Category: world music

SBG / Grungatronic seems to be using the public announce at K-Mart in their “Looking for Santa Claus.” This jolly experimental number gives up quickly.

The nerve-tingling story of “Jolasveinar” as sung by The Non Traditional recounts the Icelandic tradition of the thirteen Yule Lads who visit children in the nights before Xmas. Grýla will take them away if they misbehave. Our singer does’t misbehave, but his little brother must’ve been peeking because he’s missing the next morning. Moral: more presents! Retro indie pop.

Ella Fitzgerald wants to see Santa Claus in the swingin’ “Good Morning Blues.” See, her bay-he-bee isn’t here; so, Santa needs to send him to her. Not sure Mistuh Whiskuhs needs to be there, but she said that. Big jazz band.

“Mamacita Donde Esta Santa Claus” was a hit novelty Christmas song from the ’50s (we’ve been there), but we have yet to hear the untranslated verzh looking for Santa from Chabelo. It’s a pop paradise for Señor Wences fans everywhere! S’alright! (He rerecorded this several times, including the 1981 disco edition.)

Counting sleeps is like waiting. No one likes that for Xmas!

Numberblocks does the kiddie educational thing with “How Many Sleeps ’til Christmas?” Put those fingers away and just envision sugar plums, hokay?

Close Kicks expands the same kidsong notion with the R+B soul play: “How Many Sleeps ’til Christmas?” Numbers are shouted, but it’s seductive.

The Speks rally ’round the manger for “How Many Sleeps ’til Christmas?“–a Celtic ballad with military leanings that bulls as much as lulls. Shout together now!

Let’s just shout out Yea! Santa! Chimney!

The Haystack Cookies apply hair metal to “Slide On Down That Chimney, Santa!” It’s positively Xmas.

Red Oak Mini Singers choir up the demand: “Down Down Down the Chimney.” Pushy, but it’s churchy pushy. Please don’t die!

Élan Vital turns up prog rock for the party anthem “Down the Chimney.” Everything’s shouted, so IT’S ALL GOOD!!

Cuul Music raps when perhaps he shouldn’t for the surprising “It’s Christmas Time.” See when Santa is in the sky, perhaps the fireplace SHOULDN’T be so bright….

Dave Mansueto (feat. Lord Grunge) garage the parang for “Down De Chimney.” It’s a hands high, hip sway, voices loud good time.

He’s still stealing girlfriends!

Jimmie’s in the Basement gets stuck in a loop when “Santa Stole My Girlfriend.” Santa seems to respond to this folk country accusation, but expect no resolution.

Ryan Shields adds to the oeuvre with another “Santa Stole My Girlfriend.” And now SHE’s Mrs. Claus. Country for better or worse.

The Action! catches him in the act. “Santa Claus Stole My Girlfriend” comes in pop flavors, now with more Ska!

Meme Roads gets more specific with “Cajun Santa Stole My Creole Girlfriend.” The cajun is mild seasoning here.

Worth repeating: “Fat Daddy” by Paul ‘Fat Daddy’ Johnson was a Baltimore fave from 1963 on, dug up and shared by John Waters. It’s not really S.C. but the spirit is here through jazzy doo wop RnR.

“Santa’s Getting Bigger” is charming folk from Bob Wire & Chip Whitson, who might be somewhat understanding.

Tesse slows the roll with an R+B sorta-rap “Fat Man in a Red Suit.” It’s sad, but we need to accept those things we can’t change.

Dale Jarvis dramatizes the domestic enabling that causes our protagonist to become “Fat Like Santa.” There’s a certain sound to those comedy songs for FM morning shows back in the ’90s. This is it: 15% country, 35% pop, 45% funny voices, 5% audacity.

Mr. Weebl’s 2015 Advent Calendar o’ songs included “Fat Santa Claus,” a jittery pop celebration of–a dog? Nevermind, dance!

Richie McDonald rollicks a kiddie country sing along with “Why Santa’s Fat.” Surprisingly, it’s not from overeating….

Salsa be bop from Bill Darnell and the Smith Brothers perks up the topic! “Too Fat to be Santa Claus” casts suspicion on the next red-suited impersonator. He won’t fit in the outfit!

“St. Nicholas Sky” is some odd offering from the cast of ‘Spiderman: Turn Off the Dark.’ (That show where a guy died and it never opened.) So the whole look at Santa go thing is kinda creepy. Dramatic rock, though.

Grunge parody will help! Alpha Test Pilot grumbles and groans through “Smells Like Mince Pies.” Not a put down, so much as grated praise.

Beastie Boys parody next, please! “Santa Claus!” from Brian Downton is just the right amount of shouting.

Another parody! ManiacClown & Kruxy sell “The Sack” with poor equipment but possible energy. You Are Santa.

The Rubettes (feat. Alan Williams) play it straight this time for “Santa Claus” (a speech impediment), a reverent cheer.

“Reggae Xmas Song” begins with concerns. But Robert Boog brings this island gentleness to positivity, as reggae can do. It’ll be alright.

Naughty? Nice? “When Santa Claus Gets Your Letter” all will be made clear. Tex Ritter and his Six Shooters cowboy the soft pop to explain it to you.

Buck Owens and his Buckaroos plug in more electric country to further the edification with “Tomorrow is Christmas Morning.” Swinging.

Lee Harris & the Sour Note Singers takes us by the boogie woogie “Way Up North.” Guess who’s waiting up there?

Nancy Hanson unravels sprightly bluegrass for her “Santa is Coming.” Sounds like down home.

The Surfers’ “Hawaiian Santa” is even cooler with his accoutrement (and his penchant for surfing!). The Surfers make a hula of this praise.

ESL Games brings us a silly way to teach adjectives to any child. But “Santa’s Beard” uses kidsong to create fluffy clouds of animal shapes on Father Xmas’s face, and now i’m scarred for life.

Floff play the nonsense word ploy for their light indie blue grass “Santa’s Beard’s Gone Grey.” Boom dicka adjicka. That’s good face fluff.

Willis ‘Daddy Wings’ Pinney & Reginald ‘Ras Regg’ Martin stomp the parang with their “Santa’s Beard.” It’s not only iconic, it’s itchy.

House fires are more common around the holidays due to the advanced stupidity that coddles the rabid consumer. That and the decline of Western Civilization.

Eye Suck industrializes garage rock for a visit to a “Bad Christmas.” We’re all suffering, my dudes.

It’s just the tree for Destroying Something Beautiful in the whispery indie “The Worst Christmas We Ever Had.” Family dysfunction!

Simpler parody from Dave Williams. “O Schadenfreude” takes on the Fox News conspiracy that their public spectacle of a (fake) tree was torched as a hate crime in 2021.

Zydeco fun from Dave & Jeanine advising you NOT to forget to “Put Out the Ol’ Yule Log.” Consequences of such a lapse include inferno.