The 2006 playlist:
1.) 2006 intro
In the cassette days, I used Santo & Johnny's "Twistin' Bells" for the intro - I chose that version to lead off 2006.
2.) President and Mrs. George W. Bush - Dubya's telling of "The Night Before Christmas"
Someone online grabbed the audio feed from a White House event that had Bush stumbling over the book... very little editing... :)
3.) El Vez - Santa Claus Is Sometimes Brown
Wicked re-working of "Santa Claus Is Back In Town" from the Mexican Elvis. El Vez has several other Christmas releases out there that I need to pick up.
4.) Noelani & The Leo Nahenahe Singers - Deck The Halls
Nothing like Hawaiian Christmas to get me in the holiday spirit! Great song sung in Hawaiian and English.
5.) Stan Freberg - Excerpt from "Christmas Dragnet (Yulenet)"
Grudge doesn't believe in Santa Claus, The Easter Bunny, Columbus, Cleveland, or Cincinnati. He hasn't made his mind up on Toledo...
6.) Billy May (w Thurl Ravenscroft) - Do You Believe In Santa Claus?
Perhaps the best song to come off the third installment of "Christmas Cocktails". My kids and I crack up at the ending every single time.
7.) Tiny Tim - Zoot, Zoot, Zoot Here Comes Santa In His New Space Suit
The saying states "Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it." After searching forever, I finally found this obscure Christmas song from Mr. "Tiptoe Thru The Tulips". I didn't know it was disco...
8.) SCTV - Excerpt from "Liberace's Christmas Special"
With Liberace (Dave Thomas) playing the piano, Orson Welles (John Candy) tries to recite "Good King Wenceslas" - he ends up quoting the famous "Frozen Peas" outtakes and storms off the set. Hilarious!
9.) Twelve Girls Band - Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
From the very first CD I ever reviewed here at the yuleblog. Yes, there's 13 girls on the cover but no one got the inside joke of this one from the all Chinese girl band.
10.) Petty Booka - Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (Japanese version)
This CD features two version of "Rudolph" - one in English, and this one in their native tongue. Another album I reviewed here two years ago.
11.) Family Guy - "A Peter Griffin Christmas"
I didn't get this audio clip from any of the DVDs - found it floating around online. My friend Joel later gave me the first two seasons on DVD but it wasn't on that collection. Season four...
12.) Chris Isaak - Christmas On TV
A great Christmas original - slow, country feel with lots of longing. I'm surprised this didn't get better radio airplay the first year (or the second, or the third). Why didn't I review this one?
13.) The Christmas Jug Band - Christmas Time Is Here
The week after my apartment fire in Toledo back in 1996, I went to Blockbuster Music and listened to "Somebody Stole My Santa Claus Suit" and laughed for the first time before the fire. This one's almost as good.
14.) The Marx Brothers & Frank Ferrante - "there ain't no Sanity Clause..." / "Have you heard that one?"
Two clips in one - the first comes from the Brothers Marx, the second from the foremost Groucho impersonator of this generation who I met (and became friends with) through my best friend Joel.
15.) Freddy Martin & His Orchestra - The Merry Christmas Polka
Extremely fun 1949 big band/polka track featuring lead vocalist Merv Griffin ("Ooooooooh").
16.) Margret Jonsson - Snöbubben Froste
"Frosty The Snowman" in Swedish - thanks to Anna-Lena Lodenius for sending her 2004 comp my way!
17.) "We should be asleep and Santa is coming tonight..."
A quick cut from one of Andy Cirzan's amazing comps of Christmas rarities.
18.) Leadbelly - Christmas Is Coming
Legendary blues artist who warns us of the impending arrival of December 25 - manages to get it done in 1:08!
19.) The Rev. Edward W. Claybourne - The Wrong Way To Celebrate Christmas
From Dust-To-Digital's breathtaking collection of R&B and blues 78s from 1917 to 1959 - if you're a serious Christmas music collector, you need this CD.
20.) Sugar Boy Crawford - White Christmas
From the first bouncy notes, you're hooked until the final flourish of sax, drums, and guitar. A song guaranteed to get repeated listens.
21.) Thomas A. Edison - Christmas Greeting
A clip from a 1920 promo recording entitled "Holiday Greetings from the Bunch at Orange", the inventor of the light bulb and the phonograph wishes you Merry Christmas.
22.) Belton Richard - Please Come Home For Christmas
This Charles Brown song takes on an extra warmth when sung and played in Cajun.
23.) C.J. Chenier & The Red Hot Louisiana Band - A Zydeco Christmas
A flat out Zydeco rocker courtesy of Chicago's own Alligator Records.
24.) American Comedy Network - Holiday Disclaimer
"The presents you are about to receive were purchased by a bunch of maxed out, overstressed individuals who were so busy that they had no idea what you want and really don't care. Any present that you receive is actually your size or in the color you like is a mistake. What we're trying to say is 'have another eggnog, listen to "White Christmas" one more time, and don't let your hopes get too high.' " - Now trying saying that in 10 seconds flat!
25.) American Comedy Network - This Present Is Just Crap
Sinatra impersonator sings this parody to the tune of "The Lady Is A Tramp" - my mom LOVED this track. That explains a lot about me.
26.) Asche & Spencer - Merry Christmas Fruitcake
A song devoted to everyone's favorite holiday doorstop. Composed for the Oregon State Lottery (click the link to read my review).
27.) Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz - U.S. Savings Bonds Christmas promo
I thought they only shilled for Phillip Morris cigarettes - here they're working for Uncle Sam!
28.) Agnetha & Linda Fältskog - Bjällerklang
One of the former members of ABBA and her daughter sing "Jingle Bells" in Swedish. Downloaded this one off Napster (pre-legal days).
29.) The Three Suns - The Christmas Song
Typical brilliance from The Three Suns - off their 1959 "A Ding Dong Dandy Christmas" that has never been issued on CD.
30.) Lucky Strike Cigarettes Christmas commercial
Clipped from an old Jack Benny radio program - nothing like saying Christmas than a carton of cancer sticks.
31.) Larry Nestor - Santa Doesn't Smoke Anymore
No one remembers the 19th century Thomas Nast Santa who smoked a pipe, looking like he just came off an opium jag. After hearing this song, I went off cigarettes as well - and I don't smoke!
32.) Rev. Horton Heat - Santa On The Roof
I reviewed this CD in the first month of this blog's existence - the time flies just a little slower than this power packed song!
33.) Stan Freberg - Excerpt from "Christmas Dragnet (Yulenet)"
Grudge finally believes in Santa Claus, The Easter Bunny, Columbus, Cleveland, or Cincinnati. He hasn't made his mind up on Toledo... read all about my apartment fire and you'll know I've made MY mind up on Toledo.
34.) The Rhodes Kids - Santa Loves Rock-N-Roll Music
Featured at FLLLL, I reviewed this great 1970s album (you can hear the shag carpeting). Surprising stuff in more ways than one.
35.) AKIM & The Teddy Van Production Company - Little Miss Super Fly
An album cut from a rare 1973 album in my collection. John Waters featured the title cut on his Christmas CD a year previously.
36.) Johnny Mercer - Winter Wonderland (Rise Ashen's Brazilian Beach Mix)
Take an old radio broadcast of this song, add Brazilian percussion and a strong beat, and presto! You get a cool, regrooved Christmas song.
37.) POJ Masta - Santar Klaws
Funky shagalicious remix of Eartha Kitt's "Santa Baby" - still available to download from the first excellent mashup album "Santastic: Holiday Boots 4 Your Stockings".
38.) 2006 playlist rundown
I give the playlist very much like what I just typed out...
39.) Sister Rosetta Tharpe - Silent Night
Elvis had a great run but I decided to begin rotating versions of "Silent Night" starting with this version from Tharpe.
40.) Outro - short version
I edited down the long version of the outro (see 2000-2002) to 47 seconds.
Please leave your comments at the study guide page - please remember, none of these comps will be posted here in their entirety or made available online or off.
Saturday, 26 July 2008
2006 Playlist
The 2006 playlist:
1.) 2006 intro
In the cassette days, I used Santo & Johnny's "Twistin' Bells" for the intro - I chose that version to lead off 2006.
2.) President and Mrs. George W. Bush - Dubya's telling of "The Night Before Christmas"
Someone online grabbed the audio feed from a White House event that had Bush stumbling over the book... very little editing... :)
3.) El Vez - Santa Claus Is Sometimes Brown
Wicked re-working of "Santa Claus Is Back In Town" from the Mexican Elvis. El Vez has several other Christmas releases out there that I need to pick up.
4.) Noelani & The Leo Nahenahe Singers - Deck The Halls
Nothing like Hawaiian Christmas to get me in the holiday spirit! Great song sung in Hawaiian and English.
5.) Stan Freberg - Excerpt from "Christmas Dragnet (Yulenet)"
Grudge doesn't believe in Santa Claus, The Easter Bunny, Columbus, Cleveland, or Cincinnati. He hasn't made his mind up on Toledo...
6.) Billy May (w Thurl Ravenscroft) - Do You Believe In Santa Claus?
Perhaps the best song to come off the third installment of "Christmas Cocktails". My kids and I crack up at the ending every single time.
7.) Tiny Tim - Zoot, Zoot, Zoot Here Comes Santa In His New Space Suit
The saying states "Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it." After searching forever, I finally found this obscure Christmas song from Mr. "Tiptoe Thru The Tulips". I didn't know it was disco...
8.) SCTV - Excerpt from "Liberace's Christmas Special"
With Liberace (Dave Thomas) playing the piano, Orson Welles (John Candy) tries to recite "Good King Wenceslas" - he ends up quoting the famous "Frozen Peas" outtakes and storms off the set. Hilarious!
9.) Twelve Girls Band - Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
From the very first CD I ever reviewed here at the yuleblog. Yes, there's 13 girls on the cover but no one got the inside joke of this one from the all Chinese girl band.
10.) Petty Booka - Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (Japanese version)
This CD features two version of "Rudolph" - one in English, and this one in their native tongue. Another album I reviewed here two years ago.
11.) Family Guy - "A Peter Griffin Christmas"
I didn't get this audio clip from any of the DVDs - found it floating around online. My friend Joel later gave me the first two seasons on DVD but it wasn't on that collection. Season four...
12.) Chris Isaak - Christmas On TV
A great Christmas original - slow, country feel with lots of longing. I'm surprised this didn't get better radio airplay the first year (or the second, or the third). Why didn't I review this one?
13.) The Christmas Jug Band - Christmas Time Is Here
The week after my apartment fire in Toledo back in 1996, I went to Blockbuster Music and listened to "Somebody Stole My Santa Claus Suit" and laughed for the first time before the fire. This one's almost as good.
14.) The Marx Brothers & Frank Ferrante - "there ain't no Sanity Clause..." / "Have you heard that one?"
Two clips in one - the first comes from the Brothers Marx, the second from the foremost Groucho impersonator of this generation who I met (and became friends with) through my best friend Joel.
15.) Freddy Martin & His Orchestra - The Merry Christmas Polka
Extremely fun 1949 big band/polka track featuring lead vocalist Merv Griffin ("Ooooooooh").
16.) Margret Jonsson - Snöbubben Froste
"Frosty The Snowman" in Swedish - thanks to Anna-Lena Lodenius for sending her 2004 comp my way!
17.) "We should be asleep and Santa is coming tonight..."
A quick cut from one of Andy Cirzan's amazing comps of Christmas rarities.
18.) Leadbelly - Christmas Is Coming
Legendary blues artist who warns us of the impending arrival of December 25 - manages to get it done in 1:08!
19.) The Rev. Edward W. Claybourne - The Wrong Way To Celebrate Christmas
From Dust-To-Digital's breathtaking collection of R&B and blues 78s from 1917 to 1959 - if you're a serious Christmas music collector, you need this CD.
20.) Sugar Boy Crawford - White Christmas
From the first bouncy notes, you're hooked until the final flourish of sax, drums, and guitar. A song guaranteed to get repeated listens.
21.) Thomas A. Edison - Christmas Greeting
A clip from a 1920 promo recording entitled "Holiday Greetings from the Bunch at Orange", the inventor of the light bulb and the phonograph wishes you Merry Christmas.
22.) Belton Richard - Please Come Home For Christmas
This Charles Brown song takes on an extra warmth when sung and played in Cajun.
23.) C.J. Chenier & The Red Hot Louisiana Band - A Zydeco Christmas
A flat out Zydeco rocker courtesy of Chicago's own Alligator Records.
24.) American Comedy Network - Holiday Disclaimer
"The presents you are about to receive were purchased by a bunch of maxed out, overstressed individuals who were so busy that they had no idea what you want and really don't care. Any present that you receive is actually your size or in the color you like is a mistake. What we're trying to say is 'have another eggnog, listen to "White Christmas" one more time, and don't let your hopes get too high.' " - Now trying saying that in 10 seconds flat!
25.) American Comedy Network - This Present Is Just Crap
Sinatra impersonator sings this parody to the tune of "The Lady Is A Tramp" - my mom LOVED this track. That explains a lot about me.
26.) Asche & Spencer - Merry Christmas Fruitcake
A song devoted to everyone's favorite holiday doorstop. Composed for the Oregon State Lottery (click the link to read my review).
27.) Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz - U.S. Savings Bonds Christmas promo
I thought they only shilled for Phillip Morris cigarettes - here they're working for Uncle Sam!
28.) Agnetha & Linda Fältskog - Bjällerklang
One of the former members of ABBA and her daughter sing "Jingle Bells" in Swedish. Downloaded this one off Napster (pre-legal days).
29.) The Three Suns - The Christmas Song
Typical brilliance from The Three Suns - off their 1959 "A Ding Dong Dandy Christmas" that has never been issued on CD.
30.) Lucky Strike Cigarettes Christmas commercial
Clipped from an old Jack Benny radio program - nothing like saying Christmas than a carton of cancer sticks.
31.) Larry Nestor - Santa Doesn't Smoke Anymore
No one remembers the 19th century Thomas Nast Santa who smoked a pipe, looking like he just came off an opium jag. After hearing this song, I went off cigarettes as well - and I don't smoke!
32.) Rev. Horton Heat - Santa On The Roof
I reviewed this CD in the first month of this blog's existence - the time flies just a little slower than this power packed song!
33.) Stan Freberg - Excerpt from "Christmas Dragnet (Yulenet)"
Grudge finally believes in Santa Claus, The Easter Bunny, Columbus, Cleveland, or Cincinnati. He hasn't made his mind up on Toledo... read all about my apartment fire and you'll know I've made MY mind up on Toledo.
34.) The Rhodes Kids - Santa Loves Rock-N-Roll Music
Featured at FLLLL, I reviewed this great 1970s album (you can hear the shag carpeting). Surprising stuff in more ways than one.
35.) AKIM & The Teddy Van Production Company - Little Miss Super Fly
An album cut from a rare 1973 album in my collection. John Waters featured the title cut on his Christmas CD a year previously.
36.) Johnny Mercer - Winter Wonderland (Rise Ashen's Brazilian Beach Mix)
Take an old radio broadcast of this song, add Brazilian percussion and a strong beat, and presto! You get a cool, regrooved Christmas song.
37.) POJ Masta - Santar Klaws
Funky shagalicious remix of Eartha Kitt's "Santa Baby" - still available to download from the first excellent mashup album "Santastic: Holiday Boots 4 Your Stockings".
38.) 2006 playlist rundown
I give the playlist very much like what I just typed out...
39.) Sister Rosetta Tharpe - Silent Night
Elvis had a great run but I decided to begin rotating versions of "Silent Night" starting with this version from Tharpe.
40.) Outro - short version
I edited down the long version of the outro (see 2000-2002) to 47 seconds.
Please leave your comments at the study guide page - please remember, none of these comps will be posted here in their entirety or made available online or off.
1.) 2006 intro
In the cassette days, I used Santo & Johnny's "Twistin' Bells" for the intro - I chose that version to lead off 2006.
2.) President and Mrs. George W. Bush - Dubya's telling of "The Night Before Christmas"
Someone online grabbed the audio feed from a White House event that had Bush stumbling over the book... very little editing... :)
3.) El Vez - Santa Claus Is Sometimes Brown
Wicked re-working of "Santa Claus Is Back In Town" from the Mexican Elvis. El Vez has several other Christmas releases out there that I need to pick up.
4.) Noelani & The Leo Nahenahe Singers - Deck The Halls
Nothing like Hawaiian Christmas to get me in the holiday spirit! Great song sung in Hawaiian and English.
5.) Stan Freberg - Excerpt from "Christmas Dragnet (Yulenet)"
Grudge doesn't believe in Santa Claus, The Easter Bunny, Columbus, Cleveland, or Cincinnati. He hasn't made his mind up on Toledo...
6.) Billy May (w Thurl Ravenscroft) - Do You Believe In Santa Claus?
Perhaps the best song to come off the third installment of "Christmas Cocktails". My kids and I crack up at the ending every single time.
7.) Tiny Tim - Zoot, Zoot, Zoot Here Comes Santa In His New Space Suit
The saying states "Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it." After searching forever, I finally found this obscure Christmas song from Mr. "Tiptoe Thru The Tulips". I didn't know it was disco...
8.) SCTV - Excerpt from "Liberace's Christmas Special"
With Liberace (Dave Thomas) playing the piano, Orson Welles (John Candy) tries to recite "Good King Wenceslas" - he ends up quoting the famous "Frozen Peas" outtakes and storms off the set. Hilarious!
9.) Twelve Girls Band - Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
From the very first CD I ever reviewed here at the yuleblog. Yes, there's 13 girls on the cover but no one got the inside joke of this one from the all Chinese girl band.
10.) Petty Booka - Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer (Japanese version)
This CD features two version of "Rudolph" - one in English, and this one in their native tongue. Another album I reviewed here two years ago.
11.) Family Guy - "A Peter Griffin Christmas"
I didn't get this audio clip from any of the DVDs - found it floating around online. My friend Joel later gave me the first two seasons on DVD but it wasn't on that collection. Season four...
12.) Chris Isaak - Christmas On TV
A great Christmas original - slow, country feel with lots of longing. I'm surprised this didn't get better radio airplay the first year (or the second, or the third). Why didn't I review this one?
13.) The Christmas Jug Band - Christmas Time Is Here
The week after my apartment fire in Toledo back in 1996, I went to Blockbuster Music and listened to "Somebody Stole My Santa Claus Suit" and laughed for the first time before the fire. This one's almost as good.
14.) The Marx Brothers & Frank Ferrante - "there ain't no Sanity Clause..." / "Have you heard that one?"
Two clips in one - the first comes from the Brothers Marx, the second from the foremost Groucho impersonator of this generation who I met (and became friends with) through my best friend Joel.
15.) Freddy Martin & His Orchestra - The Merry Christmas Polka
Extremely fun 1949 big band/polka track featuring lead vocalist Merv Griffin ("Ooooooooh").
16.) Margret Jonsson - Snöbubben Froste
"Frosty The Snowman" in Swedish - thanks to Anna-Lena Lodenius for sending her 2004 comp my way!
17.) "We should be asleep and Santa is coming tonight..."
A quick cut from one of Andy Cirzan's amazing comps of Christmas rarities.
18.) Leadbelly - Christmas Is Coming
Legendary blues artist who warns us of the impending arrival of December 25 - manages to get it done in 1:08!
19.) The Rev. Edward W. Claybourne - The Wrong Way To Celebrate Christmas
From Dust-To-Digital's breathtaking collection of R&B and blues 78s from 1917 to 1959 - if you're a serious Christmas music collector, you need this CD.
20.) Sugar Boy Crawford - White Christmas
From the first bouncy notes, you're hooked until the final flourish of sax, drums, and guitar. A song guaranteed to get repeated listens.
21.) Thomas A. Edison - Christmas Greeting
A clip from a 1920 promo recording entitled "Holiday Greetings from the Bunch at Orange", the inventor of the light bulb and the phonograph wishes you Merry Christmas.
22.) Belton Richard - Please Come Home For Christmas
This Charles Brown song takes on an extra warmth when sung and played in Cajun.
23.) C.J. Chenier & The Red Hot Louisiana Band - A Zydeco Christmas
A flat out Zydeco rocker courtesy of Chicago's own Alligator Records.
24.) American Comedy Network - Holiday Disclaimer
"The presents you are about to receive were purchased by a bunch of maxed out, overstressed individuals who were so busy that they had no idea what you want and really don't care. Any present that you receive is actually your size or in the color you like is a mistake. What we're trying to say is 'have another eggnog, listen to "White Christmas" one more time, and don't let your hopes get too high.' " - Now trying saying that in 10 seconds flat!
25.) American Comedy Network - This Present Is Just Crap
Sinatra impersonator sings this parody to the tune of "The Lady Is A Tramp" - my mom LOVED this track. That explains a lot about me.
26.) Asche & Spencer - Merry Christmas Fruitcake
A song devoted to everyone's favorite holiday doorstop. Composed for the Oregon State Lottery (click the link to read my review).
27.) Lucille Ball & Desi Arnaz - U.S. Savings Bonds Christmas promo
I thought they only shilled for Phillip Morris cigarettes - here they're working for Uncle Sam!
28.) Agnetha & Linda Fältskog - Bjällerklang
One of the former members of ABBA and her daughter sing "Jingle Bells" in Swedish. Downloaded this one off Napster (pre-legal days).
29.) The Three Suns - The Christmas Song
Typical brilliance from The Three Suns - off their 1959 "A Ding Dong Dandy Christmas" that has never been issued on CD.
30.) Lucky Strike Cigarettes Christmas commercial
Clipped from an old Jack Benny radio program - nothing like saying Christmas than a carton of cancer sticks.
31.) Larry Nestor - Santa Doesn't Smoke Anymore
No one remembers the 19th century Thomas Nast Santa who smoked a pipe, looking like he just came off an opium jag. After hearing this song, I went off cigarettes as well - and I don't smoke!
32.) Rev. Horton Heat - Santa On The Roof
I reviewed this CD in the first month of this blog's existence - the time flies just a little slower than this power packed song!
33.) Stan Freberg - Excerpt from "Christmas Dragnet (Yulenet)"
Grudge finally believes in Santa Claus, The Easter Bunny, Columbus, Cleveland, or Cincinnati. He hasn't made his mind up on Toledo... read all about my apartment fire and you'll know I've made MY mind up on Toledo.
34.) The Rhodes Kids - Santa Loves Rock-N-Roll Music
Featured at FLLLL, I reviewed this great 1970s album (you can hear the shag carpeting). Surprising stuff in more ways than one.
35.) AKIM & The Teddy Van Production Company - Little Miss Super Fly
An album cut from a rare 1973 album in my collection. John Waters featured the title cut on his Christmas CD a year previously.
36.) Johnny Mercer - Winter Wonderland (Rise Ashen's Brazilian Beach Mix)
Take an old radio broadcast of this song, add Brazilian percussion and a strong beat, and presto! You get a cool, regrooved Christmas song.
37.) POJ Masta - Santar Klaws
Funky shagalicious remix of Eartha Kitt's "Santa Baby" - still available to download from the first excellent mashup album "Santastic: Holiday Boots 4 Your Stockings".
38.) 2006 playlist rundown
I give the playlist very much like what I just typed out...
39.) Sister Rosetta Tharpe - Silent Night
Elvis had a great run but I decided to begin rotating versions of "Silent Night" starting with this version from Tharpe.
40.) Outro - short version
I edited down the long version of the outro (see 2000-2002) to 47 seconds.
Please leave your comments at the study guide page - please remember, none of these comps will be posted here in their entirety or made available online or off.
Friday, 25 July 2008
2005 Playlist
The 2005 playlist:
1.) 2005 intro
My usual intro with the Flat Duo Jets on "Jingle Bells".
2.) Harry Goodman Jingles - 27 days 'til Christmas
From side one of a 16" radio transcription record (red vinyl no less) that I found on eBay. Since this wouldn't fit on my turntable, I had this professionally transferred to CD.
3.) The Chipmunks - The Chipmunk Song
Using my Sound Forge software, I slowed all the Chipmunk parts down to half-speed so you can hear how Ross Bagdasarian originally sung it - then sped it up!
4.) The Magic of Bing Crosby - Bing denies his family permission to sing "White Christmas"
The end to one of Bingle's early 1970s Christmas specials, he later denies Robert Goulet the priviledge. Eventually all get to sing the song and fade to black.
5.) Corporal Blossom - White Christmas
One of the very first Christmas mash-up CDs ever, Corporal Blossom takes Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and The Supremes' versions of "White Christmas" and rolls them into one.
6.) BRAT Productions - 2001 Holiday Mix
A James Brown Christmas mash-up that's simply too good for words - so go download this one and more of BRAT's holiday mixes at his site (but come back!).
7.) American Comedy Network - Disaster Card
Clever parody of MasterCard's "priceless" commercials - thank to Jeff Fox of Jeffco Productions for sending me this!
8.) Loudon Wainwright III - Suddenly It's Christmas
To quote the first lines of the song: Suddenly it's Christmas, Right after Halloween. Forget about Thanksgiving; It's just a buffet in between.
9.) Green Acres - The Ziffels discuss Christmas fruitcake
Doris gives Lisa Douglas (Eva Gabor) the recipe - Fred states "that could make you accessory to manslaughter!"
10.) The Gypsy Hombres - Blue Christmas / Let It Snow
A Christmas tune done in Django Reinhart style - after all, the title of their CD is "Django Bells"!
11.) Hugo Winterhalter - The Christmas Song Cha-Cha
Title says all - in Winterhalter's capable hands, this one will make you want to dance.
12.) Harry Goodman Jingles - 18 days 'til Christmas
See track two.
13.) Lou Monte - Italian Jingle Bells
Forget about "Dominic The Italian Donkey" - from note one, this Lou Monte Christmas song explodes and you're hanging on for dear life - outstanding tune!
14.) Mabel Scott - Boogie Woogie Jingle Bells
This song holds the distinction for being used more often on my Christmas CDs than any other song. I stated six times on the playlist rundown but it's actually five - 1989 / 1993 / 1996 / 2001 military mix / 2005.
15.) Pee-Wee Herman Christmas Special - Pee-Wee leads Christmas Carols
I tried showing this to my children last year - they were flummoxed at first, then bored. They preferred to watch "Ben 10 Alien Force" instead.
16.) John "Bowtie" Barstow - Joy To The World
The world's foremost tone-deaf singer released his Christmas album in 2004. I used an excerpt of his "Do You Hear What I Hear" (irony) back on the 2002 edition.
17.) Laffy - Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy
A woman literally laughs her way through this song. Now imagine an ENTIRE Christmas album exactly like this.
18.) WKRP In Cincinnati - Dr. Johnny Fever bemoans Christmas music
Taped off a TV broadcast, I couldn't wait for the day "WKRP" was released on DVD. When it came out, they cut all traces of all the classic rock they played on the original broadcasts because they didn't want to pay the licensing. Needless to say, there's no release date announced for season 2.
19.) Sy Mann - Angels We Have Heard On High
From the classic "Switched On Santa" Moog album, this is as fresh as the day it was recorded.
20.) The 8-Bit Peoples - Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
Want to know what Christmas music sounds like off old video game consoles like the Atari 2600? Click on their link to get this and the rest of the album totally FREE.
21.) Harry Goodman Jingles - 14 days 'til Christmas
From side two of a 16" radio transcription record (red vinyl no less) that I found on eBay. Since this wouldn't fit on my turntable, I had this professionally transferred to CD.
22.) The Swingle Singers - The Twelve Days of Christmas
These amazing accapella singers get this traditionally long song done in less than three minutes. Yeah, wow!
23.) Barbara Feldon - 1975 Christmas Seals PSA
Agent 99 gives such a breathy reading that you begin to wonder if she suffers from a respiratory disease.
24.) Fred Lowery - O Little Town Of Bethlehem
The Blind Whistler strikes again - click on the link to read more about the greatest whistling artist of them all.
25.) The Kickin' Kazoos - O Come All Ye Faithful
Taken from an entire Christmas album of kazoo music. Amazing what a little wax paper and plastic can produce.
26.) Reno & Smiley - Frosty The Snowman
True old-school country full of twang, harmonies, and drawls. Great stuff.
27.) Are You Being Served? - Mr. Humphries suggests a Christmas glee club to boost sales
He even suggests "Good King Wenceslas" that Mr. Granger shoots down. Segue to...
28.) Korla Pandit - Good King Wenceslas
The wizard of the keyboard's penultimate Christmas album - amazing virtuoso stuff!
29.) 1919 Steinway Upright Player Piano - (There's No Place Like) Home For The Holidays
My wife's aunt Julie found this cassette for me from her library in Dayton - thankfully, I was still able to order this CD when it was in print!
30.) Harry Goodman Jingles - 8 days 'til Christmas
See track 21.
31.) American Comedy Network - Tired Of "The Hannukah Song"
For the first half of this decade, Adam Sandler's ode to Jewish stars was played ad nauseum on Christmas radio. It's eased up quite a bit, but ACN's answer was right on the mark.
32.) Louis Prima - Santa, How Come Your Eyes Are Green When Last Year They Were Blue?
The B-side to "Senor Santa Claus" - King Louie's 1966 Christmas single for Uncle Walt Disney.
33.) DJ BC - Reverend Linus Remix
The first mash I ever heard using the Peanuts gang. It wouldn't be the last (see 2007 playlist).
34.) Big Bag Voodoo Daddy - Mr. Snow Miser / Mr. Heat Miser
The original songs from "The Year Without A Santa Claus" can stand on their own two feet. Given the full Voodoo Daddy treatment, this version sw-aaaa-ngs!
35.) 1970 USPS Mail Early Program - Jack Webb PSA
Sgt. Friday asking you to mail early - reading the facts like a bailiff reading charges in court. For more on Jack Webb and Christmas, check out this yuleblog entry.
35-T.) Rob's message to the First Presbyterian Theater group
Dedicated to Maya Grace Scribner who was adopted from China by my friends Joel and Samantha and was celebrating her first Christmas in the USA.
36.) Bing Crosby - The First Noel (Attaboy House Party Mix)
Not a mash-up, but a re-mix. Not as clever as the mash-ups but almost as satisfying.
36-T.) The Oriental Echo Ensemble - Hark The Herald Angels Sing
Authentic Chinese instruments playing Christmas favorites. Highly recommended CD.
37.) Pilchard - Santa Baby
From the first Christmas mash-up album I ever downloaded - a mix of Madonna, Springsteen, and rap music!
37-T.) Shakespeare Man - Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
A dramatic recitation in full Shakespearean mode of the famed Johnny Marks classic. HILARIOUS!
38.) Love Actually - Billy Mack hits #1 with "Christmas Is All Around"
Released at the end of 2003, I wanted to use this the following year but my salute to the 1980s prevented that. Segue to...
39.) Billy Mack - Christmas Is All Around
A reworking of The Troggs' "Love Is All Around" - character actor Bill Nighy is perfect as the aging rock legend Billy Mack trying for one last Christmas #1.
40.) Harry Goodman Jingles - 1 more day 'til Christmas
See track 21.
41.) 2005 playlist rundown
I give the playlist very much like what I just typed out...
42.) Elvis Presley - Christmas Message From Elvis / Silent Night
The last song always and forever is "Silent Night" - Elvis thanks you for listening and sings.
43.) What I Want For Christmas
44.) Outro - short version
I edited down the long version of the outro (see 2000-2002) to 47 seconds.
Please leave your comments at the study guide page - please remember, none of these comps will be posted here in their entirety or made available online or off.
1.) 2005 intro
My usual intro with the Flat Duo Jets on "Jingle Bells".
2.) Harry Goodman Jingles - 27 days 'til Christmas
From side one of a 16" radio transcription record (red vinyl no less) that I found on eBay. Since this wouldn't fit on my turntable, I had this professionally transferred to CD.
3.) The Chipmunks - The Chipmunk Song
Using my Sound Forge software, I slowed all the Chipmunk parts down to half-speed so you can hear how Ross Bagdasarian originally sung it - then sped it up!
4.) The Magic of Bing Crosby - Bing denies his family permission to sing "White Christmas"
The end to one of Bingle's early 1970s Christmas specials, he later denies Robert Goulet the priviledge. Eventually all get to sing the song and fade to black.
5.) Corporal Blossom - White Christmas
One of the very first Christmas mash-up CDs ever, Corporal Blossom takes Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and The Supremes' versions of "White Christmas" and rolls them into one.
6.) BRAT Productions - 2001 Holiday Mix
A James Brown Christmas mash-up that's simply too good for words - so go download this one and more of BRAT's holiday mixes at his site (but come back!).
7.) American Comedy Network - Disaster Card
Clever parody of MasterCard's "priceless" commercials - thank to Jeff Fox of Jeffco Productions for sending me this!
8.) Loudon Wainwright III - Suddenly It's Christmas
To quote the first lines of the song: Suddenly it's Christmas, Right after Halloween. Forget about Thanksgiving; It's just a buffet in between.
9.) Green Acres - The Ziffels discuss Christmas fruitcake
Doris gives Lisa Douglas (Eva Gabor) the recipe - Fred states "that could make you accessory to manslaughter!"
10.) The Gypsy Hombres - Blue Christmas / Let It Snow
A Christmas tune done in Django Reinhart style - after all, the title of their CD is "Django Bells"!
11.) Hugo Winterhalter - The Christmas Song Cha-Cha
Title says all - in Winterhalter's capable hands, this one will make you want to dance.
12.) Harry Goodman Jingles - 18 days 'til Christmas
See track two.
13.) Lou Monte - Italian Jingle Bells
Forget about "Dominic The Italian Donkey" - from note one, this Lou Monte Christmas song explodes and you're hanging on for dear life - outstanding tune!
14.) Mabel Scott - Boogie Woogie Jingle Bells
This song holds the distinction for being used more often on my Christmas CDs than any other song. I stated six times on the playlist rundown but it's actually five - 1989 / 1993 / 1996 / 2001 military mix / 2005.
15.) Pee-Wee Herman Christmas Special - Pee-Wee leads Christmas Carols
I tried showing this to my children last year - they were flummoxed at first, then bored. They preferred to watch "Ben 10 Alien Force" instead.
16.) John "Bowtie" Barstow - Joy To The World
The world's foremost tone-deaf singer released his Christmas album in 2004. I used an excerpt of his "Do You Hear What I Hear" (irony) back on the 2002 edition.
17.) Laffy - Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy
A woman literally laughs her way through this song. Now imagine an ENTIRE Christmas album exactly like this.
18.) WKRP In Cincinnati - Dr. Johnny Fever bemoans Christmas music
Taped off a TV broadcast, I couldn't wait for the day "WKRP" was released on DVD. When it came out, they cut all traces of all the classic rock they played on the original broadcasts because they didn't want to pay the licensing. Needless to say, there's no release date announced for season 2.
19.) Sy Mann - Angels We Have Heard On High
From the classic "Switched On Santa" Moog album, this is as fresh as the day it was recorded.
20.) The 8-Bit Peoples - Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
Want to know what Christmas music sounds like off old video game consoles like the Atari 2600? Click on their link to get this and the rest of the album totally FREE.
21.) Harry Goodman Jingles - 14 days 'til Christmas
From side two of a 16" radio transcription record (red vinyl no less) that I found on eBay. Since this wouldn't fit on my turntable, I had this professionally transferred to CD.
22.) The Swingle Singers - The Twelve Days of Christmas
These amazing accapella singers get this traditionally long song done in less than three minutes. Yeah, wow!
23.) Barbara Feldon - 1975 Christmas Seals PSA
Agent 99 gives such a breathy reading that you begin to wonder if she suffers from a respiratory disease.
24.) Fred Lowery - O Little Town Of Bethlehem
The Blind Whistler strikes again - click on the link to read more about the greatest whistling artist of them all.
25.) The Kickin' Kazoos - O Come All Ye Faithful
Taken from an entire Christmas album of kazoo music. Amazing what a little wax paper and plastic can produce.
26.) Reno & Smiley - Frosty The Snowman
True old-school country full of twang, harmonies, and drawls. Great stuff.
27.) Are You Being Served? - Mr. Humphries suggests a Christmas glee club to boost sales
He even suggests "Good King Wenceslas" that Mr. Granger shoots down. Segue to...
28.) Korla Pandit - Good King Wenceslas
The wizard of the keyboard's penultimate Christmas album - amazing virtuoso stuff!
29.) 1919 Steinway Upright Player Piano - (There's No Place Like) Home For The Holidays
My wife's aunt Julie found this cassette for me from her library in Dayton - thankfully, I was still able to order this CD when it was in print!
30.) Harry Goodman Jingles - 8 days 'til Christmas
See track 21.
31.) American Comedy Network - Tired Of "The Hannukah Song"
For the first half of this decade, Adam Sandler's ode to Jewish stars was played ad nauseum on Christmas radio. It's eased up quite a bit, but ACN's answer was right on the mark.
32.) Louis Prima - Santa, How Come Your Eyes Are Green When Last Year They Were Blue?
The B-side to "Senor Santa Claus" - King Louie's 1966 Christmas single for Uncle Walt Disney.
33.) DJ BC - Reverend Linus Remix
The first mash I ever heard using the Peanuts gang. It wouldn't be the last (see 2007 playlist).
34.) Big Bag Voodoo Daddy - Mr. Snow Miser / Mr. Heat Miser
The original songs from "The Year Without A Santa Claus" can stand on their own two feet. Given the full Voodoo Daddy treatment, this version sw-aaaa-ngs!
35.) 1970 USPS Mail Early Program - Jack Webb PSA
Sgt. Friday asking you to mail early - reading the facts like a bailiff reading charges in court. For more on Jack Webb and Christmas, check out this yuleblog entry.
35-T.) Rob's message to the First Presbyterian Theater group
Dedicated to Maya Grace Scribner who was adopted from China by my friends Joel and Samantha and was celebrating her first Christmas in the USA.
36.) Bing Crosby - The First Noel (Attaboy House Party Mix)
Not a mash-up, but a re-mix. Not as clever as the mash-ups but almost as satisfying.
36-T.) The Oriental Echo Ensemble - Hark The Herald Angels Sing
Authentic Chinese instruments playing Christmas favorites. Highly recommended CD.
37.) Pilchard - Santa Baby
From the first Christmas mash-up album I ever downloaded - a mix of Madonna, Springsteen, and rap music!
37-T.) Shakespeare Man - Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
A dramatic recitation in full Shakespearean mode of the famed Johnny Marks classic. HILARIOUS!
38.) Love Actually - Billy Mack hits #1 with "Christmas Is All Around"
Released at the end of 2003, I wanted to use this the following year but my salute to the 1980s prevented that. Segue to...
39.) Billy Mack - Christmas Is All Around
A reworking of The Troggs' "Love Is All Around" - character actor Bill Nighy is perfect as the aging rock legend Billy Mack trying for one last Christmas #1.
40.) Harry Goodman Jingles - 1 more day 'til Christmas
See track 21.
41.) 2005 playlist rundown
I give the playlist very much like what I just typed out...
42.) Elvis Presley - Christmas Message From Elvis / Silent Night
The last song always and forever is "Silent Night" - Elvis thanks you for listening and sings.
43.) What I Want For Christmas
44.) Outro - short version
I edited down the long version of the outro (see 2000-2002) to 47 seconds.
Please leave your comments at the study guide page - please remember, none of these comps will be posted here in their entirety or made available online or off.
2005 Playlist
The 2005 playlist:
1.) 2005 intro
My usual intro with the Flat Duo Jets on "Jingle Bells".
2.) Harry Goodman Jingles - 27 days 'til Christmas
From side one of a 16" radio transcription record (red vinyl no less) that I found on eBay. Since this wouldn't fit on my turntable, I had this professionally transferred to CD.
3.) The Chipmunks - The Chipmunk Song
Using my Sound Forge software, I slowed all the Chipmunk parts down to half-speed so you can hear how Ross Bagdasarian originally sung it - then sped it up!
4.) The Magic of Bing Crosby - Bing denies his family permission to sing "White Christmas"
The end to one of Bingle's early 1970s Christmas specials, he later denies Robert Goulet the priviledge. Eventually all get to sing the song and fade to black.
5.) Corporal Blossom - White Christmas
One of the very first Christmas mash-up CDs ever, Corporal Blossom takes Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and The Supremes' versions of "White Christmas" and rolls them into one.
6.) BRAT Productions - 2001 Holiday Mix
A James Brown Christmas mash-up that's simply too good for words - so go download this one and more of BRAT's holiday mixes at his site (but come back!).
7.) American Comedy Network - Disaster Card
Clever parody of MasterCard's "priceless" commercials - thank to Jeff Fox of Jeffco Productions for sending me this!
8.) Loudon Wainwright III - Suddenly It's Christmas
To quote the first lines of the song: Suddenly it's Christmas, Right after Halloween. Forget about Thanksgiving; It's just a buffet in between.
9.) Green Acres - The Ziffels discuss Christmas fruitcake
Doris gives Lisa Douglas (Eva Gabor) the recipe - Fred states "that could make you accessory to manslaughter!"
10.) The Gypsy Hombres - Blue Christmas / Let It Snow
A Christmas tune done in Django Reinhart style - after all, the title of their CD is "Django Bells"!
11.) Hugo Winterhalter - The Christmas Song Cha-Cha
Title says all - in Winterhalter's capable hands, this one will make you want to dance.
12.) Harry Goodman Jingles - 18 days 'til Christmas
See track two.
13.) Lou Monte - Italian Jingle Bells
Forget about "Dominic The Italian Donkey" - from note one, this Lou Monte Christmas song explodes and you're hanging on for dear life - outstanding tune!
14.) Mabel Scott - Boogie Woogie Jingle Bells
This song holds the distinction for being used more often on my Christmas CDs than any other song. I stated six times on the playlist rundown but it's actually five - 1989 / 1993 / 1996 / 2001 military mix / 2005.
15.) Pee-Wee Herman Christmas Special - Pee-Wee leads Christmas Carols
I tried showing this to my children last year - they were flummoxed at first, then bored. They preferred to watch "Ben 10 Alien Force" instead.
16.) John "Bowtie" Barstow - Joy To The World
The world's foremost tone-deaf singer released his Christmas album in 2004. I used an excerpt of his "Do You Hear What I Hear" (irony) back on the 2002 edition.
17.) Laffy - Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy
A woman literally laughs her way through this song. Now imagine an ENTIRE Christmas album exactly like this.
18.) WKRP In Cincinnati - Dr. Johnny Fever bemoans Christmas music
Taped off a TV broadcast, I couldn't wait for the day "WKRP" was released on DVD. When it came out, they cut all traces of all the classic rock they played on the original broadcasts because they didn't want to pay the licensing. Needless to say, there's no release date announced for season 2.
19.) Sy Mann - Angels We Have Heard On High
From the classic "Switched On Santa" Moog album, this is as fresh as the day it was recorded.
20.) The 8-Bit Peoples - Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
Want to know what Christmas music sounds like off old video game consoles like the Atari 2600? Click on their link to get this and the rest of the album totally FREE.
21.) Harry Goodman Jingles - 14 days 'til Christmas
From side two of a 16" radio transcription record (red vinyl no less) that I found on eBay. Since this wouldn't fit on my turntable, I had this professionally transferred to CD.
22.) The Swingle Singers - The Twelve Days of Christmas
These amazing accapella singers get this traditionally long song done in less than three minutes. Yeah, wow!
23.) Barbara Feldon - 1975 Christmas Seals PSA
Agent 99 gives such a breathy reading that you begin to wonder if she suffers from a respiratory disease.
24.) Fred Lowery - O Little Town Of Bethlehem
The Blind Whistler strikes again - click on the link to read more about the greatest whistling artist of them all.
25.) The Kickin' Kazoos - O Come All Ye Faithful
Taken from an entire Christmas album of kazoo music. Amazing what a little wax paper and plastic can produce.
26.) Reno & Smiley - Frosty The Snowman
True old-school country full of twang, harmonies, and drawls. Great stuff.
27.) Are You Being Served? - Mr. Humphries suggests a Christmas glee club to boost sales
He even suggests "Good King Wenceslas" that Mr. Granger shoots down. Segue to...
28.) Korla Pandit - Good King Wenceslas
The wizard of the keyboard's penultimate Christmas album - amazing virtuoso stuff!
29.) 1919 Steinway Upright Player Piano - (There's No Place Like) Home For The Holidays
My wife's aunt Julie found this cassette for me from her library in Dayton - thankfully, I was still able to order this CD when it was in print!
30.) Harry Goodman Jingles - 8 days 'til Christmas
See track 21.
31.) American Comedy Network - Tired Of "The Hannukah Song"
For the first half of this decade, Adam Sandler's ode to Jewish stars was played ad nauseum on Christmas radio. It's eased up quite a bit, but ACN's answer was right on the mark.
32.) Louis Prima - Santa, How Come Your Eyes Are Green When Last Year They Were Blue?
The B-side to "Senor Santa Claus" - King Louie's 1966 Christmas single for Uncle Walt Disney.
33.) DJ BC - Reverend Linus Remix
The first mash I ever heard using the Peanuts gang. It wouldn't be the last (see 2007 playlist).
34.) Big Bag Voodoo Daddy - Mr. Snow Miser / Mr. Heat Miser
The original songs from "The Year Without A Santa Claus" can stand on their own two feet. Given the full Voodoo Daddy treatment, this version sw-aaaa-ngs!
35.) 1970 USPS Mail Early Program - Jack Webb PSA
Sgt. Friday asking you to mail early - reading the facts like a bailiff reading charges in court. For more on Jack Webb and Christmas, check out this yuleblog entry.
35-T.) Rob's message to the First Presbyterian Theater group
Dedicated to Maya Grace Scribner who was adopted from China by my friends Joel and Samantha and was celebrating her first Christmas in the USA.
36.) Bing Crosby - The First Noel (Attaboy House Party Mix)
Not a mash-up, but a re-mix. Not as clever as the mash-ups but almost as satisfying.
36-T.) The Oriental Echo Ensemble - Hark The Herald Angels Sing
Authentic Chinese instruments playing Christmas favorites. Highly recommended CD.
37.) Pilchard - Santa Baby
From the first Christmas mash-up album I ever downloaded - a mix of Madonna, Springsteen, and rap music!
37-T.) Shakespeare Man - Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
A dramatic recitation in full Shakespearean mode of the famed Johnny Marks classic. HILARIOUS!
38.) Love Actually - Billy Mack hits #1 with "Christmas Is All Around"
Released at the end of 2003, I wanted to use this the following year but my salute to the 1980s prevented that. Segue to...
39.) Billy Mack - Christmas Is All Around
A reworking of The Troggs' "Love Is All Around" - character actor Bill Nighy is perfect as the aging rock legend Billy Mack trying for one last Christmas #1.
40.) Harry Goodman Jingles - 1 more day 'til Christmas
See track 21.
41.) 2005 playlist rundown
I give the playlist very much like what I just typed out...
42.) Elvis Presley - Christmas Message From Elvis / Silent Night
The last song always and forever is "Silent Night" - Elvis thanks you for listening and sings.
43.) What I Want For Christmas
44.) Outro - short version
I edited down the long version of the outro (see 2000-2002) to 47 seconds.
Please leave your comments at the study guide page - please remember, none of these comps will be posted here in their entirety or made available online or off.
1.) 2005 intro
My usual intro with the Flat Duo Jets on "Jingle Bells".
2.) Harry Goodman Jingles - 27 days 'til Christmas
From side one of a 16" radio transcription record (red vinyl no less) that I found on eBay. Since this wouldn't fit on my turntable, I had this professionally transferred to CD.
3.) The Chipmunks - The Chipmunk Song
Using my Sound Forge software, I slowed all the Chipmunk parts down to half-speed so you can hear how Ross Bagdasarian originally sung it - then sped it up!
4.) The Magic of Bing Crosby - Bing denies his family permission to sing "White Christmas"
The end to one of Bingle's early 1970s Christmas specials, he later denies Robert Goulet the priviledge. Eventually all get to sing the song and fade to black.
5.) Corporal Blossom - White Christmas
One of the very first Christmas mash-up CDs ever, Corporal Blossom takes Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, and The Supremes' versions of "White Christmas" and rolls them into one.
6.) BRAT Productions - 2001 Holiday Mix
A James Brown Christmas mash-up that's simply too good for words - so go download this one and more of BRAT's holiday mixes at his site (but come back!).
7.) American Comedy Network - Disaster Card
Clever parody of MasterCard's "priceless" commercials - thank to Jeff Fox of Jeffco Productions for sending me this!
8.) Loudon Wainwright III - Suddenly It's Christmas
To quote the first lines of the song: Suddenly it's Christmas, Right after Halloween. Forget about Thanksgiving; It's just a buffet in between.
9.) Green Acres - The Ziffels discuss Christmas fruitcake
Doris gives Lisa Douglas (Eva Gabor) the recipe - Fred states "that could make you accessory to manslaughter!"
10.) The Gypsy Hombres - Blue Christmas / Let It Snow
A Christmas tune done in Django Reinhart style - after all, the title of their CD is "Django Bells"!
11.) Hugo Winterhalter - The Christmas Song Cha-Cha
Title says all - in Winterhalter's capable hands, this one will make you want to dance.
12.) Harry Goodman Jingles - 18 days 'til Christmas
See track two.
13.) Lou Monte - Italian Jingle Bells
Forget about "Dominic The Italian Donkey" - from note one, this Lou Monte Christmas song explodes and you're hanging on for dear life - outstanding tune!
14.) Mabel Scott - Boogie Woogie Jingle Bells
This song holds the distinction for being used more often on my Christmas CDs than any other song. I stated six times on the playlist rundown but it's actually five - 1989 / 1993 / 1996 / 2001 military mix / 2005.
15.) Pee-Wee Herman Christmas Special - Pee-Wee leads Christmas Carols
I tried showing this to my children last year - they were flummoxed at first, then bored. They preferred to watch "Ben 10 Alien Force" instead.
16.) John "Bowtie" Barstow - Joy To The World
The world's foremost tone-deaf singer released his Christmas album in 2004. I used an excerpt of his "Do You Hear What I Hear" (irony) back on the 2002 edition.
17.) Laffy - Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy
A woman literally laughs her way through this song. Now imagine an ENTIRE Christmas album exactly like this.
18.) WKRP In Cincinnati - Dr. Johnny Fever bemoans Christmas music
Taped off a TV broadcast, I couldn't wait for the day "WKRP" was released on DVD. When it came out, they cut all traces of all the classic rock they played on the original broadcasts because they didn't want to pay the licensing. Needless to say, there's no release date announced for season 2.
19.) Sy Mann - Angels We Have Heard On High
From the classic "Switched On Santa" Moog album, this is as fresh as the day it was recorded.
20.) The 8-Bit Peoples - Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
Want to know what Christmas music sounds like off old video game consoles like the Atari 2600? Click on their link to get this and the rest of the album totally FREE.
21.) Harry Goodman Jingles - 14 days 'til Christmas
From side two of a 16" radio transcription record (red vinyl no less) that I found on eBay. Since this wouldn't fit on my turntable, I had this professionally transferred to CD.
22.) The Swingle Singers - The Twelve Days of Christmas
These amazing accapella singers get this traditionally long song done in less than three minutes. Yeah, wow!
23.) Barbara Feldon - 1975 Christmas Seals PSA
Agent 99 gives such a breathy reading that you begin to wonder if she suffers from a respiratory disease.
24.) Fred Lowery - O Little Town Of Bethlehem
The Blind Whistler strikes again - click on the link to read more about the greatest whistling artist of them all.
25.) The Kickin' Kazoos - O Come All Ye Faithful
Taken from an entire Christmas album of kazoo music. Amazing what a little wax paper and plastic can produce.
26.) Reno & Smiley - Frosty The Snowman
True old-school country full of twang, harmonies, and drawls. Great stuff.
27.) Are You Being Served? - Mr. Humphries suggests a Christmas glee club to boost sales
He even suggests "Good King Wenceslas" that Mr. Granger shoots down. Segue to...
28.) Korla Pandit - Good King Wenceslas
The wizard of the keyboard's penultimate Christmas album - amazing virtuoso stuff!
29.) 1919 Steinway Upright Player Piano - (There's No Place Like) Home For The Holidays
My wife's aunt Julie found this cassette for me from her library in Dayton - thankfully, I was still able to order this CD when it was in print!
30.) Harry Goodman Jingles - 8 days 'til Christmas
See track 21.
31.) American Comedy Network - Tired Of "The Hannukah Song"
For the first half of this decade, Adam Sandler's ode to Jewish stars was played ad nauseum on Christmas radio. It's eased up quite a bit, but ACN's answer was right on the mark.
32.) Louis Prima - Santa, How Come Your Eyes Are Green When Last Year They Were Blue?
The B-side to "Senor Santa Claus" - King Louie's 1966 Christmas single for Uncle Walt Disney.
33.) DJ BC - Reverend Linus Remix
The first mash I ever heard using the Peanuts gang. It wouldn't be the last (see 2007 playlist).
34.) Big Bag Voodoo Daddy - Mr. Snow Miser / Mr. Heat Miser
The original songs from "The Year Without A Santa Claus" can stand on their own two feet. Given the full Voodoo Daddy treatment, this version sw-aaaa-ngs!
35.) 1970 USPS Mail Early Program - Jack Webb PSA
Sgt. Friday asking you to mail early - reading the facts like a bailiff reading charges in court. For more on Jack Webb and Christmas, check out this yuleblog entry.
35-T.) Rob's message to the First Presbyterian Theater group
Dedicated to Maya Grace Scribner who was adopted from China by my friends Joel and Samantha and was celebrating her first Christmas in the USA.
36.) Bing Crosby - The First Noel (Attaboy House Party Mix)
Not a mash-up, but a re-mix. Not as clever as the mash-ups but almost as satisfying.
36-T.) The Oriental Echo Ensemble - Hark The Herald Angels Sing
Authentic Chinese instruments playing Christmas favorites. Highly recommended CD.
37.) Pilchard - Santa Baby
From the first Christmas mash-up album I ever downloaded - a mix of Madonna, Springsteen, and rap music!
37-T.) Shakespeare Man - Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
A dramatic recitation in full Shakespearean mode of the famed Johnny Marks classic. HILARIOUS!
38.) Love Actually - Billy Mack hits #1 with "Christmas Is All Around"
Released at the end of 2003, I wanted to use this the following year but my salute to the 1980s prevented that. Segue to...
39.) Billy Mack - Christmas Is All Around
A reworking of The Troggs' "Love Is All Around" - character actor Bill Nighy is perfect as the aging rock legend Billy Mack trying for one last Christmas #1.
40.) Harry Goodman Jingles - 1 more day 'til Christmas
See track 21.
41.) 2005 playlist rundown
I give the playlist very much like what I just typed out...
42.) Elvis Presley - Christmas Message From Elvis / Silent Night
The last song always and forever is "Silent Night" - Elvis thanks you for listening and sings.
43.) What I Want For Christmas
44.) Outro - short version
I edited down the long version of the outro (see 2000-2002) to 47 seconds.
Please leave your comments at the study guide page - please remember, none of these comps will be posted here in their entirety or made available online or off.
Thursday, 24 July 2008
2004 Playlist
All of the 80s intros of this CD are available to listen to. To hear my production skills on the bumpers & breaks, see tracks 37 and 38 of the first disc below.
The 2004 playlist:
DISC 1:
1.) 2004 intro - Pt. 1
2.) Band Aid II - Do They Know It's Christmas Time?
A DJ in Chicago played this on the air exactly one time. I taped it on cassette - the last Christmas song I recorded during the decade of the 1980s. This version was never released officially in America due to legalities.
3.) 2004 intro - Pt. 2
4.) 1980 intro
5.) Jona Lewie - Stop The Cavalry
One of the first Christmas songs to incorporate the New Wave sound. First heard this on the good Doctor Demento Show.
6.) "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer" break
7.) 1980 bumper 1
8.) Mirror Image - Sleigh Ride
Disco officially died in 1980 - this might have been the cause. For more on Christmas disco, check out my review of The Mistletoe Disco Band.
9.) Richard Simmons - Christmas Greeting
I mixed this greeting with the music to "Fame" - appropriate.
10.) 1980 bumper 2
11.) Cheech & Chong - Excerpt from "Moe Money"
Cheech and Tommy poke fun at the emergence of punk music - a headache riddled music exec is subjected to a punk version of "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer".
12.) "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" break
13.) 1981 intro
14.) Billy Squier - Christmas Is The Time To Say I Love You
Squier reached his peak in 1981 with "The Stroke" - a song that was banned at my school for some strange reason. This 1981 Christmas single still gets radio airplay.
15.) "Jingle Bell Rock" break
16.) 1981 bumper 1
17.) Bob & Doug McKenzie - The Twelve Days Of Christmas
SCTV began its run on NBC in 1981 - this extremely funny track can also be found on the McKenzie's "Great White North" album.
18.) MTV - "I Want My MTV" commercial
The famous commercial that had The Police sing "Call your cable company and say 'I want my M T V!'" to the tune of Beethoven's 9th Symphony.
19.) 1981 bumper 2
20.) The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping
From an album that was 10 years ahead of its time - the first Christmas anthem of the 1980s.
21.) President Ronald Reagan - Christmas Address to the Nation (12-23-81)
Nice to know the Reagan Library makes this type of material available to the public!
22.) 1982 intro
23.) The Smithereens - Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
I stretched this one - the band first played together in 1982 but this was recorded in 1994. Oops.
24.) Saturday Night Live - Mr. Robinson gets an eviction notice for Christmas
Eddie Murphy's classic parody of Mr. Rogers. From a DVD that captures the best of pre-2003 SNL Christmas.
25.) 1982 bumper 1
26.) Billy Rancher & The Unreal Gods - Happy Santa Claus
Portland band that was on the cusp of going big until lead singer Rancher loses a longtime battle with lymphoma. My favorite 1980s Christmas song of all time.
27.) American Comedy Network - Job Search
I tried to give listeners a feel for what the original Christmas tapes were like - a mix of Christmas music, 1980s tunes, and comedy bits like this from all those morning zoos.
28.) 1982 bumper 2
29.) David Bowie & Bing Crosby - Peace On Earth / Little Drummer Boy
At the end of 1982, Bowie left RCA Records after a long successful run. With no new material for Christmas, RCA dug deep into the vaults and came up with this. It was a #2 hit in England and a staple of Christmas radio thereafter.
30.) "Little Saint Nick" break
31.) 1983 intro
32.) George Thorogood & The Destroyers - Rock-N-Roll Christmas
Wicked song from Thorogood - it's a shame this isn't played more often at Christmas.
33.) "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" break
34.) 1983 bumper 1
35.) The Payolas - Christmas Is Coming
Great New Romantic song from 1983 - sounds dated now but it's still better than 1/2 the songs they're cramming down our ears on the radio.
36.) "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" break
37.) 1983 bumper 2
38.) 1983 bumper / break 3
39.) A Christmas Story - Santa tells Ralphie "you'll shoot your eye out"
Based on the works of Jean Shepherd - who grew up in Hammond, Indiana - a stone's throw from my boyhood home in Lynwood, Illinois.
40.) 1984 intro
41.) Captain Sensible - One Christmas Catalogue
One of the first songs I captured off radio for my early tapes. The voice at the beginning of the song is young Charles Foster Kane saying "Merry Christmas" from Orson Welles' masterpiece "Citizen Kane" (1941).
42.) Bill Cosby - Christmas Greetings
Mixed this one with the original "Cosby Show" theme from its first season.
43.) 1984 bumper 1
44.) KITT The Amazing Car Of Tomorrow - A Knightrider Christmas
Hasselhoff attempts a Christmas rap... if you can get through to the end, you're much stronger than I am.
45.) Hill Street Blues - Christmas roll-call on the Hill
"Let's be careful out there... and HEY! Merry Christmas!" They released Seasons 1 & 2 of "HSB" on DVD, but haven't released any other seasons. You can watch this episode at Amazon Video on Demand.
46.) 1984 bumper 2
47.) Wham - Last Christmas
Listened to this again and nearly made it through to the 4 minute mark. Richard Cheese was right (see 2007 playlist).
48.) "The Christmas Song" break
49.) 1984 Xmas
This track pre-dates my Christmas tapes by a year. My brother Matt and I were goofing off and created a skit that involved all time stopping right as the ball in Times Square hits one on New Year's Eve.
+ MP3 version only bonus track
I found audio of the world broadcast of "We Are The World" on Good Friday, 1985. I scanned the FM dial to hear dozens of Chicago radio stations playing the song. I switched over to AM and picked dozens more from all over the country.
DISC 2:
1.) 1985 intro
2.) Bryan Adams - Reggae Christmas
If you ever wondered what ever happened to Adams, I think this song did him in... Click on the link if you dare.
3.) "Run Run Rudolph" break
4.) 1985 bumper 1
5.) Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Recorded in 1975, radio DJs played bootleg copies of this single until 1981 when a radio-only single was released. The public finally got its hand on this as the B-side of "My Hometown" in 1985.
6.) McGruff The Crime Dog - Christmas PSA
Take a bite out of holiday crime... timely tips for the time.
7.) "Mele Kalikimaka" break
8.) 1985 bumper 2
9.) Billy Crystal - The Christmas Song (Radio edit)
Fired before the first SNL show in 1975, Crystal was hired back for the 1984-85 season only to be fired again after one year. Recorded in the voices of many of his famous SNL characters.
10.) Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine - Christmas Greetings
Mixed with one of her songs in the background - thanks Daily WAV!
11.) 1986 intro
12.) NRBQ - Christmas Wish
I screwed up the dates again - this was released in 1980 but I put it here... Oops x 2.
13.) Robin Leach - Christmas Greetings
I tracked down the great theme to "Lifestyles Of The Rich & Famous" and mixed it together.
14.) 1986 bumper 1
15.) Max Headroom - Merry Christmas, Santa Claus (You're A Lovely Guy)
Looking back now, the 1980s were pretty bizarre. Proof? Click on the link - they actually took the image for the picture sleeve from the video.
16.) Family Ties - Jennifer and Alex Keaton debate Christmas
I hated this quintessential 1980s TV show - it was Reagan's favorite TV show (enough said). But I needed an 80s clip and that's why it's here.
17.) 1986 bumper 2
18.) Run D.M.C. - Christmas In Hollis
Featured in the movie "Die Hard" but not on the movie soundtrack. It was released at the end of 1986 on the CD in the link. Yo, yo, yo... ho, ho, ho...
19.) "Wonderful Christmastime" break
20.) 1987 intro
21.) U2 - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
Arguably the best cover of the Phil Spector / Darlene Love song. From the album that put Christmas music back on the charts to stay.
22.) "The Little Drummer Boy" break
23.) 1987 bumper 1
24.) Eurythmics - Winter Wonderland
I was at River Oaks Mall in Calumet City when I first heard this song. It hit me like a thunderbolt. I've yet to hear any version of this song that I love better.
25.) Vanna White - Christmas Greetings
She's in the Guinness Book of World Records - at an average of 720 claps per show and over 28,000 per season for 26 years and counting, she's the most frequent clapper in the world.
26.) 1987 bumper 2
27.) Julie Brown - My Night Before Christmas
Not to be confused with Downtown Julie Brown, Julie had great success in the late 1980s on MTV and with singles like "The Homecoming Queen Has Got A Gun".
28.) "Grandma Got Dismembered By A Chainsaw" break
29.) Madonna - Christmas Greetings
"Hi... this is Madonna... I wanna wish everyone out there a very Merry Christmas. Don't drive drunk, whatever you do. Have a good time... DON'T DRIVE DRUNK!" Sage advice from the Material Girl.
30.) Madonna - Santa Baby
When I first heard it, I thought it was cute. After the second time, I found it tolerable. By the third listen, it was unbearable. American radio then shoved it down my throat a billion more times - make it stop!
31.) 1988 intro
32.) R.E.M. - Deck The Halls
Great instrumental version that ends with "Best of the season from R.E.M."
33.) Pee-Wee Herman - Christmas Greetings
"And Happy Hannukah to all my Jewish friends..." I mixed this with the theme to "Pee-Wee's Playhouse".
34.) "All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth" break
35.) They Might Be Giants - Santa's Beard
Fun, fun track off their "Lincoln" album from 1989 - and I've got it in 1988. Oops x 3.
36.) 1988 bumper 1
37.) Los Lobos - Rudolph The Manic Reindeer
Hardly just another band from East L.A., these guys fuse so many styles of music ranging from Hendrix to mariachi music (as evidenced on this track).
38.) Depeche Mode - Christmas Greetings
Originally released in 1987, I got these in 1988. Oops x 4.
39.) 1988 bumper 2
40.) Dame Edna Everage - Spooky Christmas
Her syndicated TV show hit the US airwaves in 1988 - I'm going to break down and start buying her DVDs one day.
41.) American Comedy Network - Bartles & James Brown Wine Coolers
Typical, topical comedy from the 1980s. Not as funny now, but it still rates a chuckle.
42.) 1989 intro
43.) "Christmas Vacation" radio commercial
Before you shout "this was 1988!", listen to the 1989 intro. I purposely put these tracks in 1989 because I couldn't find original songs from 1989 other than the ones below.
44.) Mavis Staples - Christmas Vacation
The title song of the Chevy Chase movie which I hated with a passion until I got married and had kids. Now I can relate to it and it's growing on me.
45.) "The Chipmunk Song" break
46.) 1989 bumper 1
47.) New Kids On The Block - Funky Funky Christmas
This song runs around five minutes but it didn't last that long - around the 1:30 mark, I edited in sound f/x of gunshots, explosions, and mayhem to end the song. Appropriate.
48.) The Golden Girls - Blanche asks about the true spirit of Christmas
I needed a Christmas clip from the late 1980s and I couldn't find any "Magnum P.I." clips. Sue me.
49.) 1989 bumper 2
50.) Untamed Youth - Santa's Gonna Shut Them Down
One of the first groups to do "retro", these guys jam on this 1989 single!
51.) Weird Al Yankovic - Christmas Greetings
I've collected several late 1980s WEA Christmas greetings albums - these two I edited together came from those albums.
52.) Weird Al Yankovic - Christmas At Ground Zero
Originally released in 1986 on his "Polka Party" album, I placed this one here because the Dr. Demento comp I culled it from was released in 1989 - Oops x 5.
53.) "White Christmas" break
54.) 2004 outro - Pt. 1
55.) "Silent Night" break
56.) Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas Time (12" single version)
This was the only version of my Christmas CDs that didn't end with "Silent Night" as the final song. That honor went to the Trevor Horn remix (adding the "Feed The World" B-side onto the A-side).
57.) 2004 outro - Pt. 2
Please leave your comments at the study guide page - please remember, none of these comps will be posted here in their entirety or made available online or off.
The 2004 playlist:
DISC 1:
1.) 2004 intro - Pt. 1
2.) Band Aid II - Do They Know It's Christmas Time?
A DJ in Chicago played this on the air exactly one time. I taped it on cassette - the last Christmas song I recorded during the decade of the 1980s. This version was never released officially in America due to legalities.
3.) 2004 intro - Pt. 2
4.) 1980 intro
5.) Jona Lewie - Stop The Cavalry
One of the first Christmas songs to incorporate the New Wave sound. First heard this on the good Doctor Demento Show.
6.) "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer" break
7.) 1980 bumper 1
8.) Mirror Image - Sleigh Ride
Disco officially died in 1980 - this might have been the cause. For more on Christmas disco, check out my review of The Mistletoe Disco Band.
9.) Richard Simmons - Christmas Greeting
I mixed this greeting with the music to "Fame" - appropriate.
10.) 1980 bumper 2
11.) Cheech & Chong - Excerpt from "Moe Money"
Cheech and Tommy poke fun at the emergence of punk music - a headache riddled music exec is subjected to a punk version of "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer".
12.) "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" break
13.) 1981 intro
14.) Billy Squier - Christmas Is The Time To Say I Love You
Squier reached his peak in 1981 with "The Stroke" - a song that was banned at my school for some strange reason. This 1981 Christmas single still gets radio airplay.
15.) "Jingle Bell Rock" break
16.) 1981 bumper 1
17.) Bob & Doug McKenzie - The Twelve Days Of Christmas
SCTV began its run on NBC in 1981 - this extremely funny track can also be found on the McKenzie's "Great White North" album.
18.) MTV - "I Want My MTV" commercial
The famous commercial that had The Police sing "Call your cable company and say 'I want my M T V!'" to the tune of Beethoven's 9th Symphony.
19.) 1981 bumper 2
20.) The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping
From an album that was 10 years ahead of its time - the first Christmas anthem of the 1980s.
21.) President Ronald Reagan - Christmas Address to the Nation (12-23-81)
Nice to know the Reagan Library makes this type of material available to the public!
22.) 1982 intro
23.) The Smithereens - Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
I stretched this one - the band first played together in 1982 but this was recorded in 1994. Oops.
24.) Saturday Night Live - Mr. Robinson gets an eviction notice for Christmas
Eddie Murphy's classic parody of Mr. Rogers. From a DVD that captures the best of pre-2003 SNL Christmas.
25.) 1982 bumper 1
26.) Billy Rancher & The Unreal Gods - Happy Santa Claus
Portland band that was on the cusp of going big until lead singer Rancher loses a longtime battle with lymphoma. My favorite 1980s Christmas song of all time.
27.) American Comedy Network - Job Search
I tried to give listeners a feel for what the original Christmas tapes were like - a mix of Christmas music, 1980s tunes, and comedy bits like this from all those morning zoos.
28.) 1982 bumper 2
29.) David Bowie & Bing Crosby - Peace On Earth / Little Drummer Boy
At the end of 1982, Bowie left RCA Records after a long successful run. With no new material for Christmas, RCA dug deep into the vaults and came up with this. It was a #2 hit in England and a staple of Christmas radio thereafter.
30.) "Little Saint Nick" break
31.) 1983 intro
32.) George Thorogood & The Destroyers - Rock-N-Roll Christmas
Wicked song from Thorogood - it's a shame this isn't played more often at Christmas.
33.) "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" break
34.) 1983 bumper 1
35.) The Payolas - Christmas Is Coming
Great New Romantic song from 1983 - sounds dated now but it's still better than 1/2 the songs they're cramming down our ears on the radio.
36.) "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" break
37.) 1983 bumper 2
38.) 1983 bumper / break 3
39.) A Christmas Story - Santa tells Ralphie "you'll shoot your eye out"
Based on the works of Jean Shepherd - who grew up in Hammond, Indiana - a stone's throw from my boyhood home in Lynwood, Illinois.
40.) 1984 intro
41.) Captain Sensible - One Christmas Catalogue
One of the first songs I captured off radio for my early tapes. The voice at the beginning of the song is young Charles Foster Kane saying "Merry Christmas" from Orson Welles' masterpiece "Citizen Kane" (1941).
42.) Bill Cosby - Christmas Greetings
Mixed this one with the original "Cosby Show" theme from its first season.
43.) 1984 bumper 1
44.) KITT The Amazing Car Of Tomorrow - A Knightrider Christmas
Hasselhoff attempts a Christmas rap... if you can get through to the end, you're much stronger than I am.
45.) Hill Street Blues - Christmas roll-call on the Hill
"Let's be careful out there... and HEY! Merry Christmas!" They released Seasons 1 & 2 of "HSB" on DVD, but haven't released any other seasons. You can watch this episode at Amazon Video on Demand.
46.) 1984 bumper 2
47.) Wham - Last Christmas
Listened to this again and nearly made it through to the 4 minute mark. Richard Cheese was right (see 2007 playlist).
48.) "The Christmas Song" break
49.) 1984 Xmas
This track pre-dates my Christmas tapes by a year. My brother Matt and I were goofing off and created a skit that involved all time stopping right as the ball in Times Square hits one on New Year's Eve.
+ MP3 version only bonus track
I found audio of the world broadcast of "We Are The World" on Good Friday, 1985. I scanned the FM dial to hear dozens of Chicago radio stations playing the song. I switched over to AM and picked dozens more from all over the country.
DISC 2:
1.) 1985 intro
2.) Bryan Adams - Reggae Christmas
If you ever wondered what ever happened to Adams, I think this song did him in... Click on the link if you dare.
3.) "Run Run Rudolph" break
4.) 1985 bumper 1
5.) Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Recorded in 1975, radio DJs played bootleg copies of this single until 1981 when a radio-only single was released. The public finally got its hand on this as the B-side of "My Hometown" in 1985.
6.) McGruff The Crime Dog - Christmas PSA
Take a bite out of holiday crime... timely tips for the time.
7.) "Mele Kalikimaka" break
8.) 1985 bumper 2
9.) Billy Crystal - The Christmas Song (Radio edit)
Fired before the first SNL show in 1975, Crystal was hired back for the 1984-85 season only to be fired again after one year. Recorded in the voices of many of his famous SNL characters.
10.) Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine - Christmas Greetings
Mixed with one of her songs in the background - thanks Daily WAV!
11.) 1986 intro
12.) NRBQ - Christmas Wish
I screwed up the dates again - this was released in 1980 but I put it here... Oops x 2.
13.) Robin Leach - Christmas Greetings
I tracked down the great theme to "Lifestyles Of The Rich & Famous" and mixed it together.
14.) 1986 bumper 1
15.) Max Headroom - Merry Christmas, Santa Claus (You're A Lovely Guy)
Looking back now, the 1980s were pretty bizarre. Proof? Click on the link - they actually took the image for the picture sleeve from the video.
16.) Family Ties - Jennifer and Alex Keaton debate Christmas
I hated this quintessential 1980s TV show - it was Reagan's favorite TV show (enough said). But I needed an 80s clip and that's why it's here.
17.) 1986 bumper 2
18.) Run D.M.C. - Christmas In Hollis
Featured in the movie "Die Hard" but not on the movie soundtrack. It was released at the end of 1986 on the CD in the link. Yo, yo, yo... ho, ho, ho...
19.) "Wonderful Christmastime" break
20.) 1987 intro
21.) U2 - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
Arguably the best cover of the Phil Spector / Darlene Love song. From the album that put Christmas music back on the charts to stay.
22.) "The Little Drummer Boy" break
23.) 1987 bumper 1
24.) Eurythmics - Winter Wonderland
I was at River Oaks Mall in Calumet City when I first heard this song. It hit me like a thunderbolt. I've yet to hear any version of this song that I love better.
25.) Vanna White - Christmas Greetings
She's in the Guinness Book of World Records - at an average of 720 claps per show and over 28,000 per season for 26 years and counting, she's the most frequent clapper in the world.
26.) 1987 bumper 2
27.) Julie Brown - My Night Before Christmas
Not to be confused with Downtown Julie Brown, Julie had great success in the late 1980s on MTV and with singles like "The Homecoming Queen Has Got A Gun".
28.) "Grandma Got Dismembered By A Chainsaw" break
29.) Madonna - Christmas Greetings
"Hi... this is Madonna... I wanna wish everyone out there a very Merry Christmas. Don't drive drunk, whatever you do. Have a good time... DON'T DRIVE DRUNK!" Sage advice from the Material Girl.
30.) Madonna - Santa Baby
When I first heard it, I thought it was cute. After the second time, I found it tolerable. By the third listen, it was unbearable. American radio then shoved it down my throat a billion more times - make it stop!
31.) 1988 intro
32.) R.E.M. - Deck The Halls
Great instrumental version that ends with "Best of the season from R.E.M."
33.) Pee-Wee Herman - Christmas Greetings
"And Happy Hannukah to all my Jewish friends..." I mixed this with the theme to "Pee-Wee's Playhouse".
34.) "All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth" break
35.) They Might Be Giants - Santa's Beard
Fun, fun track off their "Lincoln" album from 1989 - and I've got it in 1988. Oops x 3.
36.) 1988 bumper 1
37.) Los Lobos - Rudolph The Manic Reindeer
Hardly just another band from East L.A., these guys fuse so many styles of music ranging from Hendrix to mariachi music (as evidenced on this track).
38.) Depeche Mode - Christmas Greetings
Originally released in 1987, I got these in 1988. Oops x 4.
39.) 1988 bumper 2
40.) Dame Edna Everage - Spooky Christmas
Her syndicated TV show hit the US airwaves in 1988 - I'm going to break down and start buying her DVDs one day.
41.) American Comedy Network - Bartles & James Brown Wine Coolers
Typical, topical comedy from the 1980s. Not as funny now, but it still rates a chuckle.
42.) 1989 intro
43.) "Christmas Vacation" radio commercial
Before you shout "this was 1988!", listen to the 1989 intro. I purposely put these tracks in 1989 because I couldn't find original songs from 1989 other than the ones below.
44.) Mavis Staples - Christmas Vacation
The title song of the Chevy Chase movie which I hated with a passion until I got married and had kids. Now I can relate to it and it's growing on me.
45.) "The Chipmunk Song" break
46.) 1989 bumper 1
47.) New Kids On The Block - Funky Funky Christmas
This song runs around five minutes but it didn't last that long - around the 1:30 mark, I edited in sound f/x of gunshots, explosions, and mayhem to end the song. Appropriate.
48.) The Golden Girls - Blanche asks about the true spirit of Christmas
I needed a Christmas clip from the late 1980s and I couldn't find any "Magnum P.I." clips. Sue me.
49.) 1989 bumper 2
50.) Untamed Youth - Santa's Gonna Shut Them Down
One of the first groups to do "retro", these guys jam on this 1989 single!
51.) Weird Al Yankovic - Christmas Greetings
I've collected several late 1980s WEA Christmas greetings albums - these two I edited together came from those albums.
52.) Weird Al Yankovic - Christmas At Ground Zero
Originally released in 1986 on his "Polka Party" album, I placed this one here because the Dr. Demento comp I culled it from was released in 1989 - Oops x 5.
53.) "White Christmas" break
54.) 2004 outro - Pt. 1
55.) "Silent Night" break
56.) Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas Time (12" single version)
This was the only version of my Christmas CDs that didn't end with "Silent Night" as the final song. That honor went to the Trevor Horn remix (adding the "Feed The World" B-side onto the A-side).
57.) 2004 outro - Pt. 2
Please leave your comments at the study guide page - please remember, none of these comps will be posted here in their entirety or made available online or off.
2004 Playlist
All of the 80s intros of this CD are available to listen to. To hear my production skills on the bumpers & breaks, see tracks 37 and 38 of the first disc below.
The 2004 playlist:
DISC 1:
1.) 2004 intro - Pt. 1
2.) Band Aid II - Do They Know It's Christmas Time?
A DJ in Chicago played this on the air exactly one time. I taped it on cassette - the last Christmas song I recorded during the decade of the 1980s. This version was never released officially in America due to legalities.
3.) 2004 intro - Pt. 2
4.) 1980 intro
5.) Jona Lewie - Stop The Cavalry
One of the first Christmas songs to incorporate the New Wave sound. First heard this on the good Doctor Demento Show.
6.) "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer" break
7.) 1980 bumper 1
8.) Mirror Image - Sleigh Ride
Disco officially died in 1980 - this might have been the cause. For more on Christmas disco, check out my review of The Mistletoe Disco Band.
9.) Richard Simmons - Christmas Greeting
I mixed this greeting with the music to "Fame" - appropriate.
10.) 1980 bumper 2
11.) Cheech & Chong - Excerpt from "Moe Money"
Cheech and Tommy poke fun at the emergence of punk music - a headache riddled music exec is subjected to a punk version of "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer".
12.) "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" break
13.) 1981 intro
14.) Billy Squier - Christmas Is The Time To Say I Love You
Squier reached his peak in 1981 with "The Stroke" - a song that was banned at my school for some strange reason. This 1981 Christmas single still gets radio airplay.
15.) "Jingle Bell Rock" break
16.) 1981 bumper 1
17.) Bob & Doug McKenzie - The Twelve Days Of Christmas
SCTV began its run on NBC in 1981 - this extremely funny track can also be found on the McKenzie's "Great White North" album.
18.) MTV - "I Want My MTV" commercial
The famous commercial that had The Police sing "Call your cable company and say 'I want my M T V!'" to the tune of Beethoven's 9th Symphony.
19.) 1981 bumper 2
20.) The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping
From an album that was 10 years ahead of its time - the first Christmas anthem of the 1980s.
21.) President Ronald Reagan - Christmas Address to the Nation (12-23-81)
Nice to know the Reagan Library makes this type of material available to the public!
22.) 1982 intro
23.) The Smithereens - Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
I stretched this one - the band first played together in 1982 but this was recorded in 1994. Oops.
24.) Saturday Night Live - Mr. Robinson gets an eviction notice for Christmas
Eddie Murphy's classic parody of Mr. Rogers. From a DVD that captures the best of pre-2003 SNL Christmas.
25.) 1982 bumper 1
26.) Billy Rancher & The Unreal Gods - Happy Santa Claus
Portland band that was on the cusp of going big until lead singer Rancher loses a longtime battle with lymphoma. My favorite 1980s Christmas song of all time.
27.) American Comedy Network - Job Search
I tried to give listeners a feel for what the original Christmas tapes were like - a mix of Christmas music, 1980s tunes, and comedy bits like this from all those morning zoos.
28.) 1982 bumper 2
29.) David Bowie & Bing Crosby - Peace On Earth / Little Drummer Boy
At the end of 1982, Bowie left RCA Records after a long successful run. With no new material for Christmas, RCA dug deep into the vaults and came up with this. It was a #2 hit in England and a staple of Christmas radio thereafter.
30.) "Little Saint Nick" break
31.) 1983 intro
32.) George Thorogood & The Destroyers - Rock-N-Roll Christmas
Wicked song from Thorogood - it's a shame this isn't played more often at Christmas.
33.) "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" break
34.) 1983 bumper 1
35.) The Payolas - Christmas Is Coming
Great New Romantic song from 1983 - sounds dated now but it's still better than 1/2 the songs they're cramming down our ears on the radio.
36.) "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" break
37.) 1983 bumper 2
38.) 1983 bumper / break 3
39.) A Christmas Story - Santa tells Ralphie "you'll shoot your eye out"
Based on the works of Jean Shepherd - who grew up in Hammond, Indiana - a stone's throw from my boyhood home in Lynwood, Illinois.
40.) 1984 intro
41.) Captain Sensible - One Christmas Catalogue
One of the first songs I captured off radio for my early tapes. The voice at the beginning of the song is young Charles Foster Kane saying "Merry Christmas" from Orson Welles' masterpiece "Citizen Kane" (1941).
42.) Bill Cosby - Christmas Greetings
Mixed this one with the original "Cosby Show" theme from its first season.
43.) 1984 bumper 1
44.) KITT The Amazing Car Of Tomorrow - A Knightrider Christmas
Hasselhoff attempts a Christmas rap... if you can get through to the end, you're much stronger than I am.
45.) Hill Street Blues - Christmas roll-call on the Hill
"Let's be careful out there... and HEY! Merry Christmas!" They released Seasons 1 & 2 of "HSB" on DVD, but haven't released any other seasons. You can watch this episode at Amazon Video on Demand.
46.) 1984 bumper 2
47.) Wham - Last Christmas
Listened to this again and nearly made it through to the 4 minute mark. Richard Cheese was right (see 2007 playlist).
48.) "The Christmas Song" break
49.) 1984 Xmas
This track pre-dates my Christmas tapes by a year. My brother Matt and I were goofing off and created a skit that involved all time stopping right as the ball in Times Square hits one on New Year's Eve.
+ MP3 version only bonus track
I found audio of the world broadcast of "We Are The World" on Good Friday, 1985. I scanned the FM dial to hear dozens of Chicago radio stations playing the song. I switched over to AM and picked dozens more from all over the country.
DISC 2:
1.) 1985 intro
2.) Bryan Adams - Reggae Christmas
If you ever wondered what ever happened to Adams, I think this song did him in... Click on the link if you dare.
3.) "Run Run Rudolph" break
4.) 1985 bumper 1
5.) Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Recorded in 1975, radio DJs played bootleg copies of this single until 1981 when a radio-only single was released. The public finally got its hand on this as the B-side of "My Hometown" in 1985.
6.) McGruff The Crime Dog - Christmas PSA
Take a bite out of holiday crime... timely tips for the time.
7.) "Mele Kalikimaka" break
8.) 1985 bumper 2
9.) Billy Crystal - The Christmas Song (Radio edit)
Fired before the first SNL show in 1975, Crystal was hired back for the 1984-85 season only to be fired again after one year. Recorded in the voices of many of his famous SNL characters.
10.) Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine - Christmas Greetings
Mixed with one of her songs in the background - thanks Daily WAV!
11.) 1986 intro
12.) NRBQ - Christmas Wish
I screwed up the dates again - this was released in 1980 but I put it here... Oops x 2.
13.) Robin Leach - Christmas Greetings
I tracked down the great theme to "Lifestyles Of The Rich & Famous" and mixed it together.
14.) 1986 bumper 1
15.) Max Headroom - Merry Christmas, Santa Claus (You're A Lovely Guy)
Looking back now, the 1980s were pretty bizarre. Proof? Click on the link - they actually took the image for the picture sleeve from the video.
16.) Family Ties - Jennifer and Alex Keaton debate Christmas
I hated this quintessential 1980s TV show - it was Reagan's favorite TV show (enough said). But I needed an 80s clip and that's why it's here.
17.) 1986 bumper 2
18.) Run D.M.C. - Christmas In Hollis
Featured in the movie "Die Hard" but not on the movie soundtrack. It was released at the end of 1986 on the CD in the link. Yo, yo, yo... ho, ho, ho...
19.) "Wonderful Christmastime" break
20.) 1987 intro
21.) U2 - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
Arguably the best cover of the Phil Spector / Darlene Love song. From the album that put Christmas music back on the charts to stay.
22.) "The Little Drummer Boy" break
23.) 1987 bumper 1
24.) Eurythmics - Winter Wonderland
I was at River Oaks Mall in Calumet City when I first heard this song. It hit me like a thunderbolt. I've yet to hear any version of this song that I love better.
25.) Vanna White - Christmas Greetings
She's in the Guinness Book of World Records - at an average of 720 claps per show and over 28,000 per season for 26 years and counting, she's the most frequent clapper in the world.
26.) 1987 bumper 2
27.) Julie Brown - My Night Before Christmas
Not to be confused with Downtown Julie Brown, Julie had great success in the late 1980s on MTV and with singles like "The Homecoming Queen Has Got A Gun".
28.) "Grandma Got Dismembered By A Chainsaw" break
29.) Madonna - Christmas Greetings
"Hi... this is Madonna... I wanna wish everyone out there a very Merry Christmas. Don't drive drunk, whatever you do. Have a good time... DON'T DRIVE DRUNK!" Sage advice from the Material Girl.
30.) Madonna - Santa Baby
When I first heard it, I thought it was cute. After the second time, I found it tolerable. By the third listen, it was unbearable. American radio then shoved it down my throat a billion more times - make it stop!
31.) 1988 intro
32.) R.E.M. - Deck The Halls
Great instrumental version that ends with "Best of the season from R.E.M."
33.) Pee-Wee Herman - Christmas Greetings
"And Happy Hannukah to all my Jewish friends..." I mixed this with the theme to "Pee-Wee's Playhouse".
34.) "All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth" break
35.) They Might Be Giants - Santa's Beard
Fun, fun track off their "Lincoln" album from 1989 - and I've got it in 1988. Oops x 3.
36.) 1988 bumper 1
37.) Los Lobos - Rudolph The Manic Reindeer
Hardly just another band from East L.A., these guys fuse so many styles of music ranging from Hendrix to mariachi music (as evidenced on this track).
38.) Depeche Mode - Christmas Greetings
Originally released in 1987, I got these in 1988. Oops x 4.
39.) 1988 bumper 2
40.) Dame Edna Everage - Spooky Christmas
Her syndicated TV show hit the US airwaves in 1988 - I'm going to break down and start buying her DVDs one day.
41.) American Comedy Network - Bartles & James Brown Wine Coolers
Typical, topical comedy from the 1980s. Not as funny now, but it still rates a chuckle.
42.) 1989 intro
43.) "Christmas Vacation" radio commercial
Before you shout "this was 1988!", listen to the 1989 intro. I purposely put these tracks in 1989 because I couldn't find original songs from 1989 other than the ones below.
44.) Mavis Staples - Christmas Vacation
The title song of the Chevy Chase movie which I hated with a passion until I got married and had kids. Now I can relate to it and it's growing on me.
45.) "The Chipmunk Song" break
46.) 1989 bumper 1
47.) New Kids On The Block - Funky Funky Christmas
This song runs around five minutes but it didn't last that long - around the 1:30 mark, I edited in sound f/x of gunshots, explosions, and mayhem to end the song. Appropriate.
48.) The Golden Girls - Blanche asks about the true spirit of Christmas
I needed a Christmas clip from the late 1980s and I couldn't find any "Magnum P.I." clips. Sue me.
49.) 1989 bumper 2
50.) Untamed Youth - Santa's Gonna Shut Them Down
One of the first groups to do "retro", these guys jam on this 1989 single!
51.) Weird Al Yankovic - Christmas Greetings
I've collected several late 1980s WEA Christmas greetings albums - these two I edited together came from those albums.
52.) Weird Al Yankovic - Christmas At Ground Zero
Originally released in 1986 on his "Polka Party" album, I placed this one here because the Dr. Demento comp I culled it from was released in 1989 - Oops x 5.
53.) "White Christmas" break
54.) 2004 outro - Pt. 1
55.) "Silent Night" break
56.) Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas Time (12" single version)
This was the only version of my Christmas CDs that didn't end with "Silent Night" as the final song. That honor went to the Trevor Horn remix (adding the "Feed The World" B-side onto the A-side).
57.) 2004 outro - Pt. 2
Please leave your comments at the study guide page - please remember, none of these comps will be posted here in their entirety or made available online or off.
The 2004 playlist:
DISC 1:
1.) 2004 intro - Pt. 1
2.) Band Aid II - Do They Know It's Christmas Time?
A DJ in Chicago played this on the air exactly one time. I taped it on cassette - the last Christmas song I recorded during the decade of the 1980s. This version was never released officially in America due to legalities.
3.) 2004 intro - Pt. 2
4.) 1980 intro
5.) Jona Lewie - Stop The Cavalry
One of the first Christmas songs to incorporate the New Wave sound. First heard this on the good Doctor Demento Show.
6.) "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer" break
7.) 1980 bumper 1
8.) Mirror Image - Sleigh Ride
Disco officially died in 1980 - this might have been the cause. For more on Christmas disco, check out my review of The Mistletoe Disco Band.
9.) Richard Simmons - Christmas Greeting
I mixed this greeting with the music to "Fame" - appropriate.
10.) 1980 bumper 2
11.) Cheech & Chong - Excerpt from "Moe Money"
Cheech and Tommy poke fun at the emergence of punk music - a headache riddled music exec is subjected to a punk version of "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer".
12.) "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" break
13.) 1981 intro
14.) Billy Squier - Christmas Is The Time To Say I Love You
Squier reached his peak in 1981 with "The Stroke" - a song that was banned at my school for some strange reason. This 1981 Christmas single still gets radio airplay.
15.) "Jingle Bell Rock" break
16.) 1981 bumper 1
17.) Bob & Doug McKenzie - The Twelve Days Of Christmas
SCTV began its run on NBC in 1981 - this extremely funny track can also be found on the McKenzie's "Great White North" album.
18.) MTV - "I Want My MTV" commercial
The famous commercial that had The Police sing "Call your cable company and say 'I want my M T V!'" to the tune of Beethoven's 9th Symphony.
19.) 1981 bumper 2
20.) The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping
From an album that was 10 years ahead of its time - the first Christmas anthem of the 1980s.
21.) President Ronald Reagan - Christmas Address to the Nation (12-23-81)
Nice to know the Reagan Library makes this type of material available to the public!
22.) 1982 intro
23.) The Smithereens - Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
I stretched this one - the band first played together in 1982 but this was recorded in 1994. Oops.
24.) Saturday Night Live - Mr. Robinson gets an eviction notice for Christmas
Eddie Murphy's classic parody of Mr. Rogers. From a DVD that captures the best of pre-2003 SNL Christmas.
25.) 1982 bumper 1
26.) Billy Rancher & The Unreal Gods - Happy Santa Claus
Portland band that was on the cusp of going big until lead singer Rancher loses a longtime battle with lymphoma. My favorite 1980s Christmas song of all time.
27.) American Comedy Network - Job Search
I tried to give listeners a feel for what the original Christmas tapes were like - a mix of Christmas music, 1980s tunes, and comedy bits like this from all those morning zoos.
28.) 1982 bumper 2
29.) David Bowie & Bing Crosby - Peace On Earth / Little Drummer Boy
At the end of 1982, Bowie left RCA Records after a long successful run. With no new material for Christmas, RCA dug deep into the vaults and came up with this. It was a #2 hit in England and a staple of Christmas radio thereafter.
30.) "Little Saint Nick" break
31.) 1983 intro
32.) George Thorogood & The Destroyers - Rock-N-Roll Christmas
Wicked song from Thorogood - it's a shame this isn't played more often at Christmas.
33.) "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" break
34.) 1983 bumper 1
35.) The Payolas - Christmas Is Coming
Great New Romantic song from 1983 - sounds dated now but it's still better than 1/2 the songs they're cramming down our ears on the radio.
36.) "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" break
37.) 1983 bumper 2
38.) 1983 bumper / break 3
39.) A Christmas Story - Santa tells Ralphie "you'll shoot your eye out"
Based on the works of Jean Shepherd - who grew up in Hammond, Indiana - a stone's throw from my boyhood home in Lynwood, Illinois.
40.) 1984 intro
41.) Captain Sensible - One Christmas Catalogue
One of the first songs I captured off radio for my early tapes. The voice at the beginning of the song is young Charles Foster Kane saying "Merry Christmas" from Orson Welles' masterpiece "Citizen Kane" (1941).
42.) Bill Cosby - Christmas Greetings
Mixed this one with the original "Cosby Show" theme from its first season.
43.) 1984 bumper 1
44.) KITT The Amazing Car Of Tomorrow - A Knightrider Christmas
Hasselhoff attempts a Christmas rap... if you can get through to the end, you're much stronger than I am.
45.) Hill Street Blues - Christmas roll-call on the Hill
"Let's be careful out there... and HEY! Merry Christmas!" They released Seasons 1 & 2 of "HSB" on DVD, but haven't released any other seasons. You can watch this episode at Amazon Video on Demand.
46.) 1984 bumper 2
47.) Wham - Last Christmas
Listened to this again and nearly made it through to the 4 minute mark. Richard Cheese was right (see 2007 playlist).
48.) "The Christmas Song" break
49.) 1984 Xmas
This track pre-dates my Christmas tapes by a year. My brother Matt and I were goofing off and created a skit that involved all time stopping right as the ball in Times Square hits one on New Year's Eve.
+ MP3 version only bonus track
I found audio of the world broadcast of "We Are The World" on Good Friday, 1985. I scanned the FM dial to hear dozens of Chicago radio stations playing the song. I switched over to AM and picked dozens more from all over the country.
DISC 2:
1.) 1985 intro
2.) Bryan Adams - Reggae Christmas
If you ever wondered what ever happened to Adams, I think this song did him in... Click on the link if you dare.
3.) "Run Run Rudolph" break
4.) 1985 bumper 1
5.) Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Recorded in 1975, radio DJs played bootleg copies of this single until 1981 when a radio-only single was released. The public finally got its hand on this as the B-side of "My Hometown" in 1985.
6.) McGruff The Crime Dog - Christmas PSA
Take a bite out of holiday crime... timely tips for the time.
7.) "Mele Kalikimaka" break
8.) 1985 bumper 2
9.) Billy Crystal - The Christmas Song (Radio edit)
Fired before the first SNL show in 1975, Crystal was hired back for the 1984-85 season only to be fired again after one year. Recorded in the voices of many of his famous SNL characters.
10.) Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine - Christmas Greetings
Mixed with one of her songs in the background - thanks Daily WAV!
11.) 1986 intro
12.) NRBQ - Christmas Wish
I screwed up the dates again - this was released in 1980 but I put it here... Oops x 2.
13.) Robin Leach - Christmas Greetings
I tracked down the great theme to "Lifestyles Of The Rich & Famous" and mixed it together.
14.) 1986 bumper 1
15.) Max Headroom - Merry Christmas, Santa Claus (You're A Lovely Guy)
Looking back now, the 1980s were pretty bizarre. Proof? Click on the link - they actually took the image for the picture sleeve from the video.
16.) Family Ties - Jennifer and Alex Keaton debate Christmas
I hated this quintessential 1980s TV show - it was Reagan's favorite TV show (enough said). But I needed an 80s clip and that's why it's here.
17.) 1986 bumper 2
18.) Run D.M.C. - Christmas In Hollis
Featured in the movie "Die Hard" but not on the movie soundtrack. It was released at the end of 1986 on the CD in the link. Yo, yo, yo... ho, ho, ho...
19.) "Wonderful Christmastime" break
20.) 1987 intro
21.) U2 - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
Arguably the best cover of the Phil Spector / Darlene Love song. From the album that put Christmas music back on the charts to stay.
22.) "The Little Drummer Boy" break
23.) 1987 bumper 1
24.) Eurythmics - Winter Wonderland
I was at River Oaks Mall in Calumet City when I first heard this song. It hit me like a thunderbolt. I've yet to hear any version of this song that I love better.
25.) Vanna White - Christmas Greetings
She's in the Guinness Book of World Records - at an average of 720 claps per show and over 28,000 per season for 26 years and counting, she's the most frequent clapper in the world.
26.) 1987 bumper 2
27.) Julie Brown - My Night Before Christmas
Not to be confused with Downtown Julie Brown, Julie had great success in the late 1980s on MTV and with singles like "The Homecoming Queen Has Got A Gun".
28.) "Grandma Got Dismembered By A Chainsaw" break
29.) Madonna - Christmas Greetings
"Hi... this is Madonna... I wanna wish everyone out there a very Merry Christmas. Don't drive drunk, whatever you do. Have a good time... DON'T DRIVE DRUNK!" Sage advice from the Material Girl.
30.) Madonna - Santa Baby
When I first heard it, I thought it was cute. After the second time, I found it tolerable. By the third listen, it was unbearable. American radio then shoved it down my throat a billion more times - make it stop!
31.) 1988 intro
32.) R.E.M. - Deck The Halls
Great instrumental version that ends with "Best of the season from R.E.M."
33.) Pee-Wee Herman - Christmas Greetings
"And Happy Hannukah to all my Jewish friends..." I mixed this with the theme to "Pee-Wee's Playhouse".
34.) "All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth" break
35.) They Might Be Giants - Santa's Beard
Fun, fun track off their "Lincoln" album from 1989 - and I've got it in 1988. Oops x 3.
36.) 1988 bumper 1
37.) Los Lobos - Rudolph The Manic Reindeer
Hardly just another band from East L.A., these guys fuse so many styles of music ranging from Hendrix to mariachi music (as evidenced on this track).
38.) Depeche Mode - Christmas Greetings
Originally released in 1987, I got these in 1988. Oops x 4.
39.) 1988 bumper 2
40.) Dame Edna Everage - Spooky Christmas
Her syndicated TV show hit the US airwaves in 1988 - I'm going to break down and start buying her DVDs one day.
41.) American Comedy Network - Bartles & James Brown Wine Coolers
Typical, topical comedy from the 1980s. Not as funny now, but it still rates a chuckle.
42.) 1989 intro
43.) "Christmas Vacation" radio commercial
Before you shout "this was 1988!", listen to the 1989 intro. I purposely put these tracks in 1989 because I couldn't find original songs from 1989 other than the ones below.
44.) Mavis Staples - Christmas Vacation
The title song of the Chevy Chase movie which I hated with a passion until I got married and had kids. Now I can relate to it and it's growing on me.
45.) "The Chipmunk Song" break
46.) 1989 bumper 1
47.) New Kids On The Block - Funky Funky Christmas
This song runs around five minutes but it didn't last that long - around the 1:30 mark, I edited in sound f/x of gunshots, explosions, and mayhem to end the song. Appropriate.
48.) The Golden Girls - Blanche asks about the true spirit of Christmas
I needed a Christmas clip from the late 1980s and I couldn't find any "Magnum P.I." clips. Sue me.
49.) 1989 bumper 2
50.) Untamed Youth - Santa's Gonna Shut Them Down
One of the first groups to do "retro", these guys jam on this 1989 single!
51.) Weird Al Yankovic - Christmas Greetings
I've collected several late 1980s WEA Christmas greetings albums - these two I edited together came from those albums.
52.) Weird Al Yankovic - Christmas At Ground Zero
Originally released in 1986 on his "Polka Party" album, I placed this one here because the Dr. Demento comp I culled it from was released in 1989 - Oops x 5.
53.) "White Christmas" break
54.) 2004 outro - Pt. 1
55.) "Silent Night" break
56.) Band Aid - Do They Know It's Christmas Time (12" single version)
This was the only version of my Christmas CDs that didn't end with "Silent Night" as the final song. That honor went to the Trevor Horn remix (adding the "Feed The World" B-side onto the A-side).
57.) 2004 outro - Pt. 2
Please leave your comments at the study guide page - please remember, none of these comps will be posted here in their entirety or made available online or off.
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