Month: April 2025

I Want to BELIEVE:XXX

ELP’s prog-rock “I Believe in Father Christmas” has whined on the blog before, but other versions both punk and NewAge/Celtic and gal cappella (holy moly) and even ‘on quaaludes‘ hover nearby. So, why not? I mean, okay, this is an existential crisis of faith–but it turns out relatively cool, or at least called on rain. All right, all right. Next month I promise: songs about ambivalence and disbelief!

Make Like Monkeys treats “I Believe in Father Christmas” with more pop permissiveness.

The Clapis Cousins represent the millennial slacker with raw strumming and struggling whistling in their folk-rock manifesto “Dear Santa.” Rap solo!

Squirrel Nut Zippers offer variation to their “Hanging Up My Stockings” with some odd broke-down Victrola filter. But this childish act of beggary is testament to belief, i believe.

Tom Kenny’s SpongeBob SquarePants leads the cast in their vote of confidence: “Santa Won’t Let You Down.” It’s pop showtune certainty.

Heather Noelle Holley tries to trademark Christmas with “There is a Santa Claus.” Cheesy pop heuristics that makes it so.

In 1897 The New York Sun editorialized the fact o’ Santa for little Virginia. Erasure recites the article (including the girl’s street address) for our elevation. Neil Spence (from 1966) syncopates the spoken word a touch more. Bryce Wood gets rock’n’roll showtune on it all. Holmes Outdoors features a clip from some other musical that gets chorally quite Great White Way (not sure who’s singing). Bruce Enloe gets down and country (nearly honky tonk) wit it. Jimmy Dean famously gets the name wrong when trying to rewrite the story as his own in 1965. Copyright issues?! Most strangely, Your Marginally Talented Photographer Girlfriend gets garage meltdown with it.

Whoa ho ho… Scottish band Pilot parlayed their pop hit into the holidays with “It’s Christmas.” Never believe it’s not so. That makes money, yeh?

Tim Noah rattles off all matter of beliefs in the retirement home pop “Just Because.” Pro whistling.

Matt Roach struggles through heartbreak with the alt-folk inner monologue “Christmas Encore.” He believes in all of it. Why won’t you? In him? Emo.

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Danny Baty kerplomps us a cowboy tune with “I Still Believe in Santa Claus.” Daddy tells daughter the provisios and conditionals and the metaphors.

Santa Sabbath and Friends turns a metal love ballad into “I Still Believe in Santa.” You gotta have faith, i guess.

“I Still Believe In Santa Claus” from the so-called Brandy Music Publishing Canada. It’s perky, ballad-y pop. Yet moody stuff. Approved.

Arielle Perez slows the pop for her “I Still Believe In Santa Claus” about the love she puppy-dogs overs you. It would be sad if it wasn’t so sad.

Allen Karl regrets the loss of childhood with the cowboy twanger: “I Wish I Still Believed in Santa Claus.” Having trouble following these subjunctive tenses….

Giovanni Pirozzi does a fine dance rock to “I Still Believe in Santa Claus.” It’s nasal, it’s noisy, it’s noice!

Darren Doran slings falsetto and harmonica against the folk protest “I Still Believe in Santa Claus.” Not sure of the production choices here.

Michael Loverde monotones “I Still Believe in Santa Claus” like it’s a Gregorian chant. But the symphonic piano has other ideas. Making this… jazz band pop?!

Eddie Mackerel overloads the mic with his punk pop “I Still Believe in Santa.” It’s spoken word, but emotional.

Craig Brohan livens the mood with a retro pop “I Still Believe in Santa Claus.” It doo the wop. Marvy.

Sounding washed up after last call, Tamara Solange belts out “I Still Believe In Santa” in the last honky tonk on the left. She’s wishing you back, dear.

I Want to BELIEVE:XXVIII

These protestations of determinacy are beginning to sound like each other. Let’s keep going then!

Trying again, Mehghan Trainor swings the pop declaring “I Believe in Santa.” She does. Do you? The choreography writes itself.

The Statler Brothers get all sit down, son and we’ll talk with “I Believe in Santa’s Cause.” There’s lots of country topics they can’t prove (less filling/tastes great), but they are convinced of the inner meanings. Something like that.

“Santa Claus (I Still Believe In You)” is Alabama’s attempt at country kidsong. Good harmonies lead into gospel, so this is the IDEA of the fat man.

LeAnn Rimes torch sings the lounge-wonderful “I Still Believe in Santa Claus.” Maybe you saw Slinky on the kid’s list and thought he meant job description.

“I Still Believe in Santa” as DeVita sings it is cheeseball pop with synthed vocals and little message. If this is your thing, go with God–figuratively speaking.

“I Still Believe in Santa Claus” by New Kids on the Block is more contemplative pop, from when they had baby voices. Still plenty of cheese.

“I Still Believe In Santa Claus” from Arielle Perez is almost showtune in energy, evolving from slow and uncertain to steady and loud. Still pop.

Full Service adults the pop a smidge with “I Still Believe in Santa Claus.” Nice folk influence, but it’s for the young ‘uns.

Brent Evans brings us back to country, sort of, with “I Still Believe in Santa Claus.” It’s a compare/contrast of boy to man. Is one better?

SuicideFriendly switches us up with bluesrock in their “I Still Believe in Santa Claus.” It’s tradition here despite the iconoclastic riffing.

Club rock from Lennie Gallant featuring John Dunsworth connects us better to “I Still Believe In Santa.” Well, those of us who got it figured out. Twangy!

I Want to BELIEVE:XXVII

Trying again, “I Believe in Santa Claus” is Sun Psychic’s (originally We Speak in Sounds) soft spoken epiphany of advent. For realsies.

“I Believe in Santa Claus” is Fox Nüz’s BLUE ALERT metal punk designed to rain on your parade of presents. For get it.

“I Believe in Santa Claus” is Laptop Punk Records’ garage take down on doubters. For bid den.

“I Believe in Santa Claus” is Graeme Connors’s country classroom for detractors. For sooth.

“I Believe in Santa Claus” is Chris Isaaks’s nonchalant country insistence. For tu i ty.

“I Believe in Santa Claus” is Jimmy Linegar’s admission to believing in everything–even your love. An instant country classic. For once.

“I Believe in Santa Claus” is Gil Slote and the Children of New York P.S. 24’s glacially folk attempt to cash in on musicality. For bear ance.

“I Believe in Santa Claus” is Jay Geisler and Company’s disco country play for dance floor failure. For feit ure.

“I Believe in Santa Claus” is Courtney Cotter King’s sleight of hand with country music tying SC and JC together. For heaven’s sake.

“I Believe in Santa Claus” is Amazing Amar’s English language practice with hockey organ back up. For eign er.

“I Believe in Santa Claus” is Freddie Hart and the Heart Beats’ kidsong for the old folks’ home. For sak en.

I Want to BELIEVE:XXVI

Do you believe in the old story of a hairy beefy jolly elf dropping off goodies?

“I Believe in Santa Claus” by The Crystalaires is doo wop harmony of little consequence. For the kids.

“I Believe in Santa Claus” from Dolly and Kenny is country corn pone of superior blue grass picking. For the fans.

“I Believe in Santa Claus” a la REO Speedwagon is progressive rock reeking of childish innocence. For the non-believers.

“I Believe in Santa Claus” out of Dr. Dog is syncopated alt rock of millennial disinterest. For whatever, like a miracle or something.

“I Believe in Santa Claus” rolled by Syrpyntyne is hard, but slow rock of barely restrained pathology. For headbangers on a break.

“I Believe in Santa Claus” sung by Willie Sterba is kid-friendly country pop with aspirations. For John Denver fans everywhere.

“I Believe in Santa Claus” recited by Sam Scola is glee club breath exercising of patience limit testing. For people who like to learn lyrics quickly.

“I Believe In Santa Claus” according to Kirby Heyborne is pokey folk of pedagogical proportions. For those who need a lecture to get there.

“I Believe in Santa Claus” duo-ed by Jonathan Tinne & Everly is cheesy pop off the Netflix cash grab of the same name. For lovers (and losers).

“I Believe in Santa Claus” sez The Mill Brothers is doo wop of retrograde rhythm. For the lovers. (Good stuff.)

“I Believe in Santa Claus” as Old 97’s sing it is tortoise slow club rock full of sentimental shivers. This one’s for me.

I Want to BELIEVE:XXV

Trying again, “I Still Believe in Christmas Trees” is Telstar Ponies getting symbolic with their credulity. Very indie. Ray Ray Garcia takes this title and makes a country reminiscence out of it. There’s dead parents and praying though.

Mikael Englund & Árpád Solti’re just walking around hopeless and like, when suddenly they come across “Street Santa” and everything’s better. As better as ragtime lounge will allow, that is. (They know it’s really him from all the ho ho ho ho ho hos.)

Cardinal enlarges on this subgenre to make “If You Believe in Christmas Trees.” The consequent of this playful prog rock is Dadaist nonsense of the coolest kind.

Is there Something Else to believe in?! David Lazar rocks the funk as if he were Fox Mulder with that Xmas night he got “A Visit.” The truth is out there, in the sky. Cool beans.

BooBoo Bear (from ‘Hanna-Barbera’s Christmas Sing-A-Long’) slings “Hope” to one and all. This time, it’s kidsong for Santa Claus.

The kid in me will always believe, Chatham County Line explains in studly bluegrass through “O! Santa.” It’s a song of hope and glee and presents.

Christmas Workshop Band (feat. Grandpa C) makes a meal out of “Believe Santa.” It’s an echo chamber full of random thoughts pretending to be pop music. I’m shaking here.

Matthew Gumley & Beth Leavel wrap up ‘Elf: The Musical’ with the not-quite showstopping Big Number “There is a Santa Claus.” It keeps building, the tempo continues to increase… and yet… and yet. (Still waiting.)

Mickey Rooney and Ron Marshall polish off 1974’s ‘A Year Without Santa Claus’ with the treacly easy listening “I Believe in Santa Claus.” He’s waiting. [Fans rankinbasstears put an indie edge on this.]

I Want to BELIEVE:XXIV

Trying again, Tweenies begets upon us Brit kidsong (with the occasional shrieking) that swears “I Believe in Christmas.” You may credit them as they keep to the beat.

Chairman of the Board, Frank Sinatra, is selling is gullibility in “I Believe,” a RatPack symphonic piece that only includes some Christmas believing.

Beckoning from the dark, I Don’t Know Margo hisses in a new hope with “Believe (Big Fill).” It’s mostly Jesus, so the piano jazz steadily morphs into gospel.

Joe Stevenson begins with Santa, but with his rocking folk “Believe,” takes us to a higher plane. What is your new bike to the fate of the human race?

Josh Groban’s “Believe” (theme from ‘The Christmas Express’) is about hearts, and magic, and self fulfillment. Your basic kid stuff.

Little Big Town aw shucks the country for “Believe in Christmas.” It’s a laundry list of all the little stuff. Devil’s in the details, y’know.

The Nines (Steve Eggers) forces the Britpop “Believe in Christmas” on us with the nicest of intentions. We’re back to the good of all mankind.

I Want to BELIEVE:XXIII

Trying again, Shel lounge divas the indie “I Know You’re Real, St. Nicholas.” It’s penetratingly emotional and disturbingly sensual.

Steve Smith artistically folks over “I Believe.” Mostly it’s about you. But it’s moving.

The Moody Blues piddle all over prog rock with “Yes I Believe,” a reverential peek at Jesus’s legacy. Guys, prog rock is for elves and stuff.

Vocally vibrant, George ‘Georgios’ Mavridis plies us with “Just Believe (in Christmas).” But he’s telling us with his primal beat, not asking us. Tres tremolo.

Sarth Calhoun gets thumpy, but it’s not bible-thumping… it’s washboard thumping! “I Just Believe in Christmas” is a roustabout of personal conviction. Hold onto yer socks.

BlitZ’s “I Believe in Christmas” flat out rocks. No whingeing, no conditions, no adulation. Manifesto music.

I Want to BELIEVE:XXII

Kenny Loggins’s “December” is virtuosoistic piano playing into NewAge sentiment. Pretty, but it’s only vaguely connected to mythologies.

Hoping to Elvis the sentiment, Manos the Wild sneers through the reverential retro-pop”I Believe in Christmas.” He’s fighting the non-believers, and i believe, he knows karate.

Romany pop from Endiamonds brings “Make Believe” into focus. They’ll explain what you’ll need.

Bringing back that banging folk of a thousand years yon “I Believe in Christmas” by LUX the band highlights the upper reaches of faith.

The LoveMonkeys with JD Rankin believe in so many things with the holiday season spurring them to pop music (and a Carrib accent?) in “I Believe in Christmas.” Danceable.

“I Still Believe In Christmas” by Freddie Guarella is more than decent folk indie that actually believes in YOU. Uplifting.

Corvair tries for NewAge with echoic filter and tubular bells in the moody “I Believe in Christmas.” It IS hypnotic.

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Groovy Uncle schools us in retro pop via “(I Do Believe) It’s Christmas Eve.” Is that sitar?

Ian Coss plays tennis with his vocals in “The Believer.” Old timey ragtime pop that reevaluates the belief levels Xmas morn.

Fleshtones club rock “I Still Believe in Christmas” with bounce and body and everything else that makes a hair do. It’s proselytizing!

Mary Smith (feat. Tyler Schaefer) reduce folk to easy listening in the platitudinous “A Christmas to Believe In.” Cliches falling like gentle snow.

Marc Broussard hammers out piano easy listening in “When Christmas Comes Along.” It makes him believe again. You know, in magic.

Yvonne Lyon adds an edge to her indie folk “I Believe in Christmas.” A tale of hesitant celebration is told.