Groovy Xmas

 Here is my holiday playlist for this year "Groovy Xmas", 
available via Spotify, YouTube , or download.

1. Groovy Xmas - The Linda Lindas
2. That Holiday Feeling - Amy Stroup
3. Christmas Time Rhyme - Ben Folds
4. Rock The Christmas Cheer - The Bongos
5. Everyday is Christmas - The Chamber Strings
6. Diners - Your Eyes Look Like Christmas
7. Christmas Time With You - The Dollyrots
8. Christmas, Why You Gotta Do Me Like This - Eels
9. This Christmas I Want Less - Eliott Murphy
10. Firework In The Falling Snow - New Pornographers
11. The Girl On Candy Cane Lane - The Hollyberries
12. A Holiday With You - Norah Jones
13. The Light Of Christmas Day - Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
14. Holiday - Little Big Town
15. Christmas (I Think I'm Gonna Be Sad) - Dan Miraldi
16. Here Comes The Season Again - Neil Finn
17. My Gift For You - Office Romance
18. We Won't Come Home At Christmas - Reds, Pinks, and Purples
19. Holiday Dream - Spring Summer
20. First Winter - Sunturns
21. When Winter Comes Around - The Lemon Twigs
22. Holidays - Meghan Trainor
23. It's Christmas Time - Vista Blue
24. Fancy Like Christmas - Walker Hayes
25. Holiday Spirit - The dB's 

Laughing All The Way

 That time of year again.  My 2021 Holiday Playlist "Laughing All The Way" is ready for downloading and streaming.   Here is the track listing.   Click on the photo to download.

LAUGHING ALL THE WAY: Christmas 2021

01. I Love The Christmastime - The Brothers Steve

02. Cold Christmas - The Aislers Set

03. Close Your Mouth (It's Christmas) - Free Design

04. Jingle Bells (Panama) - Dolph Chaney

05. Angels We Have Heard On High - The Decibels

06. Valley Winter Song - Field Mouse

07. I Don't Intend To Spend Christmas Without You - The Garlands

08. Groovy Time Of Year - The Bobbleheads

09. Home for Christmas - Field Music

10. The Winter of Life - Karla Kane

11. Winter Is Here - Lisa Mychols

12. Laughing All the Way - Marshall Holland

13. Make Way for the Holidays - Le Bon

14. The Needles - The Lilac Time

15. Jingle Bells (ft. Myles Joseph) - Kai Danzberg

16. Only Time of the Year - Brandy Clark

17. Charlie Brown Christmas Mashup - Pomplamoose

18. Snoopys Christmas - Johnathan Pushkar

19. Red Lights (Merry Christmas) - Dreams So Real

20. Christmas Sounds - Saturday's Children

21. Revels Without A Claus - Spygenius

22. Could Be Christmas Eve - The Cleaners From Venus

23. Christmas In Suburbia - Librarians With Hickeys

24. Next Year Will Be Mine - Whyte Horses

25. The Winter Is Cold -  Wendy and Bonnie

26. Flappie - Todd Rundgren

Click this link or the cover to download.   Also available via Spotify. 

That Christmasy Feeling

My 2019 Holiday Mix, heavy on classic 60s/70s Ken Burns Country, is ready for download.
Also on Spotify.

THAT CHRISTMASY FEELING - CHRISTMAS 2019
01. That Christmasy Feeling (Johnny & Tommy Cash)
02. Must Be Christmas (Band of Merrymakers)
03. Country Christmas (Loretta Lynn)
04. They Shined Up Rudolph's Nose (David Mayfield Parade)
05. Christmas Time's A Comin' (Emmylou Harris)
06. Christmas Is Coming to Town (Laurel City Ramblers)
07. Mr. & Mrs. Santa Claus (George Jones & Tammy Wynette)
08. Christmas In My Home Town (Charley Pride)
09. It's Christmas Time in Texas (Los Lobos)
10. Mediterranean X-Mas (Josh Rouse)
11. You Got a Bike (Kate Micucci)
12. Burnin' Mistletoe Holiday (Loveland Duren)
13. A Willie Nice Christmas [feat. Willie Nelson] (Kasey Musgraves)
14. Christmas Story (Nashville Bluegrass Band)
15. Home On Christmas Day (Buck Owens & Susan Raye)
16. Christmas Day at My House (Patty Loveless )
17. Rockin' Little Christmas (Carlene Carter)
18. May Ev'ry Day Be Christmas (Roseanne Cash)
19. Strangest Christmas Yet (Steve Martin & Steep Canyon Band)
20. The Pagans Had It Right (Devil in a Woodpile)
21. Christmas Stars (Whoa Melodic)
22. Ragged Winter Band (The Cleaners From Venus)
23. Waiting for Christmas (David Woodard)
24. Drink 'Til We Go Home (Lucy Spraggen)
25. One More Christmas Beer (Sonny Sweeney)
26. Wish You Well This Christmas (The Elftones)

 (click on image to download)

Happy Holiday Season!

All I Want For Xmas

Here is my 2018 Holiday Playlist, one week late this year

ALL I WANT FOR XMAS - CHRISTMAS 2018

01. All I Want For Xmas (Just My Baby) (Pop Etc)

02. Brand New Christmas (Ronnie D'addario)

03. Wish List  ( Colin & Caroline)

04. All I Want for Christmas is You  ( The Dollyrots)

05. Every Single Christmas (JD McPherson)

06. Christmas Tears (The Hit Parade)

07. It's Almost Christmas Time (Karen Basset)

08. Christmas in Hollywood (Kat Meoz)

09. Hollywood Holiday (Dude York)

10. It's Christmastime (The Empty Hearts)

11. Christmas Time (Is My Favourite Time Of The Year) (Jeremy Neale)

12. Cross You Off My List (Lola Kirke)

13. Little Saint Nick (Best Coast)

14. All I Want For Christmas (Is To Be With You) (Lisa Prank & Seattle's Little Helpers)

15. New Christmas Hymn (The Minus 5)

16. Wake up Christmas (Lisa Mychols)

17. Oh Santa Claus!  (The Christmas Cards)

18. Coal in My Fishnet Stocking (Palmyra Delran)

19. Santa! Cross the Border! (Los Damn Ramblers)

20. Merry Christmas Time (Somerdale)

21. Helluva Christmas (The Tearaways)

22. Happy Christmas Song (Snow Coats)

23. I Want To Be Alone On Christmas (Testa Rosa)

24. Christmas Eve at Kroger (The Traveller)

25. All That I Want (The Weepies)

26. My Green Christmas Tree (The 60s Invasion)

(click the image to download)

Also available on Spotify

Holiday Hootenanny

It's that time again for my Holiday mix. This year's mix is called "Holiday Hootenanny"

(click on the image to download)


HOLIDAY HOOTENANNY - CHRISTMAS 2017
01. I Wouldn't Trade Christmas (The Sinatra Family)
02. You're A Gift (The Both)
03. Merry Christmas Darlings (Cheap Trick)
04. Christmas All Over Again (Darlene Love)
05. Everybody Loves Christmas (Eddie Money & Ronnie Spector)
06. Look Around You (It's Christmas Time) (Bobby Goldsboro)
07. Christmas Everyday (The Frights)
08. Mistress For Christmas (Halestorm)
09. Holiday Hootenanny (Paul & Paula)
10. Christmas Treat (Julian Casablancas)
11. Kids Come Back Again At Christmas (Sloan)
12. Good King Wenceslas (Lilys)
13. Let's Make Christmas Love (BMX Bandits)
14. Merry Christmas Time (Somerdale)
15. Never Gonna Be Alone on Christmas (Work Drugs)
16. My Christmas Card To You (The Partridge Family)
17. You Trashed My Christmas (The Primitives)
18. Cool Yule (The Rebel Pebbles)
19. The Sweetest Season (Deerheart)
20. Snow in Sun (Tracey Thorn)
21. Christmas Is My Time of Year (The Christmas Spirit)
22. Verhanukkah (Kisswhistle)
23. Christmas Spirit? (The Wailers)
24. Revolution Wonderland (The Weeklings)
25. Christmas Celebration (Weezer)
26. Xmas Time Again (Pointed Sticks)

Shaka Kalikimaka

Here is this year's holiday compilation.  After moving to Hawai'i this Summer, I decided to assemble a more island-themed mix, with just one version of "Mele Kalikimaka".

SHAKA KALIKIMAKA - CHRISTMAS 2016
01. Aloha Christmas (The Dukes of Surf)
02. Christmas Island Medley (Aloha Delire)
03. Christmas On Big Island (The Blue Hawaiians)
04. The Merriest Hawaiian Christmas (The Brothers Cazimero)
05. Christmas In The Sand (Colbie Caillat )
06. Christmas In The Sun (Shake Some Action!)
07. Christmas Luau (Dario Russo)
08. O Come All Ye Faithful (Los Straitjackets)
09. Christmas Day  (I Wish I Was Surfing) (Emmy the Great & Tim Wheeler)
10. Christmas Wish (Friends of the Diddlers)
11. On A Christmas Morning (Grand Old Uke Of York)
12. Holiday Hula (Sistah Robi Kahakalua)
13. Shaka Kalikimaka (Imua)
14. Winter Wonderland (Jim "Kimo" West)
15. Linus and Lucy (Kalei Gamiao)
16. Kani Na Pele(Jingle Bells) (Kapoho)
17. Christmas Bells (Willie K)
18. Christmas Lu'au (Makaha Sons)
19. Aloha Kalikimaka (Maui Jam)
20. Kana Kaloka(Here Comes Santa Claus) (Na Leo)
21. Mele Kalikimaka On Christmas Day (Pandanus Club)
22. Love Is A Christmas Rose (Piney Gir)
23. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Seven Missing Santas)
24. Mele Kalikimaka (She & Him)
25. Santa's Hula (Hilo Hattie)
26. Here Comes Santa In A Red Canoe (Surfers)
27. Surfer Santa Claus (Ukulele Jim)
28. Surfin' Santa (Victoria Vox)
29. Deck The Halls (With Boughs of Longboards) (Rick Springfield)
30. Hark! the Christmas Angels Surf (Kludo White)

(click the Shaka to download)

Psychedelic Santa: Christmas 2015

That time of year again. My 2015 Holiday Compilation "Psychedelic Santa" is now ready for downloading and listening.  Click the image to do the first thing.

PSYCHEDELIC SANTA: CHRISTMAS 2015

01. The Grip Weeds - Welcome Christmas

02. Buzz Zeemer - Psychedelic Santa

03. Chipper - Groovy Christmas

04. Dallon Weekes - Sickly Sweet Holidays

05. Electric Prunes - A 67 Christmas

06. Chris Farren - Christmas Guitar

07. Glamourpuss - It's Only Christmas

08. Skip Haynes & Aliotta Haynes Jeremiah - Christmas On LSD

09. Her - Psychedelic Christmas

10. The Green Pajamas - I Wish That It Was Christmas

11. Jackie De Shannon - Do You Know How Christmas Trees Are Grown

12. Kylie Minogue - Christmas Isn't Christmas 'Til You Get Here

13. Alison Faith Levy & Karla Kane  - All I Want for Chanukah is a Ukulele

14. Misty's Big Adventure - Have Yourself a Psychedelic Christmas

15. The National - Christmas Magic [Bob's Buskers]

16. The Olms - Christmas Thyme

17. The Bellamy Brothers - Old Hippie Christmas

18. Zach Gill - Party Hard

19. Squirrel Nut Zippers - Santa Claus Is Smoking Reefer

20. Rotary Connection - Christmas Love

21. The Smoke Fairies - Bad Good

22. The Smoking Trees - The Psychedelic Lights of Christmas

23. Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings - Big Bulbs

24. Triangle Park - Christmas Lights

25. Faye and The Scrooges - X M A S

26. Untamed Youth - Santa's Gonna Shut 'Em Down

27. The Vestibules - Christmas on Acid

28. The Waistcoats - (I Wish You Could Be More) Like Santa Claus

29. GFOTY - Christmas Day

30. Andy Partridge - Psychedelic Christmas

Wreck The Halls

My 2014 Holiday Mix "Wreck The Halls" (named after one of my favorite holiday libations) is now ready for downloading and streaming. Merry Holiday Season!

WRECK THE HALLS: XMAS 2014
(click the label to download these 29 songs)

01. Here We Come a Wassailing - Marah

02. Christmas Time (Is Here Again) - Elephant Stone

03. Christmas Time Again - The Connection

04. Down By The Pharmacy - Young Fresh Fellows

05. Here We Are (On Christmas Day) - The Elftones

06. All I Want for Christmas (Is a Punk Rock Skunk) - Farmer Jason

07. Santa Make Me Good - The Grip Weeds

08. Christmas All The Time - The Green Pajamas

09. Wake Up - The Hipwaders

10. I Can't Wait - Richard X. Heyman

11. Open Up The Box Pandora - The Jigsaw Seen

12. Tinsel in the Rubbish Bin - King County Queens

13. Christmas Without You - Lannie Flowers

14. Merry Christmas to Me - Mike Barnett

15. (What's a Better Present) At Christmas Time - The Mockers

16. A Very Sorry Christmas - The New Mendicants

17. One Christmas At a Time - Jonathan Coulton & John Roderick

18. Every Day's A Holiday - Piney Gir

19. Aquaclaus - Bob Rivers

20. Deck the Halls - Relient K

21. Wear A Smile At Christmas - Paul Revere and The Raiders

22. Rock 'n' Roll Santa Claus - Suddenly, Tammy!

23. Terrible Presents - Faye and the Scrooges

24. No Lou This Xmas - Tom Dyer

25. Last White Christmas (Cream vs Glee) - Voicedude

26. Merry Christmas (I'm in Love With You) - Wyatt Funderburk

27. Island of Misfit Toys - The Misfits

28. Toymageddon - Yo La Tengo (feat. Ira Glass and Eugene Mirman)

29. Joy To the World (We Still Have Beer) - Christmas With Beer

Also available for streaming at spotify and rdio to give these artists their Cyber Monday micro-payments.

Everything's Gonna Be Better Next Year

My 2013 holiday mix is now (as of 30 minutes ago) ready for downloading (via dropbox) or streaming (via Spotify or Rdio).

 It's called "Everything's Gonna Be Better Next Year" after this song by the Rescues.  A lot of crummy things happened in 2013, but everything's gonna be better in 2014.  Here's the tracklist.

XMAS 2013: EVERYTHING'S GONNA BE BETTER NEXT YEAR
01. Rock N Roll Christmas (The Connection)
02. Christmastime Again (Brandon Wilde)
03. A 55 Telecaster Under My Tree (Carlene Carter & John Jurgenson)
04. Gettin' Drunk for Christmas (Rich McCulley)
05. Chris Hillman Christmas (The Britannicas)
06. On a Day Like Christmas (Cliff Hillis)
07. The Holly & the Ivy (Wayfarer)
08. It's Christmas (Coconut Records)
09. Once a Year (Justin Kline)
10. Agnostic Christmas (Liar's Club)
11. Maybe Next Xmas (Matt Piucci)
12. The North Pole Express (Nick Lowe)
13. North St. Grande (Stackridge)
14. Grey Holiday (The Orange Peels)
15. Out Of Season (Bill Lloyd)
16. Christmas in the Pines (Anny Celsi)
17. Christmas Snow (Greg Pope)
18. Christmas Wish (She & Him)
19. Regina Caeli (Three O Clock)
20. Christmas Girl (Boston Spaceships)
21  Christmas For The Free (The Zombies)
22. This Will Be Our Year (Susanna Hoffs)
23. Undecimber (Agony Aunts)
24. Christmas With You (Victoria Vox)
25. Christians and Pagans (Dar Williams)
26. 2600 (Jonathan Coulton & John Roderick)
27. Everything's Gonna Be Better Next Year (The Rescues)
download

All I Want For Christmas Is You.

Last Christmas, I finally conceded that Mariah's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" had become a holiday standard, and (banal lyrics aside) a fairly decent one as holiday standards go.

Here are two of my favorite versions by two Scandinavian bands, who strip the song to its core without all the bombast.

The Figurines (from Denmark)

The Genuine Fakes (from Sweden)

Christmas Sun

Reposted from last year.
If Badfinger had recorded a Christmas song in 1971, it would've sounded like this..


The song is titled "Christmas' Sun", but I think the apostrophe is unnecessary.

(There's No War On Christmas) If Christmas Is In Your Heart

A new holiday song by The Mockers.

Greatest Time of Year

or how I stopped worrying and learned to love Disney holiday music.
I've been sitting on this song for a few years, and it almost made the cut for this year's holiday mix. Maybe 2013?

Kay Thompson's Jingle Bells

Happy Birthday Andy Williams.

Here are the Williams Brothers doing a holiday medley with the Osmond Brothers
(in what may be the whitest Christmas ever).

After Andy Williams passed on earlier this year, I wanted to pay tribute by starting off my 2012 Christmas mix with one of his songs. I grew up with the 1963 Andy Williams Christmas album, which has become omnipresent over the past 50 years.

You can't enter a store during the month of December without hearing "It's the Holiday Season" or "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" at least a dozen times, but my favorite songs off the record were always "A Song For The Christmas Tree" (his version of "12 Days Of Christmas") and "Kay Thompson's Jingle Bells" (which should be called "Andy Williams' Jingle Bells").

Capricorn & Jones

Mike Nesmith and Davy Jones have the same birthday (December 30th = today!)

Christmas Sun

If Badfinger had recorded a Christmas song in 1971, it would've sounded like this..

Christmas Bring Us Peace On Earth

The Grip Weeds rule.

Christmas In The Air

A Holiday Carole

Six White Boomers

I've managed to mine the Fleshtones Xmas album for about four years straight. This song is like Rolf Harris collaborating with AC/DC. What the heck is a boomer anyway, Dave?

Christmas Day (I Wish I Was Surfing)

Fast forward to track five, by Tim & Emmy.