Month: August 2018

As Seen on TV: Sesame Street

Not quite a half a century old, the Street that built The Childrens Television Workshop has housed many a talent, and launched many a literacy program. But it’s also featured some cool Xmas songs. (This also is not a regularly scheduled drama/sitcom, but it’s got such good stuff i can’t keep my mitts off.)

Less than 10 years out, Merry Christmas from Sesame Street dropped in vinyl. Highlights included “I Hate Christmas” from Oscar the Grouch. Recalls vaudeville and Jimmy Durante.

“Saludo (aguinaldo)” and “Arrurru” were more ethnic celebrations from neighbors Luis and Maria. These songs were not carried over into the rereleases of this record into CD.

The show taught you how to have a family, too, with songs like “Keep Christmas with You (All Through the Year).” Grand overture in lite chorale.

A later album Sesame Street Christmas Sing-Along counters this with “Counting the Days,” one of those genre experiments that introduces the wee ones to cotton candied classic rock’n’roll. That’s the only original song from that disk.

1996’s ‘Elmo Saves Christmas’ features the horror of the children being in charge. Elmo wishes every day should be Christmas. When it comes true weariness, bitterness, and mayhem ensues.

“It’s Christmas Again” was a refrain played throughout the hour, showing how fed up the chorale got each time they had to sing it. Comedy gold.

Charles Durning tries to teach THE LESSON to Elmo in song with “Every Day Can’t be Christmas.” Somber stuff. Tough love. Pay attention, you greedy brats.

During the regular run of the show celebrities wanted to be educational for the kids, or i guess some of them are doing community service.

In a 2oo7 TV special ‘Elmo’s Christmas Countdown,’ we get plenty of juice.

Sheryl Crow duets with Elmo for “It’s Almost Christmas.” Kid pop with a nice alt twist.

Anne Hathaway sings and dances with Big Bird for “I Want a Snuffleupagus for Christmas.” You got that right.

Jamie Foxx gets weird with his “Nutcracker Mash” sprinkling light jazz/hip hop on top the Tchaikovsky.

Kevin James brings it home with some classic rock bidness in “You Just Gotta Believe.” Credit where credit is due.

As Seen on TV: The Monkees, The Partidge Family

I’m disallowing musical revue shows, of which the ’60s are replete. No Andy Williams, Dean Martin, or even Red Skelton. But some shows do feature the musical adventures of fictional folk, so they loophole in.

The Monkees only lasted a couple years (1966-1968) so not much Christmas music. One of their missteps was the 3/4 reunion song from a mid-‘seventies album, “Christmas is My Time of Year.” All of the pop, with none of the counterculture they were known for.

One novelty, however, is the 16th Century villancico, “Riu Chiu.” This Spanish song celebrated the kingfisher bird chasing the wolf away from the Virgin Mary right around nativity and had been popularized previously by The Kingston Trio. But these fake musicians shine here with their unaccompanied angelic harmony for this episode.

While The Brady Bunch has their own TV family Christmas album, it’s all traditional music, nothing the least novel.

The Partridge Family‘s Christmas album almost suffers the same fate, but includes one original: “My Christmas Card to You.” It features David Cassidy thinking of and singing to you (and family). Swoon.

As Seen on TV: Bonanza

This was the second longest running western on TV. But they blessed us with the best TV Western Christmas album of all, Christmas on the Ponderosa, a 1963 concept miracle.

Many will poke fun at big dumb ol’ Hoss Cartwright as when he sings “Deck the Halls” in a harrowing bass. But it’s in the spirit and all, so shut up.

The cast gathers for the second cult hit “Merry Christmas Neighbors.” Bourgeoise judginess.

The better stuff is the old fashioned songs that never caught on, like Pernell Roberts singing “The New Born King.”

And Michael Landon with “Oh Fir Tree Dear.”

There’s some foolin’ around as well with Landon’s “Santa Got Lost in Texas.”

But best is the short fun of Lorne Greene with “Santa Got Stuck in the Chimney.”

As Seen on TV: Mr. Magoo

The blind curmudgeon won animated shorts Oscars in the ‘5os. But when the wealthy jerk got his own TV series in the early ’60s the production company no longer made animation and farmed out the cartoon to a less professional group.

Yet, the 1962 A Christmas Carol adaptation (made by the original United Productions of America) struck gold with Julie Styne and Bob Merrill songs including:

“All Alone in the World,” the lament of boy Scrooge at not having a family who cares. Country show tune.

“Winter was Warm,” the goodbye of nearly-girlfriend Belle. Diva big band ballad.

“Ringle Ringle,” an ode to profit, harmonized by the suffering Bob Cratchit. Snarky childrens’ pop.

“The Lord’s Bright Blessing (Razzleberry Dressing),” a contrast of Papa Cratchit’s grace at supper undercut with the kids’ whining about what they have not. Hopeful gospel.

Most fun is the glimpse of Christmas future spying on the working class stiffs who loot Scrooge’s corpse in the music hall “We’re Despicable.”

As Seen on TV: Bugs Bunny

Our American Odysseus, the wascally wabbit, has been a staple of our culture from the ‘thirties. According to Guinness World Records, he (it) is the ninth most portrayed film figure world wide. I guess he’s okay because how he made Mel Blanc famous (many decades later).

A resurgence in Merrie Meoldies/Looney Toons came around with the end of the millennium infantilism that celebrated protracted second childhoods. That’s when most of the Christmas albums that thought it was a hoot to have cartoon voices sing serious carols came out.

The concept album Kwazy Christmas sells a tale of all the talking animals festing at Granny’s house (her of the bird/cat ownership). It’s too hard to say goodbye at the end of the album, so they all goof on “Carol of the Looney Toons Bells.” That taste should give you an idea why we loved/hated all the ADHD we inspired in the ’90s.

A Looney Toons Sing-a-Long came out in 2007 and featured each character cracking wise and performing trads.

But before that, in 2003, a more original (less Mel Blanc, who passed in ’89) album of more original songs (Christmas with the Looney Toons) came out with…

Pepe LePew singing “Christmas in Paree.” This nugget takes its continental time to run the joke song. Bravo.

Tweety Bird singing “I Tawt I Taw Ol’ Tanty Claus” evoking real Blanc-ian mania. Cute, if heavy on sound fx.

Daffy Duck singing “All I Want for Christmas is More, More, More.” Fricative, frenzied fun.

[Both these albums have been recycled in newer releases. ]

The Looney Toons Show from 2002 helped rediscover slapstick if not adult-disapproved violence. “Christmas Rules” brings us excitedly into the new century.

I want to spend some time on real Mel Blanc. One of his last Looney Toons assignments was a 1974 Peter Pan Records album-readalong-book called Holly Daze. He does all the voices, just like in his hayday.

“I Love Snow” is bugs convincing Holly Daze (Yosemite Sam) that winter outside the desert can be cool.

Convincing Jr. Bunny that “Christmas Isn’t Christmas Without Santa Claus” only takes a short song as well.

Perhaps most child friendly, “Do You Believe in Santa Claus?” grays the area between secular and faith. Adorbs!

As Seen on TV: Yogi Bear

Cartoon Art Carney Yogi Bear was a guest-starring cartoon on The Huckleberry Hound Show for a couple years before he got his own title. He may have hummed scat incessantly, but it took a while to get some Christmas songs out of him, the godless beast.

In 1980 the special ‘Yogi’s First Christmas’ was broadcast to mild notice. It’s a contest with an evil dude to save the lodge at Yellowstone Park, or something.

Speaking of irreligiousity, [RERUN] Cindy Bear sings a “Mistletoe Song” about macking on the Yogi, which terrfies and delights Boo Boo bear.

“It’s Our Favorite Time of the Year” seems like the same song from the Flintstones, but listen carefully. It’s worse.

The opening number kicks off the whole magilla with a bevvy of guest stars (no Yogi) singing. “Coming up Christmas Time” is a kidddie classic.

As Seen on TV: The Flintstones

This kid-friendly ‘Honeymooners’ aired originally from 1960 to 1966, but plays on forever in many incarnations.

Rerun: In 1964, Fred as Santa sang the picture book Christmas story of “Dino the Dinosaur’s Christmas Tree.” Kiddy kitsch: it’s as good as the show got.

Rerun: The next year an album was dropped featuring the arrested development infants Pebbles and Bam-Bam. It’s all trad carols except for one experimental number, “Snowflake.” Not bad for children’s counterculture lite rock.

Other albums include 1999’s A Flintstone Motown Christmas, with talky intros about getting lost to a Christmas show intercut with songs from The Temptations, and The Jackson 5, and more. Skip it.

Christmas in Bedrock Special Edition (also w/impersonators) cashed in the same year from Rhino Records . It’s amazingly ’80s pop as in “The Flintstone Way” (a shout out from Wilma to give to charity),

and “Sleigh Ride” (Betty’s simple wish to spend time with her hubby instead of getting spendy gifts).

These are working class folk, after all.

But way back in 1977 the holiday special ‘A Flintstone Christmas’ told the story of Fred filling in for a malingering Santa. It had songs, some recycled (yaknow ‘cuz they were so good).

“Hope is a Christmas Tree” gets used many years later in a Yogi Bear holiday special. This is mama Wilma’s lullaby to baby P. Yawn, excuse me.

Fred and Barney go gleefully nuts in Santa’s workshop with their “Brand New Kind of Christmas Song.” Only a kid would sing along.

“Which One is the Real Santa Claus?” was originally in another Hanna Barbera cartoon special from a few years before. ttipoopfinal has thoughtfully double screened these two for your comparison.

For my money “It’s My Favorite time of Year” has the pathos and hubris the show is most affective for.

As Seen on TV: themes

Most TV shows have music, opening themes often included whole songs (until Lost ruined it for television musicologists everywhere). At times, feeling puckish with their funds, shows have had special holiday openings which spoofed their own music. These may exist in the hundreds. I have a few.

“The Rugrats Christmas Theme” doesn’t sound much like their opener, but it’s polka fun.

“Dora the Explorer Christmas Theme” also reeks of bells, not much castanets. Love the samba in the original.

“It’s a SpongeBob Christmas! Theme” sounds more like their music, and we’ll get to that special later. Lots of songs!

“3rd Rock from the Sun Christmas Theme” sounds very like their original, with a slight twist.

Ditto with “That ’70s Show Christmas Theme” which only jingles some bells.

Bear McCreary’s carol-sized minimalist intro for “Eureka Christmas Theme” goes all out, for about ten seconds. Thanks, Bear, now go count your Galactica residuals.

As Seen on TV: the star

Santa’s the big guy for Christmas. If you don’t see him at the mall, likely you’ll see him on TV.

“Santa as Seen on TV” by The Christmas Jug Band spells it in colorful washboard fun. Weee.

Bah & The Humbugs get serious with Santa’s guesting on Survivor, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and other “Reality TV” episodes. Caterwauling disco.

Or perhaps the television set is the big star. Mindy Carson leads us through a big band tinkler where she admits “I Want a Television Christmas.” This 1950 commercial is meant to change your household forever. For the kids. For Christmas.

As Seen on TV: set the mood

Love songs for millennials might be lazy, but they set their own standards. Netflix and chilly weather, anyone?

Kieron Liley realizes family fulfillment when they’re all gathered around the “Christmas TV.” Unplugged low-key alt-folk with an attitude.

Prettier pop strumming accompanies the fun flowers of “Xmas TV with You.” It’s a place and a time, but mostly, girl, it’s you.

Hot UK duo Slow Club seem to hope “Christmas TV” will bring them together. The many wistful ways of pop folk love slightly include the holidays and the boob tube.

Chris Isaak nails the loneliness and hopelessness of TV Christmas specials broadcasting in the background of that empty home. “Christmas on TV” is a country weeper with just the right twang.