Category: rock

It was all a lie. Wake up, sheeple! “Wake Up It’s Christmas” is the broken-heart letter from Janet Devlin that deploys indie pop to warn you to Watch the Lies! He’s coming for your presence!

Lori Lofstrom just wants you to hold her all night. Her nasal paean “I Wanna Wake Up on Christmas with You” is twangy Baez folk rock that is so into you, you might want to set some boundaries. Now.

“SEPTEMBER or Wake Me Up When Christmas Starts” is Joey Slater bemoaning the tentativeness of some relationship. It’s not here, it’s not there, it’s September. Poetical rocker that makes you go Hmmm.

Remember 2023 when, on the blog, Clint Black brought us “Slow as Christmas“? That’s you, the slow part. He was up before the dawn with some nearly authentic country featuring fine fiddlin’.

“Wake Up Daddy (It’s Christmas!)” is an Or Else scenario from Gator and the Gator Boys. Zydeco with a macabre edge. Daddy just won’t wake up. You don’t think…?

The Hipwaders retro the rock with “Wake Up.” A wonderful alarm to lift up the spirits AND the parents. It’s all good!

Trouble with the warm bedding holding you down? Even Xmas morn?!

Babbie Mason (with Chaz Mason) reveal “Christmas Is A Time For Children” who–BTW–can’t go to sleep. They won’t awaken ‘cuz, you know, they’re kids. Easy listening kidsong that’s both adorable and off-putting.

“Wake Up the Children” fights the paradigm with peppy pop indie shouldering the burden of opened eyes onto others. Yet the drug-smearing imagery and romance within the lyrics speaks of stranger things.

“I Can’t Wake Up at Dawn” club rocks Bacio with stylish elan. They were out late last Eve, so–sorry.

And for those who fail the peek test?

The Grand Gestures speak their truth/rap in “I Never Saw Mummy Kissing Santa Claus.” Apparently NOT seeing such results in a life of quiet desperation. It’s a TED Talk in resignation.

That Francis P. Church editorial from over a century ago gets the gospel treatment from Andy Beck in “Yes, Virginia, There’s a Santa Claus.” Here, seeing ain’t nothing.

“Baggage Claim” from Smash Mouth allows nostalgia to ruin all those childhood myths, including: never saw Santa’s face. Proper rock for the disenfranchised.

Even cowboy chillun reckon they might catch ol’ Santy if they stay awake all night, as mentioned in Michael Martin Murphey’s “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day / Old Time Christmas.” It’s real country, real soft and quiet.

When Snoop Dogg covers “Santa Claus Goes Straight to the Ghetto” he admits he might also want to catch that same guy. Rap it, droopy eyes!

Thrice a Chuckle’s “Operation Santa Claus” is a twisty rap about getting some jolly. Not all goes to plan.

Jacobsen Brothers get the whole gang ’round when “We’re Gonna Catch Santa Claus.” It doesn’t end well, but–Kazoo rock!

Steven Paterson disparages the whole poverty at Xmas deal with the folk complaint “Has Anyone Seen Santa Claus?” Not seeing is not believing.

From the Winter Concert December 2019 in the Fraser Performing Arts Center at Fraser High School, the Fraser Youth Choir glees all over “On the Roof (I Saw Santa Claus).” Old time rock and howl.

“A Christmas Story” may be fiction. The Song Trust use spoken word to recount how not only is Santa seen, he’s ridden alongside, and snacked by. The night never seems to end, until the narrator awakens that is.

More adult shenanigans from Leo Howse pops the rock of “I Saw Santa Claus Throw Up in Wetherspoons.” Sounds like someone can place him at the scene. Great fun.

“I Saw Santa Claus! (And He Saw Me)” is a jug band yarn spun by Christian Cordes. Believable? Hmmm…. Enjoyable? Hell to the Ho! (And what DOES the old guy do when espied–???)

New Kids on the Block squeeze out some blues rock to encapsulate their incredulity that “Last Night I Saw Santa Claus.” Y’all. Mighta been a hallucination when i listen more carefully.

Jim Keyes figures big band is the way to announce a kid “Spying on Santa.” It’s big and bold and not sneaky at all. Celebratory.

Also astounded was Platinum Trophy who rock out “I Saw Santa Claus at Lil Danny’s.” This mighta been a drunken stupor, though.

Sidebar! “Let’s Take a Peek in the Manger – God is Great!” by Jennie Williamson and AriSon is uplifting kidsong for all those holy voyeurs.

Sam Manning goes on a trek “Looking for Me Santa Claus.” Into the white neighbors’ yards! Classic Caribbean so it smacks of big band. Delish!

The Rev. Horton Heat gaffes when his Daddy uses a ladder Xmas Eve to get on the roof. Did he see “Santa on the Roof“? Yeah, and he said go to bed. Quick thinkin’, Pops. Rockabilly greatness.

It’s been a while since i listened to some Dr. Duke Tomatoe, but must needs heed his warning “Look Out It’s Santa!” Do you think he has a gun! Yes, eyes open, all. Bluesy rock.

Sestrumer leans in close and whispers of the horrors of poverty: We can’t sleep/Under this bridge./We are unlucky…my son. “A.F.C. (Another Fucking Christmas)” deserves a BLUE ALERT, but more for brutal reality than obscenity. Multimedia indie.

Can’t go to sleep so I’m left feeling woker raps Lil Jiblet whining about mistreatment in “Christmas Accismus.” Playful rap that pulls punches.

I’ve been bad, my gifts are cheap, I can’t sleep/And dad ate my cookies, the cookies for Santa! moans The Downstreamers in their “Black Friday Anthem.” It may be the white-out end of the world, but it’s old school rock’n’roll to me.