douglove1225 – Page 37 – Novelty Christmas Music

Xmast Instruments: Trumpet (pt. 2)

Toot your own horn. For the holidays.

Winter Sage takes a break from referencing saxophones to remember that plastic trumpet you got in ’82. “Midnight’s Apology” puts a somber spin onto this alt-folk nostalgia. [In their “Whiskey & Mistletoe” the trumpet from old records sounds like memories of Dad’s absence. Damn. Syncopated jazz.]

Brandon Diaz likes to point out “This Year Sucks (At Least We Got Christmas)” with some chiming indie pop. Let the trumpets sing he invokes when he’s really into it.

The Wiggles’ “Wiggly Wiggly Christmas” is a kidsong swing from Santa and his reindeer band (Rudolph on trumpet–cool, daddio). Not Safe for Work.

In the party of The Snowfall Swing, Chris Waits highlights “Frosty Jive” bringing the whole town to its feet for his thumping pop. The trumpets glow, dear.

Frosty learned the trumpet in “Once a Snowflake” from the musical ‘Searching for the Spirit of Christmas’ and sung by Noah Flores & Alisha Nordquist. Showtune merriment.

The Wailers (w/Bob Marley) want you up and at ’em as they “Sound the Trumpet” for Christmas. Reggae with a side of jazz.

The Action! swing with more jazzy reggae wanting “A Trumpet for Christmas.” Apparently it will bring them cheer. Boss.

Xmas Instruments: Trumpet (pt.1)

Make like Al Hirt (or The Angels) and play the ol’ brasshole. Wakey wakey ears are achy.

Heaven so decrees: “Sound the Trumpet (Christmas Is Here)“–so you’ll know and not ignore. Here the Vancouver Children’s Choir use more harmony and blatting to make their point.

On the other lamb, Eagleman Band point out that no trumpet sounded “That First Christmas Day.” Plodding folk makes it seriously so.

Lauren Anderson doesn’t even care when that old trumpet starts to blow, because it “Feels Like Christmas” when you are by her side. Torch song with all the jazzy accoutrements.

“Christmas in Hollywood” is so noisy it’s rolled out with bells and trumpets, so say Starring Vanya. It’s pop. It’s noisy. It’s Christmas.

Bayou bound, AI swings out “A Holiday Journey” supposedly created by Nicola Maurantonio. As least the trumpets blast.

Cheesy pop from LimaVii “The Sound Of X-Mas” includes thundering trumpets. Not much else to recommend it.

Gramps Morgan confuses bells and choirs and trumpets and laughter as all making the sound “Fa La La La La.” Gospel inspired pop.

You might want a translator who speaks plaid when you unravel the pop march “Grandad And His Christmas Trumpet” by way of The Brothers Fife. Sadly, Grandad is a bit flatulent on the brass kicker.

Xmas Instruments: Trombone

Whether you think of your Tbone as a large trumpet or a paper clip, you must be one sliding cat to handle that sackbut.

AI calls out to us how Trombones swing and trumpets shout in the pretend jazz band of “Swingin’ Christmas Bells” by Hadrian Virtual Ensemble. There’s also glocks, but not the shooting kind.

In Corey Lynn Fayma’s “Gumbo Ya Ya Christmas” features jazz, funk, and blues–including Trombone Shorty! Clear the decks!

Channeling Elvis Josh Dower breathally intones “I’ll Trombone For Christmas.” This is not the parody you are looking for.

Splodgenessabounds calls it an ultraphone in his takedown of UK politics “you’ve got to have a dream”You’ve Got to Have a Dream.” Wacky music hall bit–Have a Banana!

Saving our musical acuities Poppa John Gordy and his Dixielanders jazz out “Santa Plays The Trombone (In the North Pole Band)” from 1954. Dixieland, i never thought i’d be so happy to see you back.

Xmas Instruments: Triangle

(Are you kidding me?) Whether or not this bent metal is a direct descendant of the ancient Egyptian sistrum, or merely its cousin, a couple songs mention its reverberative tonality.

[Rumors persist of a rare album “A Very Merry Percussionistmas” by the Percussionistas, so i beg you to share the possibility of obtaining this as it would fit in here. If not, please make such an album.]

Cleo and Cuquin get baby-sized with their ‘Happy and You Know It’ adaptation for Christmas. But, the “Gift Song” includes a xylophone, tambourine, maracas and finally a triangle. So this house will be shaking up a storm come Advent.

Mr & Mrs Smooth note the bells in “Another Christmas Song,” but down the street the kids are singing one more… with a triangle of all things! Symphonic easy listening.

Xmas Instruments: Tambourine

Shake those zills on your timbrel, baby!

Zach Rocks wants this so bad. His “Christmas Tambourine Song” will make that clear. Rocking, ostensibly. But it’s kidsong through and through.

Mr. Aaron wants you to know about his “Christmas Tambourine” with his gospel influenced pop. Oh, you’ll know.

Despite bongos backing him up Hank Valencia asks us to “Wake Up, It’s Christmas” with the shaking of tambourines. For Christ. Doggerel describes this better than easy listening pop.

Cross Canadian Ragweed sings about a homeless family busking for Christmas. Daddy’s on guitar, Mama’s on tambourine, “Lawrence” is missing Christmas. Weepy folk.

LAPêCHE has happier boho family folk memories with Daddy playing guitar and her hitting the “Red Tambourine.” Still depressing.

The Bosshoss slightly lifts the mood with “It’s Christmas Again,” a country pop ode to celebrating with the tambourine jing-a-ling-a-linging (jing-a-ling-a-linging). Nutty fluff.

This time it’s a synthesizer and a tambourine (and a metal drummer) for Herod the Fink’s Christmas show. “Jimmy & Robert” is a RnR showstopper, give you that. (BTW, that’s Stewart and Goulet–for the title.)

“Rock´n´roll X-Mas” at least as retold by The Refreshments features a tambourine. Dad rock, but really slow. Pretty good sax.

Some mighty good Xmas songs about instruments have long before come and gone on this blog and i’ve done my best to repeat nary a one this theme. Until now. Red State Update’s “Christmas Tambourine” was wasted on my month of Songs about Songs. Now it revives to rock us into the proper celebratory mood. Respect!

Xmas Instruments: Synthesizer

A child of ’60s, a star in the ’80s, the synth made science fiction of music.

While synthesizers hum a cold and distant tune, “December Static” empties life of meaning for Leon Mondschein. Buzzy pop.

“I Remember Old Computer (Christmas 1989)” from Additional Moog (James Leighton Williams) remembers the young joy of that new sound with electronic pop.

Chris Pace is startled to see “Jason Lytle’s Old Synthesizer (Is Underneath My Christmas Tree).” The Grandaddy frontman is nowhere to be found, but this indie tells the tale of his leavings.

Ex-Rental mourns the passing of real music when he hears “Christmas in a Synthesizer Age.” Rock/pop that writes history.

So, everyone wants one now, eh? Anna Jeter monotones the pop “Synthesizer For Christmas” expressing want, not need.

“My Baby Bought me a Synth for Christmas” crows Luke Neptune with VERY electronic pop. Plenty of garbage presents, but never mind that. Now he rocks.

Phantom Planet Films brings us “Everyone Gets a Synthesizer for Christmas.” Repetitive pop, which works.

“All I Want for Christmas Is a Synthesizer” from Evripidis and His Tragedies, Eliza Ariadne Kalfa is all i want from Xmas novelty. It puts its money where its Moog is.

Xmas Instruments: Saxophone

It’s a woodwind! It’s brass! It’s John Coltrane’s piece!

It can create a moody mood, too. Over the Rhine’s “All I Ever Get for Christmas is Blue” cites an old song on the radio wailing on the sax. That’s all it takes… blue. This one is bluesy jazz.

The elegy of “December’s Quiet” by Winter Sage angrily jazzes the emptiness left behind of your unattended sax. You, you’re gone. [Their “Fireplace Letters” is more epistolary, a reading that taps the horn as ghostly. Quite the reputation.] [Finally, their “Homecoming Static” pits rap against the missing Daddy’s dusty saxophizzle.]

The mellow sound of the saxophone echoes the brokenhearted of Binary Beats’ “Christmas in Blue.” It is allowed that all music has changed in mood once you have gone away.

Winter bound, an old man questions “Have I Done any Good.” He then picks up a saxophone in his hospital bed and serenades his daughters. It’s a Herod the Fink world, you guys.

Swinging into an upbeat, Dr. Kok adds trumpets to the saxophone for “This Jazzy Surprise.” It’s big band-ish, but elevator bound musically.

Ersatz Roaring ’20s from AI, or at least PerBEATlity, “Welcome to the Christmas Party” also kicks up a heel or two. Trumpets and saxophones again add to the ambience.

Amateur jazz band strikes back with “Santa Played The Bari Saxophone” by The Original Skazz Band (Feat. Joe Crumrine). Cooler solo.

Who to watch out for, however, would be the “Creepy Ol’ Saxman.” The Withers warn you with this ragtime pop, but fear less–the saxophone part is a cappella’d.

Jazzy rock that speaks to me, Chris August’s “Tell Me What You Want” goes behind the scenes for a mall Santa and what he gets asked for (saxophone). That’s a party in my ears.

Xmas Instruments: Piano (pt.2)

Tickling the ebony and ivory is a privilege, at least it costs more than any other starter instrument. But there’s always some ruint upright nobody can get rid of.

The Oak Ridge Boys slather their barbershop country all over “Uncle Luther Made The Stuffin.’” All the family members have their chores, including Anna on the pie-anna. Hoe down fun. [Their gospelly “Family Piano” is more sobering.]

Weepy easy listening describes “The Piano” by Liz Callaway. It takes her back, see?

Well, if you prefer cheesy pop, “That One Christmas Song” by Jess LaPradd is vapid beats about singing piano songs. Like, Billy Joel?

AI swings and sways in “Christmas Piano Waltz” provided by Niboyeang, Atsadakorn Kapookkham. Not sure how well pianos waltz, but it’s got… something.

Moody symphonic pop from Ralph McTell dourly relates how “All Things Change” for Renne, the landlady, and big Eddie on the piano for Xmas. And by that we mean they have no future in this existential hole. Holy moldy.

Making the most of it, Crayon Jones wants to gather us ‘round the piano and have a “Merry Christmas Everyone I Mean It.” Slow, gentle Britrock.

More focused on the instrument “Joseph Just Keep On Playing” is the amateurish backroom light pop story from All Together Now. Trust me, it works.

Xmas Instruments: Piano (pt. 1)

Hammers on strings? Is it percussive? Is it stringy? Play me a song, piano mass.

DG Solaris improvs “Christmas No.2” with a jaunty keyboard beat and a weird AF gratitude for what matters at Xmas. ‘Sworth a jazz minute.

D/troit’s “Motown X-Mas Song” namedrops like on a mission (incl. Marvin on the piano) to imagine the party to end all parties. More pop than R+B.

Brett Eldredge knows “It Must Be Christmas” when all his friends are in town and Tommy plays piano. Sassy easy listening with a skosh of jazz.

Boys in Shorts narrate their music making in “Christmas Lights,” a winsome reflection of light emotionality. Quite quite indie.

More shyly, UFO Race downplays the lights AND the party small talk in favor of commandeering the piano and creating a “Christmas Chime.” Frothy fun indie.

“Crazy 4 Christmas” is Mike Fish getting Dada with Xmas imagery in front of a rocking backdrop. Just my cup of shoe.

Lori (of Lori & David) promises that if you Sit by my white piano, I’ll sing you Christmas carols in the bouncy folk pop of “Ribbon on Top.” Adorable.

Den Dery gets nearly atonal with his jazzy euphoria–SHE’s here for Christmas! Puts him in a “Christmas Piano Mood.” I’m in a groovin’ kinda mood listening.

Xmas Instruments: Organ

Keyboard organs deliver notes by many means: electric, bellows, book, pipes, barrels, and more.

Loretta Lynn’s “Country Christmas” is made musical with her dad on the organ. Corny pop country, what else?

C.W. McCall narrates the memory of another country time when Mama played the organ and we all were to “Sing Silent Night.” Sadly sad.

A couple sentimentalists have prefaced their “Silent Night” rendition with the 19th C. tale of the broken organ and the minister who penned a carol oh the fly without the need for one. Like J. Denver and the Muppets here. Sorry.

Comedy break from Hot Buttered Elves tells the story of “The Old Church Organ.” Dunt dun duhhhhh.

That old chestnut, “The Holly and the Ivy” invokes the playing of the merry organ for Christmas singing, so let us allow Silent Knight Riot’s punk posings.

As olden, “Christmas Bells (A Poem Read by Edward Ian Chappe)” brought to life by Carlos Fandango Music documents many symptoms of the season such as the merrymaking music of the organ grinder. Recitative pop.

Hokey easy listening from Ken Bascue, “Ave Maria On Christmas Day” sets the scene of the organ playing for his mother singing in church. Teardrops follow this memory.

MCS Singers try a more upbeat easy listening recounting that long time ago gift under (?) the tree: the organ! After which she tried to sing of a “Beautiful Christmas to All of Them” responsible for such generosity. Cheers!

More of a party easy listening, “California Christmas Remaster” by Bye Bye Mars features an announced organ solo as a gift to you. Check out the final refrain, though. Meta.

In personification, an electric organ celebrates “N8153A’s First Christmas.” This party pop by Party The Hut and Friends is basement friendly. BYOB.