December 25, 2017
B.B. King – “Merry Christmas Baby” – (2001)
Yes, this is the same “Merry Christmas Baby” that Bruce Springsteen made famous. Except that it’s different. Instead of that upbeat E. Street Band thing he had going on, B.B. King made it his own, in that familiar bluesy way.
December 22, 2017
Bob Rivers – “Shoppin’ Around For a Christmas Tree” – (2002)
We say it every year and we’ll say it again this year: Bob Rivers does amazing parody songs. Christmas is on Monday, and if you don’t have a tree yet, well it’s probably not worth it, but if you do already have one, this song probably hits close to home.
December 20, 2017
Donald O’Connor & Debbie Reynolds – “Chrissy the Christmas Mouse” – (1992)
I bet you didn’t even know this was a thing. It is, you’re welcome. It’s not great, but people who are of an age where they love Debbie Reynolds or Donald O’Connor, they seem to enjoy this well enough. I hope this gets stuck in your head for days.
December 23, 2016
Mannheim Steamroller – “Cantique de Noel (O Holy Night)” – (1988)
“O Holy Night” was composed in 1847 in France as music to match a poem. It was all written to be performed in a church, making it one of what seems like only a handful of Christmas carols that are actually allowed to be played in church (sorry, Mariah Carey). Even if this version is a little new-agey, it still gets the point across and is instantly recognizable.
December 21, 2016
Gene Autry – “Frosty the Snowman” – (1950)
He didn’t write it, but Gene Autry was the first to record it and made it famous. It was a top ten hit around Christmas of 1950 and would later be made into an animated TV program (though Jimmy Durante sang this song there). If you like the idea of a mid-century Christmas like I do, then this is a must-have song.
December 19, 2016
Bing Crosby – “Silent Night, Holy Night” – (1935)
I think Bing Crosby recorded this like every few years, because there are a number of different versions out there, with this being the earliest (but not necessarily the best). When it comes to Christmas standards, Bingle is hard to beat.
December 16, 2016
Trey Parker – “Merry Fucking Christmas” – (1999)
Probably one of the most offensive Christmas songs of all time, but then again it is from an album called “Mr. Hankey’s Christmas Classics.” I’ll admit, I don’t watch South Park and haven’t seen an episode in a long time, but I have seen the Mr. Hankey episode. You might not like it, but this song is actually very funny.
December 14, 2016
Steve Martin – “A Holiday Wish” – (1986)
This was an SNL sketch back in the 1980s where Steve Martin just sits in front of the camera telling us his five Christmas wishes. And it’s hilarious. It works as just audio too, because you can see his mannerisms just by hearing his voice. The wishes start sweet, but quickly descend into madness. Classic Steve Martin.
December 12, 2016
Bob Rivers – “I’ll Be Stoned for Christmas” – (2002)
Bob Rivers does some pretty convincing parody songs and this take on Bing Crosby’s “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” is among the best. It says that it is supposed to be a drunken Perry Como impression, which might be accurate, but Bingle owned this song originally.
December 25, 2015
Gene Autry – “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” – (1949)
Gene Autry made a career off of novelty records. Sure, he was the singing cowboy but his Christmas songs are what stood the test of time. Autry didn’t write this song (it was written in 1939) but his version is what made it a song sung in every household. In fact, this song was a #1 hit. Interestingly, this was the only #1 hit to fall completely off the charts from the top spot – a dubious honor, but understandable considering its content and timeliness. Merry Christmas.
December 23, 2015
Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters – “Mele Kalikimaka” – (1950)
You don’t have to Hawaiian to appreciate this song. Bing is crooning in his classic style and The Andrews Sisters are great too. It really takes you back to this era when Hawaii was still sort of a new phenomenon. But this song is perfect for any Christmas when you’re under palm trees and near an ocean. Many people have since recorded this but this version remains the best.
December 21, 2015
Da Yoopers – “Rusty Chevrolet” – (1987)
Radio stations used to play this. Nothing quite says “The Midwest” like a parody Christmas song sung in a heavy Northern Michigan accent. Nothing also says “The Midwest” like saying: I remember how hilarious this was when I was younger and it’s one of those parodies that kids pick up on and find hilarious to sing in place of the real version of “Jingle Bells.”
December 18, 2015
Mannheim Steamroller – “Hark! The Herald Trumpets Sing” – (1988)
Yes, this sounds like church music. It’s the opening track to Mannheim Steamroller’s 1988 Fresh Aire Christmas – one of the best-selling Holiday albums of all time. This is little more than a prelude to “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.”
December 16, 2015
The Beach Boys – “Frosty the Snowman” – (1964)
Gotta love the Beach Boys. They were able to define summer and winter. There are many version of this song, but this is among the best. Why? Because of those vocals! Plus, Christmas music from the 1950s and 1960s is just better. There’s no denying that. And like every Beach Boys song, this song is short – coming in under two minutes.
December 14, 2015
Amy Grant feat. The Children’s Choir & The London Studio Orchestras – “The Night Before Christmas” – (1992)
This song, written by Carly Simon, isn’t exactly one you hear on the radio but it’s one I’ve heard a thousand times. The choirs in the background add a nice effect – even though it’s all kids… whose parents probably spent any royalties that came their way. Yay, exploit children for Christmas.
December 11, 2015
Sean Morey – Dear Santa – 2002
If “The Bob and Tom Show” isn’t aired in your market, they’re a morning radio show that’s really popular in the Midwest. And they have a whole bunch of classic clips. This one is from comedian Sean Morey singing about what kids all around the world ask Santa for and how Americans ask for ridiculous things and everyone else just wants heat and food (or weaponry).
December 9, 2015
Jeff Foxworthy – Redneck 12 Days of Christmas – 1996
Jeff Foxworthy was a comedy sensation in the 1990s. He could’ve put “redneck” on anything and made a boatload of money. One thing I like about this song is that it was written by the late comedian Tim Wilson, who was a really funny guy. This song was so golden that it charted on the Hot Country Singles chart five consecutive Christmases – in the top 40 each year, peaking at #18 the winter of ’95/’96. Pretty impressive.
December 7, 2015
Bob Rivers – Chipmunks Roasting on an Open Fire – 2000
It’s Christmas time again and we’ll start off our annual Christmas song list with a few spoofs. Some people find them lame but this one is so well done it’s hard not to like. It’s a great, slow, Nat King Cole-style and it takes on David Seville’s classic Christmas song. It’s pretty good.
December 26, 2014
Bob Rivers – “Police Stop My Car” – (1997)
Okay, last comedy Christmas song, I promise. This really isn’t much of a Christmas song at all, which is okay, since Christmas has passed and in this world, Christmas starts at Halloween and ends at midnight the day after Christmas. Anyway, it’s a pretty good spoof of “Feliz Navidad” – but about DUI checkpoints… which sounds insane if you were trying to tell someone about it… which is why you should just listen to it.
December 24, 2014
The Beach Boys – “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” – (1964)
If you love vocal harmonies, then you better love the Beach Boys. This album is soooo good, this song being among the best on it. It has classic Beach Boys harmony but it also has a very 1960s Las Vegas feel to it with light backing brass for most of the song, punctuated by big brass hits here and there. It you want a nostalgic take on an already classic Christmas tune, then this is your song.
December 22, 2014
Vanessa Williams & Bobby Caldwell – “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” – (1996)
From the first Christmas album by Vanessa Williams comes what has to be the “rape-iest” Christmas song ever. Sorry if that’s a little harsh, but the lyrics of this song are pretty creepy: “Say, what’s in this drink?” It’s all about a girl trying to leave and go home and a guy trying to convince her to stay because it’s cold outside. Ulterior motives? Perhaps. If you don’t listen too closely, it’s a really nice song and this is the second-best version that I know of, after Dean Martin’s, of course.
December 19, 2014
Amy Grant – “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” – (1992)
This song, originally recorded by Judy Garland for Meet Me in St. Louis, has been covered by numerous artists, some quite successfully. It’s a Christmas standard and Amy Grant’s version from her hugely-selling Christmas album is pretty well done.
December 17, 2014
Bob Rivers Comedy Corp – “The Twelve Pains of Christmas” – (1988)
We featured two songs from Bob Rivers last week. But this is his most famous work. It works the same way as the traditional “12 Days of Christmas” but it’s about the least fun aspects of the holiday season. The best part is that as the song goes, each time a pain is repeated, it’s done so in a less pleasant way until the final climax where it’s just mostly people screaming. This song received regular Christmastime radio airplay in the U.S. for much of the 1990s and beyond. I haven’t heard it in years, but it’ll slip in here and there.
December 15, 2014
Jeff Foxworthy – “Twas the Night After Christmas” – (1996)
Jeff Foxworthy was one of the most popular comedians of the 1990s. His “You might be a redneck” bit made him a huge star. And in 1996 he released an album called Crank it Up: The Music Album and it contained two Christmas songs. This one is more of a spoken-word song to music. It rhymes… he’s essentially reading the redneck version of the classic Christmas poem “Twas the Night Before Christmas.” Of course, it ends in shooting reindeer for sport, but what did you expect?
December 12, 2014
Bob Rivers Comedy Corp. – “Yellow Snow! Yellow Snow! Yellow Snow!” – (1997)
Bob Rivers is really good at parody songs. This is obviously a parody of the classic “Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!” but it’s about dogs doing their business in the snow. I do like the lyrics “he’s a frisky little pooch Van Gogh.”
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