmas, so we know what makes Grinches. Somebody should have just bought them that present. They didn’t buy them that present, so from thereafter they were like ‘F.... you, I’m never going to follow Christmas again’.”

Er.. Did Kate Ceberano just drop the ‘f’ bomb? Surely not.

“For me, it’s a private joy knowing that other people know me to be a certain way. It’s never going to be a public persona – they won’t believe it. You could tell them I speak a language like that, but they go ‘Ceberano? Oh no – she’s a Scientologist – she’d n
ever say anything like that!’ They’re imposing their own stereotype all across me! I mean, I am so bawdy. And I’m not saying it to gloat, it’s just I’m a rock and roll girl – I was born and raised in a tour bus. It’s authentic, but they see something different.”

We suggest it may be this bawdy side of Kate that sees her purring sexily all over the Christmas classic ‘Santa Baby’ on the new album.

“Oh you’re just hearing it through different ears. If you listen to it through a child’s ears… It does sound like a little baby singing it to me. I think that there’s something that…” (we interrupt, saying she’s pulling our leg) “You’re seeing me as sexy! Kids are not seeing me as sexy, so there’s like the double life of Veronique is what I’m saying.”

At this point, a couple of Universal Music reps have meandered into the boardroom, and we ask for a vote. It’s unanimous – Kate’s version of ‘Santa Baby’ is sexy.

(Kate, innocently) “I can’t help it. It’s not my fault if they write lyrics like ‘come on down my chimney tonight’ – that’s someone’s innuendo, it’s not mine!! Come inside my chimney tonight? No. (Laughter). Come and trim my Christmas tree! Well they’re the words! I’m just singing how it was written!”

We tell her we’ll have to get this well-hidden Kate Ceberano out to the general public.

“Listen, you could try, but they won’t believe you. Because even myself I can’t put my own scandal out there. You could and they’d be like ‘gee these guys are a bit down on Ceberano. They clearly don’t understand her, the sexy Scientologist would never use words like that.’,“ she jokes.

But she does admit to having a little crush on a certain Irish crooner who joins her for a duet on the new album.

“Ronan Keating… I have to admit, I’ve got a little bit of a crush. I gotta say. Because he’s got a great sense of humour and he’s a musician – I’m a bit partial to both those things. I’ve found his interest in me, thinking that I’m a middle-aged mum compared to him, the fact that he was interested and he was sincere really blew me away. I was saying ‘I really like your voice and I love singing with you’ and I was going (GUSHES). Wiping spit off the table.”

Ronan Keating & Kate Ceberano

More laughter ensues. Joy and laughter. Two essential ingredients for the festive season – and two that Miss Kate Ceberano delivers in spades. Merry Christmas Everyone!  [extract from auspop.com.au]

So, here is another Aussie Christmas WOCK on Vinyl post for my wonderful blog followers. Stay safe on the roads during the festive season and don't forget to give your neighbours a friendly smile - it's been a long time since they've seen your face !  Merry Christmas Everyone.

Tracklist

01.  White Christmas  3:26

02.  Feliz Navidad  3:16

03.  Jingle Bells Rock  3:38

04.  Santa Baby  3:23

05.  I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus  3:05

06.  Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas  4:11

07.  Santa Claus Is Coming To Town  2:35

08.  Jingle Bells  2:53

09.  The Christmas Song  4:25

10.  Blue Christmas  3:25

11.  Happy Christmas (War Is Over)  5:49

12.  It's Only Christmas [Duet with Ronan Keating]  3:24

Kate Ceberano MP3 Link (46Mb) New Link 26/03/22