Christmas A Go Go!

Hey everybody! I'm back. I took some time off from sharing records over at Check The Cool Wax , but now I'm starting up again ever so slowly. I'd like to kick this off with some DEVO . The song is called Merry Something To You. It is on the new Warner Brothers Christmas compilation called Gift Wrapped II - Snowed In . The video really has nothing to do with the song, it's images drawn by front man Mark Mothersbaugh but catchy non the less. Enjoy!

Brown Feather Sparrow is, no, was a Dutch indie-band who, before they called it quits, recorded a Christmas album with a bunch of friends. A 30 piece orchestra, in fact. Two classic hymns and eight brand new seasonal tunes. You can download the album for your own price here . See a video for one of the tracks here . Brown Feather Sparrow - December Radio

Dutch funnymen That Band from Holland (love that accent) are giving away their indierocking Christmas Ep 'Tree Party' here . Tree Party by That band from Holland (& Left handed Orchestra)

A track from the already featured Christmas Cover Up album. GREAT video.

Yesterday snow was falling in The Netherlands for the first time this year in an attempt to turn everything into the appropriate white atmosphere for the days to come. In 2007 Dutch composer Stephen Emmer did the same in two steps at his brilliant album Recitement. The song 'Listen, The Snow Is Falling' of which Emmer made a part 1 and 2 is a cover actually and was first released as a single by Yoko Ono back in 1972. They're not real xmas tracks, but if you listen carefully, there are some bells ringing! Stephen Emmer - Recitement by Stephen Emmer Stephen Emmer - Recitement by Stephen Emmer

Since Guuzbourg started an 'Alt Christmas' topic below, why not add a snotty shoegazer song (Best Coast ft. Wavves), a course in crooning anno 2010 (Little Isodore), some nerdy fun (Bishop Allen) and a melancholic slide guitar that makes The Perfect Gift (Natalie Hemby). And did I already mention Guster, Blackalicious, Darker My Love, Jenny O., Crystal Antlers, Little Jackie, Blazer Force, Coconut Records, The Pinker Tones and Ceci Bastida? They all reside at the best FREE xmas compilation of this year so far. ModernMystery4 · Bishop Allen - "You'll Never Find My Christmas" ModernMystery4 · Wavves and Best Coast - "Got Something for You" Download the complete zip here

Christmas songs pop up all year round, by band you'd never expect they'd write one. Here are four fairly recent alt-rock songs about Christmas (that don't make 'm Christmas songs, if you catch my drift). She Came Home For Christmas by Danish band Mew is my favourite, a dreamy track with furiously crashing guitars in the middle. The Ocean Tango (a French/Swedish project) are dreamy as well, in a Carpenters-y style. Russian Futurists are funny Canadians, 100 Shopping Days 'til Christmas is a funny title for a song. Centro-Matic and South San Gabriel are Americana-bands, Christmas '83 appeared on a collaboration-EP. UPDATE: (from the comments:) It's actually a Centro-Matic song... as it was originally released via Stereogum 2 years ago. South San Gabriel is actually fronted by the same guy who fronts Centro-Matic... so it's hard to call it a collaboration. Sorry to get all geeky. Mew - She Came Home For Christmas Ocean Tango - Christmas in July Russia...

During the winter we all need music that warms us like fireplaces. Sometimes it's an old nostalgic track by Nat King Cole and sometimes it's just something new that gives us that same feeling. A song that I really loved this year is from Sun Kil Moon: Australian Winter . But also the Cocteau Twin song Frosty The Snowman will do the trick. And there's always Low with their lovely Blue Christmas . No matter what and how you spent it, I wish you all great (white) days. Low - Blue Christmas Cocteau Twins - Frosty the snowman (so-so quality, if anybody has a better mp3, lemme know) Sun Kil Moon - Australian winter Better version of Frosty (thx Maks): Cocteau Twins - Frosty the snowman

Commenter Der Bingle rightly mentioned here that The Puppini Sisters did a great version of Elton John's Step into Christmas . Full disclosure: I did not know Elton wrote that song (nor that he wrote another Christmas-y song, here ). The flipside to Step into Christmas (Who'd be a turkey at Christmas?) was probably written in 3 seconds, yet it's quite funny. Step into Christmas was covered many times, and usually pretty bad. But these rockin' versions by London skinheadband The Business and indie darlings The Wedding Present are good. Elton John - Step into Christmas Elton John - Who'd be a turkey at Christmas? The Business - Step into Christmas The Wedding Present - Step into Christmas (link = fixed)

One of the weirdest Christmas albums in my collection is Let's Go Go Christmas from 1995, featuring a bunch of Washington DC go-go -bands like Chuck Brown & the Soul Searchers and Junkyard Band doing percussion-heavy versions of Christmas classics. If you think metal Christmas covers are the least seasonal, think again. Of course, Little Drummer Boy isn't omitted. Double Agent Rock - Little Drummer Boy

Inspired by the Oscar®-nominated film The Triplets of Belleville (a French animated movie which features a ‘40s-style harmony group), The Puppini Sisters — Marcella Puppini, Kate Mullins, and Stephanie O’Brien — formed in London. Dressed in 1940’s-style wardrobe, the three sing like The Andrews Sisters. Both Sisters made great X-mas albums. The Puppini Sisters - Step into Christmas The Andrews Sisters - I'd like to hitch a ride with Santa

'On this compilation we offer you a number of lesser-known existing and exciting Christmas songs. Contemporary musicians, mostly Dutch, were asked to make modern covers of these songs (...) The result is a wonderful mix of old and new songs, wrapped in a stylish 21st century cover, proving that the perfect Christmas song is timeless'. So writes Oscar Smit, aka Grandmaster O, who lovingly compiled and curated Christmas Cover Up. We never saw a Christmas comp featuring Johnny Cash next to Japanese heroes Shonen Knife next to Belgian lounge-meister Monte La Rue. More info on tracklisting et al HERE . Petit Papa Noel was written in 1946 for Corsican actor/singer Tino Rossi. The version by singer and actress Kaat Hellings from Antwerp is a tad more sexy than the original. Tino Rossi - Petit Papa Noel Kaat Hellings - Petit Papa Noel

XO Publicity is giving away a Christmas compilation featuring bands from their roster like Piney Girl, Campfire X and Paper Tongues. Unfortunately, the song featuring Billy Bob Thornton (Bad Santa himself) can't be heard nor downloaded. Reasons unclear, alas. Go HERE to download the zip, or the tracks.

Hello-ho-ho, the Christmas A Go Go team (TCAGGT) welcomes y'all back for a month of unashamed musical yearning for the Christmas holidays. TGAGGT-members have a thing for the weird yet wonderful X-mas tunes. You can expect links to mp3s and videos. We're kicking off with a brilliant video by Dutch artists Joast en Eefje, re-doing Paul McCartney's We All Stand Together . A song that is not about Christmas, but got a yuletide ring to it when it was re-released at Christmastime.

Thanks for stopping by, hope we helped to make your Christmas be as wonderful as ours. See you next year.

For the fifth year in a row The Blues Are Still Blue presents: Christmas Compilation 2009 001 Welcome Wagon - Hail to the Lord's Anointed 002 Feist – Lo, how a rose e’re blooming 003 Storybox - It's Christmas Time 004 The Decemberists - Please daddy (don't get drunk this Christmas) 005 Musee Mecanique - White Christmas 006 Sam Baker - Angel Hair 007 Rilo Kiley - Xmas Cake 008 Boca Chica - Snow Angels 009 Clyde Lasley and the Cadillac Baby Specials - Santa came home drunk 010 Debbie and the Darnells - Santa, Teach Me To Dance 011 Huey Piano Smith - Doing the Santa Claus 012 Mumford and Sons - Winter Winds 013 Nellie McKay - The Christmas Waltz 014 Sam Cooke - Jesus Gave Me Water 015 Ron Sexsmith - Snow Angel 016 The Gasoline Brothers - Hungover Boxing Day 017 Basia Bulat - The Hem Of His Garment 018 That Band From Holland - Santa must be Daddy 019 J.D. McDonald - Boogaloo Santa Claus 020 Weezer - O come all ye faithful 021 Sufjan Stevens - Did I Make You Cry On Christmas D...

Not so much of a Christmassong, more a seasonal ditty, this X-mas gift of Dutch neo-jazzo's EinsteinBarbie to all their loyal fans. And you. Snowflake bake ice cake Polkadotting the blue sky Popsicle pops little frosty spots of white fly by Snowflake bake ice cake Shimmering lights seasoning grass with little carpetry fluffs on you and me spots on you and me dots on you and me EinsteinBarbie - Ice Cake

Foster MacKenzie III, a.k.a. The Duke of Puke, a.k.a. Root Boy recorded in 1978 as Root Boy Slim & The Sex Change Band with The Rootettes his pretty obscure and remarkable Christmas track 'Xmas at KMart'. This self-produced ironic recording was the starting point of his career, as an A&R manager of Warner Brothers heard it and offered him a record deal immediately. They made six more albums after this one. Root Boy Slim (born 1945, died 1993 ), who started as a singer-songwriter, soon gathered instant cult-fame with his mixture of glamrock, Memphis-style boogie and blues, but died way too soon at the age of 48 of natural causes.  Root Boy Slim & The Sex Change Band with The Rootettes - Xmas At KMart (YouTube) Root Boy Slim - Boogie Till You Puke (YouTube)

This morning, I was a guest in the Dutch Radio6-show The Beat , playing obscure, yet funky X-mas choons. Also playing was the Tiny Little Big Band, a 'band of gentlemen' playing the standards. They made a Christmas album, and one of the highlights is a version of Gloria In Excelsis Deo, described by the band as 'part jazz, part churchhymn, part carnival.' Tiny Little Big Band - Allegro in Excelsis Deo If this is way too smooth for you, try this: Tryfles - Gloria

...Happy holidays, merry Christmas and more of that. From Daniel Johnston , George Harrison , Joey Ramone , Madonna and Marc Bolan (T-Rex).

The Beach Boys recorded a Christmas album in 1964 with five originals and seven standards. The two songs in this topic were both original songs. 'Little Saint Nick' already hit the charts in 1963, 'The Man with All the Toys' was a golden number one hit in 1964. The track by Soupy Sales ( Milton Supman ) originates from 1966 and was part of one of his christmas shows back then. 'O Come, All Ye Faithful' is a traditional religious Christmas carol which is done in a funny way by The Chevelles. No further info on them. Anyone? The Beach Boys - Little Saint Nick The Beach Boys - The Man with All the Toys Soupy Sales - Santa Claus Is Surfin' To Town The Chevelles - Come All Ye Faithful Surfer Girls

Go HERE if you want to sing along. (via J-W, thanks!)

Even old dino-rockers do have their moments of weakness. Luckily for us they manage to get something good out of it, like covering a Christmas track. Mr. Motörhead Lemmy Kilmister recorded a version of 'Run Rudolph Run' together with Billy F. Gibbons (ZZ Top) and Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters). Keith Richards did his version on his own. Some don't need no others. Lemmy Kilmister and Friends - Run Rudolph Run Keith Richards - Run Rudolph Run

Carol van Dijk, leadsinger of Bettie Serveert , is blessed with one of the most veiled voices in Indieland. The mysterious beauty recorded a gorgeous xmas track (a Joni Mitchell cover from the album Blue in 1971, thanks Jan Willem) with her band in 1998 called River. It appeared on a compilation for VPRO, a Dutch public broadcasting organization. Bettie Serveert is still active and about to release their 9th CD 'Pharmacy of Love' in january next year. Berend Dubbe played drums in Bettie Serveert 'till 1998. That year he left Bettie because of musical disputes and formed his solo-project Bauer . He recorded a sort of christmas soundscape with woodfire, argues and other stuff representing that typical Christmas atmosphere for the same compilation Bettie did. Bettie Serveert - River Berend Dubbe - Overige Geluiden (Remaining Sounds)

Although this EP is full of hits, I posted it here for the cats. Seriously, Alice Dona has this one jazzy, dare I say break-beat-ish Christmas song that I like. Short, yes, but sweet. I'm off to Paris for Christmas by car with people from four different nationalities and three continents. So Noël des copains (The friends' Christmas) it is. And if you want more French Christmas music (shameless plug), then download Radio Oh la la's Christmas podcast . Alice Dona - Noël des copains

The hardest working Santa in showbusiness made several Christmas-albums, his most famous seasonal song is probably Santa Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto (covered by Belle & Sebastian, no less). Here's a small selection of Mr Dynamite's Christmas tunes, featuring the very un-seasonal, but nevertheless very fantastic double take This Is My Lonely Christmas, with piercing keyboard-solos. James Brown - Santa Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto James Brown - This Is My Lonely Christmas pt 1 James Brown - This Is My Lonely Christmas pt 2 James Brown - Go Power at Christmas

OK, it's official. Poor Mr Santa by André Williams is THE most potty-mouthed Christmas song ever. Not suitable for wimps. Andre Williams - Poor Mr Santa

Joe Pesci's musical career started in the 1960's as one of the guitar players of Joey Dee and the Starliters. Other early famous members of The Starliters were Charles Neville (The Neville Brothers) and Jimmy James (Jimi Hendrix). Later on Pesci went solo under the name Joe Ritchie, but unlike the ones mentioned before, Joe Pesci wasn't very succesful and started an acting career. He won several prizes, one of which was an Oscar for his supporting role as Tommy DeVito in Martin Scorsese's Good Fellas. In 1992 Joe Pesci played the character Vincent LaGuardia Gambini in the movie 'My Cousin Vinny'. Six years later Pesci released an album as Vincent LaGuardia Gambini called 'Sings Just For You', which contained the xmas track 'If It Doesn't Snow For Christmas'. Explicit lyrics of course. Vincent LaGuardia Gambini - If It Doesn't Snow For Christmas

London based Italian Alessio Natalizia, better known as Banjo Or Freakout delivers a great 9 piece christmas-album full of new interpretations of well know christmas classics: 01 White Christmas 02 Merry Christmas, Baby 03 Jingle Bells 04 Christmas Is Coming 05 Must Be Santa 06 Silent Night 07 Come On Ring Those Bells 08 Joy To The World 09 Blue Christmas Download it here (zip)

Inspired by Natasha's post about The ultimate Christmas gift , I tracked down the sexiest X-mas tunes available. There's the sulty Eartha Kitt, with a song also covered by Kylie and Madonna. But those don't hold up against Mrs Kitt. There's the well-endowed Candye Kane doing a horny duet with Country Dick. The latter wants Candye to dress up in a red lace nighty and green stockings. Bob Rivers likes a fancy dress party too. Jimmy Butler wants to trim your tree. Finally, Albert Kings sings about the needs of Father Christmas. Earth Kitt - Santa Baby Candye Kane & Country Dick - Let's put the X back in X-mas Jimmy Butler - Trim your tree Bob Rivers - Walkin'round in women's underwear Albert King - Santa Claus wants some lovin' EXTRA: As suggested by Designwallah in the comments (thanks!): Eartha Kitt - This Year's Santa Baby Ella Fitzgerald - Santa Claus got stuck in my chimney The cutie in the picture is Kay O'Hara .