The gentle “Mike the Reindeer” from In Love gives us a nice break from hardline comedy. Beautiful music. (Soul rock.)
Ringers: Mike
Month: June 2021
Ringers: Marvin
Balderdash & Humbug’s “Marvin the Substitute Reindeer” is another ‘Rudolph’ parody. But it does tell a story. (Have you ever seen Santa Claus mad, boys and girls?) Bit of a giggler. And the little girl digression tries our patience. Bit misogynistic actually.
David Ayers introduces “Marvin the Loud Mouth Laughing Reindeer” with braying guffaws. Not a fully rounded character. Not a chance to help with the sleigh. But the dixieland screeching is full on. Holee cow.
Ringers: Lloyd
Otis Gibbs knows a drop-out reindeer unlike many of the others. “Lloyd the Reindeer” parks cars, gets in fights (and loses–to Santa!), drinks. But the salty blue grass lets us know the he’s a heck of a guy. Santa even springs for a new leg for the lug.
Ringers: Leroy
Anti-racist parody “Leroy and Roosevelt Reindeer” features the only black members of Santa’s crew pushing the Caddy from the back. The raucous background laughter cues us in to the jokes. The R+B rhythms help, though.
Joe Diffie wrote novelty country reindeer songs when novelty country reindeer songs weren’t cool. 1995’s “Leroy the Redneck Reindeer” placed well on Billboard’s Country Singles chart. It’s got gusto, but the humor is past its sell by date. Or maybe too many of these reindeer songs are yokel hokum.
Ringers: Jesus
Emmy the Great with Tim Wheeler count off the roster (…Sancho… Panza… Sarah… Palin!) until they come to the one everyone’s been waiting for: “Jesus the Reindeer.” Sprightly alt-pop.
Ringers: Gary
MC Lars whiteboy raps “Gary the Green-Nosed Reindeer” as a bit of contextual comedy from the mid-‘Aughts. A bin Laden joke, an endless backbeat, a lively energy–you had to be there.
Ringers: [BLUE ALERT]
Childhood institutions like Santa’s reindeer are not immune from the obscenity of the sophomoric. YOU ARE WARNED.
According to the YouTube entry: MistleThumb is comprised of Dong Crosby, Ebenezer Spooge, Manheim Cornholer, and Douglas Firburger. Our mission is to ruin Christmas for everyone forever.
Their ‘Rudolph’ parody “Fuckolph the Fuck-Nosed Fuckdeer” may not win most F-bombs in a lyric, but boy does it try hard.
Ringers: Donny
“Donny the Long-Nosed Reindeer” is a Les Tafari attempt to parody ‘Rudolph.’ It goes round and round and doesn’t get anywhere. Then you realize it’s a previous presidential putdown. Political fire.
The kind of reindeer that would run over a geriatric is careless; the kind that would scam out the old folks–?? Marvy pop music from Wenatchee Valley Boys brings the finger-popping tribute to the scoundrel “Donny the Reindeer.” Look out, kids! No one’s shadier….
Ringers: Dippy
Cryptozoology may become a later topic for this blog. But, for now, let’s meet “Dippy the Reindeer” from Anton Mullan and Steve Elliott. Their concept children’s albums begin ‘Let’s Go to…’ and this one ends with ‘Dinosaurland.’ Dippy sings to us with dixieland pop, in an attempt to convince us it’s a REINDEER not a DINOSAUR. Well, you just listen:
Ringers: Bucky
Were there any famous reindeer before the Big Eight? Try “Bucky the One-Eyed Reindeer,” a lovely cowboy ditty about the great reindeer crash that resulted in the great stock market crash. Santa’s Elves deserve a posting on the great parody parade. Their album is good stuff.
