Some of these numbers must be code. In “1793 Christmas” 7 Alkaline describes a Holi-date that begins at Rockefeller Center and ends at the North Pole. What the enumeration denotes i couldn’t tell ya. But this fella’s trying hard and i sympathize with his lovin’ rap.
Christmas Countdown: 1-800
The 800 toll free phone number was meant to fire people so that busy businesses could do without long-distance connections. Hotels and car rental companies began this streamlining in the ’60s. Today we could care less. Who gets charged for Long D anymore?!
Humbugz revisits the ’80s with a “1-800-Christmas” number about the worst presents ever. Then the poor country-song victim has an idea… (it’s the phone line to buy this album)!
A surprising message comes from an 800 number wishing “Merry Christmas Mr. Peng.” This indie goes places you dmight not expect. I mean, IS it a happy ending?
Christmas Countdown: 1800s
1800 perished according to Brooks Hubbard, representing the Rebs in “Blood on the Cotton Fields.” Mere days after Christmas 1864, Sherman’s march to the sea settled the Civil War. Those 1800 Yank casualties were but a blip on the way to defeat for the Rebels. Country rock calls out many subjects, but this silver lining of death is hard to take.
Rounding out, Team StarKid disco ‘A Christmas Carol’ into “Bah Humbug!” it was 1800-something, yaknow. Fairly faithful, in a rock-opera way.
Christmas Countdown: 1805
Not a year this count, but a line.
Ian Anderson (of Jethro Tull) bemoans spending his life on “Trains.” But he’s got ’em figured out. On the 17.30 he usually finds friends at the end of the day. And he heard there’s an office party on the 18.05 You’ll be home for Christmas if they Take you alive. Groovy pre-Milennial pop.
Christmas Countdown: 1823
Kids, rap was different in 1979. There was more melody than malaise in the intonations, ‘tho the rhymes were a bit more basic. That’s history! Kurtis Blow’s “Christmas Rappin’” points out this ain’t 1823 and we need updates on our Xmas sentiments. Like Merry Christmas and to all a good night!
Christmas Countdown: 1828
The past warn’t always golden years, kiddos. Bishops Green rock out a polemic about “Christmas in New York” way back then. Not pretty. Cool tune, though.
Christmas Countdown: 1835
Carach Angren take us way back to when Colonel Loftus was haunted by a Christmas mother in the symphonic/metal “After Death Premises.” This must belong to the category of scary ghost stories we hear about in the song ‘It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.’
Christmas Countdown: 1842
Loreena McKennitt has taken the concept off “Dickens’ Dublin (The Palace)” as crafted us a new-age Celtic warbler about a poor waif freezing to death on the streets in 1842. Strangley, the homeless one narrates between verses with a rambling steam-of-consciousness. It’s all unsettling, haunting, moving.
Christmas Countdown: 1843
Calle Bini has a convivial rap style combining science, anthropology, history and Christmas in “One Degree.” I guess it means we’re not all that separated from each other, but Chas Dickens gets a shout-out for penning his ‘Carol’ in 1843 and popularizing religious observation as being about family.
Christmas Countdown: 1861
‘A Mighty Wind’ was another of those Christopher Guest mockumentaries that squandered talented actors on loser characters. The folk singing duo Mitch and Mickey (Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara) include their Civil War Romeo and Juliet tale “The Ballad of Bobby and June.” Their stars are crossed by the draft, though the poor Reb makes it home for Xmas with a hole in his chest. Gratuitous holidayism, but we’ll allow it. [Included is a church-set cover by Brandon Boring with Kayla Cardenas–see, this is what i’m: the satire is so serious no one gets it.]