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Appreciating The Genius Of José Feliciano's Feliz Navidad

Jose Feliciano performs at the White House in Washington, DC on October 13, 2009. (Alexis C. Glenn-Pool/Getty Images)
Jose Feliciano performs at the White House in Washington, DC on October 13, 2009. (Alexis C. Glenn-Pool/Getty Images)

Say what you will of Christmas songs, but there are some that have found the formula to worldwide appeal. The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers has a list of the top 25 most played and recorded holiday songs.

And as  Joy Diaz, of Here & Now contributor KUT, reports, there’s only one bilingual song on the list: “Feliz Navidad.” José Feliciano, the musician behind it, is more than a singer – he’s a political figure.

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