Thursday, December 30, 2004

 

If I Was Santa Claus

Some more Hip-Hop for you here. This is from Atmosphere (Midwestern rap - who'da thunk it 20 years ago?) on their 2001 Lucy Ford album (buy it), put out by Rhyme Sayers.

If I Was Santa Claus

Lyrically it's not really about Christmas, but when so many people consider "My Favorite Things" to be a Christmas song, this one surely qualifies.

Tuesday, December 28, 2004

 

Feed the World

Some songs just shouldn't be covered and this is one of them. (I mean, even the official revisitations stink!) At least, that's what I thought until I heard Gigantor's version. If you're not familiar with them, Gigantor is a German pop punk band that worships the Dickies. Super good.

Feed the World

I couldn't find a complete enough discography to be sure, but it appears that this song first came out on a CD called The Christmas Collection Compilation on the Sponsors Dance label sometime in the early '90s. In 1994, Lost & Found put out a CD that compiled Gigantor's previously released singles, called It's Gigantic!, that included this song. It appears to be out of print at this time.

Monday, December 27, 2004

 

The Wildest Christmas

Not to be confused with Nick Cave's proto-Birthday Party band, these Boys Next Door were from Indianapolis ("the Beach Boys of the Midwest"). Releasing singles on a number of different labels, they put out a swell xmas record in 1966 with

The Wildest Christmas

on the a-side and "Christmas Kiss" on the flip. Both tracks (and 22 others) were compiled by Sundazed and released on an eponymous CD (buy it).

Sunday, December 26, 2004

 

I Caught My Girlfriend Kissing Santa

There are some fun genres of Christmas songs that I keep meaning to compile lists of but never seem to get around to doing. For example: songs about spending Christmas in jail, surfing xmas songs (there'd also be a far shorter list of skateboarding xmas songs), songs about Santa being wasted, and songs about Santa fooling around with the singer's girlfriend (or vice versa--the singer fooling around with Mrs. Claus).

I can't give you too much information about either of today's featured bands but I love both of these songs. The first is by Buffalo, New York band the Willies, from their 1994 album Get the Willies (on Soapdish). Just perfect catchy, Ramonesy poppy punk. Really, really good; this song totally sticks in my head. I actually heard from the singer a few years back when he saw my old playlists online. The band may have gone their separate ways but they have definitely left behind one great xmas ditty!

I Caught My Girlfriend Kissing Santa

The second band is Size 14 and the song was on the 1997 Drive-Thru Records compilation A Punk and Ska Christmas Gone Wrong. Neither punk nor ska, this song is full-on bubblegum hair metal (though it does remind be of the late, lamented Celebrity Skin). One year when I played this on my show I got a call from a guy who was listening while driving and almost drove off the road he was laughing so hard. He called to request it pretty much every year after that. I guess Size 14 had a song called "Claire Danes Poster" that a few people might have heard and the singer now does his own thing as Linus of Hollywood.

Mrs. Claus (lyrics not safe for work or small children)

Despite the fact that this song is extremely juvenile I can't help but enjoy it.

Saturday, December 25, 2004

 

Christmas Tears

Finding out who this song was by without my having ever heard it was the first of many tests that my now-wife set before me while I was courting her. All she knew was that it was a Christmas song and that maybe the singer from Heavenly sang on it. I found out just moments before going on the air with my first all-xmas music radio show (it didn't grow to marathon proportions for few more years) -- fortunately the station even had a copy! She was impressed, but still wouldn't go out with me for another month-and-a-half. The band is the Hit Parade and the song is on their 1991 More Pop Songs CD on Vinyl Japan (buy it -- click "H" and then scroll down). There are actually two different versions on the CD; the first version is a jangly-rockin' pop ditty with just the band. There's a bonus track on the CD that is more of a kitchen sink-type production with a really full (but not cluttered), keyboard-y arrangement, sung by Amelia Fletcher.

Christmas Tears
Christmas Tears (with Amelia Fletcher)

Funny how a bummer Christmas song helped spark romance. Merry Christmas, baby!
And a very merry Christmas to all you readers/listeners out there. Stay tuned for more great Christmas music!

Friday, December 24, 2004

 

X-Mas Day

French first wave punkers Metal Urbain splintered, a female singer was recruited and the Metal Boys released their album Tokio Airport (buy it) in 1980.

X-Mas Day

Artsy, gothy, synthy. Minimal.

Read an exhaustive history of Metal Urbain in issues 20 + 21 (buy them - Aquarius appears to have some copies left) of the outstanding print magazine Ugly Things.

Tuesday, December 21, 2004

 

December Days

One of my favorite Swedish bands is the Wannadies. I love their bubblegummy-yet-heavy pop songs. It's ridiculous (but not too surprising, I guess) that they've only had one of their albums released in the US. And it's out of print. Originally on their 1993 album Aquanautic (buy it), today's selection was also released on their collection Skellefteå (buy it). This is a melancholy track with an almost waltz feel to it, a string section, and some acoustic slide guitar. Oh, and it's real purty.

December Days

Saturday, December 18, 2004

 

Put the Loot in the Boot, Santa

In 1966, Mae West released a Christmas album on Dagonet called Wild Christmas. Backing her was a young garage band called Somebody's Chyldren; they also played on her Way out West LP, released the same year. While "Santa, Come up to See Me" (the tune that you hear mentioned the most) is a fine song, I prefer

Put the Loot in the Boot, Santa

Yeah, it's more of a novelty number but I think it suits her, and the old-timey schtick kinda works, don'tcha think?

Thanks to Michael for hooking me up with this hard-to-come-by album!

Friday, December 17, 2004

 

I'm Waiting Up for Santa

I used to listen to Dr. Demento as a pup, so I knew Nervous Norvous's "Transfusion" at an early age. Later on, I thrifted some K-Tel collection of novelty tunes and got to hear his "Ape Call," which I totally loved. This year, Norton Records put out a Nervous Norvous compilation, including a bunch of previously unreleased demos. Hiding among all the other insanity is this great Christmas ditty:

I'm Waiting Up for Santa

There's also a parody of Rudolph: "Boris the Blue-Nosed Baboon." When you order the CD from Norton, don't forget to pick up this year's xmas 7", by Reigning Sound.

Wednesday, December 15, 2004

 

Cold Chillin' Christmas

Looking over my first week of posts, I see I've neglected Hip-Hop; allow me to rectify that. In 1988, Warner Brothers put out a promo-only compilation called Winter Warnerland. Along with forgettable crap from whatever mediocre bands they were pushing at the time (anyone remember Good Question or Secret Weapon?) there are a few great tracks that you can't get elsewhere.


Cold Chillin' was a rap label that put out what is now considered classic Old School stuff. This track was produced by the legendary Marley Marl with raps from Big Daddy Kane, Roxanne Shanté, and M.C. Shan (label head Tyrone Williams also makes his debut in front of the mic as Fly Ty), billed here as the Cold Chillin' Juice Crew.


The track itself is simple and doesn't sound like a lot of work went into it. It's pretty much just a loop from "Hip Hug-Her" by Booker T. & the MG's with some beats thrown on top. Still, it doesn't come off half-assed, and unlike many rap xmas songs it's not corny (a BIG plus!).

Cold Chillin' Christmas

Word.


Monday, December 13, 2004

 

Good King Wenceslas

With today's post, I'm breaking one of my self-imposed guidelines -- not to post any tracks that are on readily available collections of Christmas music. Thing is, I didn't even know it was on a comp until doing a little research for this post. See, I have this track on a promo-only CD single. Turns out it was originally released on a 7" on the Trance Syndicate label in 1994, four whole years before the CD I have came out. Then I come to find out that in 1997 it was included on an EMI budget comp of Christmas rock called Rockin' in Your Stockin' (buy it, it's durn cheap!). Since I was already set to post this (and I have to get dinner cooked before the missus gets home), I decided to blunder on ahead. So please check out this intoxicating cover by the Butthole Surfers.

Good King Wenceslas

Gibby does Foster Brooks proud.

Sunday, December 12, 2004

 

Mr. Scrooge

So technically, this isn't a Christmas song, but there are enough references to A Christmas Carol that it gets in by default. This cut by the Orchids was originally released in 1964 in the UK on Decca's soundtrack of the film Just for You (a vehicle for singing duo Peter and Gordon). It saw re-release in 2003 as part of the superb Dream Babes series of compilations on the RPM label (volume four (buy it), to be precise).

Mr. Scrooge

Splendid girl group sound in full effect.

Saturday, December 11, 2004

 

Olive the Other Reindeer

"Olive the Other Reindeer" (buy it), a made-for-TV special, first aired in 1999. It was based on the book (buy it, too) written by Vivian Walsh and illustrated by J. Otto Seibold. I could go on and on about how much I love this cartoon and why, but I don't want to get too carried away, so I'll try to keep it brief. First, the voice talent is excellent. Drew Barrymore is great as Olive, Joe Pantoliano is perfect as Martini the Penguin, and Dan Castellaneta crazed characterization of the the evil Postman fits him to a T. (There are many cool cameos, as well.) Also, while it's pretty much aimed at kids, as in Rocky & Bullwinkle and the best Looney Tunes cartoons, there are a lot of jokes that will go over the younger audience's heads and totally crack up the adults. Finally, it's just a really sweet story that is sentimental without getting too corny. I get more tingly Christmas Spirit-y moments watching this than pretty much any other Christmas show or movie.

While not a musical per se, there are some really great songs in the film. I couldn't pick just one, so here they all are. There isn't a soundtrack, so some of these have dialog or sound effects in them.

My Favorite Day (Olive)
The Postman Song (The Postman)
We're Not So Bad (Schnitzel the Reindeer (Michael Stipe))
Merry Christmas, After All (Olive, with Santa's Reindeer (Big Bad Voodoo Daddy))
My Favorite Day (reprise) (Olive)
or
all 5 songs in a zip file

Now go buy (or at least rent) the DVD!! And when you watch it, be sure to keep an eye on the background, too. There are a lot of jokes hidden back there that are easily missed (e.g. in the bus station there's a sign which reads "Ask about our special fares for drifters").

 

The Little Boy That Santa Claus Forgot

Today's song was originally recorded by Vera Lynn circa WWII, and later by Nat King Cole in 1956. The version presented here for your appraisal was released in 1985 by the Associates on a 10" EP, "Take Me to the Girl."

The Boy That Santa Claus Forgot (live at Ronnie Scott's)

Trivia: Vera Lynn's version appears early on in Pink Floyd's The Wall. Both Vera Lynn's and Nat King Cole's versions are currently available on CD. Special thanks to DJ Chris for supplying today's selection.

Friday, December 10, 2004

 

I Want You for Christmas

Let's hop in the WABAC machine for today's song. It's from one of my all-time favorite Christmas compilations, on the late, lamented Jass label; Santa Claus Blues is a great mix of early Blues and Jazz 78s. One of the songs on it I really enjoy and that, to my knowledge, hasn't been re-released elsewhere is by Dick Robertson and His Orchestra (featuring Bobby Hackett on the cornet).

I Want You for Christmas (1937)

I just Googled this CD and apparently it goes for big bucks these days. Or at least dealers are asking big bucks. Crazy.

Thursday, December 09, 2004

 

Do You Believe in Christmas?

Besides hard-to-find songs, I'm also planning on featuring xmas songs that never appeared on xmas-specific albums, which may have caused them to be overlooked by those of us with a jones for yuletide tunes.

Today's song is by Essential Logic and appears on a 2003 compilation of their music put out by Kill Rock Stars called Fanfare in the Garden (buy it). Essential Logic was Lora Logic's post-X-Ray Spex/pre-Hare Krishna group. This song was apparently recorded in 1985 but went unreleased until last year.

Do You Believe in Christmas?

Wednesday, December 08, 2004

 

White Christmas

Well, today I made it official, retiring from radio. But I just can't seem to let things well enough alone. Today's tune is from a limited edition live album from Mark Kozelek (Red House Painters, Sun Kil Moon) called White Christmas Live. Released in 2001 on Sub Pop, it's out of print.

Without further ado, here's Mark's version of White Christmas

It's a nice acoustic version and he does a little bit of "Greensleeves" at the end.


This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?