Yeah, you're sick of 'em. I have no sympathy: I work in retail!
Even with that, I love Christmas Carols. Although many of the ones I particularly like aren't played regularly at the Big Pharmacy Emporium where I work. So, in a departure from all the usual crap around here, I decided to write about my favorite Christmas Carols...and a few of my least favorites. Over the flip....
- Bruce; "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town". Greatest Christmas record ever made, bar none, and I will brook no arguments on this. It's recorded live, so there's excitement in the air. It's a great arrangement. It rocks. Bruce howls the vocals in fine form. The Big Man rips off a great sax solo in between "Ho Ho Ho"s. What else do you want?
- Anything from Phil Spector's "A Christmas Gift To You" album. Most especially "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" and the greatest version of Winter Wonderland ever recorded. And Bruce based his version of "Santa Claus" on this one, though Bruce's is an improvement :).
- Novelty songs. I have a large collection of stuff played on the Christmas versions of The Doctor Demento Show. Most especially, the five or six Christmas albums recorded by the whacko geniuses at the Bob Rivers Comedy Group. You've never lived until you've heard a Bing Crosby imitator croon "There's a Santa Who Looks A Lot Like Elvis" or psuedo Karen Carpenter take you on a "Flu Ride". Other Doc D gems include Da Yoopers turning Jingle Bells into "Rusty Chevrolet". And, of course, the traditional Novelty songs like "Nuttin' For Christmas" and "I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas." And then there's "Holy Shit, It's Christmas!" which has to be heard to believed. (And not with small children in the room!)
- Two albums by two different groups that came out in the early 2000s. One is called "Fab Four Christmas" and the other is called "The Beatmas". They both do Christmas songs in the style of Beatles songs. Some of these are brilliant. "Rudolph" done in the style of Taxman; "Rocking Around The Christmas Tree" as Got To Get You Into My Life; "Let It Snow" as 8 Days A Week; "Blue Christmas" as Revolution 1. Really creative and ingenious. One more deserves note which I will get to....
- ...here. "Jingle Bells". I give extra bonus points for anyone who can make the most boring Christmas song ever interesting. First, Frank Sinatra, who did it with an ingenious backing vocals arrangement. Then, Brian Setzer, who did it with a dynamite horn chart. And then those guys that did Fab Four Christmas, who did it by coupling Jingle Bells with.....Tomorrow Never Knows. It will blow your mind...and crack you up at the same time. One of the most brilliant and absurd things I've ever heard.
- Jingle Bell Rock. Especially the Hall and Oates version.
- Billy Squier, "Christmas Is The Time To Say I Love You". Over the top, and oh so Eighties. And who could forget the video with all those MTV Veejays chirping along?
- The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, "(It Just Don't Feel Like) Christmas Time." Apparently a remake, though I've never heard the original, the Bosstones had this on some compilation a few years back. A very Boston centric tune.
- "Run Run Rudolph". Any version. Chuck's the King, of course, but I enjoy the Keith Richards version in which he sounds like he hit the eggnog real hard in the studio. And also the suprisingly rocking Bryan Adams version, found on.....
- "A Very Special Christmas", the first one. Lots of good stuff there, including Adams. I love "THe Coventry Carol" and I love Alison Moyet. U2 does a fine job with "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" even though Bono's no Darlene Love. Bruce contributes his second great Christmas recording, "Merry Christmas Baby." ANd then there's "Christmas in Hollis" by Run DMC. One of my favorites. "There's a letter from Santa and the dough's for ME!!!!!"
- Lennon. "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" Gorgeous, and relevant.
There are many more. But let me mention a few I can't abide.
"Wonderful Christmastime" by McCartney. What was he thinking?
"The Christmas Shoes". Oh, yeah, blatant emotional manipulation is always my favorite thing.
"The Little Drummer Boy" Uh, what, exactly, is the point of this song?
Floor's open. Tell me your favorites or non favorites.