Month: April 2024

Big Red

Worth repeating: “Super Rock Santa” from The Fleshtones has the beat, the boast, and the best of music going for it. What have you got?

The Castle Arms are amazed by “Rock ‘N Roll Santa.” He’s really good. So’s this echoic pop.

“Rock Rock Rock Rock Santa!” as produced by third Earth tilts toward punk. But the chimney diver is still a rocker in it.

Rockabilly better suits “Santa was a Rockin’.” The Elfish Preselys do resurrect the King to bring us the slamming testimony. Appreciate it.

“Rock N’ Roll Santa” seems to hail from The Delta. Do You Hear What I Hear? (feat. Christine Ohlman) cajun away the cold to move your feet.

George Thorogood & the Destroyers play “Rock & Roll Christmas” as a rock tribute to tell Santa to go go go. The sax does it.

Robert ‘Dr. Bob’ Blake tortures the tonsils with the country “Santa Claus Rock.” Ouch, that’s… music.

Mr. December

Ho ho ho, like jingle bells, ya dig? is the catch phrase from Sandy Baron’s “Swingin’ Santa.” Sax stirs it up and, honey, it IS stirred. Twistin’ and struttin’ and all that.

The Moods recognize that party crasher “Rockin’ Santa Claus” as well. He livened the party no living end. More sax, nascent rock.

Do You Hear What I Hear (feat. The Wicked Smart Horn Band) jump blues good ol’ “Santa” with insults that are really terms of endearment. They love ‘im!

Collaborateurs swing on down to “Santa’s Karaoke.” He’s got quite a repertoire, that Duke of donation. Swings!

Would you then like to “Sing Along with Santa“? As per The New Christy Minstrels that, strangely, requires generosity, courtesy, and gratitude. Loud folk.

A Harold Rippy monotones his inexplicably R+B pop to let us know there’s “Santa Claus Singing on the Back Porch.” Could be worse.

Grandfather Frost

Worth repeating: “Santa’s Disco” is the party to party all parties. The Superions add a step of disco to their alt-pop.

David W Watson drawls out real slowly “Santa’s Party Sled.” Folk (or just real slow country) outlines the guest, activities, and appreciations. I may have fallen asleep and couldn’t tell you.

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy admits “Last Night I Went out with Santa Claus.” Too cool swing that skirts the law with good times. That pointy hatted rascal!

“Let’s Go Dancing with Santa” is KC and The Sunshine Band’s boisterous attempt to observe the holidays. Danceable. Not much else.

Not keen on uncredited songs, but “Santa’s Party” composed by Mike Kenel/Ian Grant rocks the ‘billy just right. Thanks, Pete the Elf.

Party the Hut and Friends bang on garage rock to hail “Party Claus.” It’s brah-tastic. He’s hanging with Jesus and Monica Lewinsky.

“Santa Claus’s Party” is originally from Les Baxter and a more sprightly kidsong i would have trouble finding. Tom Rankin & Dan Zimmerman make a dirge of it with synth and modulations galore. Eww.

Santa

The Sonics cool the rock with their 1965 “Santa Claus.” It’s a wishing spree, but without proper reverence they may be gettin’ nuthen–nuthen–nuthen–nuthen!

“Go Santa Go!” is boogie woogie slay from Pepita Slappers · Joakim Wall. Rafters raised. The Duderinos hit “Go Santa Go” as more evenly paced and easier to follow. The Wiggles’ “Go Santa Go” is standard kidsong. The Rubettes (feat. Alan Williams) save it.

BeauSoleil bounces zydeco across town with “Papa St. Nick.” Sweaty, swampy, sweet.

Haschel Cedricson has decided than rap is whiteboy easy with “Santa Oom Mow Mow.” Cringe cool.

“Mr. Santy Claus” is a celebration of life from those retro popsters Make Like Monkeys. TCB, baby.

Mr. Christmas

The party can’t start without “Fat Santa.” Wealthy Elves take us ’round the block with some rap/rock mashup to get us there.

“Get Some Santa Claus” is little story of a badass from Okra Pickles. Supremely dig the opening and would make it my ringtone if i could figure that out. BLUE ALERT!

“Badass Santa” is busy indie from softbomb (Кузанкин Роман). Wait, is he Russian?

Lee Harris impersonates a tinhorn big band for a ’50s western for kiddos in “Pistol Packin’ Santa Claus.” How have i not included this previously? Great stuff.

Bah & The Humbugs determine who’s the “Boss of Christmas” with pop panache. Bravo!

“Dig That Crazy Santa Claus” is the gone doo wop Pete the Elf exposed me to decades ago. Oscar McLollie & The Honeyjumpers are kicky, oogley, AND real George. Check it.

Kris

Bunch of Believers turn ‘It Must be’ into a whole new ska game with “So Many Santas.” This is often a point AGAINST the Saint. And the comparison to JC doesn’t prop him up. But… it’s Ska! Cool.

I Don’t Know Margo grunges country to give us an adoring “Secret Santa.” Kinda rocks.

Allowing for the stupid fresh of Santa, Bob Seger & The Last Heard beseech with correct r’n’r reverence “Sock It to Me Santa.” Bud Logan reinterprets “Sock It to Me Santa” as electric country with disco twang. That IS different.

The Soul Saints Orchestra get back to the funk with “Santa’s Got a Bag of Soul.” This mid-’90s James Brown homage delivers on the henhs.

Brook Benton slops on the soul for a real “Soul Santa.” 1971 vulnerability. Man, that flute!

Flourish out with some fine War parody: “Sleigh Rider” by Santa’s Elves. That chingon es muy trucha.

St. Nick

Rockabilly doesn’t usually get this chill, but Thee Elfmen lay licks into “Santa Santa” that induce duckwalking–at most. Not swinging, but cool.

Jody Whitesides’s rock also holds back in “Sharing for Christmas.” But what’s so funny about good, cheer, and spirit?

Amidst the grunge of “Rise, Santa, Rise” come the lyrics: The sky, is calling; The sleigh, awaits its king. But Placeholder Confidential’s metal attitude doesn’t frighten so much as pledge to the Kringle his due.

Dipping a toe into psychedelia, Collaborateurs announces that Santa Claus is frozen Jello. Perhaps that’s only to rhyme with his epithet as a “Mellow Fellow.” Or perhaps it’s meant to melt your mind, in a giving way.

“Secret Santa” is most often NOT the actual Santa, but a form of workplace abuse. Canned Hamm and Friends make of this idea a charming hash with hooded brotherhood initiation intonations. Oooh.

“PeaceNick” is so laid back it’s come ’round again. Roy Zimmerman applies the Lefty attributes of Santa to a forensic sketch and gets this hippie portrait. Folk comedy.

Old Man Christmas

Worth repeating: “When Santa Comes to Santa Cruz” is The Malibooz’s bongo beating bag of brag on the bearded one. Surf rock, natch.

Mushmouthed excitement from Nor’easterners Flooded Cellar. “Santa’s Gonna Roll into Town” seems to elicit much bell ringing. So it’s a big deal.

“Spon End Santa” is a local figure of some note (around Coventry, England). David Goody pops the r’n’r to make him sound good.

Australian Santa also seems cool, according to Jim Haynes. “Owyagoin’ Santa Claus” is the question for a proper bruce. Pop.

“San Diego Santa” is actually cool ‘cuz he’s on vacation. Durnst & Friends slowly roll out the indie to keep it boss.

“Incense Burning on an Open Fire” seems to open the door to Santa adulation. Durand Bernarr sweetly croons the R+B higher and higher.

Santy

Funky? Santa?? Boomdaddy starts our journey of discovery with a child’s garden of cool in their “Funky Santa.” Enough soul to appeal to the funk-impaired.

Robert J. Walsh ups the gnarly quotient with “Funky Funky Santa.” Starting to lose control here.

Wookiz layers in the ol’ whisper technique for more “Funky Santa.” A smattering of scat don’t hurt none neither. Unh!

Lee Harris adds sexual innuendo to heighten his “Funky Santa.” He’s a saint’s saint.

White Chimney’s “Funky Santa Claus” leads talky cool to soul-type rap. It’s a fab precursor to ’90s pop.

Bamtone uses more music to muscle up the funk in “Funky Santa.” It works.

Red and Blue simply note that Santa is a “Funky Santa.” So laid back, it’s cool.

The Salmons chant in step and it’s actually pretty funky. Call and response makes him a “Funky Santa.”

Teacher Feature & Rusty Gallant go the disco route to empower their “Funky Santa.” Their talky approach elicits call outs (from me at least). Yeah! Go! Man!

Black Peter

Worth repeating: “Santa’s Got a Zoot Suit” by Dave Rudolph is jazzy blues that beats big band time. Straight from the fridge, daddio.

Eddie Florano is perhaps not as impressed that “Santa Has a New Outfit.” It’s nice, but not superlatively so. Electronic, yet jazz.

The Poptarts don’t quite add elan to The Man when they jazz diva “Santa’s the Man.” I believe them, but my eyes are rolling.

Boss blues from The Christmas Jug Band ladles out how particular our red hero is when it comes to political affiliations. “Santa Don’t Go There.” ‘Nuff said.

From the Mark and Brian Show, however, comes a more convincing “Santa’s the Man.” Not sure who does this, but–woof. Rock. Just rock.

Over the Rhine softens the blues for their “North Pole Man.” Brrr, he’s chill. But they’re diggin’ him.