Time to dig out the dusty old 45’s and see what will work this year.
Because I am a grump and a Grinch let me start off destroying a few favorites we hear every year.
The sledgehammer has to come down on “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”. If I hear this song one more I am going to burn all of my U2 albums and disks in a small bonfire in my back yard. I disliked this song from the minute I heard it. I understand it was to bring awareness to the starving kids in Africa and I am sure the proceeds from the record sales went directly into the bellies of those starving kids but the song sucks. It has always sucked and will always suck. The video is even worse. You want to ruin a good Christmas party, put this one on and I will get back in my Tundra and head home. Band Aid, Live Aid , it’s all the same scam with a different name.
Another song that is equally as wretched is Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmas Time”. UGH. It is so sappy and poppy it makes me ill. Sir Paul, AB (After Beatles), has some great songs but this was not one of them.
I know I will hear more heat on this all-time Christmas favorite but Mariah Carey’s “All I want for Christmas” should be retired. Don’t get me wrong, the song is a great Christmas song but it has been played 1.9 billion times this week. Enough already!
Yes, almost every Christmas song you know and love has been overplayed during this most festive time of year but who can’t listen to Darlene Love sing any Christmas song? Or, even though he makes me noticeably sick, Josh Groben, knows his way around a nice holiday toon. Or Burl Ives? Lots of great stuff that has been overplayed and still sounds great.
This list is not that, of course.
Let’s start with a song I mentioned last year, Beck’s “Little Drummer Boy Machine”. This will never make a top ten list anywhere except here. Beck, has made a career of unusual arrangements of his own songs and on this one he throws full scale Beck at “Little Drummer Boy”. Bowie and Crosby it’s not. It’s still fun and isn’t that what Christmas is about. The rap in the middle is anything but joyous. Perfect.
Buster Poindexter (or David Johansen) was not known for his Christmas repetoire but apparently he was asked to do a little ditty way back when and what he came up with “Zat you Santa Claus” is a really cool Christmas song. It’s typical Poindexter, bluesy, rockin’, great horn section. Too bad he buried than personality back in 1987.
Now there are about twenty different versions of “Christmas Island” out there. I like the Leon Redbone version but if you can’t find it I am sure you have Jimmy Buffet’s Christmas Island buried somewhere. Let’s just put the whole Christmas Island album by Leon Redbone out there as one of the very best. Granted, after 3 songs you will tire of Redbone’s style but I think play it in small doses. That might work best.
Of course, I will mention the Oasis version of “Merry Christmas Everybody” again. It is clearly my favorite Christmas song this year but there are other versions that are interesting as well. Try Slade’s version, or Cheap Trick’s.
After having listened to Run DMC’s “Christmas in Hollis” for 400,000th I have come to terms with them getting elected to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. That being said, this is literally a song I can never tire of and probably never will. It’s my kickoff song of the season.
I don’t know these two guys from a hole in the wall but I really liked their version of “12 Days of Christmas”. Tommy Shaw and Jack Blades? Who are they I wondered. Did a Google search and it all came back to me. Shaw was in Styx for a cup of coffee and Blades was in Night Ranger (BTW, the worst rock group in history). Not important here, I like this version a lot.
Lastly, “ I Believe in Father Christmas” by Greg Lake. It wasn’t written as a Christmas song and if you listen to the lyrics, you can tell. It was about commercialization. Still, a beautiful song with beautiful arrangements.
As a footnote. I do think there are hundreds of great Christmas songs and I really don’t the space and time to include everyone. If you have any unusual Christmas favorites reach out to me. I would love to explore new holiday songs.
Sunday? Sunday?
You are a grump and a Grinch, but that's what we love about You. Thank You for opening the past year of music doors that I never knew existed.
Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year, while we look to the much anticipated, next year of Costa's Corner!