Thursday, December 26, 2024

The 26 (or thereabouts) annual THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL RADIO Christmas shows

 

This past Sunday night brought us The 26th Annual THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL RADIO Christmas ShowA few years back, I compiled a list of all of the Christmas records played on our annual This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio Christmas shows, 1999-2017. Each year, I update that list to include what we've played on the Christmas shows since then. Here's the updated list through this year's show, with slightly-edited commentary from 2017:


We have now done twenty-six This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio Christmas shows. We did our first one in 1999, just before our first anniversary on the air. We've done one almost every year since then; technical issues forced the station off the air for a while in late 2007, so Christmas was cancelled that year. The wages of naughty, my friends--the wages of naughty. However, the intrepid team of Dan Pavelich and Lisa Mychols put together a Christmas Without Cancer special holiday edition of TIRnRR in 2013, two weeks before Dana and I did our own TIRnRR Christmas show. So, we still total twenty-six Christmas shows in twenty-six years, 2007 be damned.

The only constant fixture on all of our Christmas shows (except Christmas Without Cancer) is that we always play all of the Beatles' annual fan club Christmas messages. I think "It's About That Time" by the Idea and John and Yoko's "Happy Xmas (War Is Over) are otherwise our most-played Christmas tracks. Here's a list of what we played over the course of twenty-six TIRnRR Christmas shows, along with a specific wish from the 2015 show.

Hearts can grow heavy at Christmas. The bright lights, the clamor, and even the warmth itself can seem empty promises to one who feels alone, unappreciated, vulnerable, unloved. All of us, every single one of us, knows someone like this, whether we realize it or not; many of us have suffered it first-hand.

Although it is, we admit, just a gesture, we offer this show for all of you. We offer it for our friends, our families, our loved ones, for people we barely know, and for people we may never know. We offer you the joy of music, the comfort of companionship, the giddiness of laughter, and maybe even a brief, fleeting moment of peace. Whoever you are, and however you are, we wish you a peace that will overcome torment, and we wish you a belief in magic that transcends creed. We wish you the merriest.

N/A [from How The Grinch Stole Christmas]: You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch
N/A [from Santa Claus Conquers The Martians]:  Hooray For Santa Claus 
89 MOJO: Kenosha Christmas 
ADDISON LOVE: Utah Winter
EVERET ALMOND: Have A Very Very Very Merry Christmas
THE ANDERSONS!: A Million Dollars For Christmas 
TIM ANTHONY: I Still Believe In Christmas 
APPLES IN STEREO: Holiday Mood 
LOUIE ARMSTRONG: Zat You Santa Claus 
ATOMIC 7: SeƱor Santa El Es El Monstruo 
GENE AUTRY: Here Comes Santa Claus
THE B.B.B.'s: A Credit Card Christmas
THE B.B.B.'s: Ready For Christmas
JIM BABJAK'S BUZZED MEG: Christmas Morning
KURT BAKER: Christmas In The Sand 
THE BANGLES: A Hazy Shade Of Winter  THE BEACH BOYS: Christmas Day 
THE BEACH BOYS: Little Saint Nick
THE BEACH BOYS: Merry Christmas, Baby 
THE BEATLES: 1963-1969 Christmas messages

THE BEATMAS: Mary's Boy Child
CHUCK BERRY: Merry Christmas Baby 
CHUCK BERRY: Run Rudolph Run 

THE BEATMAS: Mary's Boy Child
BERK/LENANE: An Irishman For Christmas
MIMI BETINIS: A Christmas Song


LAURIE BIAGINI: Can't Wait For Christmas
LAURIE BIAGIBI: Christmas In The Air
LAURIE BIAGINI: A Magical Christmas
BIG STAR:  Jesus Christ 
BLONDIE: We Three Kings 
BOOKER T AND THE MG'S: Jingle Bells
BOOKER T AND THE MG'S: Santa Claus Is Coming To Town 
THE BOSTON CAMERATA: Riu Chiu 
DAVID BOWIE AND BING CROSBY: Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth 



THE BOXMASTERS: My Dreams Of Christmas 
THE BRADBURYS: I Love It When It Snows 
THE BROTHERS STEVE: I Love The Christmastime
CHARLES BROWN: Please Come Home For Christmas
JAMES BROWN: Merry Christmas, I Love You 
JAMES BROWN: Hey America 
JAMES BROWN: Let's Unite The Whole World At Christmas
JAMES BROWN: Merry Christmas, I Love You 

JAMES BROWN: Santa Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto 
JAMES BROWN: Soulful Christmas 

MIKE BROWNING: It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
SOLOMON BURKE: Presents For Christmas
THE BURNS SISTERS: Songs We Love
EDWARD BYRNES: Yulesville
DAVID CARSWELL AND MEGAN BARNES: I Wanna Kiss You This Christmas
CAST OF RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER: We're A Couple Of Misfits
EDDIE C. CAMPBELL: Santa's Messin' With The Kid 
CANNED HEAT: Christmas Blues MICHAEL CARPENTER: Another Xmas Song
MICHAEL CARPENTER:  Wake Me Up When It's Christmas Time 


THE CATHOLIC GIRLS: Christmas With This Girl
ANNY CELSI: Christmas In The Pines
DOLPH CHANEY: Jingle Bells
THE CHEEPSKATES: Christmastime With You 
ALEX CHILTON: The Christmas Song 
ALEX CHILTON: Jesus Christ
THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT: Christmas Is My Time Of Year
THE CLICK BEETLES: So Glad It's Christmas 
THE CLICK BEETLES: Wonderful Christmas 
NAT KING COLE: The Christmas Song 
RAY CONNIFF:  Joy To The World 
SI CRANSTOUN: A Christmas Twist 
SI CRANSTOUN: Sleigh Rider 
THE CRITICS: She Feels Like Christmas Day 
BING CROSBY AND FRANK SINATRA: We Wish You The Merriest 
DANCE HALL CRASHERS: I Did It For The Toys 
THE DARKNESS: Christmas Time (Don't Let The Bells Ring)
DARLING CZAR: Christmas In July
RAY DAVIES AND CHRISSIE HYNDE:  Postcard From London 
SKEETER DAVIS: Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town
THE dB'S: Holiday Spirit
THE DECIBELS: Christmas Wish
THE DELTA RAYS: Merry, Merry Christmas
DETROIT JUNIOR: Christmas Day
DEVO: Merry Something To You

DON DIXON: Christmas Is Saturday 
THE DONNAS: Christmas Wrapping 
DUOTANG: Old Man Davie's Christmas Kingdom 
THE DRIFTERS: White Christmas 
THE EDUCATORS: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing 
HERB EIMERMAN: Treat Yourself Well 
THE ELFETTES: Jingle Joy
THE ELVIS BROTHERS: Rock-A-Billy Christmas
EMERSON, LAKE AND PALMER: I Believe In Father Christmas 
ESQUIVEL: Here Comes Santa Claus 
ESQUIVEL: Jingle Bells (Greetings From Esquivel) 
THE EVERLY BROTHERS: Christmas Eve Can Kill You 
THE FABULOUS PLAYGROUND FAMILY: I'll Be Home For Christmas 
BIBI FARBER AND THE MICHAEL LYNCH ORCHESTRA: Gonna Ask Santa 
FARRAH: Santa Don't Go 
THE FLESHTONES: Hooray For Santa Claus 



THE FLINTSTONES: Christmas Is My Fav'rite Time Of Year
THE FORTY NINETEENS: Frosty The Snowman 
FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE: The Man In The Santa Suit 
TODD FRAUD: Xmas Past 
THE FREE DESIGN: Close Your Mouth (It's Christmas)
THE FREE DESIGN: The Now Sound Of Christmas 
GARY FRENAY: Christmas Without You 
MARVIN GAYE: Purple Snowflakes 
THE GEMS: Love For Christmas 
GO HOME PRODUCTIONS: Christmas In Boston 
GREG GODOVITZ AND THE CARPET FROGS: Christmas All Over The World 
THE GOING THING: The Christmas Waltz 
THE GOING THING: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas 
THE GOLDBERGS: Channukah Guy 

THE GOLDDIGGERS: Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town 
HOLLY GOLIGHTLY: Christmas Tree's On Fire 
CHRISTOPHER GREY: I Can't Sleep On Christmas Eve 
THE GRIP WEEDS: Christmas, Bring Us 
THE GRIP WEEDS: Christmas Dream 
THE GRIP WEEDS [with MARK LINDSAY]: Santa Make Me Good
VINCE GUARALDI TRIO: The Christmas Song 
VINCE GUARALDI TRIO: Christmas Time Is Here 
VINCE GUARALDI TRIO: Hark, The Herald Angels Sing 
VINCE GUARALDI TRIO: Linus And Lucy 
VINCE GUARALDI TRIO: Skating 

MARGO GURYAN: I Don't Intend To Spend Christmas Without You 
HAMELL ON TRIAL: Santa, Can Ya 
LIONEL HAMPTON AND HIS ORCHESTRA: Boogie Woogie Santa Claus 
THE HANDSOME FAMILY: So Much Wine 
GEORGE HARRISON: Ding Dong, Ding Dong 
HAWAII MUD BOMBERS: Santas Wish 
BOBBY HELMS: Jingle Bell Rock
RICHARD X. HEYMAN: I Can't Wait 
RON HOLDEN AND THE THUNDERBIRDS: Who Says There Ain't No Santa Claus 
THE HOLLY TWINS: I Want Elvis For Christmas 
THE HOLLYRIDGE STRINGS: Santa's Got A Brand New Bag 
THE HONEYMOON STALLIONS: Snowbirds



LIGHTENING HOPKINS: Merry Christmas 
JAMIE HOOVER: I Believe In Father Christmas
THE HUMAN BEINZ: Time Is Tight [Christmas version]
THE ICICLES: Snowman THE INSIGHT: Please Come Home For Christmas
THE JAC: Holiday On Mars 
THE JAC [featuring THE CHRISTMAS CREW]: Won't Be Leaving Home For Christmas
THE JAC: Merry Christmas (Around The World) 
BIG DEE IRWIN AND LITTLE EVA: I Wish You A Merry Christmas 
TOM HOOPER: Christmas Kiss 
LIGHTENING HOPKINS: Happy New Year 
THE IDEA: It's About That Time 



THE JACKSON 5: Santa Claus Is Coming To Town JAMIE AND STEVE: What Am I Gonna Get? 
THE JELLYBRICKS: We'll Be Together 
JEREMY:  Christmas In My Heart 
JEREMY: Christmas Time
JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS: Little Drummer Boy 
JOHN AND YOKO: Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
JOHNNY & JON: Christmas In Viet Nam 
BLAKE JONES & THE TRIKE SHOP: String Lights And Hold On
DAVY JONES, MICKY DOLENZ AND PETER TORK: Christmas Is My Time Of Year 

GEORGE JONES: Joy To The World 
MARTI JONES AND DON DIXON: Every Day Will Be Like A Holiday
SHARON JONES AND THE DAP-KINGS: Ain't No Chimneys In The Projects 


JUSTINE'S BLACK THREADS: Angels We Have Heard On High
KARLA KANE: The Halsway Carol
PAULA KELLEY: Why Christmas? (The Longest Day Of The Year) 
MAURA KENNEDY:  Beneath The Mistletoe 


THE ANITA KERR SINGERS: Bell That Couldn't Jingle
THE ANITA KERR SINGERS: Jingle Bell Rock
THE KIDS FROM THE BRADY BUNCH: Frosty The Snowman
THE KIDS FROM THE BRADY BUNCH: Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
THE KING FAMILY: Not A Creature Was Stirring
B.B. KING: Christmas Celebration
CAROLE KING: Do You Hear What I Hear
WAYNE KING AND HIS ORCHESTRA: Jing-A-Ling-A-Ling



THE KINKS: Father Christmas 
EARTHA KITT: Santa Baby

DEAN LANDEW: Holiday Bash
ANGELA LANSBURY: We Need A Little Christmas
STEPHEN LAWRENSON: Glad It's Christmas
THE LEGENDARY SHACK SHAKERS: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
THE RAMSEY LEWIS TRIO: Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
LIBRARIANS WITH HICKEYS: Listen, The Snow Is Falling
JIMMY LIGGINS AND HIS DROPS OF JOY: I Want My Baby For Christmas
PETEY LIGHTNING: Go Santa Go
THE LINDA LINDAS: Groovy Xmas
MARK LINDSAY WITH THE MICHAEL LEWIS TRIO: Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
BILL LLOYD: Underneath The Christmas Tree 
THE LOLAS: The Little Drummer Boy
THE LONG RYDERS: Christmas In New Zealand
CLAUDINE LONGET: I Don't Intend To Spend Christmas Without You
DARLENE LOVE: Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) 
DARLENE LOVE: Marshmallow World 

LOS STRAITJACKETS: Deck The Halls 
LOS STRAITJACKETS: Holiday Twist
NICK LOWE: Christmas At The Airport 
MICHAEL LYNCH: Jingle Jangle Bells 
MICHAEL LYNCH: The Little Drummer Boy 
MICHAEL LYNCH: Santa Claus Bop 
MANNIX: Christmas Eve Without You 
MAPLE MARS: Christmastime In The City
DOM MARIANI: Christmasonic 
MATERIAL ISSUE: Merry Christmas Will Do 
MICHAEL MAZZARELLA: Christmas In The City 
JIMMY McCRACKLIN: Christmas Time--Pt. 1 
PAUL JAMES McHENRY: Snap Your Fingers (If You Like Christmas)
THE MEDITATION SINGERS: Blue Christmas  
ROY MILTON: Christmas Time Blues 
MINT-AID: Do They Know It's Christmas? 
MICHAEL MITSCH: Christmas Crystals 
THE MOCKERS: (There's No War On Christmas) When Christmas Is In Your Heart 
MOJOCHRONIC: Rudolph (You Don't Have To Put On The Red Light) 


THE MONKEES: Christmas Party
THE MONKEES: House Of Broken Gingerbread
THE MONKEES: Riu Chiu
THE MOONGLOWS: Hey Santa Claus
MONSTERS UNDER THE BED: Christmas At The Cabin
LOU MONTE: Domenick The Donkey 
THE MONTGOMERY CLIFFS: Christmas Lights 
THE MONTGOMERY CLIFFS: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
THE MONTGOMERY CLIFFS: O Come All Ye Faithful
LISA MYCHOLS:  Blizzard Of Aahhs 
LISA MYCHOLS: In Love With Love 
LISA MYCHOLS: Listen To The Bells Ring 
LISA MYCHOLS: Look On 
LISA MYCHOLS:  Lost Winter's Dream 
LISA MYCHOLS: Shows A Lot 
LISA MYCHOLS AND SUPER 8: A Very Merry Christmas
LISA MYCHOLS AND SUPER 8: Santa Please
NRBQ: A Christmas Wish 
NO DOUBT: Oi To The World 
THE O'JAYS: Christmas Just Ain't Christmas, New Year's Just Ain't New Years 



BUCK OWENS: All I Want For Christmas Is My Daddy
P. HUX: Everything Is Cool 
ROB PARAVONIAN: We're Breaking Up For The Holidays 
GRAHAM PARKER WITH NONA HENDRYX: Soul Christmas 
MARI PAVELICH: The Chubby Little Snowman 
MARI PAVELICH: Up On The Rooftop
IRENE PEƑA: Will You Turn Up (For Christmas)
THE PENCILS: Christmas Is Coming Again JANA PERI:  I Hate The Holidays (But I Love Spending Them With You) 
THE PERSUASIONS: You're All I Want For Christmas 
GAYLA PEEVEY: I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas 
TOM PETTY AND THE HEARTBREAKERS: Christmas All Over Again 
NICK PIUNTI AND THE COMPLICATED MEN: Christmas Morning
THE POGUES FEATURING KIRSTY MacCOLL: Fairytale Of New York 
THE POINTED STICKS: Power Pop Santa 
POP CO-OP: Christmas Eyes
POP IS ART: Everybody Needs A Little Xmas 
JOHNNY POPSTAR AND THE LUV EXPLOSION: Angels From The Realms Of Glory 
ELVIS PRESLEY: Blue Christmas 
ELVIS PRESLEY: Santa Claus Is Back In Town 
THE PRETENDERS: 2000 Miles 
CHARLEY PRIDE: Santa And The Kids
THE PRIMITIVES: You Trashed My Christmas 



THE PUPPINI SISTERS: Step Into Christmas
QUEEN: Thank God It's Christmas
QUINT: Almost Christmas Eve
QUINT [featuring KAREN BASSETT]: Bows Of Holly
ELIZABETH RACZ: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas 
THE RAMBLIN' AMBASSADORS: Don't Fear The Reindeer 
THE RAMONES: Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight) 
THE RAVERS: (It's Gonna Be A) Punk Rock Christmas 
BOOTS RANDOLPH: Jingle Bells 
OTIS REDDING: Merry Christmas Baby 
OTIS REDDING: White Christmas 
PAUL REVERE AND THE RAIDERS: Macy's Window 
PAUL REVERE AND THE RAIDERS: Wear A Smile At Christmas
KIMBERLY REW AND LEE CAVE-BERRY: All I Want Is You For Christmas
JONATHAN RICHMAN AND THE MODERN LOVERS: Abominable Snowman In The Market 

THE RONETTES: Frosty The Snowman 
THE RONETTES: I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
THE RONETTES: Sleigh Ride 
THE ROOKS: Christmas 
DIANA ROSS AND THE SUPREMES: Just A Lonely Christmas 
ROTARY CONNECTION: Christmas Love 
ROTARY CONNECTION: Santa's Little Helpers 
THE ROYAL GUARDSMEN: Snoopy's Christmas 
FRANK ROYSTER: Christmas Is Fun 
ED RYAN: Noel (You Gotta Sing)
KELLEY RYAN/ASTROPUPPEES: It's Not Christmas
SALEM TRAVELERS: Merry Christmas To You 
SANDLER AND YOUNG: Mister Santa 
SANDLER AND YOUNG: Santa Claus Is Coming To Town 
SANTO AND JOHNNY: Twisting Bells 
BRANDON SCHOTT: Winter In The Sun 
SEA OF BEES: Feliz Navidad
THE SEASON'S GREETERS: Santa's Leaving Town
BOB SEGER AND THE LAST HEARD: Sock It To Me Santa 
SEX CLARK 5: Christmastime 
SHAKE SOME ACTION!: Christmas In The Sun 
THE SHAMBLES: Warm This Winter 
SHOES: This Christmas
SHOES: Winter Wonderland 
SHONEN KNIFE: Space Christmas 
SHONEN KNIFE: Sweet Christmas 
HARRY SIMEONE CHORALE: Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer 
SIMON AND GARFUNKEL: 7 O'Clock News/Silent Night 
PAUL SIMON: Getting Ready For Christmas Day
SKETCH MIDDLE: California Christmas
SLADE: Merry Xmas Everybody

THE SLINGSBY HORNETS: All I Want For Christmas Is You 
THE SLINGSBY HORNETS: (Just Another) Friday Night
JIMMY SMITH:  God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
JIMMY SMITH: Jingle Bells
MINDY SMITH: Santa Will Find You 
THE SMITHEREENS: Santa Bring My Baby Back (Back To Me)

THE SMITHEREENS: Waking Up On Christmas Morning
THEE SNOWGLOBE-LINS: Christmas Song
THE SONICS: Don't Believe In Christmas
THE SONICS: Santa Claus
THE SOUL STIRRERS: Christmas Means Love
SPINAL TAP: We Three Kings
THE SPLIT SQUAD: Another Lonely Christmas
THE SPONGETONES: Carol Of The Guitars
THE SPONGETONES: Christmas Boy
THE SPONGETONES: Christmasland
THE SPONGETONES: Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairies 
THE SPONGETONES: The Little Wiped-Out Drummer Boy
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN AND THE E STREET BAND: Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

THE SQUIRES OF THE SUBTERRAIN: Christmas Time
ST. MARY'S CHURCH OF THE VISITATION CHOIRS: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
THE STAPLE SINGERS: Who Took The Merry Out Of Christmas?
RINGO STARR: Christmas Time Is Here Again
RINGO STARR: Come On Christmas, Christmas Come On
RINGO STARR: I Wanna Be Santa Claus
RINGO STARR: Winter Wonderland
TINA SUGANDH: White Christmas

THE SURFARIS: A Surfer's Christmas List
SURFIN' LUNGS: Surfin' On Christmas Day
THE SWALLOWS: Christmas In The Slammer
THE SWINGLE SINGERS: Jingle Bells
TALL POPPY SYNDROME: Come Some Christmas Eve
THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS: Santa's Beard
CARLA THOMAS: All I Want For Christmas Is You
CARLA THOMAS: Gee Whiz, It's Christmas

ROSIE THOMAS: Why Can't It Be Christmastime All Year
RUFUS THOMAS: I'll Be Your Santa Baby
TINY TIM: Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
THE TOMS: Fake Christmas
THE TRASHMEN: Dancing With Santa
CHANDLER TRAVIS: Hoping For Christmas
TROLLEY: We Three Kings Of Orient Are
IKE AND TINA TURNER: Merry Christmas Baby
THE TURTLES: Santa And The Sidewalk Surfer
TWISTED SISTER: Deck The Halls

THE UNCOMMON HOUSEFLIES: Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer
UP WITH PEOPLE: Jingle Bell Beat
THE VENTURES: Jingle Bell Rock THE VENTURES: Sleigh Ride
THE VENTURES: Snow Flakes
MIKE VIOLA AND THE CANDY BUTCHERS: Give Me A Second Chance For Christmas
THE VOICES: Santa Claus Baby
THE WAILERS: Christmas Spirit??
THE WAITRESSES: Christmas Wrapping
RUFUS WAINWRIGHT: Spotlight On Christmas
WEDNESDAY WEEK: Christmas Here
THE WEEKLINGS: Gonna Be Christmas
KIM WESTON: Wish You A Merry Christmas
WHITE LIGHTNIN': Christmas In Vegas
THE WHO: Christmas
JUAN WILLIAMS: Dead, Dead, Dead
SONNY BOY WILLIAMSON: Santa Claus
WINGS: Wonderful Christmastime
ALICIA WITT: I'm Not Ready For Christmas

PETER WOOD SINGERS AND ORCHESTRA: The Christmas Song 
PETER WOOD SINGERS AND ORCHESTRA: Winter Wonderland 
ROY WOOD WITH WIZZARD: I Wish It Could Be Xmas Every Day 
DAVID WOODARD: Around The Power Pop Tree
XTC: Countdown To Christmas Party Time 
XTC/THE THREE WISE MEN : Thanks For Christmas 
GREGG YETI AND THE BEST LIGHTS: Christmas Quarantine
NEIL YOUNG: Winterlong
THE YULE LOGS:  The Girl (For Christmas
THE YULE LOGS: Northpole 45789

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl airs Sunday nights from 9 to Midnight Eastern, on the air in Syracuse at SPARK! WSPJ 103.3 and 93.7 FM, streaming at SPARK stream, and on the Radio Garden app as WESTCOTT RADIO.

Wednesday, December 25, 2024

10 SONGS: 12/25/2024

10 Songs is a weekly list of ten songs that happen to be on my mind at the moment. The lists are usually dominated by songs played on the previous Sunday night's edition of This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl. The idea was inspired by Don Valentine of the essential blog I Don't Hear A Single.

       

This week's edition of 10 Songs draws exclusively from the playlist for This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio # 1265: The 26th Annual THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL RADIO Christmas Show.

JOHN AND YOKO: Happy Xmas (War Is Over)

From a previous post:

John Lennon and Yoko Ono's "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" was my favorite rock 'n' roll Christmas song for a long, long time, and it's still pretty far up there in my holiday music pantheon. I know that some folks don't like it or are sick of it, and that some even prefer that dishwater Paul McCartney thing (aka "The Cringe That Stole Christmas") when 'tis the season. 

I don't get that. Dig what you dig, of course, but man...I don't get that. To my ears, John and Yoko's Christmas single remains a stirring and engaging plea for peace on Earth, good will toward all. An obvious sentiment? I'm not looking for Proust here. "Happy Xmas" supplies the feels I want in my holiday music, its childlike hope (and children's chorus) never falling prey to the cynical or the overly earnest. It added an aching, awful sense of melancholy forty-four years ago this month. But I never get tired of hearing it.

I'm not one of those who blithely bash Paul McCartney, either. Seeing Macca perform live in 2017 was the highlight of my concert-goin' career, I listen to solo Paul more often than I listen to solo John, and they were equal partners in the greatest rock 'n' roll band this world will ever experience. Nonetheless: I can't stand "Wonderful Christmastime." I absolutely adore "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)."

(For my further thoughts on this subject, see my piece Yoko For Christmas.)

MIKE BROWNING: It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year

We debuted our pal Mike Browning's most wonderful new cover of "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" on last week's show, and we use it again this week (after our John and Yoko intro) to open The 26th Annual THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL RADIO Christmas Show. This year, I'm especially grateful to Mike for his invaluable assistance in advising, amending, and improving my 2024 book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1); our Mike's efforts on behalf of that project should secure him a permanent berth on Santa's NICE! list. Thanks again, Mike! Wonderful is as wonderful does.

(And speakin' of wonderful: We'll hear Mike Browning again on our Countdown show this coming Sunday night.)

THE GRIP WEEDS: Christmas, Bring Us [acoustic]

We'll also hear the Grip Weeds again on the Countdown show--the Grip Weeds are a fairly safe bet to appear on our Countdown in any given year--but this Christmas show spin of "Christmas, Bring Us" serves the additional Oh HELL Yeah! of promoting The Very Best Of Hi-Fi Christmas Party. We ARE Santa's elves! This new digital compilation comes to us from the visionary Keith Klingensmith's Futureman Records label, and it gathers the best from our man Dan Pavelich's Yuletide essential various-artists Hi-Fi Christmas Party discs. 

The Grip Weeds' "Christmas, Bring Us" was on 2006's Hi-Fi Christmas Party Volume 2 (and on the group's on 2011 collection Under The Influence Of Christmas), but I think--I think--this acoustic take is new to the Hi-Fi Christmas Party universe, and otherwise only available on the expanded deluxe edition of Under The Influence Of Christmas. I'd verify that, but c'mon--who has time to check stuff this time of year? Unique or not, your stocking ain't properly stuffed without The Very Best Of Hi-Fi Christmas Party

THE FLESHTONES: Hurray For Santa Claus

For Pia Zadora, wherever she is. 

And anyone who sez Santa Claus Conquers The Martians is one of the all-time worst films deserves nuttin' for Christmas--not even coal. Call the big guy! 

We spell it S-A-N-T-A C-L-A-U-S, hurray for Santy Claus! 

I figure the difference between spelling and pronunciation can be attributed to Martian accents.

DAVID WOODARD: Around The Power Pop Tree

The title track from David Woodard's 2024 Kool Kat Musik album Around The Power Pop Tree celebrates the enduring kvell of discovering the gift of music stacked under the ol' trimmed 'n' tricked out Tannenbaum. As someone whose own prevailing and pervasive love of the Kinks began with a Christmas 1976 present of a 2-LP British Invasion compilation, I can relate and affirm with wide eyes and raised fist.

In 2017, I wrote about the ongoing glow of the memories of past Christmas gifts:

"Christmas still inspires a warm and comfy feeling in my mind. There have been Yuletime moments that were less than glittery--developing car trouble on a snowy trek to Missouri in 1970, spending Christmas alone with a stack of old comic books and a bottle of Jack Daniels in 1982, suddenly having to fly to Ohio for a funeral in the early '90s, stuck home with chicken pox at the age of 36 in 1996, the first Christmas after a devastating family tragedy in 2008, and after my Dad died in 2012--yet I retain an instinct to associate Christmas with a feeling of happiness. The sadness is there, too; I see the empty chairs at the dinner table, I feel the drag of sand falling in the hourglass, I sense the finite nature of all we love. This Christmas has offered its own unique set of challenges. Sometimes it seems as if there are challenges poised to attack from all directions.

"And nonetheless: I love Christmas. I hope I always will. I hope yours is merry and bright. The challenges will wait for us, at least for a little, little bit. A spin of Nat King Cole. A sip of eggnog. A tree that casts its glow into our hearts. Presents to exchange, fleeting moments to share, food to savor, company to enjoy. It will not last forever.

"Except that it does. I can still be seven years old, if only for one day. Maybe you can be, too."

Since the above was written, I've lost my Mom and my oldest brother. My daughter got married--that's a happy memory--and there was, y'know, a pandemic. I have aged more than the mere seven years that the calendar pages indicate. But I'm okay. I still know delight, I still know joy, and I still feel the gratitude for the good things I've enjoyed. I still love. I am still loved.

So let's all gather around the power pop tree. David Woodard will lead us in song. (And we'll hear him again on the Countdown show, too. Another chance to gather 'round.)

THE IDEA: It's About That Time

The Greatest Record Ever Made!

THE RAMONES: Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight)

From a previous post:

The Ramones' "Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight)" is almost totally devoid of irony. It feels earnest, sincere. Honest. It really is a straightforward love song, Ramonesified by its pace and the deliberate quirk of its lyrical queries about the whereabouts of Santa, his sleigh, and his errant reindeer. Where is Rudolph, where is Blitzen, baby?

Merry Christmas. Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas.

No relationship is free of discord. Lovers, friends, siblings, other family members. Disagreements and arguments will occur, and no amount of love can alter that truth. Some relationships aren't worth saving. 

Some are.

I love you, and you love me
And that's the way it's got to be
I loved you from the start
'Cause Christmas ain't the time for breaking each other's heart.

No matter what Her Majesty's Ramones the Beatles insisted, it is not true that all you need is love. Nor is it a fact that love conquers all. But mutual love? Respect? Consideration? My friends, that can accomplish a lot. Love can change the world. It can't do it alone...but it can do it if love accompanies love. Love with love, together, side by side? 

It can happen.

It has to happen. 

Peace on Earth. Good will toward all. It's an elusive goal. 

But it's our only hope. 

Hope begins with love. Maybe the Ramones are unlikely avatars of hope and love. On "Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight)," they nail it nonetheless.

Merry Christmas. We don't want to fight tonight. As tonight becomes tomorrow, as tomorrow becomes today, we could do worse than listening to the Ramones. 

Like swords into ploughshares: Anyone up for decorating a baseball bat?

LIBRARIANS WITH HICKEYS: Listen, The Snow Is Falling

Another act we'll be hearing on the Countdown show, Librarians With Hickeys merit extra gravitas for forcing me to appreciate the splendor of Yoko Ono's "Listen, The Snow Is Falling." Yoko's original version was the B-side of "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)," but I'm not sure I ever heard any version of it prior to Librarians With Hickeys' mesmerizing 2016 cover. The Librarians' cover was itself a B-side (of the group's original "Jingle Jangle Heart"); the A-side is terrific--a Grade-A prime example of why we adore Librarians With Hickeys--but we can't resist "Listen, The Snow Is Falling." It's become a TIRnRR Christmas season prerequisite, and it prompted me to seek out Yoko's also-mesmerizing rendition. Worth a listen, again and again.

(And yes, there will be original Librarians With Hickeys music on the Countdown show, but we're also really, really looking forward to hearing a new cover they're recording for a 2025 project. The hype for that project will fall like Syracuse snow when its own season arrives.)

THE MONKEES: Riu Chiu

From a previous post:

The Christmas episode of The Monkees aired at the end of 1967, a big year for the Monkees. Their biggest year, actually; they probably outsold the Beatles. Michael Nesmith once suggested that the Monkees outsold the Beatles and the Rolling Stones combined in '67, and later claimed that he was joking, and testing to see if anyone would take the claim seriously. But whether he made it up or whether it's true, it's plausible. The Monkees were really, really popular in 1967. It was all going to go away in 1968.

But when they did the Christmas episode, the Monkees--Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, and Peter Tork--were on top of the world. They had proven themselves to anyone willing to be sufficiently open-minded to accept, y'know, evidence. Granted, even as they started to play some of their own music, they were still managed, still part of a corporate machinery. But they had a hand in what they were doing.

In the Christmas episode, near the end of the show, the Monkees come on, just the four of them--Micky, Davy, Michael, and Peter--and do an a cappella performance of a 16th century Spanish folk song called "Riu Chiu." It's stunning. If you haven't seen it, you must. Talentless? Boy band? That's absurd. Watch the video. If you don't agree there's talent there, you aren't paying attention.

I'm a believer. Monkees fans are believers by definition. As we listen to the Monkees sing at Christmas, we acknowledge that Christmas itself invites belief. I am not religious by any stretch of the imagination. I don't belong to any church, and I'm not part of any organized faith. But I believe in the Golden Rule. I believe that we can be good, that we can be better than we are. That we can improve, and become the sort of souls we wish we could be. I believe that such belief transcends creed.

Belief is its own reward. Join us.

Believe.

GEORGE HARRISON: Ding Dong, Ding Dong

Ring out the old, ring in the new. But don't discard anything more than what should be consigned to the dustbin. There are good things, great things, we must retain and maintain, But we must remain open to new things, in hope that they can eventually become good old things for us to retain and maintain.

Here's to the old, and here's to the new. Happy Holidays from Dana and Carl.

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My new book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1) is now available, and you can order an autographed copy here. You can still get my previous book Gabba Gabba Hey! A Conversation With The Ramones from publisher Rare Bird Books, OR an autographed copy here. If you like the books, please consider leaving a rating and/or review at the usual online resources.

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl airs Sunday nights from 9 to Midnight Eastern, on the air in Syracuse at SPARK! WSPJ 103.3 and 93.7 FM, streaming at SPARK stream and on the Radio Garden app as WESTCOTT RADIO. Recent shows are archived at Westcott Radio. You can read about our history here.