Category: folk

The toy stringed thing madness continues!

“I Want a Ukulele for Christmas” whistles out Steven Curtis Chapman, spawning a dozen tutorials on line with his showtune folk.

Jumping on the bandwagon John Meola Lindhorst strums out easy listening Island “I Want a Ukulele for Christmas.” He wants it the whole alphabet!

Carly Jamison ladles Island over blues when she declares “I’m Getting a Ukulele for Christmas.” Dixieland bridge!

Flying Tadpole recounts being saved from a life of ‘geetar’ playing woes when his wife bestows upon him “My Christmas Ukulele.” Island folk of the vaudeville kind.

Johnny Setlist (feat. Mcmilk) wrestles with his Xmas list… peace or power? Then his fast-talking jazz lounge patter reveals He Really WANTS A “Christmas Ukulele.” On repeat. It’s like a car alarm on Santa’s lap.

Tyrone and Lesely definitely want a “Ukulele Christmas.” You can tell because they say it over and over in their music hall folk beggary. Hah!

AZ McInnis posts his hit song “All I Want for Christmas is Another Ukulele” from outdoors. But his folk jazz is damn upbeat. I feel the power.

Creamed Corn mash up Elvis and bluegrass washboard with jazz and a wisp of pirate pop for the stunning “Hoping to Find a Ukulele Underneath the Christmas Tree.” Help me, i’ve caught the tiny bubbles!

The Kinnor, the lyre, the ancient veena, the cláirseach, the konghou (or gonghu), the arpa jarocha, the ardin, the saun-gauk, and even the Gravikord are all branches off the evolutionary tree of the harp. That’s a popular idea.

But it is an elegiac thing, so–bummer tidings. Like Dolly Parton and Porter Waggoner’s “Little David’s Harp.” See this Xmas-born blind child plays flawlessly, for the angels. Emotional country, so no happy ending.

Even more tragic, “John Doe No. 24” is blind and mute (and half-wit), but now orphaned and passed around to state homes. Despite getting a harp for Christmas, he misses Mom and Dad. It can’t get much worse…. or can it, Mary Chapin Carpenter?

Well, then came Johnny Cash. “The Ballad of the Harp Weaver” is the poverty stricken widow and starved child, with only a harp they couldn’t sell. Winter sets upon them, and she plays, and suddenly they have everything they want. You don’t suppose…?

Jesus help us! Judy Collins sings of the Nativity, yet no drum does disturb the peace. In this gospel folk, the harp sets the scene “All on a Wintry Night.” Much less pathos.

Plenty of traditional carols mention harps, because–you know–angels: “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear” (ruined by early sell-out rappers Crew X) and “Deck the Halls” (swung by the ever-lovin’ groovester Jesus Presley) among them.

Now, back to novelty, already in progress… Little Kitty Williams growls out the medieval “Christmas Harp.” Nothing else like it.

Holiday carols about dropkick Murphys are pretty few and far between. Let’s celebrate that paucity.

Steve Clarke’s “Magical Christmas” is a dearth of joy. In this indie bagpipes and drums are the big party. It’s that way.

GreenMatthews gets medieval on your repast with “The Bagpipe Carol.” It’s pretty disco, actually.

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.

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.

Trying again, Kelly Nolf & Wyndi Harp look from a Santa doll to a Nativity scene and realize “I Believe Again.” Clip clopping country with perspective.

Pistol Annies will do it for love. “Believing” is a seasonal folk country anthem. Toys, reindeer, and snow rate on their preferences. Disillusioning baby brothers, however, is a turn off.

Ellie Laver brings back 18th Century hymning in the form of diva pop. “Rejoice All Ye Believers” translates well into today’s music morass.

From the musical comedy ‘Welcome to Virginia’ “Anything Can Happen” is the palate cleanser belief provoker that makes you shift uncomfortably in your folding chair and go Hmm.

Dolly Parton is here to stir you back onto the right path with her country-gospel “I Still Believe.” She spends most of the song giving you reasons to give up, but brings it back around in the end.

Razzamatazz Productions wind up the Whirlitzer for a special grandparents’ show featuring “I Still Believe in Santa.” A show tune from Vaudeville times!

Ron Lehner uses angels to ask “Do You Believe in Him?” Resonant folk that makes you look up.

Steve Williard gets matter-of-fact with the rocking “Wake Up (It’s Christmas).” But it’s essentially kidsong. Awww.

Eric S. Donaldson sets the ideal novelty stage with forced folk, shouted chorus, and silly children’s antics in the groovy “Don’t Forget Us Up for Christmas.” There’s an Or else… so i suggest you listen carefully.

There’s little point in us delaying/Everyone can nap while I’m playing chortles King Everything in the delightful ditty “Wake Up! It’s Christmas!” This folk indie only shouts and wheedles, yet it speaks volumes towards the child mindset Xmas A.M. Insightful.

Screaming punk from Scumbags orders you to get up, get drunk, and–i guess–get feedback. “Wake Up, It’s Christmas Time” is not for the weak of spirit.

Dark Globes ‘covers’ an Andrew Hart folk rock exploration entitled “Wake Up Everyone.” The overdubbing and background chaos don’t interfere so much as urge on this message of hope v. expectation. Kidding, it’s mostly noise. Heh.

Roz turns the R+B bucket round and round to churn out “I Wake Up to Christmas.” It’s about capturing that one special moment and holding onto it.

Sam Rodewald seems to channel his inner Sufjan Stevens for an exclamatory “Wake Up It’s Christmas!” Bluegrass indie of few lyrics. Great sitcom theme song, though.

Also simplistic, the folk fable “Wake Up to Christmas” from Kyle Henrickson is melodic merriment in a two minute package. Comforting.

The children wake up excited for their toys making the scene Red Queen Hypothesis’s “Crockpot Barbecue.” Clanking indie celebrating chaos.

The “Christmas Morning” of Three Day Threshold & Summer Villains is no less messy, but more giggly glee is interwoven in this folk pop. All is good. Weee!

Superior ‘grass folk from Trout Fishing in America works over the refrain “You Gotta Get Up” from the overexcited child’s point of view. New bike, Bethlehem, bargaining are all worked in. Wonderful.