Category Archives: rock

TreeMendous Holiday Fun: Sequoia Claus

Tree up? How else will Santa know where to direct the presents? Xmas tree marks the spot, little dudes!

This is such an essential concept it’s in every language! Well, at least two. Humberto Almaraz (with the kids) bi-lings the corrido “Santa will Love My Christmas Tree.” I guess that’s happy?

Gentle jazz-grass from Rough Shop catches “The Big Man Under the Tree” in the act. But–is that Santa? You might wanna get some ID, kid.

The Oak Ridge Boys sing about the boy waiting “Beneath the Christmas Tree” for Santa. But, in their own country/western way, it’s really Jesus. Sorry for the spoiler.

Keith Whittal and Friends also aim our attention “All Around the Christmas Tree” to spot the toy bringer. Stay awake, kids! Country pickin’.

Riddim from Kool: “My Christmas Tree” is to Santa like ganja to a Bob Marley fan. Dance off!

Just for chuckles Calvin Bremer parodies ‘The Hanging Tree’ from the Mockingjay movies with “The Christmas Tree“… waiting… waiting… waiting for Santa. Ha!

1959: Marguerite Trina shakes it down with the bluesy R+B rock of “The Rocking Tree,” beseeching that fat man for just the right greenery, daddi-o.

Anthropomorphic Snow Sculpture: pop 6

Party on, snowdude. For all people.

Leaning on Frosty a bit hard Monika Herzig polishes up some freestyle jazz for “Ballad for a Snowman.” Cool.

Blinded wants “Dear Mr. Snowman” to come in and dance. It’s a come on–he wants a friend. Folk fusion fun.

The Teds more reliably warn “Hey Snowman” don’t come inside. Slight pop.

Cameron Blake sings “Fireman Snowman” as an entry in the coffeeshop poetry finals. Folk dada.

Pierre Komin has a zydeco take for “Charlie was a Snowman.” It’s a love song.

Po’ folk in the South need snowmen, too. “Dirty Little Snowman” is warbling country from Catherine Irwin what might break yo heart.

Seemingly praying to the great “Mr. Snowman.” Thomas Wall Band asks, in an experimentally folk way, for it to snow. It’s to make the children happy, but… cause? effect? hunh?

John Prine’s got this. In his own style of country folk he reaveals “Humidity Built the Snowman.” It’s not a jolly jubilee, though. is it?

Soulful blues/country from Dragon Rock (feat. Ray Sharp) mashes up ‘Wizard of Oz’ with our flurried friend in the heartbreaking “I’m a Snowman.” Help him, Wizard!

Pickin’ and shiverin’, PigPen Theater Co. delineates “The Snowman’s Song” as one more snowball on the pile. Fine folk.

Cornball country from Hank Thompson in “Mr. & Mrs. Snowman.” But they have separate snow banks.

Chuck E. Cheese is not known for their hit songs, but i like this country thrasher from robodog Jasper. “Jasper’s Snowman” thus rises from the children’s clutter and is anointed proper pop from your chilly host. Rock it, J-Dog!

Anthropomorphic Snow Sculpture: kids 6

Dance Time!

We’ve previously been entertained by the Crew Cuts’ “Dance Mr. Snowman Dance.” And “Do the Snowman” by The Holleytones. They bear redux.

Let’s also admit to Randy Sauer’s valiant effort “Snowman Dance.” Electronic almost music.

Definitely let’s include Mahri Sherlock’s barnburner “Mr. Snowman Dance.” Fun for kids and other square dancers.

“Snowman Jump” is a regrettable standard for the toddlers. I like the ’70s near-disco edition here.

Teresa Jennings keeps it kiddie with her Plank Road Publishing’s “Rock ‘n’ Roll Snowman.” Good for intermediate school assemblies afraid of saying Merry Christmas everywhere.

Snow Way: no where

Some locales are hemispherically challenged and can only see Xmas snow on Turner Classic Movies or Lifetime Channel. Does that make you sing? Does it?

Branded Duo have a nice country irony in “White Christmasses in Houston.” No snow. Nice swing.

Boogie Woogie zydeco from Allen Toussaint, “The Day It Snows on Christmas” posits the sad impossibility of a White Loozey-Anna Christmas.

Bombadil is more alt pop with “No Snow in the Valley.” Less Christmas, more message.

“No Snow for Christmas” is Tracey Jane Smith’s Xmas card for family from her hellish hole in Florida. They have it rough playing in the pool, and watch out for the last couple minutes of home movies. Roy Peter Clark also pisses and moans about “Christmas Without Snow” in Florida. He does sing slightly better than the Smith children. Piano bar.

“The Tropical Christmas (No Snow? It Doesn’t Bother Me)” is old Brit music hall rock and while it doesn’t get destination specific, makes the point party-ifically.

Nā Hoa ship us to more tropics with “Christmas Without Snow.” Hawaiian yodeling.

Electronica reggae! Billy Paul Williams raises the truth with “No Snow in Jamaica.” Testify!

Is this political? “No Snow in Africa This Christmas” from Puddock Stew is unplugged protest folkrock.

Mr. O gets gnarly with “Christmas in Hong Kong.” No snow is part of the angst he rocks off his chest.

Snow Way: flakes sr.

I’m not saying snowflakes mean love for the adults. But they are…

Bryant Oden has some synthy pop in his “Snowflake Kisses.” Young love is so fast!

Jason Chen is more puppy dog breathy with his “Snowflake.” Earnest pop love song. She could do better.

Slow it down with a lonely guy (and his guitar) in a dark room. Playful, almost Hawaiian, folk from Ernest Mistica in “Snowflake.” ‘Nother hour of practice and we’ll have something.

Laid back bouncy bluegrass from Pickin’ On in the form of “Trailer Trash (feat. Iron Horse)” mentions snowflakes, so here’s Sasha Armani jockin’ and syncin’ with his “Snowflake Song.” Fun. We may be a tad off topic.

Simo Dacanay rotates us back to the holidays with “Snowflake,” another power pop pouter about you, baby.

Amp it up with Amber Sky Records (feat. Adam Courtney) tearing up party rock with their “Snowflake Song.” The harder the backbeat, the deeper the love.

 

Let’s round up with ’66 country rock: funny, but also musical! Jim Reeves sings “Snowflake” to his sweetie ‘cuz he met her when it was cold (‘though i think she’s never warmed to him).

Parodies’ Paradise: 2014 “All About that Bass”

Meghan Trainor’s hit off her debut album became a strong candidate for “Song of the Summer”… in a negative review, Time named “All About That Bass” as the fifth worst song of the year… with 16 weeks in total it holds the record for total most weeks in number one at the Slovenian official singles charts SloTop50… received Grammy Award nominations for Record of the Year and Song of the Year… spent eight weeks atop the US Billboard Hot 100… topped the charts in 20 other countries, including Canada, New Zealand, Switzerland and the United Kingdom… sold 11 million units worldwide… the third best-selling song of 2014 and one of the best-selling singles of all time.

Girls of Suburbia honor Santa’s size in their parody of no clever name.

Streator High School love/hate Santa’s girth with “All About that Waist.” Kids today!

Jennifer Rose gets a bit more lascivious with the chubby chasing in “I Love My Santa Claus,” shimmying and gyrating like this is a ‘Santa Baby’ parody. (Hang on, a plate of burger and fries for Santa?!)

LindZ Owen plays sultry to Santa as well to get “On the Nice List.” Nice hair brush vocals.

shayshaymb approaches Santa from another side with “All About that Beard.” Is that all that saint is to you?

Richard Peachey dips shallowly for “All About that Base” honoring the Christmas tree stand. Mmmm–maybe.

Nisah (for Mig Me) changes the subject with “All About the Feast.” You know it’s a feast when there’s pasta, and rice, and fries.

curveball111 throws the food topic into another court with “I Wanna Stuff My Face” full of latkes. Oi, oil.

Mission Church Ventura make the best of their talent pool with their secular crit and religious twist: “All About that Baby.”

Faith Promise Church likes presents and trees as much as the baby king with “All About that Bass – Christmas Remix.” Bass here is the low sound of that pop guitar playing (i guess).

Allegra DelRossi (and family) feature Jesus in “All About that Babe,” a Christmas song that piggybacks on religion.

Vapid blond devotees shake it for “All About the Christ” starring Heather Krol. That million mile stare creeps the bajeepers outta me, though.

Notching the cross up a bit AJ Sheffield go high with “All About the Christ” apparently recorded on a flip phone, but skitted out by frolicsome teen believers. (Why does Mary have a knitted beard?)

Aubrey Howell gets the idea of parody with “All About that List.” I like it because it’s heartfelt fun.

Parodies’ Paradise: 2012 “Hopeless Wanderer”

Mumford and Sons’ album Babel debuted at number one in the UK selling 159,000 copies… the fastest selling album of 2012… debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling 600,000 copies… spent a total of 15 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Alternative Albums chart… made it the fourth best-selling album in the US in 2012… the eleventh best-selling album of 2013 with 1,096,000 copies sold for the year. The original song was somewhere tucked in tight on this album.

Joel Kopischke gets bluesy about present presentation with “Hopeless Wrapper.” His humor has integrity.

Parodies’ Paradise: 2003 “Stacy’s Mom”

Fountains of Wayne’s tune reached number 21 on the Billboard Hot 100… the band’s highest-charting hit in the United States… peaked within the top 10 in Ireland… and the top 20 in the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia… certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America… nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Vocal Pop Performance… the only mainstream hit by Fountains of Wayne… frequently misattributed to pop punk band Bowling for Soup, who in 2011 released their own cover version of the song. Bummer.

ApologetiX goes almost mellow (for them) with “JC’s Mom.” Oh i get it.

Parodies’ Paradise: 1999 “Kryptonite”

The 3 Doors Down song was originally released as a demo for local play by 97.9 WCPR-FM in Biloxi, Mississippi… first charted on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart reaching number-one for 9 weeks… then hit the Modern Rock Tracks also staying at number-one for 11 weeks… one of the longest-running songs on the chart… reached number one on the Pop Songs chart for 5 non-consecutive weeks… peaked at number 4 on the Adult Top 40 chart… number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100… the band’s highest-charting single there.

ApologetiX feel with the birth of JC with their “Christmasnite.” Hard rocking gospelity.

Parodies’ Paradise: 1999 “Mambo No. 5”

Lou Bega’s mambo and jive dance song (originally by Cuban Dámaso Pérez Prado in 1949) was a hit in the United Kingdom and in Australia, where it reached number-one… stayed at number-one in Australia for eight weeks, ultimately becoming the best-selling single of the year… also topped almost every chart in continental Europe…  number-one in France for 20 weeks (longer than any stay at the top spot ever on the US or UK charts)… reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the US on November 2, 1999, giving Bega his only Top 40 hit in the US… seven-year copyright trial between Prado’s estate.

ApologetiX’s scriptural annunciation courtesy of “Micah No. 5.”