Category Archives: a cappella

Snow Way: firsties

All of our anticipation for Winter’s secondary characteristics leads us to the deep seated joy over that first fall.

Hal Leonard Choral supplies secondary schools with arrangements for those tricky pubescent voices. But “The First Snow” is as winsome and awesome as you might expect.

Shawnee Press competes with a similar “The First Snowfall.” This is in the dog-wince range, however.

From some children’s book The First Snow of Winter comes this song by Pat Tracy with Gaelic fiddle and range. It’s heroic and stuff.

And now for something completely old: William Huckaby has revived 19th C songs to sinister effect as with John B Tabb’s “The First Snowfall.” Lord help us.

Gotta feed the a cappella jones while we’re here too. Moodswing swings and sways with “First Snowfall” creating a roller coaster of thumpy jazz.

Parodies’ Paradise: 1972 “Walk on the Wild Side”

Lou Reed’s journey of seediness peaked at #16 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles charts… in the United States, RCA released the single using an edited version of the song without the reference to oral sex… in the UK, the reference slipped past the censors, who were apparently unfamiliar with the term ‘giving head’… the term ‘colored girls’ was also an issue in the US and RCA provided radio stations with a version in which it was edited out.

The Blenders get pretty damn funny with their “Sleigh Ride.” And a cappella, too. Damn.

Drink N.B. Merry: nog5

A few songs have raised the roof in correlation with raising the blood alcohol index. Eggnog is not required to be hard, but many enjoy it that way.

If it’s a surprise, then someone SPIKED that drink. Who would do that?

Vaudeville Etiquette parties with country rock (and yodeling), but when that’s not enough “Let’s Spike the Eggnog.” Smells like the 1980s.

Jason O’Brien also recalls old country with “Santa’s Spiked Eggnog.” It’s a saga of elvish betrayal, drunk sleighing, and injustice.

Lil Poverty Angels plays Santa as a playa making the BillCosby move with “Santa Spiked the Eggnog.” It’s rap with a suspiciously ’90s fun backbeat.

Accidental Airplay also rap out “Who Spiked the Eggnog?” These kids are a 9.5 on the wild-o-meter to begin with, but with the addition of alkey-hall—oh my. Some nice solos (they also take turns adding to the punchbowl too–gum!?) makes this a party song. And a half.

The real (white) deal on sneaking in daddy-juice belongs to Straight No Chaser. They make a Scooby Doo case out of the crime in the big band style a cappella “Who Spiked the Eggnog?” It was me.

Consume-mas Quantities: casserole chorale

What to make for Xmas? Throw it all in a 9 x 12 and call it good.

“Aunt Clara’s Christmas Casserole” by ‘Clara’s Kinfolk’ (Probably Jack Servello) warns family of the dreaded elderly traditional potluck. Careful with that hee haw humor, it’ll grow an ad-lib on your reunion the size of a confabulation.

The Christmas Chids work up a sweat with their “Casserole of the Bells.” It sure is pretty. Lean in if you want to feel the full flavor. That cathedral sized echo may make you miss some.

Xmas Dance Party: can-can

That French one-step, the cancan, is antique but iconic. And not just for the ladies to perform, but, yeah, a spectator sport.

To the Offenbach, Straight No Chaser’s a cappella “Christmas Can-Can” made them famous and gave them a record deal while in college. It’s worth hearing every year. (Sorry if it’s becoming mainstream.)

Santa Jobs: clones

You knew!

Santa’s secondary job, like Dr. Who’s, is to fold space-time so he can be everywhere at the same moment. He seems to be multiple copies of himself–but that’s our limited perception forcing our paradigm on his magic.

I’m glad you knew.

The Peter Pan Carolers explain their shock that there are “Ten Thousand Santa Clauses,” but never fear–they’ll blink them away.

When Gayla Peevey wasn’t shilling for hippopotami, she was counting “77 Santa Clauses.” Kids think they’re so smart.

The more adult perspective comes from Bob Rivers who, natch, turns ‘Here Comes’ to “There’s Another Santa Claus.” Yes, very clever. But you seem to be racist, Bob.

The appropriate response to “Too Many Santas” is awe and stupefaction. Although The Bobs collapse into cynicism, they do it with love. Rock steady.g00384

Santa Jobs: super duper

Regardless of deification/defication, Santa does what no one else can. He’s super (thanks for asking).

Rod Stewart makes that case with his “Red Suited Superman.” It’s jazzy and middle of the road and oldsters everywhere will love the song.

Slightly more impressed with their own guitaring, The Fleshtones mention “Super Rock Santa” as just another way to name ol’ Kris.

Noodlin’ the poodle, Stephen Colbert reveals Santa’s secret identity with “Jingle Man and Christmas Boy” as they fight crime around the tai-state area. Funny, but don’t tell.

A real serial adventure of super Santa is a cappella brought to you by The Bobs (keep in mind all their accompaniment is vocalized). “Yuleman Vs. the Anti-Claus” is something i wish i’d written. It’s a bit musical theater-ish and brash, but ends on a cliffhanger… (tune in next year)!

g00384

You Auto Have a Merry Christmas: driving it home

Let’s finish up our car month with some driving music.

Certainly The Pretenders capture that long, long occupation with “2000 Miles.” It’s a rambling relic of classic alternative rock. And pretty. And barely Xmas.

I’ve already noted “Arkansas Angel” by Dan Schafer. Go get that holiday girl, bluegrass Dan!

But I haven’t given credit to Vic Sorrell from the same Christmas Across America project. His “Driving Home at Christmastime” ostensibly is about Tennessee (every song in the collection is about a different state), but it’s more about that frame of mind of being caught on the road in the cold. Pretty but a bit whiney.

Chris Rea has the titular tune here: “Driving Home for Christmas.” Weird, moody, throaty. But I like The Baseballs leaning out of dull country and into dangerous elvis rockabilly with their version. And it’s been a long time since we’ve been lulled into a coma with a cappella. So, Rixton. (Sorry about their patter–these vocal groups do that.)

The Future: Star Wars (3)

The kids call it mashups. I call it “singesthesia.” It’s that irresistible mix of tunes that get earwormed into your head. Because you feel the John Williams themes to Star Wars in your veins, you don’t need to hear all nine notes to know: ‘Darth Vader’s tune!’ But, then… when it turns into another song–holy fruit punch!

Side Notes tinker with their instruments and make “STAR WARS MAS.” Obvious, as they admit. But a good place to start.

Hoping to inspire high school bands, Jack Hopey posts sheet music with an electronic keyboard rendition of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas/Star Wars Theme Mashup.” Fascinating.

In a high school band practice room Good Vibes Percussion play out their little “Christmas/Star Wars Mashup” as well.

Next on violin is Chris Woods’s mashup including ‘Jingle Bells’, ‘Rudolph’, ‘Silent Night’, ’12 Days’, ‘Three Kings’, and perfect segues into themes. Virtuosoistic.

Sam Simmons gets into the spirit with “Star Wars Christmas Carols” while playing in traffic. He may have won a comedy award for this video but he relies a bit much on Wookie noise (& what’s with the Golden Girls tribute during the last minute?!).

The students of Solomon Schechter Day School come together cross-legged on their mat and sing the “Star Wars Hanukkah Song” to the main theme, and remind me what the holidays are all about. Aww.

Mostly i like James Griffiths tuning up the various themes to carols’ lyrics. Kinda catchy acappella.

My Top Ten on Christmas Day

As far as 2015 is concerned, i wanna hear these over and over again.

#10. My good friend, Pete the Elf, makes me laugh. He finds such cool novelty Christmas music i could platz. He gave me a dozen disks recently and this number stood out: Rappy McRapperson singing “Gimme Stuff.” Clueless hip hop and breathless techno combines with genuinely youthful grabbiness. (I’d take that hug.)

BLUE ALERT #9. Dirty stuff works with me when it’s gleefully inappropriate. Denis Leary is hit or miss funny, but in claymation, he’s pretty fuckin’ funny.

#8. Back in the ’70s we called techno rave music electronica. It wasn’t simply addictive percussion, it was moog magic and synthesized science. It was wonderfully amazing. Here is Joy Electric’s “Lollipop Parade (On Christmas Morn).” Hardly kid music, but it takes me back.

#7. You can maybe tell, parodies float my boat. Bob Rivers is pretty good. And I love Joel Kopischke. But Robert Lund out Yankevics them all. Here is “Santa” with a nod to R.E.M. (Beware, Santa comes off pretty creepy here.)

Elves Gone Wild

#6. My childhood music is scramble eggs memory to me now. But when i found old vinyl from Tex Johnson and His Six-Shooters i was transported to the shag carpeted wonderland full of presents. Please enjoy the a cappella ‘cowboys’ singing about “Fum Fum Fum” whatever that is.

Tex Johnson

#5. South Park plays hard and once every fifth bit i crack a smile. Usually i nod at the excess and understand the anthropological reasons behind this satire or that angry barb. But Cartman’s “Swiss Colony Beef Log” reminds me of the religious realization of getting the expected gift.

#4. Barenaked Ladies has a dynamite Christmas/Chanukah album. It should be listened to in its entirety. I’ll point out “Christmastime (Oh Yeah)” as a stellar example of warmth and love and stuff like that.

#3. Sloppy Seconds celebrates Santa Claus Vs. the Martians with their “Hooray for Santa Claus.” It revives me from the torpor of the holidays and resurrects my spirits for the next 365.

#2. Here’s a catchy number (even the missus likes dis a one). In fact it was so seminal to my seasons’ greetings, i posted my own Youtube slide show for it. (Not my strong suit.) Not gonna go all green(sleeves) on ya, but the poor Doug firs… poor li’l things…. Celtic Elvis knows.

#1. One more Youtube that i have posted. Tarquin Records has an incredible Christmas album as well (including songs for Thanksgiving, Halloween and Groundhog’s Day). Get it! John Aley has a swing number that pops my cork and reminds me (like i need it) that i’ll never get any better present than a happy marriage.