Twelve Months of Christmas Halloween Special

Halloween is a SCARY time of year, right kids? Yet it seems that the scariest time of year is Christmas! Think about it: how many kids do you see cry at the silly Halloween decorations we put up? Do they lose it and have childhood trauma over pumpkins? Now, how many kids do you see cry in frantic terror at the stranger posing as Santa? I see more cries, more screams, come Christmas time.

Which makes Halloween a perfect day to celebrate Christmas! And, surprisingly, there are some great Christmas tracks out there that qualify for a nice Halloween Special! And I compiled those tracks into a very special podcast, hosted by yours truly!

Play it after dark, but keep the lights on!!!

The Twelve Months of Christmas Halloween Special

(Rated T for teen. There might be a naughty word or two in one or two of the tracks.)

And I can't promise this will be an annual tradition...there's not too many Halloween Christmas songs out there!

Christmas on 45 part 7

This is the final installment of this series.

48) Freddie Jackson-Christmas Forever

Pure 80's pop here, right out of the Billy Ocean style. This comes from an EMI Records 45 released for "Jukeboxes Only!" It says it right on the label! This is also available on the CD compilation, "Give Love on Christmas."

49) Danny Tate-Lovin' Little Christmas

This is the flip side of the jukebox 45 from EMI.

50) Space Negros-Jingle Hell
51) Space Negros-We Wish You A Lousy Xmas
52) Space Negros-Deck the Halls
53) Space Negros-Silent Fright

These four tracks are from one 45 record, "Have a Lousy Xmas." I tracked down a original copy of the 45 online, but these songs have been released elsewhere over the years. I have another LP in my collection with all four of these tracks on it (also called "Have a Lousy Xmas." They really thought a lot of that name, didn't they?) and also on the CD "The Dark Side of the Christmas Tree." (I see now that the CD I just linked to and the LP record I referenced are indeed one and the same...not sure why the CD release of the LP didn't use the same LP name and record cover...you gotta love it when these songs get repackaged! I am sure they love it when it fools collectors like me who think they are finding something new and it turns out to be repackaged songs!)

To close...and certainly something completely different from what we've heard so far...

54) Becky Lamb-Go to Sleep Little Lambs

A beautiful song to close off any collection. Just not exactly sure in retrospect how well this fits in after a Space Negros set, but hey...

And, just a reminder, this is the last week I am taking submissions for the Wayside Waifs Charity CD! I can honestly say this collection is really coming along very, very well. I am excited to bring this to you this year, not only to contribute something to the Christmas music world that I love, but also to contribute something for homeless dogs and cats. I was driving to the store the other day and I saw a dead dog on the side of the road, no collar. It seems when it gets cold out jackasses have to let their dogs go and let them off on the side of the road. (I doubt it was a stray from a pup.) I realize my collection won't be able to save all those dogs from jerk owners, but every little bit helps. And gas prices are heading down, so you got a few extra spending dollars to pick up the CD! And a few extra copies to give out as presents! Keep your eye on this site for an announcement soon on how to get your copy.

Til' next time, thank you for reading and listening!

Too Soon For Christmas Music?

No music postings today (sorry, folks...I just spent the last couple days dealing with a nasty virus/spyware on my computer! THANKFULLY everything is safe as far as my personal files go, including all the files for the Wayside Waifs CD. It nearly turned into a disaster! YIKES!) but I've been perusing online for Christmas music, as I often do. And, yes, people do post Christmas songs all year long elsewhere...not just like I do here...but good original music can be found any time of the year.

Which brings me to today's post...I burned a CD of Christmas music to listen to at work, and somebody thought they were playing Christmas music on the radio! I laughed to myself, not correcting them, letting them find it so hard to believe that a radio station would be playing Christmas music this early.

But, lo and behold, a radio station out there IS playing Christmas music this early! They started on the 10th of October! This has to be a record for the station to switch to an all Christmas format this early!

River Front Times is reporting that "Moving 101.1 FM" is switching formats at the end of the year so they figured what the Holly Heck! Let's start the Christmas format early this year! Most of the listeners HATE IT, but a few are LOVING IT! Hey, just as long as they mix up the play list in their last days I bet it's gotta be good!

And Clear Channel is reporting that haters of Christmas music just as well better get over themselves! It's going to be EARLY for a lot of radio stations, it seems! YAYYYYYYYY!!!!!

So, dear readers, when does your local station go all Christmas? Keep us updated! Discuss in the comments!

Christmas on 45 part 6

With talk in the weather forecast tonight of our first frost and snow falling not so far from where I live, it's getting easier and easier to get in the Christmas mood! And I've even seen Christmas commercials already! Wow...it's coming fast, folks!

39) Wayne Champion-Merry Yuletide Day
40) Wayne Champion-It's Xmas Time

I am not exactly sure what year these are from (and I am am not exactly sure what it was about the vinyl singles industry that didn't feel a need to put DATES on their products!) and I can't find much about this record/artist on Google. But I can say with certainty that I found this record during my summer buying, and this is on Invictus Records. Based on that information, this record was put out sometime between 1969-1972. This music has an older feel to it, yet somehow it feels timeless.

41) Merv Griffin-Christmas City
42) Merv Griffin-The Song of the Christmas City

Can you believe this was listed more than once on Ebay? Some fool let the first auction go with NO bids! Lucky for me when I found it! This was put out by WDSM, a talk radio station in Duluth, MN. So it was not only fun for me to find a great Christmas treasure on 45, but also a treat to find something from my old stomping grounds of Minnesota! And to find this music so soon after Merv's passing... RIP Merv.

Merv also has a Christmas album released in Canada (which I'd like to get a hold of) if anybody ever feels like setting up a trade of CDs/files...

43) Camille-Snowbelle
44) Camille-White Christmas

Now for something completely different... As far as I know, this is NOT the femme persona of Prince Rogers Nelson (otherwise previously known as the Symbol.) This Camille comes several years before Prince decided to do his version of the Chipmunks...1979 to be exact, on EMI Records. This actually comes from a 12 inch record, but it's played at 45 RPM, so it counts for this compilation!

45) Billy Jackson and the Citizen Band-Have a Happy Christmas

Another 12 inch record played at 45 RPM. I see as I pull out the record that the track is actually called "Have a Happy Christmas (Twas the Night Before Christmas." This was released in 1983 on Partytime Records.

46) Blondie-Yuletide Throwdown (Rapture)

This comes from a flexidisc in Flexipop magazine (which released a number of flexidiscs, but I am not sure how many Christmas flexis...I've seen bootleg CDs available compiling these flexis but don't want to part with my money like a fool as the listings for the sale items never list the tracks). I actually shared this first early on in the first days of this blog, but that link is long expired. Now is the time for you new comers to enjoy this once again.

47) Society Threat-It's Christmas, Yes It Is

You may see a pattern...we are progressing in time as we go through these Christmas 45s. This one comes from 1988. Rare and hard to come by...I believe I found this one on Ebay.

Well, I gotta save the last ones for one more post!

I do have to say I was shocked...really, seriously shocked...when I looked at the previous post and saw it was posted October 3rd. Man, it doesn't seem like two weeks ago I last posted here. What the heck fire was I doing last week?

Those of you who have been reading my blog for a while know of my work on the Wayside Waifs Charity CD...I have 14 tracks so far for this project, with more coming. It's going to be an exciting project, so any time lost here is well made up with work on this project. Remember to buy your copy when it comes out, buy extras to give a way as presents! Keep in mind I don't get any money off of it, the artists involved don't get any money off of it, nobody gets any money off of it...all the proceeds go to help charity. Watch this space for details!

Also...last, but not least...this is long overdue. Here is a new site for you all to check out. Watchful eyes on this site have already seen this posted in the comments of part one of this compilation, but it's well nigh time I put a link on here and add it to my favorite links on this site.

Christmas Music For Your Listening Pleasure

It's an excellent resource for Christmas music! I see some great information on here about releases I never knew about! It's just one more thing that helps those of us who love Christmas music to find even more music we love!

Thank you for reading and listening!

Christmas on 45 part 5

I betcha this one was going to be only four parts like the previous ones! Well, remember...I have a whopping 54 tracks to share with you for this compilation, so hang in there...we will get through it!

31) Voices of the Little Flower-Christmas all Year 'Round
32) Voices of the Little Flower-Little Pine Tree

This was put out by Decca records, but I am uncertain of the year. I know I've shared side A before on this blog, but both sides are mighty fine.

33) Bubber Johnson-It's Christmas Time
34) Bubber Johnson-Let's Make Everyday a Christmas Day

If my old man fuzzy memory serves me properly, this is one of my Minneapolis record show acquisitions. So the dollar I paid for it can forgive the scratchy sound here, but I see some better condition copies for sale now and then so perhaps one day I will pick up a new copy of this. I rather enjoy these tracks. From Complimentary King Records, year unknown.

35) Lowell Fulson-The Original Lonesome Christmas (pts. 1&2)

In his day, Lowell was a formidable force in R&B during the 40's and 50's. Most Christmas songs seem to be footnotes in an artist's discography, but this is one track (among others) for which Lowell is fondly remembered. A very strong piece of work here! I edited both sides of this 45 together into one track. I have located this on CD, but haven't acquired the CD yet...it will eventually be mine as I expand my collection. But for now enjoy those warm vinyl sounds (through digital compression, that is....) I am sure it was recorded during the height of his career during the period previously mentioned...I believe around 1950.

36) Lee Jackson & the Cadillac Baby Specials-Christmas Song
37) Clyde Lasley & the Cadillac Baby Specials-Santa Came Home Drunk

Fitting right in with the current style of songs we've been hearing...From Bea and Baby Records. I have the Clyde Lasley song on CD (Bummed Out Christmas) but I can honestly say I think I prefer the audio quality of my own MP3 made from the original 45.

38) The Cameos-New Years Eve

This 45 certainly has seen some better days. It sounded worse until I cleaned it up! I shared side A of this single in part one of this compilation.

Well, that gets us through some of the doo-wop/R&B sounds of the 50's...I hope you enjoyed today's installment.

And once again I apologize for the sporadic posting of this continuing comp...I realized today I totally missed the post last week, for which I say "sorry" but for good reason...I am continuing work on the Wayside Waifs compilation.

And, just for a thank you gift to my dedicated readers, here's a preview track...consider it an "advance single." This song was penned by yours truly (I wrote the lyrics), with music and vocals by Ken Clinger, who is a rock in the foundation of the home taping/DIY scene...a genuine pathfinder of independent music who deserves to be on the same lips that utter names such as Daniel Johnston and R. Stevie Moore (and how many of you are going, "WHO????" Tell the truth!) Ken's been recording since 1983 and certainly has never received his full due, but one day I am confident he will get more attention for his music. This is a start...

Ken Clinger (with lyrics by The Tone King!)-I'm Coming Home For Christmas This Year

I'm not sure how long I will leave this track up, so get it while the getting is good! I wanted to give something extra to my readers. So...as usual...thank you for reading and listening!

EDIT: Ok, I took the link for the Ken Clinger track down! I admit...it was arbitrary...I really just put it up to give a sneak preview to the charity CD to my faithful readers and I saw a good number downloaded it, so I thought it was time to take it back down, the intended audience got it already. I hope those of you who got it enjoyed it! If you missed it, it will be released soon on the Wayside Waifs Charity CD! Purchase your copy...watch this site for more details later...as the purchase goes to help a good cause!