Comments on: Santa's Sackfull of Obscure Christmas Music

Santa's Sackfull of Obscure Christmas Music

jonson — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 17:25:17 -0800

So you're in the mood for some Christmas music, but you're tired of all the old standards. Not to worry, the web has you covered courtesy of several vinyl sharing blogs. First off, there's Check the Cool Wax, with the soundtrack to Rankin/Bass's Night Before Christmas, Pee-Wee's Christmas Special, Yuletide Disco, Western Christmas Songs & Exciting Christmas Stories featuring Batman, Superman & Wonder Woman. Much, much more inside.

By: jonson

jonson — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 17:26:07 -0800

In addition to the many other Holiday posts @ Check the Cool Wax, Big Rock Candy Mountain has Beatnik Christmas MP3's & Rockabilly Christmas MP3's. A Christmas Yule Blog has Holiday Greetings from Arnold Schwarzenegger, among many other offerings from sources as varied as The Pink Panther & Mae West. Ernie(not Bert) points us to a Merry Wurlitzer Christmas, Swing/Jazz Holiday Tunes from the early 70's & Charo's Coochie Choochie Christmas. Of course, Fa La la la la (dot com) is going to have a bunch of stuff, chief among them this Pre-Donny & Marie Osmond Brothers Barbershop Quartet (seriously) singing Deck the Halls. Senses Working Overtime has more good stuff than you can possibly download, including two Jean ("A Christmas Story") Shepard radio plays from the mid 70's (plus two more here), romance/seduction themed Christmas tunes, & a ton of holiday themed retro print advertisements, all collected in this great Flickr photoset. The Wonderful Wonderblog has a collection of theme songs from famous Cartoon seasonal specials, as well as the appaulingly bad Star Wars Holiday Album (warning: don't listen to it). Last but certainly not least, fans of Power Pop (Fountains of Wayne, Cheap Trick, etc) should enjoy this collection of jangly guitar covers of Holiday Standards.

By: monju_bosatsu

monju_bosatsu — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 17:33:01 -0800

Have a very Menudo Christmas.

By: monju_bosatsu

monju_bosatsu — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 17:37:32 -0800

Also, I had that Star Wars Holiday album when I was a little kid, and listened to it constantly. It's only now I realize what a miracle it is that my parents didn't strangle me in my sleep.

By: Dr. Zira

Dr. Zira — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 17:48:50 -0800

Thank you for making me realize how much I needed the Charo Christmas album in my life. You have made my day with your linky bits and I salute you.

By: UbuRoivas

UbuRoivas — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 17:56:36 -0800

What? No Sufjan Stevens xmas album? (warning: Pitchfork review)

By: HyperBlue

HyperBlue — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 18:19:59 -0800

Excellent find jonson, oh ye of musical might, but for the last coupla XMases pinkstainlesstail's version of Jingle Rock Bell has been in constant rotation at me casa. Can't use the link button on my handheld so cut/paste: http://ask.metafilter.com/mefi/13267#230831

By: interrobang

interrobang — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 18:31:24 -0800

Awesome post.

By: samsarah

samsarah — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 18:40:20 -0800

I've always been a big fan of the stuff over at Suburban Sprawl...

By: Jimbob

Jimbob — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 19:59:23 -0800

Highly reccomended if you can get your greasy paws on it: John Denver + The Muppet's christmas album. That shit can't be faulted.

By: caddis

caddis — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 20:10:05 -0800

Merry Christmas from the Beatles (1965).

By: jonson

jonson — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 20:11:06 -0800

w00t! thanks, caddis.

By: evilcolonel

evilcolonel — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 20:24:49 -0800

I remember the night Pee-Wee's Christmas first aired. I remember not getting to see a lot of it because some plane had blown up over some town in Scotland.

By: moonbird

moonbird — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 20:40:08 -0800

Don't assume I'm in the mood for moronic odes to an illegitimate brat born in a friggin' stables, with mum and dad pattering on about him being the Messiah and all that to save themselves from the embarrassment of one lowly Craigslist advert for an anonymous threesome that's now gotten way, way out of hand.

By: moonbird

moonbird — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 20:41:12 -0800

i keeeed, nice post.

By: caddis

caddis — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 20:47:11 -0800

oh quit your bitching and bring that kid some frankincense and myrrh, and then trance out on these funky xmas sounds

By: Artifice_Eternity

Artifice_Eternity — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 20:54:25 -0800

I post a holiday-oriented MP3 every year on my music blog. Last year it was Beck's Hanukah rap. A couple years before that it was Neurotron 606's "I Cloned Myself For Christmas." Haven't decided what to post this year yet. </selflink>

By: blasdelf

blasdelf — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 21:01:24 -0800

Soma FM's seasonally available Christmas Stream is always great. DJ Riko's Christmas Mixes are also terrific, though he hasn't put one up for 2006 yet.

By: benign

benign — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 21:11:22 -0800

A friend just called to inform me about Billy Idol Singing Jingle Bell Rock. There's also Happy Holiday and White Christmas, linked from the same page.

By: madamjujujive

madamjujujive — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 21:19:48 -0800

That's just wrong, benign. Billy Idol morphed into Perry Como.

By: myopicman

myopicman — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 22:34:44 -0800

Found this earlier today: Christmas a Go Go!, which is a Xmas music blog with an exotica vibe.

By: Listener

Listener — Sun, 03 Dec 2006 23:42:10 -0800

Best Christmas song, "St. Stephen's Day Murders," by Elvis Costello and Paddy Moloney.

By: jack_mo

jack_mo — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 03:09:14 -0800

I've alwys been partial to the V/Vm Christmas Cracker (click 'tracklisting' to get the MP3s), and Cassetteboy's Festive Christmas. Also, the 1981 Ze Records Christmas Record is a hoot - Cristina, James White, Alan Vega et al, all doing not-so-jolly Christmas hits.

By: piratebowling

piratebowling — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 03:35:56 -0800

Pee-Wee's Christmas special is a work of art. Magic Johnson, Little Richard, Grace Jones, Annette Funacello and K.D. Lang, all in the same place.

By: thekilgore

thekilgore — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 05:58:33 -0800

Oh my - that record cover with the superheroes is wonderful. Batman with a white beard? And I love how someone wrote "Jones" right next to it so it looks like it reads "Batman Jones". Just precious.

By: pax digita

pax digita — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 07:45:08 -0800

Could some kind, highly knowledgeable soul(s) listen to this YouTube post and tell me who the heck these people are? (I guessed the first one might be Aimee Mann....beautiful voice, interresting arrangement.) TIA & hugs, pax d.

By: Robot Johnny

Robot Johnny — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 14:27:15 -0800

pax digita -- that's not Aimee Mann, it's (and I'm embarrassed to admit I know this) Sixpence None the Richer.

By: winston

winston — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 21:27:05 -0800

I have the Yuletide Disco LP. The best 99 cents I ever spent.

By: pax digita

pax digita — Tue, 05 Dec 2006 05:20:00 -0800

Robot Johnny, thank you muchly. I have no prob at all with who it is -- I know it's fashionable to diss 6pNTR, but hell, I liked "Kiss Me" even though it got too much airplay. Negative contact on the rock-guitar solo and the punk band, though, huh? Oh, well, one out of three ain't bad.