We're here to talk about the 41 tracks on my 20th holiday mix, "I Wish It Was Christmas Today," and we're already up to Tracks 19, 20 and 21, which means we've passed the half-way mark and still have 17 more days in which to look at the remaining 20 selections. I don't want to jinx things here, but I think we'll make it with time to spare. Ready? Let's begin!
Track 19
Christmas Party, Brendan Hanlon and The Bat Men (1964)
This one's a real winner, in my book — in fact, it's definitely in the running for my favorite song on this year's mix. Released at the very start of the garage rock boom of the mid-1960s, this track is loaded with the sort of brash energy you'd expect from a group that wasn't aware of the rules, had no limits and fully expected to make it big with their first release.
Christmas Party, Brendan Hanlon and The Bat Men (1964)
This one's a real winner, in my book — in fact, it's definitely in the running for my favorite song on this year's mix. Released at the very start of the garage rock boom of the mid-1960s, this track is loaded with the sort of brash energy you'd expect from a group that wasn't aware of the rules, had no limits and fully expected to make it big with their first release.
I haven't been able to find out too much about the group, unfortunately, although Hanlon apparently worked as both a regional theater actor and a clown, according to one report (honest to God). It seems he also appeared with Sid Caesar and The Grateful Dead on Hugh Hefner's syndicated "Playboy After Dark" show on March 22, 1969. It's not clear exactly what he did on the show. He was also a guest on the weekly "Hollywood Palace" TV variety show that same year. He appears to have released three singles as a solo artist in 1967, but from the looks of it, "Christmas Party" was his most widely recognized effort.
I'd say we should enjoy this track for what it is, and be grateful it's still working its magic 60 years after it was first recorded.
Track 20
Dave's Christmas Record Collection - Germany, David Letterman
This short clip is the Christmas version of a bit David Letterman did from time to time on his NBC "Late Night" show during the mid-1980s in which he'd play excerpts from various oddball albums that were supposedly from his personal record collection at home. This particular series of excerpts were all from screwball Christmas albums Dave purportedly owned — several of which, I'm proud to admit, really can be found in my holiday collection. Among the records he
featured were Christmas albums by Lorne Greene, Jack Webb, Senator Everett Dirksen and KFC's Colonel Sanders, There was also a tacky looking album from a German artist named Heino, which is the selection my clip highlights. The video below is teed-up to begin from the start of the German excerpt I used, but you can move the cursor all the way to the left to watch the bit from the beginning. I recommend you also watch it to the end.
Dave's Christmas Record Collection - Germany, David Letterman
This short clip is the Christmas version of a bit David Letterman did from time to time on his NBC "Late Night" show during the mid-1980s in which he'd play excerpts from various oddball albums that were supposedly from his personal record collection at home. This particular series of excerpts were all from screwball Christmas albums Dave purportedly owned — several of which, I'm proud to admit, really can be found in my holiday collection. Among the records he
featured were Christmas albums by Lorne Greene, Jack Webb, Senator Everett Dirksen and KFC's Colonel Sanders, There was also a tacky looking album from a German artist named Heino, which is the selection my clip highlights. The video below is teed-up to begin from the start of the German excerpt I used, but you can move the cursor all the way to the left to watch the bit from the beginning. I recommend you also watch it to the end.
Track 21
Oh, Santa, Mr. B, The Gentleman Rhymer (2012)
Mr. B, The Gentleman Rhymer is a character played by British parody artist Jim Burke. According to one recent profile, Mr. B is a "self-styled country gent," who "raps about high society, cricket and pipe-smoking and is accompanied by his beloved banjolele." He was cited in that same profile for having creating his own musical genre — "chap-hop," which he describes as “reconnecting hip-hop with the Queen's English."
Oh, Santa, Mr. B, The Gentleman Rhymer (2012)
Mr. B, The Gentleman Rhymer is a character played by British parody artist Jim Burke. According to one recent profile, Mr. B is a "self-styled country gent," who "raps about high society, cricket and pipe-smoking and is accompanied by his beloved banjolele." He was cited in that same profile for having creating his own musical genre — "chap-hop," which he describes as “reconnecting hip-hop with the Queen's English."
Burke lists his musical influences as hip-hop legends Chuck D, The Beasties Boys, KRS-One and the Def Jam mob and these inspired some of his tracks including "Straight Outta Surrey" and "Let Me Smoke My Pipe."
Burke started performing as Mr. B in late 2007, and has performed at cabarets and other venues across Europe, including the Glastonbury Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. His debut album "Flattery Not Included" was released in 2008.
Stay tuned for some additional thoughts, though I can't predict when they'll occur to me just now.
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