Year-round Yuletide oddities
EDNA share etymology with Eden (the place), so it means rejuvenation.
Aunt Edna should not expect a thank you letter from the younger, as they’ll be “Skipping Christmas“. Caley Rose drives some hard pop to register her ennui.
Christmas is not kind to the elderly, so in “The Ballad of Edna and Ida” the retired folks home unleashes this pair to waste the ungrateful kids’ inheritance in Vegas. Delightful country polka-style by means of Arrogant Worms. Blue hair is let down.
Nickname? Slang for a marijuana joint user? Seems DOOBER might be German Yiddish for kind and good.
Tom Dyer introduces us to Brother Doober before the War to End All Wars, then reveals his fate and rebirth in “It’s a White Mule Christmas“. Tub thumping gospel polka. Swing along.
A classically Roman name, ANTHONY was a name, not a word. So meanings got added, like ‘priceless’ and ‘praiseworthy’–what Mama said it meant. Oh, and the ‘h’ got added only a couple centuries ago for no apparent reason.
Muggle Snuggle picks up on the Harry Potter character’s following (NOT Ravenclaw) to have a little fun with “Anthony Oh Anthony“. Okay, i get it.
Is “Delia’s Gone” by Pete Seeger of a holiday mien? Well, Tony shot his Delia on a Christmas night. And it like Pete’s authentic folk. Discuss.
Luke McQueen & Mark Silcox have a lard with “Christmas is Here (Songs with my Father)“. Uncle Tony almost spoils it, but doesn’t. Bombastic Brit pop.
Cutta also frolics “Downtown at Christmas Time“, even convincing that guy Tony to let him drive the Zamboni on the rink. Sparkly pop. And BLUE ALERT (it IS NYC after all).
Desperate for the next novelty breakout in 1976, “Tiny Tony” comes from Bob Bradburn & the Jasper Place High School Stage Band. It’s about Santa’s barber. The polka beat doesn’t hurt the absurdity.
Chanté Moore belts out the soul when “Every Day’s Like Christmas“. When might that be exactly? When you are around. You can quote her.
Lori Lofstrom raises her voice to announce she’s “Falling for You” this time of the year. She’s got it bad, but the folk pop elevates the heat.
Time is just relative, preaches By Surprise. But “Father Christmas Time” is a punk promise to honor and obey.
Spoken word from J.T. Hiskey “From Me, To You (A Christmas Song)” is a bashful poem of need.
John Veaudry, Red Deer, Alberta jazz swing out “Gift of Your Love“. It’s something they want to open. Get it?
Ivan Hrvatska bellows “First I Make Love to You, Then I Make Love to Christmas” with electronic polka backing his accent. At least you came first. So to speak.
Not only country songs deal with overwhelming sadness for December. It’s quite popular.
Almost Vinyl shows us what ‘good’ AI can do. For one, this is a Christmas novelty no one else woulda bothered with. For another BLUE ALERT and suicidal ideation beset “Harvey The Chronically Depressed Snowman.” Childrens’ jazziness, attributed to Merle Chives.
Bedbound by Summer return with the loud pop tribute “Depressed This Christmas.” They hate everybody. Sit next to me.
H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society also returns with “A Cyclopean Tomb (down in deep R’lyeh)“. Horror takes its toll in this parody.
Akira the Don gets the DJ treatment while lecturing how “Christmas Could Be a Dark Time“. It’s all in the family. And it’s all downhill. Will this be on the final?
The Aux declares “Christmas Day” as depressing–as an adult… without a girlfriend. Slightly garaged rock. (But i think these brokenhearted depressions are a whole ‘nother category. So let’s move on.)
“Grey Skies” by The Jersey Barrier slows the indie roll dwelling on the lackluster wintry scenery contrasted against the holiday spirit. It will make you feel worse.
Screechy bluegrass allows Yulenog to peel away family Christmas joy revealing “Depresso” underneath. Yeah, family….
Aaron Grant hears about Santa and experiences “My First Depression“. Concertina punk is a comical contrast to the Life’s Unfair lesson. So, hee hee ohhh.
AI musters up “Jingle Jangle Yodel” for a Santa salute from Mimi Music.
The cowboys are backing pointing out “The Santa Yodel.” Plucky jump blues country from E Roper.
St James Infirmary presents “santa came a yodelling” with echo effects and nasal lisping. Alt polka.
A Santa who can’t HoHoHo might be a “Yodeling Santa.” Mark Yamanaka and Kupaoa fiddle some slide guitar for a Hawaiian taste of down home country.
“The Santa Claus Yodelling Song” spares some slide guitar a la ’70s CW, but Sharon Whitcroft is all up in her yodel-craft. That’s really something.
Joanna Allen adds much needed rockabilly sensibility to “Santa’s Yodeling Song.” Just the edge this country polka easy listening needs.
Noisy old time polka, “The Yodeling Santa Claus” from The Keystoners featuring Dick Dorn tests one’s patience for warbling.
I’m Dan He’s Dave would like to introduce you to “The Yodeling Santa Claus.” Swiss folk rock this side of polka. Slightly more fun than you thought it’d be.
Repeated and rapid changes of pitch between ‘chest voice’ and falsetto may mark you as mad, or an artist. Or both.
Some classics have been previously covered on the blog for a cowboy section.
But that lacked Chris Sand’s “Yodelin’ Night Before Christmas Hitchhike Blues.” This country polka swings in the cold with a thumb out.
The Vipers celebrate “The Yodeler’s Christmas” with lots of vocal play (and a trombone)!
The Hainings know there’s no yodel like “The Christmas Yodel.” It’s for Christ. And tonsils. Traces of folk.
Bucko & Champs rise up from Down Under to ululate “Father Christmas Showed Me How to Yodel.” Knock knock! Who’s there? Yodel-A-hee….
“A Yodel for Christmas” is a wish from Joe Newberry & April Verch to have a greater range to sing. Dandy country. Suddenly he’s gifted.
AI associates “Yodel Christmas Cream” (??) with reverence, as presented by His Little Helpers. Perhaps this jazz band romp would suit a cartoon special.
More AI wants you to “Yodel Your Way to the Christmas Tree,” pop music from Good Christmas Songs.
David Higginbotham booms out kidsong in the twisty form of “Chris the Yodeling Cat.” It’s synthed polka, but i’d recommend getting the feline out of that room full of rocking chairs.
Paul Yanchar finally gives us the real McCoy, a Swiss-Austrian accented “Christmas Yodeler” with oompah polka throughout. He gets around, but he the girls. From far away.
Worth repeating: The Caroleers kidsong the head scratcher “Ten-Thousand Santa Clauses (But Not One Gift for Me).” The rhythm works. The mumps don’t help.
Loretta Lynn got mad back in 1966 when the disappointment of an empty Christmas caused her to country ejaculate “To Heck with Ole Santa Claus.” She’ll get him! A (welcome?) update in rocking country comes via Sam Morrison Band.
More whimsy, but not less sorrow, comes from Private Eye Music’s “Where are You Santa Claus?” Bombastic big band pop.
“Hey Santa Claus (You Son Of A Bitch)” Johnny O & The Jerks piss and moan with grungy yet jazzy garage. Just wanna know Why? Why’d you leave me out!
Sounds Of Blackness include in their musical The Night Before Christmas a tour de force of jazzy divinity “Santa Watch Yo’ Step.” This year he brought presents, but–
Polka barbershop from Henry Golis with The Jordanaires complains “Santa, You Forgot About Me Last Year.” How depressing can it be?! It’s polka!
‘Chicago Fire’ fan lyrics with “In Harm’s Way,” a country folk elegy from Kid Mayhem. It’s about those heroes who spend Christmas with you and your charred remains.
Parody’s back! Dave Rudolf tackles Johnny Cash in his “Flue of Fire.” Santa don’t like it when you leave a light on for him!
Piedmont Songbag seems to revel in the arson. “A Christmas to Remember” is a soft folk dialogue between nostalgic rememberers and that year the tree burned down (pretty colors!). But then “Burning the Christmas Tree” is an insistent polka of ritualistic bacchanalia.
Gotholic (ft. Anno Domini Nation) imagines a different Nativity in which The devil watches His mother in pain Waiting to devour. “Christmas Eternal” is Christmas music with gargling metal.
So, Hallowe’en is “The Devil’s Christmas.” Yet Gurf Hankle’s lively dirge pop make a celebratory point. Everything is Bones; everything is Blood; everything is Death! Party on!
“The 2nd Christmas” negates the devil’s power, according to the plonking piano club blues of Kam Stewart. Then the congregation joins in….
Harvey Darkside galumphs “The Devil’s Christmas” like a silly devil. He forgot to hang a Christian on the tree! Jug band fun!
