Christmas Music Free for All

Anybody like Trans-Siberian Orchestra. They were on GMA last year, and I was hooked on them.

 

My brother saw them live last year when their Christmas tour came thorugh Toronto. He said they were amazing.

 

I saw them last month & they were fantastic. A couple of slow parts, but the majority of the show rocked.

 

A couple of years ago I started collecting alternative Christmas music on iTunes. I just got sick of hearing the same stuff, over and over and over again on the radio.

Some of my faves from my collection.

Back Door Santa, by B.B. King -- It's so infectious, I play it year 'round.

Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis, by Tom Waits -- It's Tom Waits. What can I say?

Rudy, by The Be Good Tanyas -- Nice harmonies, and a story that makes you think.

Rudy (the Ho-Dad Surf Dude), by The Malibooz -- "All of the other surf dudes/used to laugh and call him lame."

Please Come Home For Christmas, by Rockapella -- Funny, and great doo-wop harmonies, too.

Christmas in Hollis, by Run DMC -- Maybe I should have given them a listen years ago.

Santa Claus, Head Straight to the Ghetto, by James Brown -- It's James Brown. Case closed.

Red-Nosed Reindeer Blues, by The Asylum Street Spankers -- Not as good as their "Pussycat Song," but not bad.

Santa's Got a Brand New Bag, by The Bobs -- A new (twisted) twist on the old James Brown number.

The 12 Days of Christmas, by Yellowman -- A completely different take on the song than I've heard anywhere else, and now my favorite one.

and finally, Santa Claus is Back in Town, by Elvis -- The production is terrible, like a lot of stuff that old, but it's a keeper anyway.

MC, HH and HK from FOS
8)

 

Ohhh, I'm sorry, "Wonderful Christmastime" to "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" is like Roger Maris to Babe Ruth.

Just sayin.

 

I really like Ray Charles' "Christmas Time" very cool and moody, though like a lot of Christmas songs, it suffers from bringing in some children's choir to sing at the end.

I also like Dean Martin's boozy, jazzy Christmas warblings, like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, where he calls him Rudy.

 

This compilation is the bomb. Nat and Ella perform flawless versions of classics while Rawls and Wilson compliment the collection with some jazzier styles. Rawls takes the potentially lame "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and makes a damn cool song out of it.

 

So you're the SOB who stole my boffo 8-track player and all my tapes out of my Nova!

 

The very SOB, it's true. BTW, the Marshall Tucker Band 8-track had a weird rattle inside it, and when I took it apart to see what was up, I found a one-hitter and some weed. Thanks!

 

And I must also mention this damn fine collection by the idiosyncratic (and fabulously sexy) Holly Cole. Now there's a Canadian I'd eat like a chocolate-covered cruller.

 

If you ever have a chance, go see Holly Cole's holiday show. Saw it two years ago and she is amazing live.