Year-round Yuletide oddities
“Donny the Long-Nosed Reindeer” is a Les Tafari attempt to parody ‘Rudolph.’ It goes round and round and doesn’t get anywhere. Then you realize it’s a previous presidential putdown. Political fire.
The kind of reindeer that would run over a geriatric is careless; the kind that would scam out the old folks–?? Marvy pop music from Wenatchee Valley Boys brings the finger-popping tribute to the scoundrel “Donny the Reindeer.” Look out, kids! No one’s shadier….
Cryptozoology may become a later topic for this blog. But, for now, let’s meet “Dippy the Reindeer” from Anton Mullan and Steve Elliott. Their concept children’s albums begin ‘Let’s Go to…’ and this one ends with ‘Dinosaurland.’ Dippy sings to us with dixieland pop, in an attempt to convince us it’s a REINDEER not a DINOSAUR. Well, you just listen:
Were there any famous reindeer before the Big Eight? Try “Bucky the One-Eyed Reindeer,” a lovely cowboy ditty about the great reindeer crash that resulted in the great stock market crash. Santa’s Elves deserve a posting on the great parody parade. Their album is good stuff.
A favorite epithet among the rednecks, Bubba sounds like a punchline. Just add sass. Naming a mighty magical mythical beast that creates comedy, no choice. Or does it?
Donald Pinkleton tries the Ray Stevens routine with “Bubba the Redneck Reindeer.” Better country song than hee-haw comedy.
Robert (‘Dr. Bob’) Blake slows country down to morose monotone with “Bubba the Buck-Toothed Reindeer.” This fill-in for Rudolph bites more than he can chew (get it?), but this Army vet surprises all of them by whipping them into shape. Huh?
Vixen’s down with the flu! Who you gonna call?! “Brutus the Backup Reindeer” comes to the rescue thanks to Phil and the Osophers with ’70s pop crooning. Too bad the washed-up loser ruins everything–to upbeat scatting.
Reindeer Brother ask us to consider the four inch tall “Brother Reindeer.” Dour pop with an insistent electric organ through line. Maybe not really a reindeer after all. Four stars.
Brown-nosing has already gotten play among reindeer songs. But The Original Cast of ‘Naughty, but Nice’ the holiday revue rekindles the concept with “Brendan the Brown-Nosed Reindeer.” This musical show tune tootles through the sycophantic attempts of the titular wanna be. He gets his.
If you wondered who was the most Cajun reindeer of all, Eric Stone has a tune-appropriate answer: “Boudreaux the Cajun Reindeer.” He apparently saves Mardi Gras by making the beer run. Wild piano solo.
Daniel Dennis takes on nerds with “Bob the 10th Reindeer.” This outlier has all the misfortunes the outcast kids got: headgear, chess club membership, toupee (??!)… So we gotta embrace Santa’s accountant, right?
Bernie, as a name, gets a bad rap. It’s no Herbert, but it’s an oddity. “Bernie the Reindeer,” a kids’ favorite from Maple Leaf Learning finds the big-antlered overeating agoraphobic a job as a telemarketer. You kidding me?
Alternative holiday reindeer don’t much more other than “Bernie, the Jewish Reindeer.” Stage Stars go so schticky that i’d call it anti-Semitic, if they weren’t just fun-loving Chosen boys. Kidsong parody comedy.