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Getting into the holiday spirit

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Illinois
YouTube

* The days are ticking down fast to Christmas, so I think I’m going to post my favorite off-beat holiday videos pretty often throughout the week.

This is one of my all-time faves. Robert Earl Keen’s Merry Christmas from the Family…

Fred and Rita drove from Harlingen
I can’t remember how I’m kin to them
But when they tried to plug their motor home in
They blew our Christmas lights
Cousin David knew just what went wrong
So we all waited out on our front lawn
He threw a breaker and the lights came on
And we sang ‘Silent Night, Oh Silent Night, Oh Holy Night’

Do you have any requests? Speak up now.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 2:12 pm

Comments

Father Christmas from the Kinks. Still my alltime favorite holiday rock and roll tune.

Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 2:14 pm
How about some of the old Beatles Christmas recordings? They sound just as good as ever.

Comment by Stones Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 2:18 pm
“Snoopy’s Christmas” by The Royal Guardsmen… the sequel to “Snoopy vs. the Red Baron”.

I had a 45 rpm record of “Snoopy’s Christmas” as a kid and played it to death all year round

Comment by Secret Square Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 2:21 pm
Check out the “Chris Christmas Rodriguez” clips on YouTube. Those are definitely a Christmas “must.”

Comment by unclesam Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 2:23 pm
John Lennon: Happy Christmas

and anything from A Charlie Brown Christmas

Comment by Pot calling kettle Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 2:27 pm
Twisted Sister “Oh Come All Ye Faithful”

Comment by IL Yeezy Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 2:29 pm
The reason I love this video so much is that it’s a working class guy laughing at his own family’s disfunction, but in a way that’s honest and mostly positive. Sure, they have their problems, but they all have a great time doing it, and in the end they all understand the reason for the season, so to speak.

It’s probably the most touching Christmas song ever written. To me, at least.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 2:33 pm
grandama got runover by a raindeer.

Comment by Moving to Oklahoma Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 2:43 pm
Dan Fogelberg : Same Old Lang Syne

Comment by Anon Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 2:44 pm
I thought about posting The Pogues’ Fairytale Of New York, but the lyrics are just too blog inappropriate. Too bad, because it’s a great song. Search YouTube for it. Then search for the lyrics.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 2:44 pm
When I was coming back from lunch the radio station was playing Bob and Doug MacKenzie’s 12 Days of Christmas. Still hilarious.

Comment by Scooby Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 2:55 pm
“Blue Christmas” by Porky Pig

Comment by Esteban Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 2:55 pm
The Island of Defeated Pols - “The Island of Misfit Toys”, from the classic Rudolph, enhanced by VanillaMan

We’re on the Island of Defeated Pols
Here we don’t want to stay
We had our chance to voice our cause
But lost on Election Day!

A ballot stuffed with votes
Means you spent many banknotes
For Hull and Oberweis
Take Gidwitz’s advice
When Election Day is here
Your campaign will fall flat on it’s ear.

“I will balance the budget
and not raise your tax.”
“He’s going at the budget,
with Lizzie Borden’s axe!”
When Election Day is here
We always fall right on our rear!

Ads galore. TV ads that bore.
Make the voters snore.
Appeal only to the political hardcore.

An endorsement from Obama
Or a union or two
Perhaps Palin will say, “I’d vote for you!”
When Election Day is here
We’ll hear our opponent’s cheer.

–(This part is spoken)–
How would you like to be a Moderate Republican?
Or a Conservative Pro-Life Democrat?
Or an incumbant during a economic bust?
We’re all Losers!
How would you like to be a Blagojevich appointee? I am!
Or an anti-gun supporter who lives Downstate?
Or Mayor Richard M. Daley?
We’re all Losers!

–(back to singing)–
If we’re on the Island of Defeated Pols
We’ll miss all the fun that the GA controls
When Election Day is here
The most fearful, ungraceful, hurtful, distasteful, painfullest day of the year!

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 2:58 pm
Christmas Tree - Lady Ga Ga

Comment by Deep South Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 2:58 pm
Ramones - Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight)

Comment by Rod sez I'm pork Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 3:11 pm
Three classic Christmas tunes.

“Holly Jolly Christmas,” “Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer,” and “Frosty, the Snowman.”

All by Burl Ives. Straight out of Jasper County.

Played Big Daddy to Paul Newman’s Brick in “Cat on a Hat Tin Roof.” He was the sheriff to James Dean in Kazan’s “East of Eden.”

Blacklisted, he told HUAC, “you know who my friends are, ask them yourselves if they’re Communists.”

Remember the Commies? They were allegedly very dangerous. Not as bad, though, as these couple thousand banditos along the Kyber Pass.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 3:13 pm
You need to put up the two old school videos they used to play on WGN “Hardrock, Coco, & Joe” and “Suzy Snowflake”

CLASSICS!

Comment by Pot calling kettle Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 3:27 pm
PCK,

“Hardrock, Coco, & Joe” always gave me nightmares. I still get a weird flashback just thinking about it. Totally creeps me out. It puts the “sick” in classic.

Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 3:30 pm
Good call on Robert Earl Keene, definitely one of my favorites as well. I’d recommend the Nerf Herders “I’ve got a b*ner for Christmas”, but probably not blog appropriate either.

Comment by Small Town Liberal Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 3:33 pm
I was for Fairytale of New York, being a big Pogues fan it doesn’t seem that inappropriate compared to much of their music, how can you beat an opeing line like “It was Christmas Eve babe, in the drunk tank”, and maybe “old *** on junk” is a little bit inappropriate.

Comment by Jimmy Joe Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 3:34 pm
For guys shopping, a funny video…http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_F2md4uGmMU

Comment by Fan Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 3:43 pm
I have really developed an appreciation for “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”–particularly the version done by Johnny Cash. It is a war-time Christmas song, written by Longfellow during the Civil War. It is really touching during war time. Listen to the words. It says a lot.

Comment by Old Shepherd Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 3:50 pm
The Pogues’ song is one of my all-time holiday favorites if for no other reason than the late Kirsty MacColl’s rollicking old country counterpoint to Shane McGowan’s bawling out his side of the duet. Great stuff, like so many others, she was gone way too soon. I hadn’t heard Robert Earl Keene until he played Carbondale’s Sunset Concert series a few years ago but “Merry Christmas from the family” had everyone on their feet singing along. Thanks for posting the video, Rich, it made my day. As a former country DJ, I was very partial to “Daddy’s Drinking up our Christmas by Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen. Does anyone out there remember that one?

Comment by Jak Tichenor Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 3:55 pm
Isn’t his last name spelled “Keen” and not “Keene?” Now I am all confused.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 3:55 pm
It is. Stupid typo. Thanks.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 3:56 pm
Not sure why my handle didn’t appear. And not your fault, Rich. Blame teh YouTube.

Comment by Obamarama Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 4:05 pm
No, it’s my fault. I looked it up because I was confused and then for whatever reason didn’t correct it.

Reminds me of the old story about the absent-minded professor…

He says “A”
Writes “B” on the chalk board
Means to say “C”
And the correct answer is “D”

lol

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 4:12 pm
Dylan singing “Must be Santa”.

Just ran across it the other day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVs6X9yIM_k

Comment by IrishPirate Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 4:56 pm
IrishPirate, I posted that on Friday.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 4:56 pm
Well, I guess that’s where I saw it. Obviously.

I blame alcohol and my parents for not raising me correctly.

Comment by IrishPirate Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 5:20 pm
===I blame alcohol and my parents for not raising me correctly. ===

‘Tis the season.

Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 5:21 pm
“Christmas comes but once a year” by Charles Brown
great blues tune

Comment by ice phisher Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 5:27 pm
Too much Eggnog………that’s the ticket.

Anyway, thanks for posting the Dylan video. Just because I forgot where I saw it, doesn’t effect how great the video is.

Comment by IrishPirate Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 5:30 pm
How about “Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto” by James Brown? Help the people out!

There’s also the old standby “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” from the original cartoon, sung by Thurl Ravenscroft - the classic voice of Tony the Tiger.

Mojo Nixon did a version of “Good King Wenceslaus” where he sings about as many of the actual song’s lyrics as the average Joe can remember. There’s nothing naughty in this one, unlike some of the other tracks on that CD, and it’s hilarious to hear. “He was a mighty fine king!” - and for once, Mojo wasn’t talking about Elvis.

Comment by cover Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 5:46 pm
First time seeing the Keen video, Rich, and I loved it! (I watched it twice. lol) I think your interpretation is right on target. Thanks for sharing!

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 6:53 pm
“Christmas in Prison ” by John Prine!

Comment by HearMeRoar Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 7:44 pm
I’ve been singing “Must be Santa” a la Dylan all day long. It is embedded in my brain. And I have this strange urge to take accordion lessons. Of course I blame Rich.

Comment by Way South of the Border Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 8:54 pm
http://www.buzzfeed.com/awesomer/the-10-most-depressing-christmas-songs/

Plenty o good and bad choices there.

Comment by IrishPirate Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 10:45 pm
Pirate, some of those are really…well, depressing. I think I’d rather watch a clip of Way South trying to plan the accordion.

Way, were you planning to dress up like Santa? That could be the determining factor. Just sayin.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Dec 14, 09 @ 11:15 pm
It’s just not Christmas without Adam Sandler’s Hanukkah song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vrd9p47MPHg

Comment by My Kind of Town Tuesday, Dec 15, 09 @ 8:32 am