I guess it can go towards any holiday, but Christmas sticks out in my mind.

It is easy to make a humorous song parody that is funny the first few times you hear it like Bob Rivers (many) or any of the many parodies of the twelve days of Christmas. It is another thing to make a fresh song that wears well. The few examples I can think of are the Kinks Father Christmas... well the others must be forgettable. There is something by the Pretenders and the Waitresses. (I think that was their name.) (Of course I'm still glad they all get put away for a year on Dec. 26th.)

The song is "Christmas Wrapping" by The Waitresses or "2000 Miles" by The Pretenders.

Does the Lennon classic "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" count? If so, then I nominate that.

So Weird Al's "Christmas at Ground Zero" wouldn't make the cut, huh?

For the record, Blue, I suspect the song you refer to is the Waitresses'. Does it have the lines

"Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas
But I wish I missed this one this year."?

Some of my faves:

"Christmas With the Devil" - Spinal Tap

"A Totally Ridiculous Twelve Days of Christmas Or A Cat Caught in a Pear Tree" - Frank Welker (I'd love to find a recording of this.)

"Whip Me Santa Claus" - Krypton (Another I'd like to get a copy of.)

"I Saw Daddy Kissing Santa Claus" - Kip Adotta

"Christmas Eve in Sarajevo" - Savatage (This is a great majestic instrumental. An absolute all time favorite. I strongly recommend it.)

Simply because it contains the line, "it's comin' on Christmas," I nominate the song "River," by Joni Mitchell.

How about Bob&Doug's 12 days?

"On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me... a Beer! (in a tree...)

Take off, eh!

Or how about "Mr Hanky, The Christmas Poo" from South Park. And Kyle's (also from South Park) "A Lonely Jew at Christmas"? (No offense intended Scott.)

No problem.

"R2-D2, We Wish You a Merry Christmas"
"What Do You Get a Wookie For Christmas(If He Already Owns a Comb)?"

And all the other bizzare, yet enjoyable songs on the Star Wars Christmas album.

"What Do You Get a Wookie For Christmas(If He Already Owns a Comb)?"

Wookie Porn? (And sadly, even though there's a smiley, I'm serious... see the board for the special).

I would not count any Weird Al or Bob Rivers or any comedy stuff because the fourth (or four hundredth) time the radio plays it you want to kill the DJ. (Preferably while walking around in women's underwear.)

I know they are funny now, but wait until you get older and have heard enough of the incriminating Claus marks on Grandma’s back.

The star wars Christmas album? I think that mostly falls under comedy, but I'm sure there are many serious songs that will be remembered long after Christianity has faded and people need "Christmas" explained to them.

So that puts the kibosh on over half of what I've listed. On the other hand, "Christmas Wrapping" by the Waitresses is also a novelty song. (I first heard it on Dr, Demento's radio show.) So...

So, how about "Christmas" by the Who?

Blue Oyster Cult's "Redeemed"? ("Up on the old North Forty/I'm sure it was Christmas day/When Sir Rastus Bear/Taught children how to play.")

Or Stevie Wonder's "I Wish"? ("And my only worry/Was for Christmas what would be my toy?")

Actually the whole novelty song angle is legit to me. There are people who strangely enough still crack up whenever they hear "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer". Even after hearing it 12 million times. Me? I wish the damned reindeer would run over Patsy and Elmo.

Benn,

I never heard "Christmas" by the Who, BOC's "redeemed" or Stevie Wonder's "I wish". I assume they would make it.

OK, the Waitresses thing is out. I never assumed it was laugh out loud funny to begin with. (You gotta admit "a beer ... in a tree" was funny the first few times you heard it.)

I don't know the artist, don't fancy the song, but I guess "Jingle Bell Rock" kinda fits. (Was that Patsy Kline and you refered too it already? If it was, thanks for embedding it in my brain.)

Novelty songs? That's a tough call. After all aren't all songs meant to get lots of exposure from Thanksgiving until Christmas and be put away for a year on December 26th novelty songs?

Does that put "novelty songs" back into it? Well, sorta. "All I want for Christmas is my liposuction" by Ru Paul doesn't make it, nor the "Jingle Bell" dogs. "Wonderful Christmas Time" by Paul McCartney might make it. (What is "it" frankly I don't know.)

You got a pretty encyclopedic knowledge of music, Benn. You got any idea what I'm talking about. (A half idea would be 40% more than me.)

"I never heard "Christmas" by the Who, BOC's "redeemed" or Stevie Wonder's "I wish". I assume they would make it."

Well, B.O.C.'s "Redeemed" and Stevie Wonder's "I Wish" refer to X-Mas only in the lines quoted. Just as Sparrow47 mentioned "River" by Joni Mitchell, and it only refers to Christmas in one line, so did I mention those two songs.

And while I'm not surprised you're unfamiliar with the Cult's "Redeemed" (it was the last track from their debut album. Todd Pence might be the only other person in these parts who knows it.) and The Who's "Christmas" (unless you've listened to the original Tommy album, then you've at least heard it), I find it a little difficult to believe you haven't heard Little Stevie Wonder's "I Wish". IIRC, you're fairly close to my age. "I Wish" was a no. 1 back in '76. I don't see how anyone could've missed it back then. Then again, I've heard references to hit tunes from those days I've never heard note one from.

(Just for the record, the chorus for "I Wish" was

"I wish those days could come back once more.
Why did those days ever have to go?
'Cos I love them so."

It's a classic. One of Stevie's best.)

"K, the Waitresses thing is out. I never assumed it was laugh out loud funny to begin with. (You gotta admit "a beer ... in a tree" was funny the first few times you heard it.)"

"Christmas Wrapping", I agree, isn't a burst laughing out-oud song. It's more twisted and ironic. The singer (Chris Butler) meets a guy at the grocery store, who, like she did, forgot to buy cranberries for the Christmas dinner. ("D@mn. You forgot cranberries, too?")

Like a lot of New Wave bands at the time (Devo and the Sparks to name two), the Waitresses were borderline cartoonish. They were best known for their song "I Know What Boys Like" ("Boys like/Boys like/Boys like me."), sung in a robotic monotone. Other "hits" by them included "P*ssy Strut" (a personal favorite. Dunno why. 0;-]) and the theme to the TV show "Square Pegs". Nothing too deep or insightful there. They were just a fun, poppy New Wave band.

"I don't know the artist, don't fancy the song, but I guess "Jingle Bell Rock" kinda fits. (Was that Patsy Kline and you refered too it already? If it was, thanks for embedding it in my brain.)"

Not a peep out of me about it. I liked it better as a kid, really. I still kinda like it. For the record, that was Bobby Helms who recorded it. Unless you mean "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree". Then we're talkin' Brenda Lee.

"Novelty songs? That's a tough call. After all aren't all songs meant to get lots of exposure from Thanksgiving until Christmas and be put away for a year on December 26th novelty songs?"

No. "The Curly Shuffle" is a novelty song and it can be played anytime of the year. All of Weird Al's stuff falls under the novelty song rubric, too. Songs that get played at a certain time of the year are "Seasonal". A novelty song is usually a comedy song. There are exceptions, but off hand, I can't think of any (and will kick myself when I finally do remember one). The bottom line is a novelty song is not restricted to a certain time of the year or tied to any one holiday.

"You got a pretty encyclopedic knowledge of music, Benn. You got any idea what I'm talking about. (A half idea would be 40% more than me.) "

Kinda. I think what you're talking about are songs that are not the "traditional" Christmas carols - "Come All Ye Faithful", "Away in A Manger", "Silent Night", "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" or "Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer" - but have the ability to survive repeated listenings. They endure. They have become classics or a "tradition" unto themselves. (Certainly Patsy & Elmo's gawdawful [and I apologize to anyone who actually still likes this song] "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" has become a Christmas tradition.)

If this is true; if this is what you mean, then certain novelty songs almost have to be listed. If only because they have stood the test of time.

So, am I anywhere near what you mean?

"You got a pretty encyclopedic knowledge of music, Benn."

You should see my CD collection. I probably have about a thousand or so albums. It's about as bad as my collection of books and comics.

Oh yeah, I love "Father Christmas" by The Kinks, too.

"You got a pretty encyclopedic knowledge of music, Benn."

I'd like to, at this point, mention that I'm not the only one around here who's like that. When they were posting here Miko Iko and Blitz were quite knowledgable. And of the current group there's Sparrow47, Craig Rohloff, goog, Sven of Nine and Todd Pence. Their knowledge of music seems to be about the same as mine, if not better. I'm often in awe of how much they know and of their tastes in music. Todd in particular freaks me out and leaves me feeling like an idiot.

I just felt compelled to acknowledge them, too.

Wow, Benn, I'm surprised to make your list! I never considered myself "encyclopedic" regarding music knowledge; I've often learned quite a bit from reading your (and other's) posts on these boards. (Although most of what I have posted has been from memory, which means when someone supplies a link to more info I could have/should have looked up on my own, I feel like an idiot!) But thanks, all the same.

So, has anyone heard "I've got some presents for Santa, and he's got a big one for me," sung in a sultry voice by a woman? Lots of hilarious (or sophomoric, depending upon your point of view) word play/double entendres. I think it was written or co-written by Bill Mummy of Lost in Space fame, though I may be confusing that with another song. (There I go, not looking stuff up again!) Doesn't get much airplay, even at this time of year.

Another goofy song is sung in the 'Alvin and the Chipmunks' style: "Holy S***, It's Christmas!" One line in particular caught me so off guard that I almost drove off the road from laughing so hard. IMO, this one doesn't have as much lasting power as some of the others cited on this board.

While you may not be "encyclopedic", you seem quite knowledgable Craig. I mean, how many people have heard of Saga? As far as having to look things up, well, there's a reason I have the All Music Guide website and several lyrics websites bookmarked and about eight rock and roll encyclopedia books.

I hate to bring up the Bob Rivers Comedy Corp., but their song "Wreck the Malls" still works for me. It's not as funny any more, but it has some great guitar work in it. It still rocks. So does "I Am Santa Claus".

Another off color song I like is "Ho Ho, F***ing Ho" by Kevin "Bloody" Wilson. ("H ho f***ing ho/What a crock of sh*t/We all work for Santa Claus/We've had enough/We quit/We do all the dirty work/While he stars in the show/Stick your Christmas up your @ss/Ho ho, f***ing ho".) Definitely a theme song for all the Scrooges out there.

Bah, humbug!

Lol

BTW, does anyone remember Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" Surely that song belongs on this list.

Wrong era gor me, but Elvis's "Blue Christmas" (Ba-do-da-do-dado ) Benn, you're right about some person who needs pychiatric help because they actually like "Granma got run over by a raindeer," (C'mon, if I need pychiatric help just because I hear it way too often...)

I remember band aid's "Do they know it is Christmas." I assume it has faded since it first came out. (It was better than "We are the World" [IMO, of course] despite not having as jingoistic a title.)

You ever hear Seymour Swine's "Blue Christmas"? It's basically Porky Pig singing it. Hilarious.

I'm not sure I'd characterize people who like "Grandma..." as needing psychiatric help. But if having heard it 20 million times and you still like it, you have a greater level of tolerance than I do. What's sickening to me is how rich Patsy and Elmo are because of that damned song. I wish I could write one song like that. Bring on the royalty checks!

I agree with you that "Do They Know It's Christmas?" is the superior song to "We Are the Weird", er "World". (Must remember that Joe Bob Briggs got fired by The Dallas Times Herald for that parody.) But Band Aid's Bob Geldoff and Midge aren't in the same league as "World's" Michael Jackson. (They're better actually. Just don't tell the "King of Pop" that.) Jacko was, at the time, riding high on the wave of his greatest popularity; something that he'll never achieve again, methinks. Mostly because of how increasingly weird and mentally unstable Michael appears to have become.

Timbuk3 had a Christmas song that's all but forgotten. It was released as a single only. Fortunately, thanks to Napster, I have it on a CD. The song was "All I Want for Christmas". ("Is world peace.") It was played on Dr. Demento's show once, apparently by request. Barry Hanson (Dr. Demento) even questioned whether it was truly demented. The song, with some interesting world play, was a protest against the violence ingrained in our society.

I like Christmas Wrapping.

I like Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer as well, as long as they don't play it over & over again.
Wasn't there a story about a DJ who had gotten depressed and played it over & over again until they had to break down the studio door and stop him?
BTW can you believe that some outfit made a cartoon from this song? Talk about scraping the bottom of the barrel.
Also IIRC somebody did a parody of this song as New Kids Got Run Over By A Reindeer. (A parody of a novelty song??? When will the madness end? ;-)

I like Yonny Yohnson's christmas songs. As long as they are interspersed with other songs. I did hear the album once and dat vas jus' a bit too much Scandahoovian fer me.

I like the original Santa Baby. Didn't care much for Madonna's version.

A song I'd like to hear again is The Twelve Days After Christmas (I think that was the title). Heard it only once. The gal is singing about what she's doing with all the stuff that her now ex-boyfriend had given her. Liked the ending where she's getting rid of the ladies dancing, pipers piping, drummers drumming... "Well, I kept one drummer." Gasp from the backup singers.

Another cute one was Hal And Lulu by The Amazing Pink Things.
"Hal And Lulu
Hal And Lulu
Our neighbors next door"

A stretch for a Christmas song would be Temperence Union, I think by the Kingston Trio (or maybe the Chad Mitchell Trio), mainly for the section "We wish you a Merry Fruitcake!"

Jon Bon Jovi did a nice version of a Christmas song, but the best thing about it was the music video starring Cindy Crawford.

One problem with picking nontraditional Christmas Songs would seem to be that there are so many & such a limited time for any one to become popular. Someone might hear a song & think it's new only to discover that it may be decades old.

Then besides the Seasonal/Novelty aspect of some songs there can also be a Regional factor. Years ago they had an album out called Christmas In The Northwest, with a song of the same title. Recently they've been advertising Christmas In The Northwest V, and, I'm guessing, it contains another version of the title song. I think I heard this song once, but I can't remember anything other than the title verse.

There was another parody of "Grandma" in which it was revealed that it was Grandpa who ran over Grandma.

Cat Woman Eartha Kitt was the one who originally recorded "Santa Baby" and it is the better version. No doubt.

And there is "Grandpa got run over by a beer truck" (Granma got ajob at the brewery. We didn't know she could drive that way.) And there is Grandpa is goin offf to federal prison.

"Felix Navidad" fits. (No, I don't like it, but it fits.)

"Feliz Navidad".

"Felix Navidad", where a Christmas tree comes out of the Bag of Tricks, and the Master Cylinder and the Professor try to steal Poindexter's presents.

It's A Fanboy Christmas by The Great Luke Ski.

It's a fanboy christmas,
From Roswell to Missour-ah.
We're wishing Happy Kwanzza,
To Lando and Uhura.

"Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight)"
by the Ramones.

I heard part of a song called "Toy Sack," sung to the tune of B-52's "Love Shack."

Here's some:

"Come On Christmas" by Cheap Trick
"Merry Christmas, Baby" - Chuck Berry
"Run Rudolph, Run" - Chuck Berry
"I Believe In Father Christmas" - Emerson, Lake and Palmer
"Step Into Christmas" - Elton John
"Christmas (Please Come Home)" - U2
"Christmas All Over" - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers


n.p. - "Playback" - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

"Little St. Nick" -- The Beach Boys ("Christmas comes this time each year!")

If you'd like to hear some rock/pop/soul tunes Christmas that you may have forgotten, go to www.lost45.com Barry Scott hosts a three hour Boston radio program that is also available on that website. Scott plays "lost classics" from the Sixties, Seventies and Eighties. It's three hours of great music that'll make you say, "God! I remember that song! I forgot all about it!" There's a new show every month.

Enjoy!

"unusual" Christmas tunes Weird songs that you never heard before and will probably never hear again.

Don't know if it qualifies as a Christmas song (although the station I was listening too seemed to think it was) because except for doing it to the tune of Winter Wonderland it didn't seem to have any Xmas elements, but Walking In A Seattle Latteland, I think by Duffy Bishop & the Rhythm Dogs. (This is a guess. One person in the song referred to the main singer as Duffy, and DB&TRD were a Northwest group.)

They could do a sequel song about taking a tour of a hotdog factory, and title it Walking in a Weiner Wonderland ...

A truly exceptional Hanuka disc was recently released- The Klezmatics' Woody Guthrie's Happy Joyous Hanuka. The songs range from whimsical dance numbers to historical narratives, and the performances and arrangements are consistently top notch.

There's a bit of a backstory of how the project came about: Guthrie wrote these songs during his later years in Brooklyn. He married into a Jewish family and lived across the street from his mother-in-law (poet/songwriter Aliza Greenblat) during that time. As he became immersed in the culture he started to write these songs to be played at community events. They were never recorded and became 'lost' until his daughter Nora recently discovered them. Nora had a connection with the Klezmatics through their recording of her Grandmother's Fisherlid(the bestest Klezmatics recording ever, imo), so she approached them with the idea of setting these songs to music a la the Mermaid Avenue albums, and she couldn't have made a better choice.

The disc is available through the Woody Guthrie Foundation, and it's a limited release, in case anybody's interested.

Here's another one: "It Doesn't Often Snow At Christmas" by the Pet Shop Boys.

I had to download it, it isn't on any of their albums.

How about pretty much anything by the Trans Siberian Orchestra?