Category: blues

Most often, the holiday ideal of TV advertisements reminds folks without friends and family to regret their independence for the holidays. It’s not a good mood. Solitude is, in fact, a solid subgenre for Xmas music. As is ‘missing you’ songs around the happiest time of the year. Those will get their due. For now, let’s focus on despondency for its own sake.

Chris Daily’s “Melancholy Holiday” strums the indie hard, justifying the Weltschmerz for its own sake.

Bob Malone’s “Sad on Christmas” doesn’t much of how no one else will see, but breathily stumbles over the piano about how sad this sadness is. Sing it, brother.

Busy McCarroll’s “Sad Young Man” also dwells on the bathos. This time, however, the concertina rag time calls in old-timey microphone fuzz as if this were 1922. Fun stuff.

Rod McKuen makes fun of you for crying in the very ’70s “Who Knows Where We’re Going?” It would’ve been about existential angst if he’d studied psychology.

If you’re feeling melancholy/Don’t let Christmas get to you advises uncredited singers on the Daily Reckless album. “Merry Christmas” says suck it up and R+B.

It’s all so mystifying, sings Jamie Cullum about why “Christmas Caught Me Crying“. Apart from the awkward anthropomorphization of the event, this lounge blues resonates.

“Christmas Tears” from Dr. BLT (he’s a real doctor) puddle jumps brokenheartedness without worrying about missing YOU. Straight up folk.

Fighting it, Dusty Strays country folks “Don’t Cry, It’s Christmas Time“. He wants you not to cry for him, Advent even. (Maybe don’t pout, either.)

Also taking the other side The Christmas Cards croon “Why does Christmas make Daddy Cry?” Isn’t that funny? asks this tearjerking folk.

“Everyone Cries at Christmas” by Patrick Canning returns to really bum us the heck out. Psychedlically edged indie pop that shovels on the infelicity.

So, it must be time to revisit “Santa on a Crying Jag” from the most missed Piedmont Songbag group. Jazzy blues, yet What’s So Sad?

Variations on the Dreidel song include “Funky Dreidl (I Had a Little Dreidl)“, a retooling by Chicago a cappella that invokes mysticism. Groovy.

Brave Combo’s “Hey, Little Dreidel” rocks the klezmer to positive effect. EDM, my little Semites.

You’ll get out what you put in, advises The LeeVees in “Nun Gimmel Heh Shin“, a folk observation more than a tutorial. Nearly zen.

“Spin The Dreidel” by Dave Feldstein is all about the entirety of Hannukah, but the rocking treatment draws those of us who need to into converting.

Spiritual treatment from Ruth Weber spins “The Dreydl Sing Along” into a confusing rafter raiser. Hallejewyah.

AI strikes again when “Dreidel Dreidel Dreidel” by Drenai Empire celebrates the joy of the game with synthed pop.

Using an old Celtic tune and a random gaff track Izzy Schneerson blows some bluegrass into “Chanukah Spin My Dreidel Fill My Seidel“. Beats me all to gimmel.

It’s a high stakes game when you recall “Your Savior Spun a Dreidel“.  Hugo Hesse jams this folk blues session with lotsa chord exercises and comparative religious hypotheses.

Christmas parody? “A Dreidel Wonderland” by Doug & Lisa is an unplugged journey through table top play. Fun!

Spinning is possibly not a fair game when “High on Hanukkah” by· Micah E. Wood (feat. Seth Kibel). Modulated blues rock with a smeary funk that leaves you with the munchies. And an ending straight outta ‘Inception’.

Your grampa’s grampa’s turntable was a windup box that played a disk or cylinder for a short period of time. But it saved on the music lessons.

Joe Cerisano’s “Music Box” gets sentimental with orchestrated easy listening. Then there’s the fireplace. It’s a whole ensemble. Trans-Siberian Orchestra adds more gravitas to this. “Music Box Blues” is yet another version of this same song by that same last group. But this time it rocks.

The Winter Failure returns triumphantly with their particular brand of echoic folk, “I Don’t Believe in Santa.” But–what if they’re wrong….

Walter J Productions offers up more (AI?) cynicism with the prog-pop “I Don’t Believe in Santa Claus.” What if Queen wrote a lame kidsong–?

Alfred tries some ‘a cappella’ jive rap with “I Don’t Believe in Santa Claus.” What instruments is he mouthing? I can’t even tell.

The funkiest refusal might be Blues Boy Bo witnessing what he saw when he went to his baby’s. “Don’t Believe in Santa” is blues for I Guess I’ll Shoot ‘im.

Again: Ron Holden has already asked us “Who Says There Ain’t No Santy Claus?” But it bears redefending. Doo wop greatness all the way to the electric chair.

Riffing off Red Sovine’s patented storytelling, MAMA admits that in “A Christmas Far Far Away” no one believes in Christmas. This is a country trucking song, but in space. It’s like that.

Again: From the failed musical ‘Flahooley’ Barbara Cook and Jerome Courtland update “Who Says There Ain’t No Santa Claus?” with a love song searching for romance.

Brooks and Dunn did NOT improve on this title with their homespun country mush “Who Says There Ain’t No Santa.” Not a cover, but a banal cashgrab.

Properly modern, Captain Beefheart avant gardes the blues with his proclamation “There Ain’t No Santa Claus on the Evening Stage.” Sure it’s from the 1970s, but compared to the other stuff here, this is forward looking.

Bruce and Carl bang the drum and cry out garage-style for “Christmas Awake! It’s Christmas!” Mostly they want to wake you up.

“You Gotta Get Awake This Christmas Break” is a symbolic gesture from Robby Grant suggesting achieving layers of consciousness from enlightenment to helping with the laundry. Peppy indie.

VanVan, Heiress Harris rap you up with their cute as pie “CHRISTMAS WAKE UP.” Presents rhyme with blessings in this house.

Forest Blakk returns with “Wake Up! (It’s Christmas Time),” a party pop of R+B intention. More belly rubbin’ than eye rubbin’ here, y’all.

“Wake Up, It’s Christmas Morning” is on the spiritual side from Rob Mathes. Broken hearts get helped as well. Spiritual blues.

Dr. BLT is back with all cylinders on FOLK for “Santa Overslept this Christmas.” No fear, the doctor has a plan.

John Campbell wonders about the tardy Father Christmas in “Santa’s Song” a narrated (give it a minute) fairy tale. (Fairies and pixies do all the work.) Disturbing childsong.

More story-song from Lawrence Anthony, “Wake-Wakey Santa!” employs highly annoying British children to bray NeeNaw! to help out. Boy, do i have a headache now. But i am awake.

“What If Santa Falls Asleep” is operatic bluesy rock from Nolli Brothers (Juventino Dário de Oliveira · Ana Luiza Noli Merrighi). It’s noisy.

Waiting up all night with puckered lips in order that Klaus may show up and get some…

Again? Unkle Funkle sums it up best with “I Want a Kiss from Santa.” Rollicking, synth-ed pop.

Mr. Neet asks you to sing along with “Wanna Kiss Santa.” Hard not to get caught up with this repetitive (BLUE ALERT) calliope-istic pop.

“Christmas Kiss” from GRAYÉ is light-hearted rap about that oscular connection with–the girl? Santa? Does it matter?

Dad band The Lifters settle into a bluesy rhythm with their chanting “Kiss for Santa.” Nice axe work.

Worth another listen: Danny Gonzalez has seen Tim Allen’s ‘Santa Clause’ once too often, so “I’m Gonna Kill Santa Claus” in order to become the North Pole King. BLUE ALERT. Blame the game, not the playa.

Atmosphere’s “If I was Santa Claus” is a rapping wish list that addresses the psychology of the wisher. Poor guy, he’s conflicted.

“Ol’ Nick and Rudy” is a whole story from Matt Andersen, including some statements from Mr. C. It’s not really him, but it is his side in his own words. If it weren’t for the kickass honky tonk music, i might’ve overlooked it.

Balderdash & Humbug have noticed an uncomfortable resemblance when holiday eating. “Beginning to Look a Lot Like Santa” is indeed a take off of ‘Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.’ But it’s self-serving.

“Christmas Blues” is the letter of complaint from Santa by way of Arrogant Worms. It’s blues, but comedic.