TreeMendous Holiday Fun: Cross Cutting

Tree is symbol. What else around Xmas is symbol?

Jimmy Dooley spells it out with electric gospel in “The Cross is My Christmas Tree.” Spoiler alert, dude! This is only his day of birth!

Now with more soul, Byron Hill croons “The Cross is My Christmas Tree.” Different song, same guiltifying.

God’s First Christmas Tree” from Primitive Quartet also nails a lamb up there for decoration is harmony. Guys!! The season!!

The Greenes drape “The First Christmas Tree” with blood as well. Beautiful singing, fellas.

Barbara Mandrell sings “He Grew the Trees” meaning god provided the means to his own demise. So, not so much with Christmas, but more explanation for those who haven’t been following.

Dennis Jernigan’s “The Very First Christmas Tree” more gently hoists up man-as-God onto the branches for your celebration. Tinkly piano show tune.

Anthropomorphic Snow Sculpture: funny 7

Some humor may be beyond us.

Amy Sedaris is so droll, so ironic it’s hard to laugh in her face. She seems like she’d break. You tell me, is her “Snowman Song” from her TV series At Home with Amy Sedaris funny–or die? Do you see me cracking up?

Is it a snowman or a man of the snows? “Santa the Snowman” calls all of it into question and shakes my paradigms like superhero snowglobes (Marvel universe references throughout). Thanks for that, Jacobsen Brothers!

And then there’s the song i cant’ tell if it’s legit kidstuff, or if the gangster references twist it toward the Adult Swim crowd. Try on “Joey the Giant Snowman” and tell me what Keven Boyle’s dealio is, a’ight?

Just as confusing is the 1993 Troma Studios Try Parker movie ‘Cannibal! The Musical’ based on a tragic 1883 Rocky Mt. journey (not over Donner Pass, though). Our entry “Let’s Build a Snowman!” has John Hegel trying to lighten the mood of the desperate men. It’s over quickly enough, but if you can hang on… reprise!

Anthropomorphic Snow Sculpture: abominable detour 6

Pop music doesn’t dip its toe in the Arctic Sea for Abominable Snowman songs much.

But try Summer Salt’s boy band/late nite lounge approach with “Abominable Snowman.”

Then there’s garage rock musical theater from the original cast album of ‘Frozty the Abominable.’ Quiz S is credited with the lead-in “The Ballad of Frozty the Abominable Snowman.” Rawr.

And leave us not neglect excellent musical theater from Joe Iconis and Rob Rokicki. “Footprints (The Sasquatch Song)” should be the start of a Broadway baby (entitled, I would hope: ‘Abominable–What You Did to Me’). The pathos, key changes, rising intensity… it’s a mini operetta that you ought not to miss.

Snow Way: still falling (as is civilization)

Although i try to avoid the heavy metaphors that get way off the solstice/holiday track, some are too thematically on topic to leave by the way side.

Gabe and Lilli Shakouor pity the homeless with a tinny rendition of “The Snow is Falling.” It’s rap set to Pachelbel’s Canon. Oh, NOW you want to hear it?

Victoria Scott also sings out for the underhoused with a hollow tinkling gospel jazz chiller: “Snow is Falling.”

If it’s Yoko, it’s political. “Listen the Snow is Falling” calls for peace, whether or not you get it.

Movietone is atonal jazz with simple declaratives like “Snow is Falling.” So there’s subtext, baby, betcher bottom dollar.

Will Foster complains “The Snow is Falling Down” because he can’t get home fast enough. Country hypertension.

Chris de Burgh makes an anti-war statement with “Snow is Falling” (on our shallow graves). It’s sweeping high orchestral pacifism (hang your heads), so just about right for Xmastime.

Parodies’ Paradise: 1997 “My Heart Will Go on”

This became Dion’s biggest hit…the world’s best-selling single of 1998… one of the best-selling singles of all time… considered to be Dion’s signature song… included in the list of Songs of the Century, by the Recording Industry Association of America and the National Endowment for the Arts… worldwide sales estimated at 18 million copies… became the second best selling single by a female artist in history and the eighth overall.

Christine Aziz does the impersonation hotel comedy gig to great effect with the Santa ballad “Christmas Spoof of ‘My Heart will Go on’.”

Parodies’ Paradise: 1964 “Hello Dolly”

Louis Armstrong’s massive number reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, ending The Beatles’ streak of three number-one hits in a row over 14 consecutive weeks (in addition to holding the second and third chart positions)…the most successful single of Armstrong’s career… spent nine weeks atop the adult contemporary chart… made Armstrong the oldest artist ever to reach #1 on the Hot 100 since its introduction in 1958… the No. 3 song of 1964 as ranked by Billboard… won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 1965… and Armstrong received a Grammy for Best Vocal Performance, Male.

Just about my fave-o Bob Rivers novelty Christmas song is “He’s So Jolly.” After dozens of listens, it still gets a grin.

Tripping Bells: Meth

Despite the product placement success from Breaking Bad, meth gives little comic relief to Christmas music.

Dan Robertson tries, however, with “Meth Carols.” (Then it gets racist.)

You know there’s slim pickings when I include a ’12’ homage. Let’s Talk Figures go downtown with “The 12 Days of Methmas.” There’s a recipe in there, guys.

So let’s get in our salute to Breaking Bad finally. Animeme has “Do you Want to Build a Meth Lab?” Cartoon pathos! “What’s Meth?” from Callison Slater. In jokes!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulYMFDQfDig

Tripping Bells: Blow

Don’t forget the lighter side of cocaine for Christmas! What was it? Oh, here!

Stage Door Guy deadpans a cowboy ballad: “Cocaine for Christmas.” He’s suffering for his art, but it barely shows.

Aleksei Archer reframes “White Christmas” OF COURSE about cocaine. Subtle, unless actually you listen to it. (‘Schnife’?!)

Christ Sampson pokes the hip hop bear with “White Christmas (Cocaine).” It’s not exactly comedy, but it’s not street. More like lane.

Just as unfortunate a rap number is “Ho! Ho! Ho! (It Looks Like Snow)” from White Lightning, P’Zilla and Chinchilla. They can keep a beat. But the moral of the story is: are we famous yet?

Parody hit and misses for cocaine here. “Frosty the Cokehead” by CC Streetz is a near-miss. It’s so sweet. Isn’t it a sweet one? Bob Gautreau does the Jimmy Durante impression for his “Frosty the Blowman.” Look, Mommy, the old man is singing about young peoples’ problems! sibbaldk in a similar vein tries “Frosty the Dope Man.” Tries. Friday the 25th drops a ghetto beat on theirs. Lickety fun. By this point The Funny Hat of America sound old hat.

Bree Essrig & Brett Erlich go to some trouble to ruin ‘Frozen’ with “Do You Want to Do Some Blow, Man?” I say yeah. To the ruination, that is. (Yeah, this is obvious: Doctor Panglos does this, too. And The Tokyo Fever. And some big half naked tatted up guy named Roccy.) (And lounge hagstress Loretta Jenkins killing “Let’s Do Blow” should be overlooked.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ur43PZ2jYMo

Off the Wagon for the High Holidays

That unhappy refractory period after Christmas drinking is a badge of honor for the young. Jack hurt me, they boast. I can’t function as a human being since I awoke, they quip.

John French Bray soft rocks his “Christmas Hangover” every year to new video making sfx, though he can’t quite figure the lip syncing–which makes me nauseated and headachy. It’s just another season, he seems to say. Routine.

Sounding like the ’60s Gentlemen Jesse and His Men also pledge their morning after pain to the Christ birth in “Christmas Hangover.” It was an honor to be over served.

Announcing that they have the inside of their mouths like an Arab’s underpants (as one might say), Arrogant Worms delivers us unto “Christmas Hangover,” a show tune worthy of church choir-ing. The scenario is horrifying, but the musification merry. It’s irony for the kids ‘cuz–see–they think hangovers are funny.

Crocked for the High Holidays

Toasting is peer pressure for alcoholism. Can you say no, sneak a ginger ale, toss it in the potted plant?

Michelle Unkle just wants to talk about it. After a couple minutes she pokes fun at ‘Jingle Bells’ with “Let’s Get Drunk on Christmas!” It’s a sad processional that leads one more towards temperance. Wah.

Marco & Jannik invoke ’70s party rock with their “Let’s Get Drunk on Christmas.” The driving percussion, the rasping vocals, the incoherent beat–it’s like getting drunk. Whee.

Backyard cowboy Arnold Connelly tries to marry honky tonk with dixieland in his “Gonna Get Drunk This Christmas.” With some tweaking, he may have a hit, but this is cry for help. Wha–?

Chris Ilett finds more and more reason to indulge as he sings a British raging music hall style ballad to booze “Let’s Get Drunk This Christmas.” It’s an epic journey through the liquor cabinet of misery. If you don’t believe me, read the reviews included in the opening of the video. Whoa.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcgrX9UdmFg