Welcome to Day 2 of this unnecessary form of punishment that I am putting you through. So, during the month of December 2018, I will be working out this psychosis during the last month of this year. So, I am kind of putting my readership through hell as I perform my own version of the terrific Christmas music collector documentary, Jingle Bell Rocks! A few years ago, I picked up a special Record Store Day Black Friday DVD release of this film and have not looked back since. During this film, I realized that I wasn’t the only person afflicted with this love of modern Christmas music. As a matter of fact, Rev Run of Run-D.M.C., Wayne Coyne of Flaming Lips and music impresario Bill Adler were just a few who discussed their love of the genre.
So, what is it that drives a person to try to uncover that certain Ray Parker Jr. B-side, “Christmas Is Here” or finally own a seven-inch vinyl version of Wizzard’s “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday.” Well, maybe, I will figure this out by the end of this countdown. Then again, maybe I’m just a big kid in adult’s clothing. Hmmm…
Let’s get today’s 20 songs, and let the self-reflection wait another 23 hours. Here were go!
180. The Temptations – “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (1968)
179. The Mavericks – “Christmas Time Is (Coming ‘Round Again)” (2018)
178. Louis Armstrong – “Zat You Santa Claus?” (1953)
177. The Shins – “Wonderful Christmastime” (2012)
176. John Coltrane – “My Favorite Things” (1961)
175. Sufjan Stevens – “Put the Lights on the Tree” (2006)
174. Britney Spears – “My Only Wish (This Year)” (2000)
173. Thurl Ravenscroft – “You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch” (1965)
172. Ramonas – “Santa’s Got a GTO” (1991)
171. George Thorogood & the Destroyers – “Rock and Roll Christmas” (1983)
170. Destiny’s Child – “8 Days of Christmas” (2001)
169. The Brian Setzer Orchestra – “Jingle Bells” (2002)
168. Justin Bieber – “Mistletoe” (2011)
167. Rodney Crowell – “Christmas Everywhere” (2018)
166. The Ventures – “Frosty the Snowman” (1965)
165. The Hold Steady – “Christmas Is the Time to Say I Love You” (2015)
164. Devo – “Merry Something to You” (2010)
163. Farrah – “Christmas Won’t Happen” (2014)
162. Blink-182 – “I Won’t Be Home for Christmas” (1997)
161. Smokey Robinson – “Christmas Everyday” (2017)
Forty songs down, and whole crap-load more to go. Uh, Merry Christmas! I’ll be back tomorrow! For better or worse.
If My Records Could Talk 