Holiday – Page 2 – PowerPop… An Eclectic Collection of Pop Culture

Beatles – Christmas Time Is Here Again

It’s that time of year…and this is one-holiday song that is on my list and not worn out. I first heard this in 1994 when I bought the Beatles Anthology album. I never knew of this song before. This song was never officially released until it appeared as the B-side to “Free As A Bird” in 1994. I’ve posted it every year since I’ve blogged and will continue to do so…it’s repetitive but I like it…it drives home the point.

My friend Dave posted this song in 2021 and he has more info than I do so check it out.

The song is credited to Lennon-McCartney-Harrison-Starkey. The original version was distributed to The Beatles fan club in 1967. It’s the only song written specifically for the Beatles Fan Club members. Along with the Beatles…actor Victor Spinetti and roadie Mal Evans were on the recording.

Between December 1963 and December 1969, they sent out 7 flexi discs that had spoken and musical messages to their official fan clubs in the UK and the US at Christmas time.

The Beatles recorded this in 1967 and wasn’t released until 1994 paired with “Free As A Bird”. It is a fun Christmas song that will stick in your head. The Beatles did not release a Christmas song commercially… only to their fan club when they were active.

I like the end where each Beatle tells you Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Many performers of this era like The Beach Boys and The Four Seasons released Christmas songs, but The Beatles never had an official Christmas release.

Christmas time is here again

Christmas time is here again
Christmas time is here again
Christmas time is here again
Christmas time is here again

Ain’t been round since you know when
Christmas time is here again
O-U-T spells “out”

Christmas time is here again
Christmas time is here again
Christmas time is here again
Christmas time is here again

Ain’t been round since you know when
Christmas time is here again
O-U-T spells “out”

Christmas time is here again
Christmas time is here again
Christmas time is here again
Christmas time is here again

Ain’t been round since you know when
Christmas time…[music continues and fades to background]

[spoken]

This is Paul McCartney here, I’d just like to wish you everything you wish yourself for Christmas.

This is John Lennon saying on behalf of the Beatles, have a very Happy Christmas and a good New Year.

George Harrison speaking. I’d like to take this opportunity to wish you a very Merry Christmas, listeners everywhere.

This is Ringo Starr and I’d just like to say Merry Christmas and a really Happy New Year to all listeners

[a John Lennon pastiche at this point, very hard to understand]

Band – Christmas Must Be Tonight

Robbie Robertson’s Christmas gift to his new son Sebastian during the sessions for Northern Lights-Southern Cross album… it never became a seasonal favorite but it should have been. It wasn’t released until the Islands album in 1977.

Rick Danko sings this song from a Shepherds point of view. It’s pure and down to earth like only the Band can be. No sleigh bells or other Christmas trappings…just pure music. Maybe that is the reason it never got picked up.

Robbie Robertson re-recorded this song after he left the group. And he did for the soundtrack of Bill Murray’s Scrooged. That version is very good but I still like The Bands version much more…it’s hard to beat Rick Danko.

Christmas Must Be Tonight

Come down to the manger, see the little stranger
Wrapped in swaddling clothes, the prince of peace
Wheels start turning, torches start burning
And the old wise men journey from the East

How a little baby boy bring the people so much joy
Son of a carpenter, Mary carried the light
This must be Christmas, must be tonight

A shepherd on a hillside, where over my flock I bide
Oh a cold winter night a band of angels sing
In a dream I heard a voice saying “fear not, come rejoice
It’s the end of the beginning, praise the new born king”

I saw it with my own eyes, written up in the skies
But why a simple herdsmen such as I
And then it came to pass, he was born at last
Right below the star that shines on high

Merry Christmas to Everyone!

I promise after tomorrow…no more Christmas posts!

I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays, whichever you prefer. Since I started this blog, I have tried to post an interesting song or some pop culture fact. Most of you drop by for a view every day, and I appreciate it so much.

I look forward to finishing this year and discovering the new year together. I can’t believe this is my seventh year doing this, and if not for the feedback I get daily, I would have stopped a long time ago. I don’t know how much I discovered about music you didn’t already know, but I have learned so much from you all.

When I started in 2017, it took me around six months to get one follower, one like, and a comment. I don’t take anyone for granted, and I want you to know that. Also, a huge THANK YOU. You don’t have to stop by, but you do—you must be a glutton for punishment! I hope you and your families have a happy holiday and safe travels.

Signed

Max…the owner of this crummy joint.

Frosty The Snowman

Most of us had favorite Christmas specials we would watch as kids. Mine was Rudolph, A Charlie Brown Christmas, The Grinch, and this one was fourth…Frosty The Snowman. These four would get me primed and ready for Christmas…as if I needed anything else.

“Frosty the Snowman,” debuted in 1969. It was by Rankin/Bass Productions, the same company that produced many holiday specials.

Narrated by the legend Jimmy Durante, the special involves a magic hat that transforms a snowman, Frosty, into a living being. The magician who owned the hat wanted it back now that he knew it contained actual magic, so the kids had to get together and find a way to bring Frosty to the North Pole to keep him from melting. However, once there, Frosty sacrifices himself to warm up the little girl, Karen, who took him to the North Pole. He melts, but Santa Claus explains that Frosty is made out of special Christmas snow and thus can never truly melt. Frosty then comes back to life and everyone has a Merry Christmas.

The song was written in 1950 by Walter “Jack” Rollins and Steve Nelson. They wrote it for Gene Autry, especially, after Autry had such a huge hit with “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” the previous year. It was later recorded by Jimmy Durante as we hear in this wonderful cartoon.

This wasn’t the only animation of Frosty…

In 1954, United Productions of America (UPA) brought Frosty to life in a short cartoon that is little more than an animated music video for a jazzy version of the song. It introduced the characters mentioned in the lyrics visually, from Frosty himself to the traffic cop. The three-minute, black-and-white piece quickly became a holiday tradition in various markets, particularly in Chicago, where it’s been broadcast annually on WGN since 1955.

The complete Frosty The Snowman

The Polar Express

I’ve never covered this movie before so I thought it was about time…to add another to my Holiday Christmas marathon.

When Bailey was four years old we went to the theater to watch this in 2004. For me, it was an instant classic. They used the new style motion-capture technology at the time and it worked. I don’t think they got the eyes quite right but other than that it was a great story and a well-done movie. It was directed by Robert Zemeckis.

In 1985, Chris Van Allsburg wrote and illustrated the book The Polar Express. The book tells the story of a young boy who boards a magical train headed to the North Pole on Christmas Eve. It is about belief, wonder, and the magic of childhood. The book received critical acclaim, winning the prestigious Caldecott Medal in 1986 for its illustrations. In the movie, they stayed true to the illustrations.

I watched the movie with 4-year-old Bailey and he really liked it…it was the Rudolph of his generation. The next Christmas we traveled to Watertown Tennessee to ride a Polar Express train they had set up to look like the one in the film. He has never forgot the movie or train ride.

It’s a good story that kids and adults can like with the universal humor. Tom Hanks played many characters in this movie and as always does a great job. The kids on the train span a nice cross-section of kids including one known as “Know It All” and he was annoying. Eddie Deezen appropriately did the voice for the character. We had a neighbor kid at the time exactly like him.

It’s a nice adventure film with some great characters including the big guy Santa. The North Pole was definitely my favorite place in the film. It looked like what you think it would look like in a realistic feel. In a surprise, Steven Tyler makes a short appearance on a unicycle…yes Tyler on a unicycle.

If you haven’t seen it…stop reading now.

The best part of the movie was the bell that came off of Santa’s sleigh in my opinion. That is what the main character known as the hero boy wants out of any present. Grown-ups could not hear it ring because they stopped believing a long time ago. If you could still hear it ring…you still believed in the magic of Christmas. In the movie he could still hear it when he grew up so he kept the magic intact. I hope all of you can still hear that bell ring. No matter how old or young you are.

Merry Christmas to all of you…Max

Plot IMDB

Santa Claus does not exist. Or does he? For one doubting boy, an astonishing event occurs. Late on Christmas Eve night, he lies in his bed hoping to hear the sound of bells from Santa Claus’ sleigh. Then to his surprise, a train’s roar and whistle can be heard outside his bedroom window. The conductor invites him on board to take an extraordinary journey to the North Pole with many other pajama-clad children. There, he receives an extraordinary gift only those who still believe in Santa Claus can experience.

…

Bob Dylan – Must Be Santa

Bob Dylan making a Christmas album just doesn’t compute but he did and yes I love the results.

I would never bet against Bob doing anything. When one of my friends told me at the time that Dylan released a Christmas album…I thought he was kidding. No, he wasn’t…and I liked it when I heard it. This song was based on a German drinking game, with the lyrics taking on a ‘call and answer’ structure… “Who’s got a beard/That’s long and white?/Santa’s got a beard/That’s long and white.”

“Must Be Santa” was written by Hal Moore and Bill Fredericks. The song was first released in 1960 by Mitch Miller. In 2009, Bob Dylan covered Brave Combo’s arrangement as part of his holiday album, Christmas in the Heart.

All of the profits from this album went towards Feeding America Crisis, and the World Food Program. In 2009, Dylan told Bill Flanagan that he had intended to make a Christmas record for some time: “Yeah, every so often it has crossed my mind. The idea was first brought to me by Walter Yetnikoff, back when he was President of Columbia Records.”

If you want to know what Dylan considers to be a great Christmas meal… it would consist of “Mashed potatoes and gravy, roast turkey and collard greens, turnip greens, biscuit dressing, cornbread and cranberry sauce.”

Bob Dylan: “This version comes from a band called Brave Combo. Somebody sent their record to us for our radio show [Theme Time Radio Hour]. They’re a regional band out of Texas that takes regular songs and changes the way you think about them. You oughta hear their version of ‘Hey Jude.'”

Bob Dylan – Must Be Santa

Who’s got a beard that’s long and white?
Santa’s got a beard that’s long and white
Who comes around on a special night?
Santa comes around on a special night

Special Night, beard that’s white

Must be Santa
Must be Santa
Must be Santa, Santa Claus

Who wears boots and a suit of red?
Santa wears boots and a suit of red

Who wears a long cap on his head?
Santa wears a long cap on his head

Cap on head, suit that’s red
Special night, beard that’s white

Must be Santa
Must be Santa
Must be Santa, Santa Claus

Who’s got a big red cherry nose?
Santa’s got a big red cherry nose

Who laughs this way: “HO HO HO”?
Santa laughs this way: “HO HO HO”

HO HO HO, cherry nose
Cap on head, suit that’s red
Special night, beard that’s white

Must be Santa
Must be Santa
Must be Santa, Santa Claus

Who very soon will come our way?
Santa very soon will come our way

Eight little reindeer pull his sleigh?
Santa’s little reindeer pull his sleigh

Reindeer sleigh, come our way
HO HO HO, cherry nose
Cap on head, suit that’s red
Special night, beard that’s white

Must be Santa
Must be Santa
Must be Santa, Santa Claus

Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen
Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon
Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen
Carter, Reagan, Bush and Clinton

Reindeer sleigh, come our way
HO HO HO, cherry nose
Cap on head, suit that’s red
Special night, beard that’s white

Must be Santa
Must be Santa
Must be Santa, Santa Claus
Must be Santa
Must be Santa
Must be Santa, Santa Claus

Paul Kelly – How To Make Gravy

Happy Gravy Day in Australia! It happens every December 21st in Australia because of the first verse of the song.

Here is a Christmas song that is good on any day of the year but one we don’t hear much in America. I looked up “Gravy Day” in Australia and this is what I found: Gravy Day is an unofficial Australian holiday as marked by Kelly in his song, How to Make Gravy. The song is written from the perspective of a recently incarcerated man, Joe, as he writes to his relative, Dan, from prison.

Paul Kelly: “I started thinking… maybe I’ll write it from the point of view of somebody who is missing Christmas, who can’t get to Christmas, why can’t they get there? Maybe they’re overseas and they can’t get home. Then I thought, ‘Oh, he’s in prison’. The song wrote itself from there.”

The song is written in the form of a letter from a prisoner named Joe, addressed to his brother Dan, shortly before Christmas. Joe expresses regret about missing Christmas with his family, gives instructions on how to make gravy (a key part of their holiday meal), and reflects on family members, relationships, and the pain of separation.

I like great storytellers…and Paul Kelly is one of them. His music touches on many styles. Country, rock, folk, reggae, bluegrass, and touches of many more styles. He has been described as the poet laureate of Australian music. He writes about everyday life that many people can relate to. I’ve seen this stated about him… Paul Kelly’s songs dig deep into Australia’s culture.

As for who will make the gravy in the song, the question has been debated over the years, although most believe it to be Dan as Joe is sharing the recipe with him.

And yes the recipe in the song is real for gravy.

Paul Kelly: “It was a song that doesn’t have a chorus, it’s set in prison, so I never thought it would be a hit song or anything.”

How To Make The Gravy

Hello Dan, it’s Joe here
I hope you’re keeping well
It’s the 21st of December
And now they’re ringing the last bells
If I get good behaviour
I’ll be out of here by July
Won’t you kiss my kids on Christmas Day?
Please don’t let ’em cry for me

I guess the brothers are driving down from Queensland
And Stella’s flying in from the coast
They say it’s gonna be a hundred degrees, even more maybe
But that won’t stop the roast
Who’s gonna make the gravy now?
I bet it won’t taste the same
Just add flour, salt, a little red wine
And don’t forget a dollop of tomato sauce
For sweetness and that extra tang

And give my love to Angus, and to Frank and Dolly
Tell ’em all I’m sorry, I screwed up this time
And look after Rita, I’ll be thinking of her
Early Christmas morning when I’m standing in line

I hear Mary’s got a new boyfriend
I hope he can hold his own
Do you remember the last one? What was his name again?
Ahh, just a little too much cologne
And Roger, you know I’m even gonna miss Roger
‘Cause there’s sure as hell no one in here I want to fight

Oh, praise the Baby Jesus, have a Merry Christmas
I’m really gonna miss it, all the treasure and the trash
And later in the evening, I can just imagine
You’ll put on Junior Murvin and push the tables back

And you’ll dance with Rita, I know you really like her
Just don’t hold her too close
Oh, brother, please don’t stab me in the back
I didn’t mean to say that, it’s just my mind it plays up
Multiplies each matter, turns imagination into fact

You know I love her badly, she’s the one to save me
I’m gonna make some gravy, I’m gonna taste the fat
Ahh, tell her that I’m sorry, yeah, I love her badly
Tell ’em all I’m sorry, and kiss the sleepy children for me
You know one of these days, I’ll be making gravy
I’ll be making plenty, I’m gonna pay ’em all back

Yeah, do-do-do-do, do-do
Do-do-do-do, do-do

…

Ronettes – Sleigh Ride

Thank you, Dave, for inviting me to Turntable Talk. I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! Dave wanted us to post a Christmas song, and this one, which I’ve never written about, fit perfectly. I could hear Ronnie Spector sing all day.

I could listen to Ronnie Spector sing the telephone book…if there are such things anymore. She has a unique voice and you know it’s her when you hear or see her. I’ve become a full-blown fan of this lady through the years and when I saw her singing Be My Baby she won me over. She had the look, the voice, and the stage presence. I know why John Lennon and Keith Richards were crazy about her.

Leroy Anderson wrote Sleigh Ride as an instrumental in 1948 and Mitchell Parish added lyrics in 1950. There have been a whopping 883 versions of this holiday classic.

Phil Spector’s pool of talent released a classic Christmas album called A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector but it was released on November 22, 1963. If that date seems familiar, it’s because it very significant. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas while riding in a motorcade with his wife,

The album was considered a failure (#12) at first but it caught on later. It was later re-released by Apple Records and has since been acknowledged as a great album. it peaked at #6 on Billboard’s Christmas Charts after being re-released on the Beatles label. In the years since the album has re-charted. In 2003, the album was voted No. 142 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. It was also included in Robert Dimery’s 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

The song peaked at #8 on the Billboard 100, #15 on the Canadian Hot 100, #20 in the UK, and #22 in New Zealand in 1963.

Sleigh Ride

Just hear those sleigh bells jingling, ring tingle tingling too
Come on, it’s lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you,
Outside the snow is falling and friends are calling yoo hoo,
Come on, it’s lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.

Our cheeks are nice and rosy and comfy and cozy are we
We’re snuggled up together like two birds of a feather would be
Let’s take the road before us and sing a chorus or two
Come on, it’s lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you.

…

It’s A Wonderful Life

In baseball, you have a closer. A pitcher that comes in the 9th inning and nails it down for his team. This is the Christmas closer. If someone said you can only watch one Christmas movie every year, this one would be it. It’s very close to a long Twilight Zone. I have seen this movie more times than any other, hands down.

This weekend I plan to watch it. I would like to know how many times I’ve seen this movie. I would guess…30+ times now that I think about it. The movie was based on Philip Van Doren Stern’s short story The Greatest Gift, which he self-published as a Christmas card after failing to sell it to a publisher.

The film was initially a box-office disappointment and contributed to the financial struggles of Frank Capra’s Liberty Films. He and Samuel J. Briskin founded Liberty Films in 1945. The movie is now huge but it took years before it really set in pop culture. For years, the film’s copyright lapsed into the public domain, which allowed TV stations to air it frequently, helping it gain its spot in popular culture.

I didn’t watch this great movie until the late 80s. All it took was one time and I haven’t missed a year of watching it. I don’t tear up very easily..but it never fails at the end of the movie when Zuzu says… Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings…it gets me every time. This movie was released in 1946.

Poor George Bailey. All he wanted to do was travel and get out of Bedford Falls to see the world. Every single time he gets close…so close that it hurts…something happens and George ends up doing the right thing.

Bedford Falls needs George Bailey…every town needs a George Bailey but many end up with only a Mr. Potter. There is one thing about this movie which was unusual. Mr. Potter was never punished for what he did…which drew criticism at the time but it was more in line with reality to me. Potter was never won over by the Christmas spirit and I think that helps the movie.

This is a Christmas movie but really only the last part of the movie is about Christmas. It is a movie for any time not just for December. I was thinking of names for our unborn child and couldn’t think of one…I was watching this movie in November of 1999 and it hit me…Bailey…so the movie means more than some movies do.

Donna Reed played Mary Hatch Bailey to perfection. The role was offered to others as well like Olivia de Havilland, Ginger Rogers, and Jean Arthur. I would have been interested to see Jean Arthur in that role. I’m a huge fan of her and Capra used her in some great films but I can’t ever complain about Donna Reed.

Here is a small summary from IMDB…don’t read it…watch the movie instead. If you haven’t seen it…give it a shot…whether it is Christmas or July.

George Bailey has spent his entire life giving of himself to the people of Bedford Falls. He has always longed to travel but never had the opportunity in order to prevent rich skinflint, Mr. Potter, from taking over the entire town. All that prevents him from doing so is George’s modest building and loan company, which was founded by his generous father. But on Christmas Eve, George’s Uncle Billy loses the business’s $8,000 while intending to deposit it in the bank. Potter finds the misplaced money and hides it from Billy. When the bank examiner discovers the shortage later that night, George realizes that he will be held responsible and sent to jail and the company will collapse, finally allowing Potter to take over the town. Thinking of his wife, their young children, and others he loves will be better off with him dead, he contemplates suicide. But the prayers of his loved ones result in a gentle angel named Clarence coming to earth to help George, with the promise of earning his wings. He shows George what things would have been like if he had never been born.

…

Who – Christmas

The Who isn’t exactly known for traditional Christmas tunes, but they do have a song that fits the season.

This song is on the album Tommy about the deaf, dumb, and blind kid. This is not a Christmas song you will hear on the radio at this time of year…it’s just part of the story of Tommy. It’s one of my favorite songs on the album along with Sally Simpson.

Tommy’s father has concerns about his son on Christmas morning. Tommy is deaf, dumb, and blind, and doesn’t appear to have much of a future, but that Christmas, he gets a game of pinball and his life changes when he becomes the Pinball Wizard. This was written by Pete Townshend and it fits perfectly on that album.

It’s the backup vocals that always catch my attention. Also the drums by Mr. Moon plus Townshend’s slashing guitar. They also go into the refrain of “Tommy Can You Hear Me” and “See Me Feel Me.” The song is powerful and also very catchy. I always listen to it around Christmas.

I don’t think any band in rock could have touched them during this time live. On the tour of Tommy is where Live At Leeds came from and it is the tightest I’ve heard a rock band.

Tommy peaked at #2 in the UK, #4 on the Billboard 100, and #6 in Canada in 1969.

Christmas

Did you ever see the faces of children
They get so excited.
Waking up on Christmas morning
Hours before the winter sun’s ignited.
They believe in dreams and all they mean
Including heavens generosity.
Peeping round the door
to see what parcels are for free
In curiosity.

And Tommy doesn’t know what day it is.
Doesn’t know who Jesus was or what praying is.
How can he be saved?
From the eternal grave.

Surrounded by his friends he sits so silently,
And unaware of everything.
Playing poxy pin ball
picks his nose and smiles and
Pokes his tongue at everything.
I believe in love
but how can men who’ve never seen
Light be enlightened.
Only if he’s cured
will his spirits future level ever heighten.

And Tommy doesn’t know what day it is.
Doesn’t know who Jesus was or what praying is.
How can he be saved?
>From the eternal grave.
Tommy can you hear me?
Tommy can you hear me?
Tommy can you hear me?
How can he be saved?

[Tommy:]

See me, feel me
Touch me, heal me.
See me, feel me
Touch me, heal me!

Tommy can you hear me?
Tommy can you hear me?
Tommy can you hear me?
How can he be saved?

Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer

Thank you for dropping by. This is one of my favorite Christmas shows now and as a kid I loved it. There were three specials you didn’t miss…The Peanuts Christmas Show, The Grinch, and this one wasn’t just a show…it was an event.

Watching Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer every year is the same as setting up the tree. Every year I would look forward to seeing this along with the others but what a fantastic durable show this has been. When I hear Burl Ives in anything…I think of him as the narrator Sam the Snowman of this program. Plus the movie means a lot because my mom and I would watch it together and her name was Clarice like Rudolph’s girlfriend.

The characters are wonderful. Well except those other young reindeer who really come down on Rudolph when his nose lights up. There was absolutely NO need for that. cough cough venison cough. (just joking!)

Hermey the elf who wants to be a dentist
Clarice – The reindeer who likes Rudolph just as he is red nose and all.
Yukon Cornelius the prospector who loves silver and gold and has a tongue that can find his silver and gold. I love this guy…all he wants is a peppermint mine!
Abominable Snowman – The bad guy of the show who only needs a dentist to make him a good guy.
Head Elf – He leans on Hermey to get his elf self-act together and discourages him from being a dentist…I never liked him too much.

Throughout the special, Yukon Cornelius throws his pickaxe into the ground, taking it out and licking it. It turns out he is checking for neither gold nor silver… Yukon was searching for an elusive peppermint mine. In a scene right at the end of the special’s original broadcast, deleted the next year to make room for the Misfit Toys’ new scene, Cornelius pulled his pick from the ground, licked it, and said, “Peppermint! What I’ve been searching for all my life! I’ve struck it rich! I’ve got me a peppermint mine! Wahoo!” The scene was restored in 1998 and has been reinstated in all the subsequent home video releases except for the 2004 DVD release. However, this scene is still cut from recent televised airings.

The Island of Misplaced Toys got to me when I was a kid. I really felt sorry for these lonely toys. King Moonracer was over the island and tried to convince Rudolph to tell Santa about them so he could pick them up and find kids who would play with them.

The original 1964 airing did not include the closing scene where Santa picks up the misfit toys. That scene was added in 1965, in response to complaints that Santa was not shown fulfilling his promise to include them in his annual delivery.

The stop animation in this works really well. I wish they would do more of it today. I truly like it better at times than CGI.

The songs are perfect. Silver and Gold, Holly Jolly Christmas, Jingle Jingle Jingle, We Are Santa’s Elves, There’s Always Tomorrow, We’re a Couple of Misfits and The Most Wonderful Day of the Year.

Below is some trivia from IMDB

In the original TV version of the show, Rudolph, Hermey the elf, and Yukon Cornelius visit the Island of Misfit Toys and promise to help them, but the Misfits are never seen again, only mentioned as Santa’s first stop before he flies off in his sleigh. After it was shown, the producers were inundated with letters from children complaining that nothing had been done to help the Misfit Toys. In response, Rankin-Bass produced a new short scene at the end of the show in which Santa and his reindeer, led by Rudolph, land on the Island and pick up all the toys to find homes for them. This scene became a part of the standard version of the show run during the holidays.

Original puppets of Santa and young Rudolph from the 1964 production went on tour in November 2007. When purchased by their new owner, both were in poor condition – Santa had mold under his beard and half of his mustache was gone, while Rudolph’s nose was gone. The owner took them to stop-motion animation studio Screen Novelties International and restored them “as a labor of love” for expenses only — $4000. The puppets originally cost $5000 each in 1964 dollars.

The Making of Rudolph!

https://christmas-specials.fandom.com/wiki/Rudolph_the_Red-Nosed_Reindeer_(Rankin/Bass)

Bruce Springsteen – Merry Christmas Baby

We are getting close to Christmas. I hope everyone is ready…and most, if not all, of your shopping is done. There have been many versions of this song but this one is the one I listen to the most. The dynamics in this version are great.

This Dec 31st, 1980 performance of Merry Christmas Baby was recorded at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, NY, during The River Tour. The song was played in its E Street Band arrangement. It was released in November 1986 as the B-side to WAR. This was the lead single from the Live/1975-85 box set.

Although Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley covered “Merry Christmas Baby” before Bruce did, it sounds like he based his version on Otis Redding’s 1968 version.

Lou Baxter wrote this song but it was called “Merry Christmas Blues” and Charles Brown took it home to work it out. He rewrote it with the new title. Baxter wanted Charles Brown to record it the way Charles rewrote it and it became a big hit with Brown singing with Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers.

Then the music business struck again…The company promised Charles he would have a co-writer credit but of course, it didn’t happen and Johnny Moore had his name listed on the song instead. Charles never got paid royalties for the song. It was originally released in 1947 and peaked at #3 in the Charts.

Moore died, largely unknown, in the 1960s. Brown, meanwhile, became renowned as a pioneer of the laid-back, piano-driven style of West Coast blues and was recognized as an early influence on Ray Charles; he had a renaissance in the 1990s, touring with Bonnie Raitt.

Charles Brown was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1999 but died before the induction.

It was also on a complication album A Very Special Christmas of various artists released in 1987.

Merry Christmas Baby

Bring it down, band!

Now, I just came here tonight to say…
I just wanna say…
I just wanna say…

Merry Christmas baby, you surely treat me nice
Come on, merry Christmas baby, you surely treat me nice
I feel just like I’m living, living in paradise

Now listen
Now you see, I feel real good tonight
And I got music on the radio
And I feel real good tonight
And I got music on the radio
And the boys in the band are playing pretty good!
Now, I feel just like I wanna kiss you
Underneath my mistletoe

But now listen
Santa came down chimney, half past three
With lots of nice little presents for my baby and me
Merry Christmas baby, you surely treat me nice
And I feel like I’m living, just living in paradise
Come on boys!

Well now, Santa came down chimney, half past three
With lots of nice little presents for my baby and me
Merry Christmas baby, you surely treat me nice
I feel like I’m living, I’m living in paradise

And I just came down to say
Merry Christmas baby
I just wanna say, merry Christmas baby
I just wanna say, merry Christmas baby
I just wanna say, merry Christmas baby
And happy New Year, too!
Oh yeah!
Play it boys, go!
Merry Christmas
Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-happy New Year
Ohhhh!

Oh yeah!
Merry Christmas baby!

Scrooged

Sheila mentioned this movie yesterday while talking about A Christmas Carol. I always wanted to write it up anyway so today is a good day and I thank Sheila for bringing it up. After this review…the name I would like you to remember over any other name is Michael O’Donoghue. He was the key to this movie and Saturday Night Live’s first years. O’Donoghue and Mitch Glazer were credited as the writers of this movie. O’Donoghue hated the finished film and he said that he and Glazer wrote a much better story than was shown. He was such a talented writer and died at an early age. He is not as remembered as much as he should have been.

He claimed that director Richard Donner ruined the film (using only about 40% of his script, eliminating subtler material going for big broad laughs, etc). The writer hated what Murray did with the movie’s final redemption speech. Despite co-writer Glazer imploring the actor to get over his nerves (Murray had been away from movies for four years) and just deliver the words as written, Murray went off on an emotional, big-actor-moment tirade. Glazer actually thought Murray was having a nervous breakdown. After Murray finished that scene…O’Donoghue remarked “What was that? The Jim Jones Hour?” O’Donoghue was a comedy trailblazer with National Lampoon and added dark humor to SNL. When I say dark humor…I mean very dark humor. So much so that Lorne Michaels eventually had to step in and stop O’Donaghue from going too far on SNL.

I do love this movie no matter what O’Donoghue thought. Not only Murray but so many actors and actresses did such a great job. You had Robert Mitchum, Carol Kane, Karen Allen, Michael Pollard, John Forsythe, David Johansen, Bobcat Goldthwait, and so many more. I’m a Bill Murray fan anyway and this movie he was terrific in. This movie is a different take on A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens and was released in 1988. It has become a cult classic. Christmas is not the same without this movie. I didn’t see it until the late 90s and I attempt to see it before every Christmas. I watch it alongside the glorious Alistair Sim version, for although they are poles apart, they both entertain for very different reasons.

Scrooged marked Bill Murray’s return to a lead role after a four-year hiatus following the success of Ghostbusters. The movie was a moderate hit but since then it has grown in popularity. I also love the closing song…Jackie DeShannon’s Put A Little Love In Your Heart to close it out.

The movie also has some great lines. After Frank Cross played a violent commercial for their version of Scrooge, Bobcat Goldthwait (Eliot Loudermilk) said the commercial looked like the Manson Family Christmas Special.

Frank Cross: Do you think I’m way off base here?
Elliot: Yes. You’re, well, you’re a tad off base, sir. That thing looked like The Manson Family Christmas Special!

_______________________________________

PLOT IMDB (Spoilers)

Frank Cross is the president of IBC Television, a network obsessed with ratings. Frank is a modern-day Scrooge: rude, selfish, and focused only on himself. On Christmas Eve, while preparing for a live broadcast of A Christmas Carol, he fires an employee, Eliot, for questioning his plans. Frank also pushes away his sweet ex-girlfriend, Claire, who still believes in kindness and helping others.

That night, Frank is visited by the ghost of his old boss, Lew Hayward, who warns him to change his ways or suffer terrible consequences. To drive the point home, Frank is told he will meet three ghosts:

The Ghost of Christmas Past: A loudmouthed cab driver who takes Frank back in time to see his lonely childhood and the moment he lost Claire because of his greed.
The Ghost of Christmas Present: A violent, glittery fairy who shows Frank how his selfishness is hurting others, including his assistant Grace and her son, Calvin, who hasn’t spoken since his father died.
The Ghost of Christmas Future: A terrifying, Grim Reaper-like figure who shows Frank what will happen if he doesn’t change—his death will be lonely, and everyone he knows will suffer.

Shaken by these visions, Frank has a change of heart. During the live broadcast, he takes over the show and delivers an emotional speech about love, generosity, and the true meaning of Christmas. He makes amends with Claire, Grace, and even Eliot, and ends the night singing with the cast and crew.

____________________________________________

Bill Murray: “We tore up the script so badly that we had parts all over the lawn, there was a lot I didn’t like. To remake the story, we took the romantic element and built that up a little more. The family scenes (which featured real-life siblings Joel and Brian Doyle Murray) were kind of off, so we worked on that.”

Bill Murray was asked if he had problems with director Richard Donner. He replied “Only a few. Every single minute of the day. That could have been a really, really great movie. The script was so good. There’s maybe one take in the final cut movie that is mine. We made it so fast, it was like doing a movie live. He kept telling me to do things louder, louder, louder. I think he was deaf.”

…

Bing Crosby & David Bowie – Peace On Earth / The Little Drummer Boy

I love unions like this…I will start to have some holiday posts mixed in on the way to Christmas as a second post like this one. In 1977 Bowie released his album Low at the beginning of the year and he toured as Iggy Pop’s keyboardist that year.

I know what I was doing on November 30, 1977. I was watching Merrie Olde Christmas special as a kid. I didn’t appreciate the weirdness of the combination of Bing Crosby and David Bowie at the time. Something that the seventies did well…was to intersect generations on variety shows. This one was a great combination.

This special had guest stars Twiggy, David Bowie, Ron Moody, Stanley Baxter, and The Trinity Boys Choir. It was the duet with Bing Crosby and David Bowie that has been remembered. I remember watching this knowing that Bing Crosby had died the month earlier. The duet was taped on September 11, 1977, and Crosby died on October 14, 1977.

David Bowie’s mother was a huge Bing Crosby fan and Bing Crosby’s children were big David Bowie fans…so the two agreed to sing together. It was questionable at first if it would work out.

Mary Crosby: “The doors opened and David walked in with his wife, They were both wearing full-length mink coats, they have matching full makeup and their hair was bright red. We were thinking, ‘Oh my god.'” Nathaniel Crosby, Bing’s son, added: “It almost didn’t happen. I think the producers told him to take the lipstick off and take the earring out. It was just incredible to see the contrast.”

Another possible hitch happened with Bowie. He didn’t like The Little Drummer Boy and refused to sing it. The writers then wrote a revised version of the song that he liked. They wrote a counterpart section for Bowie to sing. Crosby liked the challenge of his part. The rest is history and one of the most unusual pairings you will ever see…

One funny part is Bowie’s idea of “older fellas” at the time is John Lennon and Harry Nilsson.

Here is the complete show if you want to give it a try

The Little Drummer Boy (Peace On Earth)

Come they told me pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
A newborn king to see pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
Our finest gifts we bring pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
Rum-pum-pum-pum, rum-pum-pum-pum

[Verse 2: Bowie and Crosby]
Peace on Earth can it be?
Come they told me pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
Years from now, perhaps we’ll see?
A newborn king to see pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
See the day of glory
Our finest gift we bring pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
See the day, when men of good will
To lay before the king pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
Live in peace, live in peace again
Rum-pum-pum-pum, Rum-pum-pum-pum
Peace on Earth
So to honour him pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
Can it be
When we come

[Bridge: Bowie and Crosby in unison]
Every child must be made aware
Every child must be made to care
Care enough for his fellow man
To give all the love that he can

[Verse 4: Bowie and Crosby]
I pray my wish will come true
Little baby pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
For my child and your child too
I stood beside him there pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
He’ll see the day of glory
I played my drum for him pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
See the day when men of good will
I played my best for him pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
Live in peace, live in peace again
Rum-pum-pum-pum, rum-pum-pum-pum
Peace on Earth
Me and my drum
Can it be

Can it be

A Christmas Carol (1951)

I will be watching this movie this week. It gets me in the mood for Christmas. Alastair Sim is such a pleasure to watch and he is why this is my favorite interpretation of A Christmas Carol.

There have been countless takes on A Christmas Carol, but the 1951 version is something special. It’s not just a holiday movie—it’s a haunting, moving, and uplifting journey that brings home the power of compassion and redemption. Whether it’s your first time watching or your fiftieth, this is the version that truly captures the heart of Dickens’ story. When I think of Scrooge…I think of Alastair Sim.

The movie is in black and white which turns some people off but it makes it that much better to me. They do have a color version but trust me…watch the black-and-white version. It gives the movie a darker feeling. The effects they use are obviously not CGI but they get the point across well and serve the story very well. I like the scene where the ghost of Jacob Marley is warning Ebenezer of being greedy…the two were not on the set at the same time…it looked really good for being 1951…or anytime for that matter.

The film feels like you are stepping into Victorian London…gritty, cold, and yet somehow magical. Scrooge’s transformation feels real, earned, and deeply satisfying. In 1971 Sim voiced the same character in an animated version of A Christmas Carol and it’s great as well.

So get some hot butter rum, sit back, and watch this great movie. The recipe for Hot Buttered Rum is here, or you can go to the bottom of the post. I haven’t tried this recipe but I want to this year. When I was younger I would go to TGI Fridays…they had great hot buttered rum.

From IMDB…spoilers

Ebenezer Scrooge (Alastair Sim) is a greedy businessman who thinks only of making money. For him, Christmas is, in his own words, a humbug. It has been seven years since his friend and partner, Jacob Marley (Sir Michael Hordern), died and on Christmas Eve. Marley’s ghost tells him he is to be visited during the night by three spirits. The Ghost of Christmas Past (Michael Dolan) revisits some of the main events in Scrooge’s life to date, including his unhappy childhood, his happy apprenticeship to Mr. Fezziwig (Roddy Hughes), who cared for his employees, and the end of his engagement to a pretty young woman due to a growing love of money. The Ghost of Christmas Present (Francis De Wolff) shows him how joyously is nephew Fred (Brian Worth) and his clerk, Bob Cratchit (Mervyn Johns), celebrate Christmas with those they love. The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come (Czeslaw Konarski) shows him what he will leave behind after he is gone. Scrooge awakens on Christmas morning, a new man intent on doing good and celebrating the season with all of those around him.

Cast

Alastair Sim (Ebenezer Scrooge)
Kathleen Harrison (Mrs. Dilber)
Mervyn Johns (Bob Cratchit)
Hermione Baddeley (Mrs. Cratchit)
Michael Hordern (Jacob Marley)
Glyn Dearman (Tiny Tim)

Ingredients

2 quarts hot water
2 cups brown sugar
½ cup unsalted butter
1 pinch salt
6 whole cloves
3 cinnamon sticks
2 cups rum
1 cup sweetened whipped cream
ground nutmeg to taste

Directions

Combine hot water, brown sugar, butter, and salt in a 5-quart slow cooker. Add cloves and cinnamon sticks.
Cover slow cooker; cook on Low for 5 hours. Stir in rum.
Ladle buttered rum into mugs. Top with whipped cream; dust with nutmeg.