Friday, December 30, 2011

Capricorn & Jones

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

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Christmas Sun

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

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Christmas In The Air

A Holiday Carole

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

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?

Monday, December 5, 2011

Christmas Day (I Wish I Was Surfing)

Fast forward to track five, by Tim & Emmy.

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Cha Cha All The Way

In my tradition of discovering fads that faded out long ago, I've been enjoying the Capitol Ultra-Lounge:Christmas Cocktails CD series from the short-lived mid-90s "cocktail" revival. This is one of my favorite songs from the first volume, second up on this year's holiday mix.



This is one of two available songs by Capitol Studio Orchestra along with another version of "Jingle Bells" with hep-cat lyrics by Johnny Mercer. There must be an entire CSO Christmas album out there somewhere.

My favorite Christmas "cocktail" is Alton Brown's Wassail. Ale and apples mix well together.

Friday, December 2, 2011

The Bell That Couldn't Jingle

The first song on my Xmas comp is something I've been wanting to include for awhile.



Last year I was listening to "Holiday Jangle" by the Found Sound Orchestra, and thought the sample sounded familiar, but I couldn't place it. It was from this song, which I have on that LP displayed above (A&M's Something Festive -- possibly the only song on this year's mix that I own on physical media) but hadn't heard in ages. I added the FSO intro to my version, which is why the levels are so weird.

"Bell That Couldn't Jingle" was a mini-standard during that period in the mid-60s when every album was mandated by law to have at least one Bacharach/David (this is actually a Bacharach/Kusik song). The version on my Spotify playlist is by Herb Alpert, because they don't have Burt's version, probably because it isn't even on CD.

Thursday, December 1, 2011

Eleven Pipers Piping

Happy December! Here is my 2001 Xmas playlist for everyone's enjoyment

(click image to download)

ELEVEN PIPERS PIPING: XMAS 2011
01. The Bell That Couldn't Jingle - Burt Bacharach
02. Cha-Cha All the Way - The Capitol Orchestra
03. Come All Ye Faithful Surfer Girls - The Chevelles
04. We Four King - The Blue Hawaiians
05. Christmas Day (I Wish I Was Surfing) - Emmy the Great & Tim Wheeler
06. Six White Boomers - Fleshtones
07. Seven Nation Santa - Smash-Up Derby
08. Meet Me Under the Mistletoe - Harry & the Potters
09. Santa Don't Go - Farrah
10. Merry Christmas All - The Grip Weeds
11. Christmas On My Mind - Hep Stars
12. Candy Cane - The Jigsaw Seen
13. Beautiful Xmas Lights - James Kochalka Superstar
14. Christmas with the Devil - Judith Owen
15. Christmas in the Air - Carole King
16. Last Christmas Twist - Fettdog
17. The Little Wiped-out Drummer Boy - The Spongetones
18. Everything Is One Big Christmas Tree - The Magnetic Fields
19. All I Want is Truth (for Christmas) - The Mynabirds
20. Cherry Cherry Christmas - Neil Diamond
21. Christmas All Over This Town - The Plimptons
22. Christmas Day - She & Him
23. Blue on Christmas - Erica Smith
24. Put The Lights On The Tree - Sufjan Stevens
25. Child's Christmas In Wales - Superchunk
26. I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day - Wilson Phillips
27. First Of May / Thank You For Christmas - The Bee Gees

The collection is also on Spotify, minus a few unavailable songs, which are replaced with holiday songs by Justin Bieber and Coldplay, so it's all good.