posted on December 22, 2000 01:11:34 PM new
No, I'm not talking about what I got in my stocking last year.
This is the season where radio stations beseige us with Christmas-themed music. The Muzak stations play instrumental standards or stuff that sounds like Mitch Miller. The public radio networks play Windham Hill-type stuff. Oldies stations play Bing Crosby (or if they're really feeling daring, the Bing Crosby/David Bowie cover of The Little Drummer Boy) the Ronettes doing Winter Wonderland (at least I think it was the Ronettes), Elvis doing Blue Christmas etc. I don't know what the rap stations play,(and frankly I don't want to know (although I expect they could get some mileage out of the double entendre of "ho ho ho." )
But that brings us to rock music. There are plenty of rock christmas songs out there but it's my opinion that most of them really suck. What is it that convinces a band that they can do a Christmas song? Unfortunately, once that song is recorded, good or bad, there's a high likelihood that we the listening public are going to be stuck listening to it for years to come at Christmastime -- at least those of us who listen to the radio.
Here are the top three examples of Christmas rock that I love to hate and usually encounter on the radio at least three times every day:
1. Little Saint Nick by the Beach Boys. They should have been paying more attention to Brian Wilson's mental problems than churning out this garbage.
2. Santa Claus is Coming to Town by Bruce Springsteen. Please, please, make it stop!
3. Father Christmas by The Kinks. The refrain is "Father Christmas, gimme some money." The truth is, if anybody deserves to be paid, it's those of us who are stuck listening to Ray Davies' thin, whiney vocals ten times each day in December.
bonus holiday song to hate: The Hanukkah Song by Adam Sandler. It was funny the first 100 times.
Lest you think me a total Christmas curmudgeon, I will also cite three songs that I do like:
Christmas Rapping by the Waitresses. Fun, infectious tune and even a happy ending.
Mr. Grinch by the Whirling Dervishes. The traditional tune from the TV special, but with heavier guitar riffs.
Feed the World by Band Aid. Good song with various British vocalists, and a message, to boot.
bonus holiday song to like: Christmas Song by Jethro Tull. Doesn't get much airplay, but a wonderfully cynical view of that time-honored Christmas institution, the office Christmas party.
Feel free to add to either list.
ubb
[ edited by spazmodeus on Dec 22, 2000 01:13 PM ]
posted on December 22, 2000 01:33:42 PM new
"Lest you think me a total Christmas curmudgeon"
Okay I'll bite, I kind of was thinking that by now. I'm glad to hear there are christmas songs that you like.
I always wanted a copy of the Jingle Bells with the barking dogs to use for target practice.
posted on December 22, 2000 02:43:38 PM new
I despise those Christmas songs recorded by rockgroups and pop groups. I only play "traditional" Christmas music, not Mitch Miller, but Boston Pops and Moromon Tabernacle Choir. Okay, I admit, I have a Ray Connif Singers Christmas cd. As much as I enjoy regular Springsteen fare and am a diehard Kinks fan, they have NO business messing with Christmas tunes.
I think the worse Christmas song ever was that one by Alvin and the Chipmunks. They were playing it in the drugstore the other day, and I actually had to leave the store without getting the stuff I needed. A very close runner up is that awful "Santa Baby" by Madonna. PeeUww!
posted on December 22, 2000 02:53:35 PM new
I like jazz-style Christmas songs like the ones they've been playing on NPR during the past couple of weeks.
Earlier this week I bought an old record player, and while going through the box of LPs I bought at an auction some time ago I discovered five or six Christmas records among the bunch. One is by Julie Andrews... I haven't yet dared to play that one!
posted on December 22, 2000 03:01:03 PM new
The Squirrel Nut Zippers put out a nice Christmas CD last year. Hard to categorize, but some tracks do rock. It's on my like list.
The soundtracks CD's from the Home Alone movies have some Christmas rap.
There is a surprising amount of Christmas reggae. Some of it is pretty darn good.
posted on December 22, 2000 04:27:01 PM new
Playing the Chipmunks' Christmas song is the best way I know to see how fast individuals in this family can move...to turn off the radio.
KatyD: I loathe that Madonna song(not that I like her music in the first place)! I'd rather listen to three minutes of fingernails on a chalkboard than her.
Can't stand that Snoopy and the Red Baron song from way back when either.
posted on December 22, 2000 04:45:04 PM newKatyD - I heard Snoop Dog, Puff Daddy, SaltNPepa's rap version of "Santa Baby" the other day. I'd rather listen to Madonna all day everyday than subject myself to that again. If Eartha were dead, she'd be turning in her grave.....
posted on December 22, 2000 04:52:31 PM new
Anything that has a beat works for me, lol. Madonna is not my cup 'o tea, but I can deal with saltnpeppa. Rap makes me clean house; hard rock makes me clean the carpet, wash the windows, re-shingle the roofs; classical makes me wanna paint; easy listening makes me relaxed. Christmas tunes...well...I can live with, or without them
posted on December 22, 2000 04:54:21 PM new
Feed the World, long version, is first on my Christmas playlist. Short version is in the middle of the list. Felice Navidad and Bing/Bowie are there too. All the rest is Celtic Christmas Music. I may add some Kenny G.
I am listening now.
cariad
How could I forget Lennon and "So This Is Christmas" !
[ edited by cariad on Dec 22, 2000 04:57 PM ]
posted on December 22, 2000 04:56:19 PM newmauimoods:Rap makes me clean house; hard rock makes me clean the carpet, wash the windows, re-shingle the roofs; classical makes me wanna paint
Please come to my house! I will play you all the rap & classical music you want...
posted on December 22, 2000 06:11:34 PM new
CD's that go in the player on Christmas day: Mannheim Steamroller, John Michael Talbot, and this year we'll at Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
And I don't care who sings it now, the only decent version of "White Christmas" was done by Bing.
posted on December 23, 2000 06:31:25 PM new
It has become a yearly tradition on a radio station in my area to play a 24 hour set of unusual Christmas music. Being a college station it leans toward the indie rock variety, but there's a lot of rarely heard gems from all genres.
If you are within broadcast range of WPRB in Trenton, NJ, the station is at 103.3 FM. The show begins at 7PM on Christmas Eve. It may even be available for listening at their website.
-trying to fix link.
-I can't fix link.
-erase worthless link.
[ edited by xardon on Dec 23, 2000 06:38 PM ]
[ edited by xardon on Dec 23, 2000 06:40 PM ]
[ edited by xardon on Dec 23, 2000 06:45 PM ]
posted on December 24, 2000 01:45:21 AM new
Not exactly Rock, but try Canadian Brass, and "Take 6" is REALLY cool...my fav of all time is " Merry Christmas from the Family" by Robert Earl Keen, but that has a more country vein....
I was still workin as a DJ when "Feed the World" was released as a 12" single...all proceeds goin to hunger relief...
After the 2nd week, we began to play the 33 @ 45, and on occasion 78...after all, the more Air play, the more $$ going to the starving!!! Are the folks in Etheopia(sp) still getting residuals on this song? I doubt it, they were forgotten long ago by the artists who gave up their time to record this tune. I WILL admit that it is one of my favorites tho..."Do they know it's Christmas time at all?"...NO, because most of them don't celebrate Christmas.
Keith
I assume full responsibility for my actions, except
the ones that are someone else's fault.
posted on December 24, 2000 08:09:01 AM new
The absolute two BEST versions of Christmas classics:
1.) Bob Seger - "Little Drummer Boy
2.) Stevie Nicks - "Silent Night"
Now Spaz, I can agree with you on MOST of your observations, but how DARE you put "The Boss" on that list... come on man, "Santa Claus is Coming To Town" !!!
Appox on you and your ancestors!!!
You know it aint really Christmas season until you hear Christmas Rapping by the Waitresses... too cool.
posted on December 24, 2000 08:41:52 AM new
I love 'em all....good bad, rock-n-roll, pop, disco, classical, new wave....This year I "misplaced" my extensive holiday music collection (cd's & cassette tapes) (I sincerely hope I didn't accidentally ship the box to one of my eBay customers!)...couldn't figure out why I couldn't get in the holiday spirit....Well, a quick trip to the local CD store (and $150.00) later...I'm feelin' in the Christmas mood!...with more to come thanx to Amazon.com!....
My Favorites:
Sleighride
Salsoul Christmas Jollies
Manheim
Snoopy v Red Baron
Pickin' on Christmas (Banjo Christmas)
Twisted Christmas
Cryptkeeper Christmas
& much much more!....
Anyone else heard the new Christmas 2000 tear jerker?...."Christmas Shoes"....It definately should be sold with a big huge box of kleenex!....
posted on December 25, 2000 10:44:37 PM new
Spaz: I gotta agree about Tull song. That's the song we start Christmas morning with every year (for lotsa years now).
I heard a Christmas song on the radio last week that I liked, which is unusual for me. I cringed, figuring that it would end up being by a band that I probably normally hate. Turned out it was Gary Hoey, who does wonderful long rock instrumentals. Best part was that he was gonna play at a local record store that night, so my husband got to take our oldest son to see him play (he'd wanted to go with us the last few times he's played here but it's always been at over 21 venues so he could never go before). OT:I want to know why they still call them record stores though, since only a handful of stuff is still pressed on vinyl these days.
My next-door neighbor blasts Xmas music out his attic window all season. It starts the day after Thanksgiving and lasts till New Year's, 8 AM to 8 PM. Horrible stuff, but at least it's eclectic (something for everyone to hate, including those darned Chipmunks). Even though I don't much care for the music, the whole thing is funny to me. I guess I could be annoyed by it, but somehow being amused works better for me. Only a few days left now, and then the Chipmunks will be history for eleven months.
posted on December 26, 2000 02:28:25 PM new
I have some old LP's that I still prefer for Christmas. Nat King Cole, etc. The story about the neighbor playing music is familiar-you must live in my old neighborhood! The first man in our small town to put up outdoor lights lived down the street from us when I was a child. He started with house lights, then each year added-santa on the roof, nativity in the yard, luminarias down the sidewalk, and so on, until it looked like a tavern for religious drunks. Then he decided to add music! Every night from dusk to midnite...Thanksgiving to New years, school nights, weekends, every nite.....
It was years before I could listen to Christmas songs without thinking of him.
As much as I enjoy regular Springsteen fare and am a diehard Kinks fan, they have NO business messing with Christmas tunes.
