Santa's Got A Mixed Bag

The best radio station in the country, WFMU, has a blog. And on that blog they mentioned this here little corner of the world as a place to check out for Holiday music. I am both honored and humbled. The individual writing the entry singled out Jimmy Butler's "Trim Your Tree" as their favorite. As I had just deleted the song for exceeding the one week limit, I think it's only fair to re post the song:

Jimmy Butler: Trim Your Tree (mp3)

Now for a hodge podge of stuff I didn't mange to fit elsewhere this month. There's one more Holiday post tomorrow, but if you've visited here for any length of time, you can probably guess what tunes are going up on Friday. I've got a ton more stuff, but y'all are just going to have to wait 'til next year.

And don't forget to stop back on Tuesday for the four- part, world-famous Big Rock Candy Mountain Best of 2006 extravaganza. Yippee.

Jim Lauderdale is one of the best songwriters working in Country and Americana today. His whiskey-tinged vocals serve well in contrast to folks like Ralph Stanley, who he's recorded Bluegrass albums with, and on it's own on keenly observed slice of life songs.

Sonny Boy Williamson (II) kicked some nasty Mississippi blues harmonica, with a gritty, worn voice to match. He's a favorite here at the Mountain.

Can you surf in a garage? The Trashmen found a way to make you feel like you could, here begging Santa Claus to aid and abet in their teenage lust.

And finally, Jump Blues bandleader extraordinaire Jimmy Liggins knows what we all really want for the Holidays.

Jim Lauderdale: Holly And Her Mistletoe (mp3)

Sonny Boy Williamson: Santa Claus (mp3)

The Trashmen: Real Live Doll (Alternate Take)(mp3)

Jimmy Liggins and His Drops of Joy: I Want My Baby For Christmas (mp3)

Thanks for supporting your local, independent record stores this Holiday season.

Rootin' Tootin' Santa Claus

Honestly, I'm not sure what that little feller's smiling like that for.

Country goodness today.

God bless Dolly Parton. Seems the focus is always on her, erm, considerable assets or her theme park. It's too bad, cuz folks are missing out on a tremendous songwriter and interpreter, and a woman who pushed women's independence in Country music long before it was acceptable.

We've discussed Jerry Reed numerous times before. Here's what we said most recently.

Johnny Horton was a honky tonker who was a forerunner of Rockabilly. You know him best from his rendition of "The Battle of New Orleans". He's doing something funny to Rudolph in the following song.

Faron Young is a legend. We really need to give him a proper full-length post. But for now, we have evidence below that Faron's a bit of a tattle tale.

Santa is a Honky Tonker.

Dolly Parton: Hard Candy Christmas (mp3)

Jerry Reed: Christmas Time's A Coming (mp3)

Johnny Horton: They Shined Up Rudolph's Nose (mp3)

Faron Young: I'm Gonna Tell Santa On You (mp3)

Thanks for spending the Holiday season with us.

S'not Christmas

Gonna load you up over the next couple of days. Feel free to get loaded. Erm...

A little snot for Christmas today. Call it punk rock, call it trash, call it rock'n'roll. I dunno.

Nothing beats trash wunderkind Billy Childish in the guise of the Buff Medways.

The Replacements were the greatest band of the 80's, bar none. Really, I can't think of a rational argument that would convince me otherwise. The following tune is from a bootleg, so it's pretty much what you'd expect, sound-wise. But it kicks ass, and you need it.

Lisa Kekaula of The Bellrays could pretty much give Rachel Nagy of the Detroit Cobras a run for her money, so far as smoky, trashy, full-throated trashsoul goes. Hell I think she might even win.

The Mono Men are just nasty. And that's why we like them.

Enjoy these fine traditional Yuletide numbers.

The Buff Medways: Merry Christmas Fritz (mp3)

The Replacements: Bundle Up (mp3)

The Bellrays: Merry Christmas Baby (mp3)

The Mono Men: Christmastime Is For Sinners (mp3)

Enjoy the spirit of independence this year.

Six Tons of Toys

Just wanted to say a quick thanks to all those who have provided links to this here little experiment in Holiday absurdity. And if you're a new visitor, thanks for stopping by. You probably won't get any breaking news or hot new artists at this spot, but we aim please in other ways. Some classic (or not so classic as the case may be) Country, a little Blues, Rock-a-Boppin-Billy, mountain stompers, Truck Driving, Trash, and greasy pre-rock R&B. Our favorite instruments are the accordion, pedal steel geetar, and the Hammond B-3 organ. We think Tom Waits is quite keen. Occasionally we're a little cantankerous. That about sums it up, then.

Stay tuned the day after Xmas for our week-long survey of the albums that made us hum, dance, air drum, or put a tear in our beer.

Oh, right, you're here for the music. Where was I?

'Couple of weeks ago we had Red Simpson sharing a little truckin' Yuletide joy. And what trucker's holiday would be complete without ole Dave Dudley chiming in? As you are probably already aware, Dudley is arguably the king of trucker tunes, and one of the Mountain's favorite artists.

Dave's on a tight schedule, helping Santa with his deliveries this year.

Truck on, Santa.

Dave Dudley: Six Tons of Toys (mp3)

Hey, instead of buying that last minute gift that nobody's going to want, why not drop a few bucks in the Salvation Army bucket this year?

Steady Santa

Happy Hanukkah, beginning tonight! My apologies for not having any tunes to go along. I'll try to do better next year. Any suggestions?

Speaking of things I haven't posted about, I've never really discussed Reggae or Ska here at the Mountain. It's not that we dislike those forms. We're actually big fans, particularly of Ska. I just wouldn't consider myself anywhere near qualified in my limited knowledge to post intelligently. Not that any other posts here could be called intelligent, per se.

That said, I thought I'd throw a little Ska and Reggae your way today, courtesy of the keen Trojan Records Christmas Box Set.

Yellowman wants to know why Santa is selective in his destinations.

And The Granville Williams Orchestra knows how Santa really gets around. When he's actually showing up.

Yellowman: Santa Never Comes To The Ghetto (mp3)

The Granville Williams Orchestra: Santa Clause Is Ska-ing To Town (mp3)

Shop, Shop, Shop, Shop, Buy, Buy, Buy, Fa la la la la.

Radio Free Santa

Well. Here's two fellers you wouldn't normally expect to find side by side outside of free-form radio. But why the hell not?

Gentleman Jim Reeves is a little too pop for some Country purist's liking. We here find him to perfectly acceptable. His laconic voice reminds us of another Mountain favorite, Dean Martin, not in sound but in approach. If that makes a lick of sense. There's room for all kinds of Country under our Christmas tree. Not Garth Brooks, though. Never Garth Brooks.

Our cover star, El Vez, the Mexican Elvis, is one of the finest vocal stylists working today. We'd take him over the overrated Mr. Presley any day of the week. And we aint kidding. Really.

Feliz Navidada!

Jim Reeves: Senor Santa Claus (mp3)

El Vez: Santa Claus Is Sometimes Brown (mp3)

Buy Product! Support the Capitalist agenda! Spend lots of money at Big Name Department Stores and Media Outlets!

Tree Trimming

Egad.

I've completely ignored the Blues thus far, and time's running out. Good Gravy!

Let's fix that.

First a little jump blues from Oscar McLollie and His Honey Jumpers. If you like Wynonie Harris, or the beatnik post from earlier, this is right up your alley, cats.

Next, Jimmy Butler wants to do a little tree trimming this Holiday season. And who of us doesn't, really? Not the sublest of songs, but then what about this time of the year is subtle?

Enjoy.

Oscar McLollie and His Honey Jumpers: Dig That Crazy Santa Claus (mp3)

Jimmy Butler: Trim Your Tree (mp3)

Please support you local, independent thingy.

Hanks For Chirstmas

Outside of a couple of stocking stuffers, my shopping is all done. Gol-durn, I'm an overachiever.

There's something about a Hank in Country and Western music. Today we've got 2/3 of the trinity, Jesus and the Holy Ghost, Hank Williams, of course, being God.

Hank Thompson , a fine purveyor of the drinking song, and one of the last great Western Swing artists, wants to wrap something of his up for you this Christmas.

Hank Snow, one of the Mountain's favorite musicians across the style spectrum, has some dancing in mind. Who he's doing the boogie with might raise some eyebrows.

Hank Snow: Reindeer Boogie (mp3)

Hank Thompson: Gonna Wrap My Heart In Ribbons (mp3)

Please support your local, independent Hank this Holiday season.

Fa La La Dysfunctional

I've neglected a little Holiday linkage round these parts.

PCL Linkdump has a great roundup of sites in two parts. You should check it out here and here.

Some of the Mountain's favorites are:

Red Ryder BB Gun

FaLaLaLaLa.com

Ernie (Not Bert)

77 Santas

Christmas A Go Go

There's a million more out there, so get hunting. We're also eagerly anticipating the return of Rev. Frost, and what goodies he might bring.

You'll notice in today's keen photo accompaniment that the men have devised a swell way deal with the intricacies of the holiday season.

Robert Earl Keen shares their pain. Keen is a friend of Lyle Lovett, so you can bet he knows his way around an interesting lyric.

The song "Merry Christmas From the Family" is a brilliant and hilarious distillation of the dysfunctional family Holiday gathering. It may well be the Mountain's second favorite Holiday song of all time (nothing beats the Pogues, as you might well have guessed). So, if you only grab one song from here this year, this is the one you need.

Oddly enough, Jill Sobule, of all people, does a fine version of this song. I'll let you find that one elsewhere.

Robert Earl Keen: Merry Christmas From the Family (mp3)

Please support your local convenience store this wintry season.

Coalminer's Holiday

Phew.

Long night last night. Still a little woozy. There's something about a bar/lounge/pub during the holidays. Maybe it's the string of cheap lights, or the desperate cheerfulness, or the cheerless desperation. Guess it depends on where you are.

So this'll be a short one.

We love Loretta Lynn up here on the Mountain. Of all the great female Country artists, and they are legion, Loretta's our favorite. Our patron saint. Maybe it's her backwoods angel voice. Maybe it's her common folks real life story. Maybe it's her unique beauty. Regardless, she's always welcome for drinks on our back porch.

"I Won't Decorate Your Christmas Tree" is her Holiday version of the Mountain's favorite Lynn song "Don't Come A'Drinkin'..."

Loretta Lynn: I Won't Decorate Your Christmas Tree (mp3)

Loretta Lynn: Country Christmas (mp3)

Independent record store clerks kinda look like elves.