Santa's Christmas Spirits

Whelp...it's that time of the season where we've still got a couple hundred great Christmas tunes left, and we're trying to decide what to post this year, and what to save for next Holiday season. And we're trying to prepare for our Top Albums Of The Year List (which you can find at this very spot between Christmas and New Year's Eve).

What does that mean, exactly? It means we start posting completely random, killer Christmas tunes, with no thought to theme, rhyme, nor reason. Every song guaranteed to be a classic Xmas song perfect for your next Holiday party, or merely boppin' around the house, drink in hand, gettin' all fuzzy staring at the tree. Yep.

Jump blues hip kitty Julia Lee brings her Boyfriends along for a little "Christmas Spirit"!

Former Spaceman 3 alum Sonic Boom/Spectrum treats us to a trippy and ethereal take on the classic "Santa Claus"!

Punkabilly maestro Rev. Horton Heat has got a date with "Santa On The Roof"!

And The Quadrajets take us to the Holiday garage with "Christmas Time Is Coming" (not the same tune we posted earlier by Jerry Reed)!

Santa's Sultry Sleigh Skids Seductively!


Julia Lee and Her Boyfriends: Christmas Spirit (mp3)

Spectrum: Santa Claus (mp3)

Reverend Horton Heat: Santa On The Roof (mp3)

Quadrajets: Christmas Time Is Comin' (mp3)

Re-Post (By Request!):

The Buff Medways: Merry Christmas Fritz (mp3)

We're taking a posting Holiday on Saturday (Christmas party!). We'll be back for the final run on Sunday.

Man In The Santa Claus Suit

One week to go. Shane or Santa Claus? You tell me.

Theme post today, including a couple of special re-posts requested by...well...requested by me. Yup. I'm gifting myself. And you by extension. Trust me on this, you're gonna want these tunes.

The fantastic (and vaguely Waitsian) Mary Gauthier kicks off today's festivities with a funny and sad little tale about an extended family and their community at Xmas. Neil Halstead of Mojave 3 weighs in next with a tune about the lengths a man will go to during the Holidays to give his family a super swell Yuletide.

The re-posts continue the theme with a couple of tunes by Mike Ireland and The Everly Brothers. Possibly the two saddest Xmas songs we've ever heard, and we mean that in a non-cheesy, irony-free way. Highly recommended to leaven the levity of previous posts.

Sad Santas, They Mean So Much!


Mary Gauthier: Christmas In Paradise (mp3)

Neil Halstead: The Man In The Santa Suit (mp3)

Re-Posts (Requested by ME!):

Mike Ireland: Christmas Past (mp3)

The Everly Brothers: Christmas Eve Can Kill You (mp3)

Please support your dysfunctional family this Xmas season.

Red Christmas

We're veering dangerously close to Christmas. Will we make it? Will we satisfy the world's insatiable lust for Yuletide tunes? Well, we'll give it a shot.

Some visitors 'round these parts are probably sick and tired of all those guldarned Truckin' tunes we post. From the poll at the sidebar, it seems we have some hardcore Britney Spears fans. We'll try to satiate your Spears desire down the line (no, not really), but...we really, really, really like those damnable Truckin' songs.

And so we come to our final round of Christmas Truckin' tunes. Barring any re-post requests from previous years' Big Rig gifts or new discoveries, we'll have shot our Semi Santa load today. (Course we've got plenty more great Yuletide tunes lined up for ya over the next week).

And who better than Red Simpson to make the delivery? From his essential Holiday album "Trucker's Christmas", which everyone should own, Red's making his final run towards home for Christmas, chasing Phantom 309, diesel smoke, and dangerous curves...all the way into the driveway for the Holidays.

Truck Christmas!


Red Simpson: Blue Blue Christmas (For The Truck Drivin' Man) (mp3)

Red Simpson: Dad Will Be Home For Christmas (mp3)

Re-Post (By Request!)

Red Red Meat: There's A Star Above The Manger Tonight (mp3)

Save a Semi, ride a Trucker this Holiday Season.

Santa's Complaint

Is it Christmas yet? Damn, I'm about ready to rip open all the presents under the tree, Mrs. Mountain's included. Well, it is the season for impatience, innit? Gimme Gimme!

Naw, I kid. But we've got some folks in today's post who'd like to express some opinions about the Holidays and what the hell is and isn't under their tree. Or in their beds. If'n you know what I mean.

So it's a Blues Christmas at the Mountain today, and it's about time. We've got The Black Ace, Jimmy Witherspoon, and Bumble Bee Slim with a litany of wants and desires for the Holidays. Seems as if Santa was a little selective with his visits. Luckily, we've got Lead Belly to spread a little a little cheer. No, really.

Santa's Got A Sack O'Woe!

The Black Ace: Christmastime (Beggin' Santa Claus) (mp3)

Jimmy Witherspoon: How I Hate To See Xmas Come Around (Christmas Blues) (mp3)

Bumble Bee Slim: Christmas and No Santa Claus (mp3)

Lead Belly: On A Christmas Day (mp3)

Special Re-Post (By Request!)

A Big Rock Juke'n'Jive Xmas
(Rapidshare link follows track listing)

1.Christmas In The Congo (The Marquees)
2.Xmas Twist (Twistin' Kings)
3.Santa Claus (The Sonics)
4.Christmas Tree's On Fire (Holly Golightly)
5.Rockabilly Santa Claus (Wanda Jackson)
6.Christmas Boogie (The Barnstompers)
7.Bring That Cadillac Back (The Doc Bagby Orchestra)
8.Here Comes The Fattest Man In Town (Bob Chester)
9.Santa and My Semi (Dale Watson)
10.The Christmas Cannonball (Hank Thompson)
11.Cowboy Santa Claus (Prairie Ramblers)
12.On A Christmas Day (C.W. Stoneking)
13.Santa's Secret (Johnny Guarnieri)
14.Christmas In Jail (Leroy Carr)
15.Christmas Lights (Wild Billy Childish)
16.Blue Grey Christmas (King Coleman)
17.Hey Santa Claus (The Moonglows)
18.God Rest You Merry Gentlemen (Rev. Frost)
19.Will Hell Be Your Santa (Rev. J.M. Gates)
20.Santa Claus Boogie (Hasil Adkins)
21.Christmas Boogie (The Davis Sisters)
22.Christmas By The Bar B Que (Lynn August)
23.Christmas In The Mountains (Faron Young)
24.Gone Home For Christmas (Red Simpson)
25.Santa To The Moon (Sonny Cole)
26.Jingle Jangle Jump (Dexter Gordon)
27.Christmas Rush (Dead Moon)
28.Let Me Hang Your Stockings In Your Christmas Tree (Roosevelt Sykes)
29.Santa's Messin' With The Kid (Eddie C. Campbell)
30.Zydeco Christmas (C.J. Chenier)
31.What Will Santa Say (When He Finds Everybody Swinging) (Louis Prima)
32.Christmas Time Blues (Roy Milton and His Solid Senders)
33.If We Make It Through December (Merle Haggard)

A Big Rock Juke'n'Jive Xmas (Rapidshare link)

Thanks for stopping by. If you save some money by visiting here, how about donating a little something to your charity of choice for the Holiday Season.

Ho Ho Loopy Lu

It's a nasty, winter day here in the politically exciting city of Chicago. Perfect for staying in, drinking some egg nog and rapping...errr....wrapping.

Forget what we've said previously, today is the greatest Holiday post ever. Really. We mean it this time. At least until the next one.

We could do a year of Billy Childish posts (maybe someone out there should) and still not scratch the surface of his body of work. We had some keen Holiday tracks from the man last year and, well hell, why not some more this year?

From the single released in conjunction with last year's Christmas record, "Christmas 1979" we've got a couple of stocking stuffers courtesy of Wild Billy Childish and the Musicians of the British Empire. This is truly as good as it gets.

But wait, there's more.

We've got a couple more super seasonal snow bound Xmas tracks for ya. Courtesy of Norton (remember them from earlier?), we've got The Kaisers getting mod on our gift-wrapped asses, and Donny Burns swingin' beatnik cool.

Christmas Cookies With Sprinkles!

Billy Childish And The Musicians Of The British Empire: Christmas 1979 (mp3)

Billy Childish And The Musicians Of The British Empire: Ho Ho! (mp3)

The Kaisers: Merry Christmas Loopy Lu (mp3)

Donny Burns: Cool Yule (mp3)

Big Ol' Re-Post (By Request!)


A Big Rock Candy Aluminum Christmas
(Rapidshare link follows track listing)

1. Cancel Christmas (Rocket From The Crypt)
2. Baby It's Cold Outside (Dean Martin)
3. God Rest You Merry Gentlemen (Jimmy Smith)
4. Santa Claus Blues (Champion Jack Dupree)
5. I Want Elvis For Christmas (Holly Twins w/Eddie Cochran)
6. Xmas Lights Spin (Mark Eitzel)
7. Call It Christmastime (The Supersuckers)
8. Come On Santa Let's Have A Ball (Kay Martin)
9. Country Christmas (Loretta Lynn)
10. Santa Is A Texas Cowboy (Red Sovine)
11. Christmastime in the Mountains (Palace Brothers)
12. There's a Star Above The Manger Tonight (Red Red Meat)
13. Christmastime Is For Sinners (The Mono Men)
14. Rock'n'Roll Christmas (Cordell Jackson)
15. Goin' Home For Christmas (Merle Haggard)
16. Out On The Road For Christmas (Red Simpson)
17. My Mom and Santa Claus (George Jones)
18. Merry Christmas Fritz (The Buff Medways)
19. Sonny's Christmas Blues (Sonny Boy Williamson)
20. Santa Claus is Ska-ing to Town (The Granville Williams Orchestra)
21. We Wish You A Protein Christmas (The Fall)
22. Christmas In My Hometown (Charley Pride)
23. Silent Night All Day Long (John Prine)
24. Listening to Otis Redding At Home During Christmas (Okkervil River)
26. Fairytale of New York (The Pogues)

A Big Rock Candy Aluminum Christmas (Rapidshare link)

Please support your local, independent beatnik this Holiday season.

Barefoot Santa

Great Xmas news! Rev. Frost and the greatest blog in the universe, Spread The Good Word, has returned! It's a brief return (he promises to back in full after the New Year), but it's a Holiday post. Read the whole post, and he'll tell you where to go to download all of his past years' Christmas mixes. In our mind, the good Rev. makes the best mixes ever, and his Holiday mixes put ours to shame. Give yourself a gift this Season and grab 'em. And make sure you leave him a comment telling him to get his ass in gear and return to us soon.

Since most of all y'all stop by here for the Country Music the kids are all into these days, we're gonna gift ya with some totally random, kick ass Xmas honky tonk for your Sunday Holiday barn dance.

Who are today's colorfully wrapped packages? Glad you asked. We've got Del Reeves and his wintry doodle dos, Sonny James is looking for Santa's boots, Bobby Helms waxing nostalgic, and Eddy Arnold in the past, presaging the future. Fantastic stuff, and sure to get Holiday line dancing party off to a rollicking good start.

And don't forget to look below the tunes for more special Holiday Joy, courtesy of a re-post request. This'un's a good'un.

Spurs That Jingle Jangle Jingle

Del Reeves: Santa's Boy (mp3)

Sonny James: Barefoot Santa Claus (mp3)

Bobby Helms: Christmas Time In My Home Town (mp3)

Eddy Arnold: Will Santa Come To Shanty Town (mp3)

Special Re-Post (By Request!)

A Big Rock Candy Happy Hour Christmas
(Rapidshare file...sorry)

1. Poor Mr. Santa (Andre Williams)
2. Trim Your Tree (Jimmy Butler)
3. Mama's Twistin' With Santa (Mark Anthony)
4. Santa Looked A lot Like Daddy (Buck Owens)
5. Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus (George Jones and Tammy Wynette)
6. Yulesville (Ed "Kooky" Byrnes)
7. Sometimes Santa Claus Is Brown (El Vez)
8. Santa Never Comes To The Ghetto (Yellowman)
9. Santa's Coming In a Big Old Truck (Red Simpson)
10. I Won't Decorate Your Christmas Tree (Loretta Lynn)
11. Merry Christmas Baby (Bellrays)
12. Merry Christmas From The Family (Robert Earl Keen)
13. Senor Santa Claus (Jim Reeves)
14. Santa Claus (Thee Headcoatees)
15. Six Tons of Toys (Dave Dudley)
16. A Real Live Doll (The Trashmen)
17. I Want My Baby For Christmas (Jimmy Liggins)
18. Dig That Crazy Santa Claus (Oscar McLollie)
19. Hard Candy Christmas (Dolly Parton)
20. They Shined Up Rudolph's Nose (Johnny Horton)
21. Christmas Time's A Comin' (Jerry Reed)
22. Holly and Her Mistletoe (Jim Lauderdale)
23. The Rocking Tree (Marguerite Trina)
24. Santa Claus Got Stuck In My Chimney (Ella Fitzgerald)
25. I'm Gonna Tell Santa On You (Faron Young)
26. Santa Claus (Sonny Boy Williamson)
27. Gonna Wrap My Heart In Ribbons (Hank Thompson)

A Big Rock Happy Hour Christmas (Rapidshare link)

Times are tough, and they seem to be getting worse. Please, if you are able, consider supporting any local charities you think are worthwhile this Holiday season. It really is all about the kids, innit?

Santa's Lap

Christmas is a little lonelier now that Bettie Page is no longer with us. To say she was an...inspiration to us is saying too little. The afterlife just got a whole lot sexier.

I 'spect y'all here for a little toasty Yuletide joy, and not to hear a feller relive seminal moments of his youth. Well, as ever, we've got just what you need. And this one goes out to Bettie. Just cuz.

The Moaners are a little nervous about sitting on Santa's lap. Perhaps he's been looking at old pinups. And The Vandals are prepared to celebrate a very special Christmas. Maybe they'll take fashion tips from Ms. Page.

A Spankin' Good Holiday!

The Moaners: Something Funny In Santa's Lap (mp3)

The Vandals: My First Christmas (As A Woman) (mp3)

Special Re-Post (By Request!)

The Big Rock Candy Mountain Junk Shop Christmas
(Rapidshare link follows track listing)

1. Christmas Wish (Andre Williams)
2. Be-Bop Santa (Babs Gonzalez)
3. I'll Be Walking The Floor This Christmas (Ernest Tubb)
4. To Heck With Ole Santa Claus (Loretta Lynn)
5. Rocket Ship Santa (The Bellrays)
6. There's Trouble Brewin' (Jack Scott)
7. Santa's Doing The Horizontal Twist (Kay Martin and Her Bodyguards)
8. Empty Stockings (Floyd Dixon)
9. We Wanna See Santa Do The Mambo (Big John Greer)
10. Santa Done Got Hip (Marquees)
11. Truckin' Trees For Christmas (Red Simpson)
12. I'd Like to Have An Elephant For Christmas (Hank Thompson)
13. Put The Loot In the Boot Santa (Mae West)
14. My Last Christmas (The Dirtbombs)
15. No Christmas For John Quays (The Fall)
16. Christmas In Jail (The Youngsters)
17. Christmas Date Boogie (Big Joe Turner)
18. Boogie Woogie Santa Claus (Mabel Scott)
19. Rockin' and Rollin' With Santa Claus (Hepsters)
20. I'm Gonna Lasso Santa Claus (Brenda Lee)
21. Dasher With The Light Upon His Tail (Kitty Wells)
22. Old Toy Trains (Roger Miller)
23. Blue Christmas Lights (Buck Owens)
24. Lonely Christmas Call (George Jones)
25. Christmas Comes But Once A Year (Amos Milburn)
26. Good Times Are Coming (Eddy Clearwater w/Los Straightjackets)

The Big Rock Candy Mountain Junk Shop Christmas (Rapidshare link)

Please support your local, independent pinup superstar.

Hee Haw Ho Ho

Something, something, North Pole...Something, something, North Pole.

Free song request to whoever correctly identifies that reference.

It's two week 'til Shane MacGowan's and Jesus's birthday. And we've got all your Holiday needs covered right here.

This may be the greatest Christmas post ever, and never let it be said we're not afraid of a little hyperbole. We have a re-post request of such magnitude, it's gonna take us days to honor, so gird your loins.

But first, we've decided that, for today, at least, Boxcar Willie's "Hee Haw Honey" is our number one, very most favoritest Christmas song of all time. It features the immortal line: "I want a Hee Haw Honey or a Playboy Bunny, under my Christmas tree." And it gets better from there, with a special request for Santa.

But we can't let the Holiday hoedown rest with just that fine tune, oh no. It's the season for excess. So we've also got Dale Watson weighing in with a boot-scootin' "Honky Tonk Christmas". And fiddle king and devil slayer Charlie Daniels just wants to get back to Dixie for the Holidays, dammit.

Now for that re-post. Last year we did a series of mixes featuring many of the songs we've posted over the several years of Holiday whoop dee dos. And we had a visitor request that we re-gift 'em. And we thought, well, why the hell not? So for the next 5 days, our re-post special will be mixes, mixes, mixes. But grab 'em quick, cuz they'll be available for a bandwidth busting limited time only. Please enjoy responsibly.

Fezzes Navy David!

Boxcar Willie: Hee Haw Honey (mp3)

Dale Watson: Honky Tonk Christmas (mp3)

Charlie Daniels: Christmas Time In Dixie (mp3)

Super Double Extra Great Re-Post (By Request!):

A Big Rock Candy Cane Xmas (mp3 link follows track listing)

1. Christmas Spirit (The Wailers)
2. Don't Believe In Christmas (The Sonics)
3. Reindeer Boogie (Hank Snow)
4. Rootin' Tootin' Santa Claus (Pee Wee King)
5. I'll Be Your Santa Baby (Rufus Thomas)
6. Who Took The Merry Out Of Christmas (The Staple Singers)
7. Santa Came Home Drunk (Clyde Lasley)
8. Beatnik's Wish (Patsy Raye)
9. Deck 5 (Saturday's Children)
10. We Free Kings (Roland Kirk)
11. Merry Christmas (Lightnin' Hopkins)
12. Christmas Day (Detroit Junior)
13. Feliz Navi Dada (El Vez)
14. Old Man Spivey's Egg Nog (The Dalheart Imperials)
15. Christmas Carols By The Old Corral (Tex Ritter)
16. Santa Santa Santa (Gene Autry)
17. Santa Got A DWI (Sherwin Linton)
18. Santa Stole My Whiskey (The Rimshots)
19. The Mistletoe and Me (Isaac Hayes)
20. Xmas In Nevada (The Willard Grant Conspiracy)
21. Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis (Neko Case does Tom Waits)
22. I Wish I Was Santa Claus (Merle Haggard)
23. Please Come Home For Christmas (Little Junior)
24. Christmas Past (Mike Ireland)
25. Christmas Eve Can Kill You (The Everley Brothers)
26. What Do The Lonely Do At Christmas (The Emotions)
27. Go Tell It On The Mountain (The Blind Boys Of Alabama w/Tom Waits)

A Big Rock Candy Cane Xmas (mp3)

Support your Santa...jingle his bells.

Plump Righteous Santa

Got your shopping done? This economy bringing you down? We here at the Mountain have found that a nice homemade gift is the perfect Christmas idea. Try some macrame or origami to give to the kids this year. Or knit a festive and colorful Holiday sweater, sure to get ooohs of surprise and joy on Christmas morn.

Ummm...

While every post here at the Mountain is special, y'all should really plan to mark your calendars for tomorrow's post, when we have an extra special re-post request honored.

But today's hip'n'happy Holiday stars are pretty gosh darned good too. And our bonus re-posts at the bottom are essential for your Xmas listening pleasure.

Norton Records has put out some super duper Xmas singles over the years, featuring such superstars as Hasil Adkins, Andre Williams, The Kaisers, Flat Duo Jets, and many others. We highly recommend checking them out. The best thing about a 45 is that it's cheap, and it's fast. You gotta bring your A-game when releasing a 7", cuz you've got no time for mucking around. And Norton's Holiday offerings are no exception.

Today, we wanna feature a super duper Holiday split 7" from Norton. Side A brings us the Black Lips and a little bit of soldier's Yuletide joy. The B side gives us a nifty little Holiday jaunt from the suddenly and surprisingly red-hot King Khan and BBQ Show.

We don't normally issue those common blogger demands (and ass-coverings) that you run out and buy everything we post here. We figger you and your wallet can make up your own minds. But, in this case, we'd like to recommend, if you like these tracks, maybe giving Norton a looksie, and if you've got the bread, maybe try out some of their records. Help a great Indie label out. Besides, singles make great stocking stuffers.

Ride on, Santa Claus, ride on!


Black Lips: Christmas In Baghdad (mp3)

King Khan and BBQ Show: Plump Righteous (mp3)

Re-Posts (By Request!)

Jim Lauderdale: Holly and Her Mistletoe (mp3)

Paul James: Crazy Little Kitten For Christmas (mp3)

Dexter Gordon: Jingle Jangle Jump (mp3)

Have you hugged your reindeer today?

Santa In His Cups

Special, hiccup, Yuletide post today.

We got a request for a re-post of a tune we posted lo these many years ago, here at this site. It's a Christmas drinking song, which we also shared last year on our companion site, Barstool Mountain (which will make it's triumphant return in January). And we got to thinking (which we do on occasion)....well, there's a few neato tunes of Holiday cheer(s) that we posted on that site which never quite made their way over this-a-ways for our big Seasonal postings. And we're never shy about the true meaning of the Spirit(s) of Christmas.

So, for your inebriated joy to the world, we'd like to offer you a few of our favorite Xmas brews. This is just a small sampling, so if you'd like further shots of Santa sippin', please let us know. We've got plenty more where these came from.

Helping to toast the Season we've got classics from The Minus 5, Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen, Red Star Belgrade, and Tiger City Jukes. A super duper lineup, perfect for your next Aluminum Christmas Tree decorating party!

Santa's in the corner with a flask!


The Minus 5: Your Christmas Whiskey (mp3)

Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airman: Daddy's Drinking Up Our Christmas (mp3)

Tiger City Jukes: Watch Out! Santa's Been Drinking (mp3)

Red Star Belgrade: Christmas Day (mp3)

Re-Post (By Request!):

Clyde Lasley and the Cadillac Babys: Santa Came Home Drunk (mp3)

Please support your local, independent brewmaster.