Now, gee here is a euphemistic shortening for God. And Mommy’s little baby (that’s me) loves shortening. So let’s explore the whole one song that calls out GEE!
After accidentally hitting big with “Gee Whiz (Look at His Eyes)” in the early ’60s Carla Thomas followed through in 1963 with “Gee Whiz, It’s Christmas.” Many imitate, no one improves on it. (The Beginning of the End funk it up pretty good, though.)
So in a big swerve (imma bored) Divine Blu-Tones rally up some garage bluegrass in the divine “Cheez Whiz for Christmas.” Nothing to do with calling out, but everything to do with novelty Christmas music.
It’s not time to call a halt to the song collecting, but a good WHOA now and then will cause a pause to reflect and collect ourselves. Or, to paraphrase Neo from ‘The Matrix’: THAT”S AMAZING!
“Giddyap, Giddyap, Whoa Santa” takes its cue from popular 1960s rock. The Golden Orchestra and Singers knew how to squeeze out a kidsong back then. Hoo hoo!
Matt Hanley handily dispatches our funny ideas with his experimental garage “Whoa Christmas.” It’s an overwhelming time, and i think that ol’ Xmas oughta just take a step back.
Time to raise a cry and a cup for the holidays. Cheers is an appropriate greeting, wish, and toast. Let’s find out who sings what.
The MacDonald Brothers dadrock the blues hand-clapper “Three Cheers for Christmas.” You can hear the hip-hip hooray if you listen at all. Almost silly.
Downer from Hermione Lund in the form of “Cheers to Christmas.” Missed opportunities, missing loved ones, i think there will be quaffing to come. Symphonic, emotional show tune.
A pedestrian hallelujah, hail can be just an old hello. But, coupled with Christ, HAIL means a great deal more.
The Decca Chorus sings “Hail to Christmas” as a selection from the operetta ‘Babes in Toyland.’ This oldie timey symphonization comes off almost as ragtime. Have fun with it!! (Or take succor in the early ’60s version on Golden Records. It’s safer.)
Elektra Women’s Choir & Alicia O’Brien bring the solstice Wiccan power to “Hail, Christmas Day!” Piercing, man.
Call back to Teen Titans Go! with their “All Hail the Jolly Fat Man” as a smart march intro for the mean Santa.
Who else–? Oh that’s right, Mother Mary gets a hail now and then. Many take the prayer/penance and sing it. Few swing it. So let’s turn the light on Joy Riding, whose “Hail Mary” is an alt-pop trip to the beach. But it’s about Christmas (i suspect), and being out of place. Youngsters!
Praise God, it’s Christmas! Right? Well, that’s hallelujah. As exhortations go, that’s right up there. So let’s get serious. (Many songs hail the hell out of God, but we’re narrowing our play to Xmas tie-ins.)
Offering up a gratuitous hallelujah, We Grow Up offer the alt-rock “Office Christmas Party.” Pretty song, pretty odd song, so we’ll take this walk here.
Just as millennial, House Bat hollers out “Holiday Hallelujah.” It’s inclusive (see the Hanukkah reference at its end).
Leonard Cohen’s ubiquitous number gets the Xmas facelift with Cloverton’s “Christmas Hallelujah!” Likes it.
Doug Welborn means well, but “Hallelujah Christmas” comes off a bit clumsy. Could be country, could be blues….
.38 Special pops with an odd “Hallelujah It’s Christmas.” It is childlike in its reverence and guitar licks.
Folky bluegrass consumes The New Christy Minstrels with “Sing Hosanna, Hallelujah.” That first exclamation, btw, is a pious cry for help. Peppy!
Look Out, here come’s Dolly! “Hallelujah Holiday” is the slick corn pone you’d expect from the first lady of the big top.
“Hallelujah, It’s Christmas” gets around, but Roger Whitaker’s laid back awe and reverence is what excites me.
Leona Lewis raises from orchestral to gospel in “Your Hallelujah.” This is all about the Lord, but i’m reading boyfriend subtext here. Is that just me?
Better songs begin with White Hot Secret’s “Yippee Ki Yay Merry Christmas.” Emerging rock, but it’s not about John McClain at all.
Nearly perfect, the raw blues number “Yippee-Ki-Yay” from Fortress of Attitude is the best song here. It’s just not the best ‘Die Hard’ Xmas song by a hair.
Jonnie Common’s “Yippee-ki-yay, Father Christmas” might be the most clever/best song along these lines. Make fists with yo’ toes, boy. The title is not sung, however, yet the wicked wordplay overqualified it to be here. Thanks
Vocal chords weakening… can barely shout HOORAY for Xmas… one more time….
Kidsong twaddle from Twin Sisters (Kim Mitzo Thompson) allows wee ones to clap hands to bring Santa faster with “Hooray, It’s Christmas Day.” It’s English learning time!
Everybody raise your hands–if you’re afraid. Sweet Samaritans praise the Lord in “It’s Christmas — Hip Hip Hooray!” They do specifically ask you not to be afraid, but their affectless harmony sounds brainwashed.
Now Milton De Lugg and The Little Eskimos’ “Hooray for Santa Claus” gets a lot of mileage for being from ‘Santa Claus vs. the Martians.’ And The Fleshtones do it up right (and Carla Jimenez murders it). But have you met my friend “Hooray for Santa Claus” by Richard Stepp? This washboard jug band fun-a-doodle is right up my alley. He’s a friend to everyone down the line.
What to make of The Hit Crew’s “Hooray for Chanukah“? Meandering kidsong with some rattling ragtime piano… Sounds like a kick line.
Giving kidsong a good name, Agwabom modulates slightly with some golden retro pop in “Hip Hip Hooray It’s Christmas Day.” I like how matter of fact he cheers.
Hidee ho and a diggidee doo seems to stand in for Hooray in “Hooray Hooray It’s a Holiday” from the so-called Mistletoe Singers. This kidsong smacks of Aussie-ness, but it’s fervent. Kids like that. Apologies to Boney M. who started this so-called song.
Then Mishelle Bradford-Jones twists it up with “Hooray Christmas Holiday” in which the poppy kidsong celebrates the school break. Hey! Hey!
What the hell might be the chorus for “Hooray for Christmas” from the Red Army Choir. Of the recordings I’ve uncovered, 3.5 minutes seems to be silence (encoded???).
Philip Gallen takes his rockin’ time developing “Hurray! For Christmas Day!” an earnest progressive piece of emotionality.
Derek Griffiths, Carole Boyd, Denise Bryer, Nigel Lambert, Steven Pacey, Claire Hamill, and Tom Newman are all credited for bringing “Hurray for Christmas” to life. The finale to the third Christmas Story Teller book from The Little Storyteller series it goes on and on in a rousing fashion.
The Irish Rovers raise the rafters (and their voices) with the antic “Hurray for Christmas Day.” Celtic reel. Woo hee.
Xmas being celebratory in nature, shoutings might include explosive ejacuations of exclamations. Huzza becomes hurray and other variations, it being a clamor populi.
“Hurray Hurrah” is some of the most Carrib fun we can have here on the blog. Singing Francine leaves nothing behind with her hand-clapping, ululating folk synth party.
Whitening up the locale, “Hurray for Christmas” from Steve DeDoes & Don Sebesky (feat. April Tini) recall The Lawrence Welk Show with their carefree jazz simplifications and jolly harmonies.
Greg Helmer gets quietly personal with his 2016 USA woes and the blues in “Hurray Hurray for Christmas.” Mixed message, dude. But mightily talented.
Hooray Heroes change up the spelling and countryfication of the concept with the sassy “Hooray, It’s Christmas Time!” Like you don’t care!
Retro jazz from Janet Seidel continues our new spelling with “Hooray for Christmas.” Heavy on the drums, light on the interjection.
Hey is terribly useful, so it has been adopted by many languages. I can’t be bothered to pursue the etymology, so we’ll assume other languages borrowed our grunt.
Ricky Martin pairs with Rosie O’Donnell (flashback!) to bemoan how bad a shopper we is in “Ay, Ay, Ay, Its Christmas.” This wants to be corrida, but it’s tequila pop. Close Harmony Friends jazz this up with a cappella boss nova. Trust me, it’s better. (Jipsta gets gender fluid with his mad rave rendition. Ai, papi.)
No Doubt’s “Oi to the World” is the punk cure to The Vandals. It’s a fun musical journey, not like the offending scratch of real punk (which neither are–sell outs!).
“Oi Oi Oi! It’s Christmas Time” is a folk/blues blend on the dregs of punk. Sorts lays it out like a reflective wintertime carol. But there’s hope in it. Deal, wankers.
