Well, then, let's try this again, shan't we? Seems like only a year ago that I had this ginormous show planned; Xmas was on a Tuesday (my show day), we didn't have huge plans, I'd missed tons o' shows 'cause of work, and so I was gonna do a 4 hr. marathon. Well, life got in the way, what with illness and hospitals and all that lovely stuff, so lo, it did not come to pass.
This year, conditions and events are somewhat similar: I'm in the midst of building a house and so have missed a few shows; illness, injury and strife elbow their way into our lives; Xmas Eve, not Xmas, falls on Tuesday this year, but, hey, close enough for jazz, right? So I'm gonna condense last year's playlist into a 3 hour show, and see what happens. The fates may yet have other plans, but I'm'a act as though I can pull this one off.
There was a little piece in this Sunday's Times about how radio stations' going to an all Christmas format in the month between Thanksgiving and Christmas was, as the article put it, "rocket fuel for ratings;" stations see their listenership skyrocket when they provide a steady diet of holiday-cheerful songs. Jesus (so to speak), I'd open a vein if I had to play (or listen to) nothing but that stuff for a month. For a few hours, though, I might pull it off, although my playlist is hardly traditional or even (surprise, surprise) Christ-centered. One wrinkle I've added is to combine two or three (or four!) song titles which have, on their own, nothing to do with Christmas, into a medley that, borrowing a portion of each song's title, combines to form a traditional Christmas song title. F'rinstance, The Rolling Stones' "You Got The Silver" played back-to-back with Dylan's "Ring Them Bells" yields, in someone's twisted mind (hello!) "Silver Bells." Doc and Merle Watson's "Frosty Morn" and John Prine's "Humidity Built The Snowman" give..., well, you probly get the idea. So here's a playlist:
Christmas Must Be Tonight The Band
It's Christmas Time James Brown
Kung Fu Christmas Christopher Guest/Nat'l Lampoon
Merry Christmas,Baby Lou Rawls
Friend Of Jesus John Stewart
Bach: Cantata #22, Jesus nahm.... Yo-Yo Ma, et al
Jesus Christ Arlo Guthrie
Christmas With Jesus Josh Rouse
Jesus Was A Capricorn Darrell Scott
Jesus Was A Cross Maker Judee Sill
Jesus Just Left Chicago ZZ Top
Jesus Is Just Alright Doobies
Christmas Time (Is Here Again) Fabs
On Christmas Eve John Hartford
Christmas Time Blues John Lee Hooker
Christmas Time Is Here Bela Fleck & The Flecktones
Christmas Time Ray Charles
Christmas Ain't Christmas The O'Jays
Father Christmas The Kinks
Getting Ready For Christmas Day Paul Simon
Variations On The Kanon By Pachelbel George Winston
The Rebel Jesus Jackson Browne
Trip With Jesus The Union Underground
Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis Tom Waits
Christmas In Kyoto Michael Franks
Christmas In Prison John Prine
Christmas Morning Lyle Lovett
Christmas Morning Loudon Wainwright III
Christmas Wish NRBQ
Jesus, Etc. Wilco
Tell Me What Kind Of Man Jesus Was Big Bill Broonzy
Jesus Wrote A Blank Check Cake
C'mon Jesus Firesign Theatre
Come On Down Jesus John Kongos
River Joni Mitchell
Birthday Fabs
Silent Eyes Paul Simon
Night Bruce Springsteen
You Got The Silver Stones
Ring Them Bells Dylan
Frosty Morn Doc & Merle Watson
Humidity Built The Snowman John Prine
I'm Walkin' Rick Nelson
Winter Stones
Wonderland Michael Franks
Little Big-Time Man Dirk Hamilton
Heavy Metal Drummer Wilco
Boy Darden Smith
We The Roches
Wish You Were Here Pink Floyd
You George Harrison
Merry Go Round The Replacements
Christmas The Who
Oh, come on, give the no-singer some, to contra-indicate Jim Morrison. Anyway, I hope my too-clever-by-half-self-indulgence doesn't stop you from listening, or at least enjoying vicariously. Happy Xmas. (War Will Never Be Over).
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