A Christmas Song by Jethro Tull
The message of the true holiday spirit is summed up in one line: “The Christmas Spirit is not what you drink.”
A Charlie Brown Christmas by Vince Guaraldi
This Christmas special was first aired in 1965. For whatever reason they did not spend a lot of money making this special; the sound and editing was poor, the actors were mostly inexperienced children and the network was appalled at the idea of having a jazz soundtrack for a cartoon. However, despite all that the night this show was broadcast it was reported that 50% of the televisions in the US were tuned to this show. Since then, A Charlie Brown Christmas has been televised every year. Touching on the over-commercialization and secularism of Christmas, what makes this soundtrack so compelling is how Guaraldi compositions paint a jazz landscape that musically captures Charlie Brown’s search for the meaning of the holiday, and finally his joy when his friends band together to show him.
Funky Christmas by James Brown
James makes the holiday funky highlighted by the track, Santa Claus Goes Straight to the Ghetto.
I Believe in Father Christmas by Greg Lake
I always find this to be one of the most underrated holiday songs. This is one of those songs where you really need to listen to the lyrics. The disillusionment of growing up and having the idyllic fantasy of Father Christmas (aka Santa Claus) be replaced with commercialism; the protagonist searches for meaning and redemption of Christmas. By the end he finds what he was missing. I prefer the original Lake/ELP version and not the remade, over-produced version found on the Rock N Roll Christmas collection.
New Wave Xmas: Just Can’t Get Enough
A fine collection that includes a few of my holiday favorites: Captain Sensible’s One Christmas Catalogue, local weirdo Root Boy Slim’s, Christmas at K-Mart, David Bowie and Bing Crosby’s 1977 rendition of Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy, and my second all time favorite holiday song, Fairy Tale of New York by The Pogues. There is always much discussion about weather this is the most depressing Christmas song ever or the most redemptive Christmas song ever. The song is a rumination of a drunk locked up on Christmas Eve. He reflects on how he and his love left the misery of Ireland for the promise of wealth in New York City only to suffer the fate of many an immigrant. Shane MacGowan and Kristy MacColl trade dialogue as the two lovers who at first revel in the excitement of coming to America and then once here quickly take out their disillusionment on each other with lines like, "Happy Christmas your arse / I pray God it's our last. What gives this song its tender moment is when he sings the chorus, “The boys of the NYPD choir, Still singing "Galway Bay", And the bells were ringing out for Christmas day”, you know that he is homesick for Ireland and the way things were. I’ll let you decide on your own.
Happy Christmas (War is Over) by John Lennon and Yoko Ono
Released in December 1971 as part of Lennon and Ono’s “WAR IS OVER! (If You Want It) Happy Christmas from John and Yoko,” billboard campaign, this song did not even chart. Following the December 1980 murder of Lennon, it was on constant radio rotation. Lennon’s murder was a shock to the world, and in the 30 years since his death this song has become a mainstream of holiday music and holiday sentiment that has been covered by just about everybody (and not for the better).
Twelve Pains of Christmas by Bob Rivers
What frustrates you about the holidays? The undisputed king of holiday music parody has thought up twelve universally funny pains. This song is from the Twisted Christmas album, but I recommend any of Rivers holiday albums; all are funny. I also suggest the song I Am Santa Claus, which perfectly imitates Black Sabbath's heavy metal classic "Iron man". I laugh every time I hear it.
Baltimore’s David DeBoy’s Crabs for Christmas is a must have for all of those who can really appreciate the unique flair of all things “Bawlamer”. As a compliment, if you have never had the pleasure of Baltimore’s Miracle on 34th Street, I suggest that you trek on up to the Hampden neighborhood in Baltimore, put this album on your iPod, walk down the street and enjoy the one of a kind spectacle (and don’t forget dinner at the nearby Café Hon to complete the holiday kitsch).
A John Waters Christmas by John Waters
Speaking of Baltimore kitsch, Waters is king of it and has put together an album of some of his favorite holiday tunes. Believe it or not, this album is not as weird as you would think.
If you want more non-traditional holiday songs, Psychobilly Christmas and Little Steven’s (aka E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt) Christmas A Go-Go are probably the hands down hippest collections of holiday songs out there.
For those punks out there, Punk Rock X-mas pulls together a collection of classic punk bands like the Ramones, Stiff Little Fingers, The Dickies and Mojo Nixion to help slam you into the holiday season.
How many songs can there be about Christmas in jail? More than you think. Bummed Out Christmas and Yule Be Miserable are a couple of nice collections. Don’t be fooled by the title, Blue Yule will have your holiday spirits lifted by the likes of Louis Jordan, John Lee Hooker, Lightnin' Hopkins, and Sonny Boy Williamson.
In 1963 producer wiz kid extraordinaire Phil Spector was kind enough to give us A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector; a collection of holiday songs by the Ronettes, the Crystals, Darlene Love and Bob B. Soxx, and the Blue Jeans. A flop at the time of its release, this record is now on Rolling Stone Magazines list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
The Dr. Demento Presents: Greatest Christmas Novelty and Holidays in Dementia CD’s are must haves. All your holiday novelty classics are included here; Cheech & Chong's Santa Claus and His Old Lady, Green Chri$Tma$ and Christmas Dragnet by Stan Freberg, A Christmas Carol by Tom Lehrer, and Weird Al’s classical Christmas at Ground Zero. Since Christmas is not the only holiday to occur in December the doctor was kind enough to include Hanukkah Rocks by Gefilte Joe & the Fish and the best Hanukkah rap song ever, Hanukkah Homeboy. These albums are top choices on Joe Basso’s list of greatest Christmas albums of all time!
And finally, what would the holidays be without Charity. Ho Ho Ho Spice: A Hospice Awareness And Benefit Project and Holiday Heart: An Eclectic, Aural Celebration of Christmas and Chanukah are collections of “alternative-ish” Christmas songs for the national hospice awareness and benefit project; and local charity, Hungry for Music has a superb collection entitled Holiday Feast.
In closing, to take a line from Merry Xmas Everybody by Slade, “IT’S CHRRRISTMASSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!”
Cheers
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