Month: April 2024

Babbo Natale

Worth repeating: Martin Mull’s “Santafly” is disco down to funk.

D’modes plugs electric pop into rock while extolling that philanthropist who “Signs His Name with an S.” He’s so cool. {And IT’s cooler than Steve Earle & The Dukes‘s.}

Party the Hut and Friends funks out when detailing the positivity of “Groovy Santa.” The Cat with the Bag, that’s who.

Lounge lizard cool extends to “A Ring-A-Ding-Ding, It’s Santa.” Joel Kopischke smarms up the Big Guy’s rep, but he’s still a member of the Elf Pack. Hey hey–Ho!

Libandano Urfam leans into “Merry Zeppelin” with amateur rockishness. Santa comes off cool, though.

4th Century Bishop of Myra

Worth repeating: And i’ve repeated this before… Adolphe Adam slow blues the story of how Mr. Christmas began in the incomparable “Santa Had a Dream.” Nonstop on repeat, please.

Maybe Santa started as a baby, a “Baby Santa“! Kevin! rocks the idea when this whiskerless, reindeer-milk-drinking infant would bungee down chimneys on his unbmilical cord. Listen to believe.

Joel Kopischke returns with his “Santa Claus Saint Nicholas” (Alexander Hamilton parody). Rap, and yeah. That. Well, a taste of it.

Nicole C Mullen features a spoken word story about the origin of The Winter Presenter in “St. Nick’s Groove.” Tossing gold coins through the window? A miracle!

Nick and Jenny Maciaszek’s “Christmas Legend” begins in the coal mine and follows the dream with lilting folk country. Riding the Harley through the sky… that’s new.

Gary Fjellgaard cowboys up for the time “Santa Put a Saddle on a Reindeer.” That was the moment he got strange enough to become myth. Simple country.

Pere Noel

Worth repeating: Lance Songs does kidsong a favor with loosey goosey word jazz set to a simple beat. “Santa, Eat Your Cookies” is as much invitation as celebration. Hahahaha, ho ho ho ho.

??? garage their appreciation of their ‘friend’ “Santana Claus.” No guitars wielded by this figure, but he’s got gifts.

More confused is the mashup “O Santandoa” from Grammarchist. Global Warming crosses the old Jimmie Stewart Civil War movie. It’s a fun mess.

Four part harmony might mean Jay Stansfield is dead serious about “The Man in Red.” But it feels like fooling around. Altrock fun.

Rayvon raps for Disney in “The Santa Wrap.” Some scratching, some sax. But it’s clean as the down of a thistle.

Pretty indie mushiness from Colin Farish calls out observations about that night with the gentle “Thank You, Santa.” What, you couldn’t make a cookie?

Penznickel

Naughty? Nice? “When Santa Claus Gets Your Letter” all will be made clear. Tex Ritter and his Six Shooters cowboy the soft pop to explain it to you.

Buck Owens and his Buckaroos plug in more electric country to further the edification with “Tomorrow is Christmas Morning.” Swinging.

Lee Harris & the Sour Note Singers takes us by the boogie woogie “Way Up North.” Guess who’s waiting up there?

Nancy Hanson unravels sprightly bluegrass for her “Santa is Coming.” Sounds like down home.

The Surfers’ “Hawaiian Santa” is even cooler with his accoutrement (and his penchant for surfing!). The Surfers make a hula of this praise.

Sinterklaus

Worth repeating: all-Rush Mixtape posit a Bread parody with “The Santa Man.” Soft rock paints you a chapter.

A Beatles’ deep dive brings Colin & AJ to “Because.” It’s homage in an ironic age. Love it.

The Mavericks’ party blues-rock the retro with “Santa Does.” Toy time is the right time. Hoorah.

Piano bar lounge jazz bebop from Ralph Burns: my roof is his runway--! “Santa Claus is Near” is nearly a showstopper.

“Santa Claus Is Comin Tonight” is Tom Dudley Blues Buddha dropping boogie rock about dropping off the presents. Hold on tight.

Right Jolly Old Elf

Worth repeating: The Tinseltown Players over-orchestrate kidsong to a classic big band elevation with “When Santa Claus is Flying Through the Air.” It’s the tick-tock percussion that sells it.

That famous old guy who comes to visit on Christmas Day is bio-ed in kidsong from Maple Leaf Learning’s “His Name is Santa Claus.”

Sammy Kaye and His Orchestra (Vocal By The Kaye Choir) shows how to jazz the kiddies without compromising musical integrity with the old-fashioned “Santa, Santa, Santa Claus.” Old fuzzy-face makes an appearance as judge/jury/giftacutioner.

Mary (New Zealand All Girl Band) is sweet on the “Big Boy.” Can’t wait to see him. Seductively swaying sweet pop.

Hyperbole helps out Oscray’s gentle indie pop “Santa is Magical.” The mundane life of mall-going and nostalgia takes flight with this earnest harmony.

The Goons at Something Awful know how to ironically challenge kidsong as with Dr. Cogwerks’s whispery pop “The Story of Santa.” It’s not just a matter of English fluency, it’s weird. There’s murderous revenge in there. Oh well.

Father Christmas

Eddie Florano’s “Santa Claus is in Town” is celebratory Philippine rock about just how Santa he is. Happy happy happy.

Jamie Callum rails full lounge with “The Jolly Fat Man.” How cool is Santa? cool cool cool.

“Have You Heard the News?” inquires Koko Taylor through funky marshy blues. It has something to do with Santa coming to town…. Can i get a Go to sleep!

New age indie from Adam Follett also praises his frostiness in “Me Encanta Santa.” Mystical warbling.

The award for most laid back chill might have to go to Mr. Otis Gibbs’s bluegrass folk “Mr. Santa Claus.” I have a weakness for this kinda fiddlin’.

Kris Kringle

Worth repeating: “Santa’s Delivery” from A Latino Christmas applies saucy salsa tempo to an exciting proposition: He’s there! He’s gone! Whoosh.

“Santa Clause, the Man” is rap by Cha$e D’Amico which builds up the jolly ol’ elf to slightly more than human status.

Hal Willis is golly-gosh impressed with “Santa Superstar.” Two-step jazziness elevates Big Red to royalty. Too much–

Bombastic country from Clint Black characterizes S. Claus to musical heights in “Christmas for Every Boy and Girl.” Bowls one over, does.

Instructional rock from Youth on Track introduces “Santa Claus (What Does That Spell?)” What’s meant to be kidsong is actual music.

St. Nicholas

Worth repeating: Jimmy Allen & Tommy Bartella doowop the rock of “When Santa Comes Over The Brooklyn Bridge.” Killer sax solo makes up for the weak 1959 girl backup. (But, it was only a dream!)

“Mr. C” from Luke Stanage is thoughtful indie rock about the swift rider of Christmas. It has childlike wonder ballooning out of a tempered body.

The lugubrious “The Spirit of St. Nicholas” begins with Jesus worship, then Bud Davidge extends plodding electric middle of the road pop to the strictures of our deliverer of gifts.

Spoken word poetry from Mary Thienes Schunemann sets the stage and the man in “St. Nicholas Verse.” Pretty intense.

Dinah Washington croons “Ole Santa” about how magical the reindeer man is. R+B, but i can’t believe it’s not gospel.

Rock Sugar metals the parody with “Don’t Stop the Santa Man.” I understand you’ve vowed never to hear Journey’s hit ever again. But, trust me on this one.

Santa Claus

From an obscure theme to an idea that knows no bounds… We’ll bid a frond farewell to Xmas hairdos to celebrations of Santa Claus in general. I’m not too interested in sharing hundreds or thousands of novelty songs about the big guy for April, so let’s focus on pretty good stuff.

We’ll start with the basics. Balderdash & Humbug introduce our hero with “Bella Gusta Santa Claus,” a parody of the Italia-Americano persuasion.

Description continues with Buck Owens and his country rock twangin’ “Here Comes Santa Claus Again.” He sounds nice.

More askew, Haschel Cedricson’s “Ballad of Santa Claus” explains and exalts the big boss of the North Pole. Banjo folk.

“The Man with All the Toys” is a fine Beach Boys bit of surf rock. They’re young, it’s clever, and bops liven it up.

Kids’ stuff from the ’50s seems to add social commentary to “Tinker Town Santa Claus.” I’m not sure why these folks sound funny, but Santa delivers nonetheless. According to The Cricketones.