tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post116435247436727840..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: Oh no! Christmas songs again!By Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-23978069816760693862015-11-23T03:39:40.629-08:002015-11-23T03:39:40.629-08:00Funny story: So when I was in fifth or sixth grade...Funny story: So when I was in fifth or sixth grade (I'm 36 now), I was watching Accidental Tourist in our living room while my Mom was on the phone in the kitchen (remember those long chords) when Geena Davis began singing "I'm Gonna Lasso Santa Claus." Without realizing I began to sing along when suddenly my Mom overheard me and stretched that long chord through the dining room and around the corner to get a look at the tv screen. "That's Grandpop's song! Oh my God," she said to my Aunt Lorie, "Lor, Geena Davis is singing Grandpop's song!" That's when I too realized that for the first time EVER we were hearing my Great Grandpop's song on TV. Turns out my Great Grandpop, Frank Adorno (a.k.a., "Frankie Adams" because back in his time you took a stage name to avoid prejudice, in this case against Italians) had sold the rights to that song without anybody ever knowing, including his oldest daughter and the person to whom he left his most valued possession - his big wooden trunk filled with all his handwritten music and lyrics. My Great Aunt Rose, who passed away two years ago, never opened the trunk. She wanted everything inside to remain exactly the way her father had left it. Well, that was until her passing, when she left the trunk to my Mother (her Goddaughter and the only one in the family who pursued a music career - she was fantastic), when low and behold for the very first time we all got to see the handwritten lyrics to all his songs, including the one we've all known as our family's Christmas song for as long as I can remember. "I'm Gonna Lasso Santa Claus," as well as the signed release form relinquishing any and all rights to royalties which was signed way back in the 50's! Now I hear it every year around this time playing in WAWA (local chain of convenience stores)! Pretty cool!! Needless to say, I totally agree..."VERY CATCHY!" Thanks for your post! Put a big smile on my face!! "Touching!" :) Merry Christmas!! -CynthiaAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12628247349914590439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-10728659264261050752007-12-15T21:12:00.000-08:002007-12-15T21:12:00.000-08:00How is it possible that no one has mentioned Jethr...How is it possible that no one has mentioned Jethro Tull's A Christmas Song? It's like holiday crack, I must have it.<BR/><BR/>The Pogues song is splendid.<BR/>Check out the Blues Traveler song "Christmas" sometime if you get a chance. It's on A Very Special Christmas Vol 3. And while you're there, give the Steve Winwood carol a listen, too. Yum.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-27034012686194170622007-11-28T18:33:00.000-08:002007-11-28T18:33:00.000-08:00If anyone is interested in Firestone - Your Favori...If anyone is interested in Firestone - Your Favorite Christmas or Goodyear - Great Songs of Christmas On CD check out great-songs-of-christmas.comdlf musichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11160409737809552632noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-76136849906373170012007-11-02T07:13:00.000-07:002007-11-02T07:13:00.000-07:00Best Christmas Songs - The Top 100 Christmas Songs...Best Christmas Songs - The Top 100 Christmas Songs of All Time !, and Graphics, ecards, Carols.Love songs, words, Freie Weihnachtslieder.<A HREF="http://www.bestchristmassongs.info" REL="nofollow">Best Christmas Songs</A>, lirics, Weihnachtslieder, listen, all, online,funny, xmas, online, xmas, funny, carols, kids, card, favorite, greeting, cute, favorites, holiday, beautiful, cute.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1165980422261256012006-12-12T19:27:00.000-08:002006-12-12T19:27:00.000-08:00When I'm in a good mood: Judy Garland singing "Ha...When I'm in a good mood: Judy Garland singing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." In fact, almost anybody singing this can get to me.<BR/><BR/>When I'm fed up with it all: Red Peters's "You Ain't Gettin' Shit For Christmas."<BR/><BR/>And I like George Winston's "December."Buttermilk Skyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07430011403223875192noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1165718021559059892006-12-09T18:33:00.000-08:002006-12-09T18:33:00.000-08:00My vote's for "A Fairytale Of New York" by The Pog...My vote's for "A Fairytale Of New York" by The Pogues with Kirsty MaColl.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1165559031611586972006-12-07T22:23:00.000-08:002006-12-07T22:23:00.000-08:00Two favorite Christmas songs, written by Dolly Par...Two favorite Christmas songs, written by Dolly Parton (who knew?) and performed by her and Kenny Rogers in their 1984 Christmas special:<BR/>(I'll Be Home) With Bells On<BR/>And "Once Upon a Christmas."<BR/><BR/>Best version ever of "O Holy Night" by Josh Groban.Cranky Dazehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14433232531868316286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1165504924819663452006-12-07T07:22:00.000-08:002006-12-07T07:22:00.000-08:00The Bells of Christmas by Julie Andrews on a Fires...The Bells of Christmas by Julie Andrews on a Firestone Christmas album in the mid '60's. I've never seen it on CD. Beautiful.<BR/><BR/>Waitresses -Yes.<BR/>Bing & David - Yes.<BR/>Dominic the Donkey-NO!Roger Owen Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05298172138307632062noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1165460669617320942006-12-06T19:04:00.000-08:002006-12-06T19:04:00.000-08:00Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt (seriously, Catwoman knoc...Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt (seriously, Catwoman knocked that out of the park)<BR/><BR/>Christmas Vacation (from the movie) - Mavis Staples<BR/><BR/>And who doesn't love "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch?"lonestarr357https://www.blogger.com/profile/16738966825188441820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1165434153716452442006-12-06T11:42:00.000-08:002006-12-06T11:42:00.000-08:00Jackson Browne did a really amazing political Chri...Jackson Browne did a really amazing political Christmas song (almost an anti-Christmas song, but not really) with the Chieftans, called "The Rebel Jesus." By far my favorite thing to listen to during Christmastime.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1165283908574466602006-12-04T17:58:00.000-08:002006-12-04T17:58:00.000-08:00growing up in the family of a rabbi and living in ...growing up in the family of a rabbi and living in a flat above the sanctuary i did not grow up with any xmas songs.<BR/><BR/>did go to an anglican school, though, and thus am very fond of xmas carols, especially 'the holly & the ivy' & 'wassail wassail all over the town'.<BR/><BR/>as for chanukah songs, since having had it sung to me in an ambulance after i was being rushed to hospital one memorial day following an accident on interstate 81, i cannot hear the dreidel song without breaking into a cold sweat. not even the version by the barenaked ladies.<BR/><BR/>happy holidaysravajhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03341489124504088158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1165017221407851602006-12-01T15:53:00.000-08:002006-12-01T15:53:00.000-08:00Four simple words that have utterly destroyed my m...Four simple words that have utterly destroyed my memories of youth:<BR/><BR/>Billy Idol Happy Holidays<BR/><BR/>http://www.billyidol.net/happyholidays/<BR/><BR/>No, it's not a (intentional) joke, not a spoof, and no wall-crawling zombies get fried in the video.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1164995242323459242006-12-01T09:47:00.000-08:002006-12-01T09:47:00.000-08:00Under haunting: John Lennon, "and so this is Chr...Under haunting: John Lennon, "and so this is Christmas and what have you done ?"<BR/><BR/>As an aside, I wonder what Lennon's reaction would have been to 9/11, and the attacks on his adopted home ? If I had Ken's gift, I would pen a column - What Would Johnny Say ? Would he still be singing Give Peace A Chance, or would he have railed against the blind hatred from the unprovoked attacks ?<BR/><BR/>Supposedly it took Neil Young only 3 days to pen and release 'Four Dead In Ohio' after the students were killed, bumping C,S,N, & Y's own song off the # 1 spot on the charts. Its been 6 long years Neil, where is your song of woe for the 3,000 ?<BR/><BR/>Back to Christmas songs: under hilarious would be Porky Pig's rendition of Elvis' Blue Blue Christmas.little johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10929676528906490879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1164939494328305472006-11-30T18:18:00.000-08:002006-11-30T18:18:00.000-08:00Ug... the sound of that stuff makes me want to jum...Ug... the sound of that stuff makes me want to jump head-first out of a window!Dwaconhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07544514023626682777noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1164937037176004662006-11-30T17:37:00.000-08:002006-11-30T17:37:00.000-08:00OK, Here's my favorite collection. A John Waters ...OK, Here's my favorite collection. A John Waters Christmas!<BR/><BR/>Check it out on www.npr.org (just search for John Water's Christmas). Great interview with Mr. Waters about the collection. I like "Santa Claus is a Black Man" - it's so bad, it's good! <BR/><BR/>Ken, John also hates "Little Drummer Boy" and LOVES the Chipmunks (maybe too much. You'll understand if you listen to the interview).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1164935110842891862006-11-30T17:05:00.000-08:002006-11-30T17:05:00.000-08:00Ramones - Punk Rock ChristmasJames Brown - Soulful...Ramones - Punk Rock Christmas<BR/>James Brown - Soulful Christmas<BR/>Run DMC - Christmas In Hollis<BR/>Jackson 5 - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town<BR/>Cuba L.A. - What Child Is This?<BR/><BR/>also:<BR/><BR/>Kahoro Wa Kibochi/Karlus Trapp - Kwanzaa Nguzo Saba<BR/>Adam Sandler - The Chanukah Song (already mentioned but well worth repeating) <BR/>Woggles - Ramadan Romance<BR/>Ween - Roses Are Free<BR/>Motley Crue - Shout At The DevilAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1164934114718113142006-11-30T16:48:00.000-08:002006-11-30T16:48:00.000-08:00Coming in behind at least 56 others, there's littl...Coming in behind at least 56 others, there's little chance I'll be heard, but here goes anyway. My favorite Xmas songs are "O Holy Night" and "Have Yorself a Merry Little Christmas," assuming they're sung by someone with a great voice. Last year I heard "Blue Christmas" sung by Porky Pig. I'm not usually a fan of these novelty songs but this one was funny.<BR/>The worst? I would sooner have sharp pencils shoved into my ears than hear "The 12 Days of Christmas" again.Cap'n Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11783977137812876489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1164933677499491502006-11-30T16:41:00.000-08:002006-11-30T16:41:00.000-08:00Best: Satchmo's "Christmas In New Orleans." Chock...Best: Satchmo's "Christmas In New Orleans." Chocked me up when I heard it last year following Katrina.<BR/><BR/>Worst: The "Cat Christmas" song where the cat and the mouse huddle together and the cat dies: Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww...Jim Walshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17035604272019311298noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1164932627829889542006-11-30T16:23:00.000-08:002006-11-30T16:23:00.000-08:00Besides, it's my burning ambition to some day writ...Besides, it's my burning ambition to some day write the classic Purim song.The Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14723009641287783218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1164931407048575252006-11-30T16:03:00.000-08:002006-11-30T16:03:00.000-08:00"Interesting that so many classic Christmas songs ...<I>"Interesting that so many classic Christmas songs were written by Jews."</I><BR/><BR/>Interesting? That's America to me!<BR/><BR/>54 comments and counting and no Yogi Yorgesson references? (I Yust Go Nuts at Christmas... I Vas Santa Claus for the PTA...)<BR/><BR/>OK, not my <I>favorites</I> exactly, but so many others had been taken....The Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14723009641287783218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1164926929512096652006-11-30T14:48:00.000-08:002006-11-30T14:48:00.000-08:00Three favorites, in no particular order:"You're A ...Three favorites, in no particular order:<BR/><BR/>"You're A Mean One, Mister Grinch" by rock guitarist Gary Hoey. This one stays crunchy even in milk, plus is has a nice, snarky bass underneath.<BR/><BR/>"Christmastime Is Here" by Vince Guaraldi. Ken, this is the exception about cringing when kids sing. Haunts me.<BR/><BR/>"Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas". The original from "Meet Me In St. Louis" (although Margaret O'Brien's character in the movie was a horrible child).<BR/><BR/>And to answer the inevitable question after a Judy Garland reference -- no, I'm not.Charlie Kennedyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09658458426865826477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1164920492956637352006-11-30T13:01:00.000-08:002006-11-30T13:01:00.000-08:00Gotta agree with most of your picks. "Little Drum...Gotta agree with most of your picks. "Little Drummer Boy" is an exception. Joan Jett recorded it in the early 80's and it's one of my favorites. For some reason it doesn't get alot of airplay though.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1164920200114194012006-11-30T12:56:00.000-08:002006-11-30T12:56:00.000-08:00I actually like the Ally McBeal Christmas album --...I actually like the Ally McBeal Christmas album -- especially the version of "River" sung by Robert Downey, Jr. Personally, this is my favorite version of the song. Gets me gushing every time.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1164914074163522562006-11-30T11:14:00.000-08:002006-11-30T11:14:00.000-08:00"Christmas Wrapping" by The Waitresses has always ..."Christmas Wrapping" by The Waitresses has always been my favorite. An honest song about a stressful year and blowing all obligations off in favor of a quiet, peaceful, solitary yuletide. Only to find that the guy you have a crush on very conveniently decided to do the same!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-1164913641320411982006-11-30T11:07:00.000-08:002006-11-30T11:07:00.000-08:00Heard that Elton John Christmas song on the radio ...Heard that Elton John Christmas song on the radio at a doctor's office today, and it's nearly as bad as McCartney's. (BTW, Ken, I think you meant "smooth jazz" rather than "New Wave"; can't think of many stations these days that play late-'70s Elvis Costello, Ian Dury, Nick Lowe, etc.)<BR/><BR/>Anyway, the Christmas songs I love:<BR/><BR/><B>* "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)," Darlene Love --</B> the best track on the Phil Spector Christmas album, and that's saying something. It's so good, you don't mind hearing it the rest of the year. (If Spector is convicted, all royalties from this album should go to Lana Clarkson's family.)<BR/><BR/><B>* "The Christmas Waltz," Frank Sinatra --</B> he recorded it twice, but the version I prefer is the one without the chorus going "Merry Christmas, merry Christmas" at the close.<BR/><BR/><B>* "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town," Bruce Springsteen --</B> I'm a fan of Springsteen's, but don't go crazy over him despite the 12 years or so I spent living in New Jersey. But this is so fun, so charming, I can't help it.<BR/><BR/><B>* "Run Rudolph Run," Chuck Berry --</B> I like this song so much that I once used it as background music for my college paper's answering machine message saying they were closed for the holiday. Dave Edmunds did a worthy cover of it in the eighties.<BR/><BR/><B>* "2000 Miles," the Pretenders --</B> best contemporary rock Christmas song of the past quarter-century.<BR/><BR/><B>* "White Christmas," the Drifters --</B> thank you, Ahmet Ertegun, Clyde McPhatter or whomever decided to have the Drifters cut this version of the Irving Berlin standard. I bet even <I>Irving</I> liked it.VP81955https://www.blogger.com/profile/11792390726196611188noreply@blogger.com