Category: pop music

Presents of Mine: shopping countdown

Snow… trees… decorations… what’s missing? Jesus? No. Gifties, please.

Let’s spend some time searching, acquiring, prepping, and delivering the packages that pack the proper punch. (And NO special love messages that i-only-want-you, or Christ is the gift of God [that he hung on a tree]… no no no, we want mercantile materialism to minimize the malaise of modern madness. I said gimme gimme gimme, kay?)

So shop until we drop the pretense of what this holiday is all about.

The Russian Futurists proffer some electro-pop “100 Shopping Days ’til Christmas.” BLUE ALERT, but this is so lovestruck and iconoclast, it gets thumbs up without reservation. Dance, consumers!

One of Cledus T Judd’s less clever bits of irony is “364 More Shopping Days ’til Christmas.” You’re to never stop shopping year-round, get it? Plodding and predictable, it is still humorous. Leave it to Cledus.

Durand Bernar parties hip hop pop with “Christmas Shopping in July,” infecting us with symbolic joie de vivre bordering on dyspeptic mania. It’s about the feeling, but all good holiday songs are.

TreeMendous Holiday Fun: Family Pinaceae

It’s all about family, the Christmas tree. I mean, doy!

Sometimes it’s only for Dad. “My Father’s Christmas Tree” honors a WWII vet in the best way, decorating some fauna for a month. Spiritually amateurish sort-of country.

Mom and Dad time! J D Wages have the ‘rents reminisce to the glow of the lights “On Our Christmas Tree.” Pop country with a two-step proclivity. The drawling full on country version hails from The Animal Band.

Modern lite jazz from Roland Everett Fall who has stories to tell from his “Christmas Tree Memories.” Most feature a good Daddy.

“The Christmas Tree in Mother’s House” is the doorway to nasal nostalgia. Larry Whinnery whispers his country lullaby.

La la la, blah blah blah, “Christmas Tree” from Neal Lowry thanks God for family, but sings Hawaiian style country to the tree.

Light jazz rock, this time with feeling, from David Barnes. “Family Tree” takes us from the car, to the home, to the distant nostalgia, to the heart of it all. Awww.

All together at last! Let’s credit “The Christmas Tree.” It’s the only reason we hold hands. So says Rick Goldberg with pop pop jiffy pop country swing.

Broken family getting you down? wish you could consolidate two Christmas trees into “One Christmas Tree“? Just ask the good folks at Nitty Gritty Dirt Band for a game plan. They’ll pick and grin ya a fine hearthside yuletide setup.

Family dustups don’t spare the shrubbery! Billy Idol lightly punks in “Yellin’ at the Christmas Tree.” Daddy’s abusive, innit?

Too much family? Poppermost feels your pain with the high-larry-us “Family Christmas Tree.” Swinging pop with a snap and a crackle. You’re not getting away that easily!

TreeMendous Holiday Fun: May I Axe You to Dance?

You’ve cleared the room to fit in the tree, so how ’bout a turn across the floor?

“Will You Dance With Me Around the Christmas Tree?” ask The Wiggles (through a tin can apparently). Country for kids. Gotta be the dinosaur.

Singin’ Steve elevates the kidsong to gospel chorale with “Waltz With Me ‘Round the Christmas Tree.” His footwork seems proselytizing, you ask me. (One, two, three, fir….)

Cowboys have been two-stepping around the Christmas tree since Pecos Bill was born, and ive already featured Boggus and Murphy bluegrassing this hit. Let’s give Riders in the Sky a dance in a cave with “Two Step ‘Round the Christmas Tree.”

Remix it up with the electronic dance music of Santa House synthing “You Make Me Wanna Dance (Around the Christmas Tree).” For the kids.

Less about dancing than romancing, Alex Pangman sings “Truckin’ Around the Christmas Tree” while teaching some finger waggling jitterbug. Boogie woogie blue grass.

Now you thought i’d have to include some Brenda Lee here… but let’s go more annoying with The Fabulous Gabriel smothering his efforts in tambourine and electric keyboard. “Let’s Rock Under the Christmas Tree Tonight” wants to be that original song no one else thought of. Barf.

If you wanted to boogie within infringement law to the old ‘Rockin” classic, let’s try “The New Old Way to Rock Around the Christmas Tree.” Crescendo supplies the a cappella to uplift your soul, if not your shoes.

I’m getting out of the mood, so i’ll listen to “The Tree That Couldn’t Rock” by Manos Wild. But that rockabilly sax is changing my tune and now–that’s better….

One doo-wop wonders, The Episodes, shake it to “Christmas Tree,” a 1962 Four Seasons Records 45 single.

Todrick (Toddy Rock Star) Hall (with Chester Lockhart) try their new viral sensation “Splits on Christmas Trees.” See if you catch the fever and strain your hammies in your jammies for mes amis.

TreeMendous Holiday fun: Costar

Runner up for tree topper is the Star in the East, the sign of the Messiah, Mr. Big Light!

Jim Weatherly runs us up the tree dressing all the way to “The Star at the Top of the Tree” with dime-store country synthesizing. It’s magical, and made by Dad… just like Jesus was.

Michael Warner’s corrido “A Star on Top of the Christmas Tree” explains how easy a cheat sheet the tree is: story of Christ… starts with… the star on high!

Breathy jazz from Anja Wintermantel in the amorphous “Star on the Christmas Tree.” The star is the love, the tree is your relationship… but, fear not, the Spanish guitar will lead us to Jesus.

Michael J Handley takes us another jazz route to regret that last night you tried to be the “Star on the Tree.” Lounge comedy with highballs.

Novelty don’t just mean you ain’t heard it before (well, for me, mostly it does). But don’t forget the Way Out There musical offerings. RuPaul embodies the pushed envelope, so here’s herself with “You’re the Star (On My Christmas Tree).” It’s a love song, natch, but in the spirit of queer tit.

TreeMendous Holiday Fun: Lights, Carolers, Ascension!

Don’t just let that tree set there… decorate!

Warbling like his string needs a fuse checked Randy Bryant & The Rockets jazz down “Christmas Tree Lights (Sparkle So Bright)” to no one in particular (well, some loved one).

Ruby Wright gets gospel on it (with so many children) (in 1957) with “Let’s Light the Christmas Tree.” Each twinkle gets her closer to Thee.

Winterval go deeper with “Hang the Lights on the Tree.” Alt rock navel gazing of the slow-dance persuasion.

Love me some Sufjan Stevens. When he begins his holiday chore list with “Put the Lights on the Tree,” he’s only getting started. Get your pencil ready–

TreeMendous Holiday fun: Cedar People Praying

It’s not just the lordling’s sapling, it’s a pipeline to his house. Pray to the Christmas pine and you’ll be herd.

Annie Sunde (feat. Paulita Todhunter) delivers unto us a “Prayer by the Christmas Tree.” That firry pulpit provides for some fine gospel octave soaring.

Anna Marie Burden exhalts with each ornament on “Our Special Christmas Tree” for the love of God. That’s some serious decoration, with some slight country skill.

“Christmas Tree Shine” by John Tracy salutes the evergreen as a symbol of the everlasting love, or peace, or power, or what have you from God. Tender folk expression.

“Gather Around the Christmas Tree” from the cast of yet another ‘Christmas Carol’ musical is yet another Olde excuse to pray to JC directly. Fine chorale. Better than The Caroleers. More serious than Kidzone. Better harmony than the Robert DeCormier Singers and Ensemble. More Christmassy pacing than The Ambrosian Singers.

Namedropping a little bit of messiah, Matthew Brandon Carlson expresses love for “Christmas Tree Lane (Let It Rain).” It’s a story of pop song romance while shopping, but–you know–and God too.

TreeMendous Holiday Fun: Tree’s Company

There are so many trees when you realize how many people want one.

“Chris McCree by the Christmas Tree” is a pop rock thrasher from Councilpop about meeting that special someone by the special someplace. Over here!

Porter Wagoner gets talky with a letter to Santy asking for “Johnny’s Christmas Tree.” The twangy country makes me wonder, doesn’t he have trees right outside? Aw, give the kid a miracle.

“Sally Go ‘Round the Christmas Tree” merely calls out square dancing moves, but Ingrid DuMosch adds spirit.

Much more melodically, The Johnny Mann Singers get intimately chorale with “Johnny Bring the Pine Tree in.” Uplifting… and that smell!

Tremendous Holiday Fun: Whaddya Need-le?

The yearning for spruces leaning in to you come December!

Kid pleasing The Animal Band give in to arboreal lust with “I Want a Tree,” but their cajun-rock allows for religious motivation.

Lacey Roland also stirs the kids up with “I Love a Christmas Tree.” Blue grass middle of the road.

The Jamborees also need “The Christmas Tree.” A notch above usual kid stuff, this agitated pop haunts and earworms equally.

One more kidsong, p’raps a bit lowkey here… Pauline Burr (as The Little ‘Uns) plaintively wails out for that “Sweet Little Tree” as if all our hearts would break.

Music Hall maestro Roy Hudd from 1978 explains “(Everyone Needs a) Christmas Tree” at Christmas. Pretty, tinkly pop.

Tremendous Holiday Fun: Plant a Suggestion

People ask about trees. You better have answers ready.

‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’ may be the most heavily footnoted James Bond entry, and it also gives us “Do You Know How Christmas Trees are Grown?” (Hint: with love.) The original comes from Nina van Pallandt, although ’60s UK charter, Jackie DeShannon, has a more lugubrious try also from 1969.

Harold Rippy asks “Baby, What Kind of Christmas Tree You Want?” with pop alt folk trippiness. It’s all in the name of love.

Anthropomorphic Snow Sculpture: funny 6

Yellow snow is an old joke. Yellow snowman is the obvious evolution. These joke songs are fitter to survive!

Bryant Oden warns us with hyperkinetic children’s music “Don’t Make a Snowman with Yellow Snow.” Breathe, dude.

“Travis the Yellow Snowman” shines a spotlight on Travis Creep’s redneck hardworking putupon larborer and his travails. Twinkling trailer folk rock.

2B Recording (or not 2B?) have an elaborate production of “Yellow Snowman.” Pop ballad/hip hop/dance.