Episode 1 - Black Friday Blues

It’s amazing…the sales are starting earlier and earlier each year. Pretty soon Black Friday will be sometime in the middle of July!

1) The Most Wonderful Time of the Year (live) – Andy Williams: RIP Andy…your Christmas spirit lives on!

2) Santa’s got a Choo-Choo – Blake Shelton: In case the pick-up truck with the gun rack doesn’t work out.

3) Carols from Other Lands – Up with People – It’s amazing that this group is still around after almost 5 decades. They must have taken their cue from the Rolling Stones

4) Christmas in Killarney – Craig Duncan: Ireland by way of Nashville

5) Carol of the Bells – Percy Faith: Everyone had that one LP that you played over and over and over every holiday…this one was mine.

6) Do You Hear What I Hear – Jordin Sparks: This American Idol alum channeling her inner Whitney. Let’s hope she’s just channeling her voice.

7) A New Deal for Christmas – Annie OBC (Reid Sheldon/Andrea McArdle): a new revival is now on broadway

8) Another Lonely Christmas – Prince: The purple one graces us with this obscure B-side

9) Mrs. Claus wants Some Lovin’ – The Bobs. Still going after 30 years

10) Russian Dance – Stanley Black: While you may not know his name this man made hundreds of recordings in the 50’s and 60’s.

11) Jolly Old St. Nicholas – Maurice Chevalier: Yes they have Christmas in Paris

12) Noel Nouvelet – Chansons de Noels de France: meaning New Christmas…aren’t they all?

13) Christmas is Cancelled (this year) – Farrah: Jeez I hope not…I got fruit cake.

14) Yah Dis Ist Ein Christmas Tree – Mel Blanc: the voice of Bugs Bunny (and many others) got his start in radio and comedy records…btw…he was allergic to carrots.

15) Everybody Needs a Christmas Tree – Roy Hudd: Even kittehs! They need something else to climb

16) Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer – The Five Petals: In Taiwanese no less!

17) Stairway to Yuletide – Lee Hartsfeld: Check out his blog, “Music you (possibly) won’t here anyplace else”

18) Please Come Home for Christmas – Tommy Castro: this San Jose native cranking out the blues right nicely. Featuring Calvin Owens on vocals

19) Slower than Christmas – The Boxmasters: Mr Sling Blade himself taking a run on the drums.

20) Christmas Tree – Lady Gaga: Ms. Germanotta gives us some cherry cherry boom boom (whatever the hell that means)

21) Mr. Snow Miser/Mr. Heat Miser – Big Bad Voodoo Daddy: I never get tired of hearing this song!!!!

22) Run Run Rudolph – Keith Richards: Still playing (and on tour) after 50 years. It was a fair trade…the Devil got Ted we kept Keith.

23) Christmas Time is Here – Chomsky: You would think I would run out of versions of this song…I’m just getting started.

24) Wombling Merry Christmas– The Wombles (Mike Batt): I never read any of these books as a child or saw the TV show (not having grown up in the UK during the 70’s…I missed out on so much).

25) Jesus Christ is Born – Mike Mills: Now that REM is kaput…what’s he gonna do with himself???

26) Candy Cane Children – The White Stripes: I love my wife dearly. I don’t think I could ever be in a band with her. We’d kill each other.

27) Dreidel Song – The Beatnicks: if you happen to wandering around Disney’s Animal Kingdom you’ll hear these guys wandering around.

28) God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – Jars of Clay: While Christian Rock is sort of a niche audience this group managed to bridge that gap over to the mainstream pop charts several years ago

29) Secret of Christmas – Fred Waring and his Pennsylvanians: It’s hard to imagine that this is the same guy who’s name we still see today on almost every blender made. Featuring the vocal stylings of none other than Bing Crosby

30) This Christmas – Ceelo Green: You can’t forget this guy…he’s all over the place now.

31) Sleigh Ride – Combustible Edison: I love lounge music

© 2012 While-U-Were-Out Productions