I put the finishing touches on the Rock & Roll Christmas Tree in my music room. After having the same small Christmas tree that I had used in my class, the tree formerly known as “The Chemist-Tree,” complete with Chemistry-based ornaments the students made for extra credit, I finally retired that worn-out, twenty-something year-old tree. Now, I have a brand new black tree, which totally seems more rock & roll. On the tree, I have a string of Grateful Dead dancing bear lights; several Beatle ornaments; bulbs honoring AC/DC, Alice Cooper, Run-DMC and Santana; a couple Elvises; a Purple Rain-era Prince; two Gene Simmons; a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; one Tom Petty; and a Cheap Trick ornament that I place on the top of the tree. It happens to be popular with my family and friends.
Next, I have a little complaining to do about streaming services’ stations for Christmas music: PLEASE create a better mix of music! This is getting so very old. These so-called algorithms are still very limited. Even though I choose, let’s say, the 80s Christmas Music station, I get a limited mix of around 20 to 30 songs that begin to repeat after a couple of hours. Yet, I KNOW there are hundreds of outstanding Christmas songs that could be couple with another couple hundred of holiday songs from 70s and 90s that could make a terrific station for the young Boomers and/or the Gen X-ers, and even some Millennials stuck in their pre-teens. But, NOOOOOOOOOO! These computer programs have a much better feel as to what humans want to hear than other humans. Obviously, my dream has always been to own a radio station, because I actually feel as though I know what people want to hear and that they actually want to be entertained a bit between the songs.
Well, enough of that little rant, let’s move on to my Christmas music countdown. Today, we will ventured further into my more favorite yuletide tunes. So, let’s pick up where we left off yesterday as we travel through numbers 61 through 80.
80. The Treacherous Three – “Santa Rap” [1984]
79. Tyler, the Creator – “You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch” [2018]
78. Bing Crosby – “White Christmas” [1947]
77. Andy Williams – “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” [1963]
76. OneRepublic – “Christmas Without You” [2012]
75. The Smithereens – “Christmas Time All Over the World” [2007]
74. Lady Gaga & Tony Bennett – “Winter Wonderland” [2014]
73. Material Issue – “Merry Christmas Will Do” [1991]
72. Carpenters – “Merry Christmas Darling” [1970]
71. Hootie & the Blowfish – “The Christmas Song” [1997]
70. Al Green & Annie Lennox – “Put a Little Love in Your Heart” [1989]
69. Cheap Trick – “Merry Christmas Darlings” [2017]
68. James Brown – “Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto” [1968]
67. Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings – “Ain’t No Chimneys in the Projects” [2015]
66. Old 97’s – “I Believe in Santa Claus” [2018]
65. Coldplay – “Christmas Lights” [2015]
64. Emmylou Harris – “Light of the Stable” [1979]
63. Willie Nelson – “Christmas Blues” [1979]
62. The Darkness – “Christmas Time (Don’t Let the Bells End)” [2003]
61. Slade – “Merry Xmas Everybody” [1973]
Now, that we are 140 songs into my Top 200 countdown, hopefully, I am beginning to mention some of your favorites, or at least versions with which you are familiar. Regardless, we get into the Top 60 tomorrow, so I have been saving the best for last, since, duh(!), they are my favorites. So, see you tomorrow!
If My Records Could Talk 