Cary Grant’s “Christmas Lullaby” (1967) begins as a spoken confession to the sleeping child about hopes and dreams (and Jesus, too!). Then he–sorta–sings!
Barbra Streisand presides over the ethereal “Christmas Lullaby” with stately grace. She da Queen.
Joliet4 shovels on the suffering and bleeding for her string-heavyily orchestrated “The Christmas Lullaby.” Yet, this is indie, so depressing? Or just accurate??
Balsam Range hits the bluegrass monotone nicely with their “Christmas Hymn.” (Which i have other versions of as “Cradle Hymn” here sweetly harmonized by Elizabeth Mitchell for your taste test comparisons.)
It’s time to inject some romance into the snark. Let’s ship Santa and, well… you! Or me. Or someone else.
Perhaps most notoriously, Eartha Kitt owned “Santa Baby” as a (quid pro quo?) love song to Mr. Spendy. She even followed it up with a sequel the next year: “This Year’s Santa Baby” updating the gold-digging. For novelty purposes, i approve of the punk update by The Dirty Panties. But let’s close this squirmy throwback with a modernist view from Miley Cyrus on The Jimmy Kimmel Show. Me too, Santa!
Kylie Minogue stirs pop into the jazz with her extensive list of wants, but “Oh Santa” she really wants a kiss from inside that big beard.
While we’re country, y’all, Angela Watson belts out the family friendly “We Love Santa Claus.” Love CAN be bought!
Brandon M.C. points out that with new love it doesn’t matter that “Santa Brought Me Nothing.” A guitar exercise, more than an indie love song.
Any Given Sin seconds the emotion with the country-pop anthem “Nothing for Christmas.” Santa’s just kinda irrelevant here.
The Clarence Williams’ Blue Five ragtime the beejeepers out of “Santa Claus Blues.” No money means no honey, Red.
“Ho! Ho! Oh Nooo!” is insistent punk from The Bad Engrish. This is a BLUE ALERT level of complaint.
Somebody adored small children Emerson & Cassidy enough to cut an album of their lisping and spitting. “Santa Clause Is Not Coming to Town” may be social commentary on the capitalistic corporate scheme, or it may be dumb kids who can’t remember lyrics.
Jonwayne DJs old carols/movies to give us the mashup “No Santa.” BLUE ALERT!
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.
Roland Buscar attempts to help out Santa after he drops dead, but the sleigh is too much for him in “A Very Ragamuffin Xmas.” BLUE ALERT rap with a bailed ending.
Mike and Brian find Santa with a broken knee after a collision, which results in a slow jam pop that maintains “Every Day is Christmas.” Misery-style, Santa is recuperating in their own home.
Remember, remember the fifth of December… As with Hallowe’en being the night before a holy day (Michaelmas), Krampusnacht is the night before The Feast of St. Nicholas. While THAT should be Christmas, JC isn’t Santa. But the goatman/Devil might be a product of Central Europe BEFORE Christianity spread there. Just more cultural appropriation, or melding pot, or serving up the best bits of every culture so we have the coolest one regardless of origination. Just think of the Santa-Krampus team-up as good cop-bad cop (one gifts the good, the other beats the naughty).
Too much? Then try a cartoon! “The Krampus!” from Jack Squat JB throws down some polka and funny accents to make us learn (and behave). [He also has a cute parody called “Run, Run #Krampus.”]
Jingle Daddy mixes live and animated with his intermediate class “Krampus Night!” It IS swing (as well as a Squirrel Nut Zipper parody), so hella fun.
Aaron Fraser-Nash has an homage to the 2005 film with “Krampus Sings a Song.” This growly rap (he gave us a “Part Two” too) introduces us nicely. Fraser-Nash has a side hustle of impersonating movie characters singing so he’s turning pro at this.
Before you get too comfy, I’ve gotta share Houdmouth’s “Krampus.” This alt-rock loop repeats the same two lines over and over until you get it (or you don’t). And that’s Krampus.
Upbeat pop from Les Barons brings us “Xmas with Krampus.” Disappointing Santa makes Krampus mad. Write that down.
Or p’raps heavy metal is where it’s at to fully get “Krampus Night.” Let Firemage show you.
Rap? Bludstaind gives us a “Krampus” primer of some gore.
Coupl’a more details: the chains, the bells, the basket, and the lie detector-thing. Miss FD has it covered in her “Krampus Song.” Swing with accordion.
Wild Earp uses old timey country music to craft his kidsong “The Krampus Song.” Thus the lessons endeth. Learning is fun-damental.
Old timey sailors had it even harder. For Christmas.
1980s pop (with a gospel influence) may not be ancient, but Goombay Dance Band’s “Christmas at Sea” is about a simpler time. The tragedy is not being with family. That’s pretty much it. But you can dance to it.
Meg Davis runs over octaves with her classic operetta offering “Christmas at Sea.” It hurts to hear about it.
Old fashioned folk/country from Lloyd Snow brings in a Celtic influence. “Christmas at Sea” is frothy and light, but that’s only the foam floating on top. Its depths’ll kill.
Jebediah’s “Country Holiday Song” is a country banger about just hanging out. Maybe drive down to the pier, perhaps fish. Doesn’t seem to matter really.
Find me on a beach by the sea, Floating around, in a boat you and me, chortles Toni Das with some fine surf guitar in “Xmas by the Sea.” Tres relaxing.
Heartbroken at the navy pier at 3 A.M. Kill Hannah indies the rock in need of a “New Heart at Christmas.” That’s Christmas for you.
Brennen Leigh gets totally country with her drunkard other, listing out the inexcusable behavior–including rolling the car off the pier–to some fine honky tonkin’ guitar. “Merry Christmas Ashhole” says it all.
