Mike's Christmas Countdown

[mshray]

Hey Mike, I'm sure this is on your list of faves somewhere, but a couple days ago on XM's Deep Tracks station I heard Tom Petty's weekly show (which if no one else listens to XM, is a mellowed out version of Underground Garage, but with equally obscure tracks & some commentary by Petty after each 4-5 song set).

Anyway, he played The Staples Singers "Who Took The Merry Out Of Christmas?" & I had never heard it before, but totally loved it.

On 96.5 I also heard a Sinatra duet with...wait for it...Cyndy Lauper(!), and I was so stunned when I heard the ID that I forgot which Xmas standard it was that they'd done.  

Lastly, I guess this has been around for a while, but I'd never heard it until this year on 101.7, and it's pretty funny.  Has anyone heard of the 10-man a capella group Straigh No Chaser?  Here's their hilarious take on The 12 Days of Christmas, a very unconventional medley.

 

[RGMike]

Hey Mike, I'm sure this is on your list of faves somewhere, but a couple days ago on XM's Deep Tracks station I heard Tom Petty's weekly show (which if no one else listens to XM, is a mellowed out version of Underground Garage, but with equally obscure tracks & some commentary by Petty after each 4-5 song set).

Anyway, he played The Staples Singers "Who Took The Merry Out Of Christmas?" & I had never heard it before, but totally loved it.

On 96.5 I also heard a Sinatra duet with...wait for it...Cyndy Lauper(!), and I was so stunned when I heard the ID that I forgot which Xmas standard it was that they'd done.  

The Staples tune is from their '70s Stax heyday; amazing you'd never heard it, it still gets a decent amount of airplay this time of year (I'd swear Dave played it one year a while back, but then I always say that).  The Sinatra/Lauper thing ("Santa Claus is Comin' to Town") is from the 2nd Very Special Christmas CD in 1992; not clear whether they actually got together via satellite as a precursor to the Sinatra Duets sessions or if they just had Cyndi sing with an old Sinatra track and splice 'em together.

[RGMike]

Reviving this thread for another holiday season. Listening to Soma-FM's Xmas stream has uncovered some fine new gems and reminded me of others. This NTM Sharon Jones ditty, "Ain't No Chimneys in the Projects" (!) is actually 2 years old

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bh5Caj2q-_w

and this is one wacked-out German techno Xmas anthem. "spare ribs and eggnog"? WTF?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2A3kMTZwSQ8

And, also 2 years old, there's In the Christmas Groove, a compilation of forgotten R&B holiday 45s, mostly one-offs on small labels that never made it onto LPs and were thought lost forever. 

http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Groove-Various-Artists/dp/B002RB58XO/ref=pd_rhf_gw_cpp_tab0_p_t_1

Some amazing stuff, like the amazing "Black Christmas" by the Harlem Children's Chorus:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGwITUq6wao

[RGMike]

Last nite on KPOO, "Grinder's Grooveyard" host Jim Rigsbee played this cool Xmas instrumental medley that was NTM -- and I was gobsmacked to find out it was by... Aztec Camera!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBvmMTVhcjU&feature=endscreen&NR=1

Apparently it's on some rare, out-of-print French Xmas anthology.

[RGMike]

a friend on FB asked why there aren't any funny Hanukkah songs that don't involve Adam Sandler. Well, here's my new fave:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSJCSR4MuhU&feature=player_embedded

Wish I could buy it on Amazon -- which reminds me, if any of you are on iTunes, Rhapsody etc... I have a short wish-list of stuff that's not on Amazon.

[ggould]

a friend on FB asked why there aren't any funny Hanukkah songs that don't involve Adam Sandler. Well, here's my new fave:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSJCSR4MuhU&feature=player_embedded

Wish I could buy it on Amazon -- which reminds me, if any of you are on iTunes, Rhapsody etc... I have a short wish-list of stuff that's not on Amazon.

I've really liked their version of Matisyahu's "One Day"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLDl8fbJx0I

[RGMike]

Ah, folks just never tire of parodying Hall & Oates... even at Xmas. Pretty clever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRTglKhAtC4

[Lightnin' Rod]

Ah, folks just never tire of parodying Hall & Oates... even at Xmas. Pretty clever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRTglKhAtC4

Nice mustache.  Funny stuff.

[RGMike]

The princess shared this on FB earlier -- gotta love it.