Category: pop music

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.

Anthropomorphic Snow Sculpture: pop 3

Twirling flakes and ice skates makes ya wanna dance (if you’re younger than 16). So, let’s get semi-nauseous with pop tributes to snowmen.

Technically a parody of the ‘hit’ ‘Chillin’ like a Villain’ from the Disney Channel’s Descendents show about offspring of cartoon bad guys, “Chillin’ Like a Snowman” is still so forced, so vapid, so MADLIBS tween slang edition that it qualifies as its category: sugar. Thanks, Sofia Carson.

While on the Disney juggernaut, travel back to ‘The Mickey Mouse Club’ to see Annette Funicello dancing and (eventually) singing “Hap-Hap-Happy Snowman” for all the leering cowpokes.

Michael Franks tries to pop the jazz with “When the Snowman Sings.” Ook ook a choke.

Just as jazz band fun is Ya Tafari’s “Mr. Snowman.” Yawn.

Vegas pop from Fancy travels back to the ’90s for which we are barely nostalgic yet for a heapin’ dose of “Snowman.” I am trying to avoid drug references for my snowman songs, but here–i can’t tell.

UK pop from Nathaniel Forrester in the bouncy form of “My Snowman.” Couldn’t get a date?

Pop pop from The Icicles (a Heyheyhey) fulfills emotional shallowness to the tune of “Snowman.”

Rock pop when Danny and Cindy Schneider ask the “Snowman” what he sees, thinks, feels, etc.

Nashville recording gamin Evin has a particularly puffy dance number in “Love Song for a Snowman.” She’s lonely so she makes an imaginary (boy)friend. That’s cool, innit? (His eyes are cookie dough, fagudnessake.)

Fun mod pop from Johnny & the Raindrops remind us these should be Xmas songs! “Someone Stole our Snowman”  is a search engine for where that ephemera went! Wot fun!

Retro romperama! The Del Zorros ’70s the pop with “Snowman’s Holiday.” It’s all cones and caps, baby!

Encore: The Crystalairs re-doowop up a flurry with “Snowman.” Put this on repeat, cats.

Back to the past for the actual fun! 1963 gives us Jaynetts’ “Snowman, Snowman, Sweet Potato Nose“–a real dance sensation. Dottdoo doddadoot doo.

Millie Small (‘My Boy Lollipop’) pops her heart out from 1964 with a similar sentiment but an opposite R+B tinged “I’ve Fallen in Love with a Snowman.” Twist and shower him with icy kisses!

Anthropomorphic Snow Sculpture: pop 2

Initial hopeful love must always lead to woe in the snow.

Don’t go away, pleads Daisy May Erlewine with some seductive uke folk in “The Snowman.” It’s making me firm up, too.

The Henry Girls want to know where “Mr. Snowman” went last night. Faultless bluegrass from some suspicious women.

What did you expect of that “Snowman“? asks Jan Krist with feminist folk (and a theremin?!).

Gotta toss in a pretty, odd original “Snowman” from Sam Hart woo-woo-ing about the sad life of the cold. Folk weariness.

Speaking of gotta–you gotta glimpse the odd Frank Sinatra Bing Crosby duet barely salvaged off old radio telling the tale of “The Snowman“–brave, but doomed, poor fellow.

Did i say cold? Don Campbell does some mild yodeling to new age/country for the message “Even the Snowman Knows It’s cold.” Take notes.

Talky bare folk by Andy McGaw who’s missing you, but wouldn’t “If I was a Snowman.” He’d figure out something at that point–something fantastic, something Dylanesque.

Pete Galub also posits the “Impossible Snowman” faced with love’s quandry. Alt pop/folk.

Bears break hearts with the heartbroken altrock “I’m a Snowman.” He’s cold when he’s with you.

The Snowmen introduce themselves with “Here Comes the Snowmen.” Menacing pop.

Gloom-pop from White Ocean: “Snowman” is the talk of the town. What a loner! What an outsider!

The Backbenchers warn you ladies “Don’t Let the Snowman Melt Away.” Put that blowdryer down. Pop psychedelia.

Don’t go! cries Positive Zero, knowing his folk pop “Snowman” will be gone with the daylight. Creepy vampire ideas for me now.

Jalena stutters like Gaga, but her pissed off song “Snowman” is all wishy washy pop crying. If you’re leaving, just do it!

Perhaps you’re just to dance naked in the falling snow “Like a Snowman.” Kiki And Herb (feat. Justin Bond & Kenny Mellman) put this to you in a slow burn show tune build up. Pick a key. Stay there.

Even weirder is the experimental “It Hurts When I Melt” by Merwin. Countdown to puddle.

More pop dreariness from Barenaked Ladies. But their anthem for the overlooked stalwart sentinel gives us a shiver of pride and hope. Melancholic merriness from lords of the oxymoron.

Anthropomorphic Snow Sculpture: pop 1

Love that snowman!

Odylle flirts with all the handsome features of her “Snowman.” Jazz pop with cutsie accentuation.

Falling in love and remembering it is triggered by Lisa Miller’s “Snowman.” Again with the Eurojazz pop. It’s sophisticated, i suppose.

Jolanto Durno tortures the boys with her fixation on “Snowman & the Lipstick Kiss.” Folk pop, then Ukranian oompah. Holy toledo.

Anu Grace made her “Snowman” from two big balls of snow. With her hands. Then you will disappear into a puddle. Drip drip. Oh my. Folk innocence.

Pop isn’t always happy. Watch Out for Rockets’ “Hey Mr. Snowman” wants advice for a rootless millennial from that frosty philosopher. Please be his alt friend.

Elizabeth MacInnis has a Mr. Perfect in mind when she double times the lounge jazz promising “I’m Gonna Build a Snowman.” That’s no Olaf, that’s not.

Yes, “In Love with a Snowman” is a raw deal, alt pops Enfants Terribles to chilling effect.

In the same vein, Kim Wilde country pops “Hey Mr. Snowman” as a fluffy white sounding board (part by part) for her relationship problems. Boy, does she feel better after.

Always being cold, but she can’t sing away from you, Emilie Chin serenades her “Snowman” with classical pop.

‘Ware the cold shoulder of the snowman! “You Can’t Have a Snog with a Snowman” from Brit Ivor Biggun gives us the pop from ‘cross the pond warning a woman.

Sia has had a long steady climb to fame. First recorded in Australia in ’96, Moved to UK in ’00, toured US in ’04… but it took 2014 for her to start slinging hits. “Snowman” is off her still hot ’17 Christmas album, and it’s a sad love song about the Holidays, dwelling on the brokenness of her lover (no ears, no legs). She sounds committed to the useless bag of sorry. Soulful pop.

Anthropomorphic Snow Sculpture: abominable detour 3

Stan Freberg has a classic comedy bit about interviewing the Abominable Snowman back in the ’50s when comic interviews were all the rage. Thus did our subject become a butt of jokes. We are looking for novelty songs, however, so let’s move on….

Talking Mountain’s “The Abominable Abdominal Snowman” is about that magical creature that came to life and–wouldn’t play with the other kids. He only wanted to work out. Fun electronic pop.

More ice rink electronic fun from Matt Farley riffing as The Paranormal Song Warrior through his album Believe: Exciting Songs about Shockingly Mysterious Stuff. “Oh My Goodness, It’s the Yeti, the Abominable Snowman! Wow!” speaks for itself. Or, it takes less time to read this than to listen to the improvised scat.

A star-crossed story from Arne Hansen & The Guitarspellers: “Snowman in My Heart” fears the abominable one, while experimenting with too many instruments mashed together.

Old-time Dr. Demento hit “Abominable Snowman in the Market” marks Jonathan Richman as a folky storyteller of comic proportions.