Elvis Presley, "Santa Claus Is Back In Town"

Rascal Flatts, "I'll Be Home For Christmas"

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Paul Revere & the Raiders, "Christmas Spirit"

Norm MacDonald, "The Twelve Days Of Christmas"

Johann Sebastian Bach, "Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme"

1. Chorus
Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme Der Wächter sehr hoch auf der Zinne, Wach auf, du Stadt Jerusalem! Mitternacht heißt diese Stunde, Sie rufen uns mit hellem Munde: Wo seid ihr klugen Jungfrauen? Wohlauf, der Bräut'gam kömmt, Steht auf, die Lampen nehmt! Halleluja! Macht euch bereit zu der Hochzeit, Ihr müßet ihm entgegengehn!	Wake, arise, the voices call us Of watchmen from the lofty tower; Arise, thou town Jerusalem! Midnight's hour doth give its summons; They call to us with ringing voices; Where are ye prudent virgins now? Make haste, the bridegroom comes; Rise up and take your lamps! Alleluia! Prepare to join The wedding feast, Go forth to meet him as he comes!
2. Recitative
Er kommt, er kommt, Der Bräutgam kommt! Ihr Töchter Zions, kommt heraus, Sein Ausgang eilet aus der Höhe In euer Mutter Haus. Der Bräutgam kommt, der einem Rehe Und jungen Hirsche gleich Auf denen Hügeln springt Und euch das Mahl der Hochzeit bringt. Wacht auf, ermuntert euch! Den Bräutgam zu empfangen! Dort, sehet, kommt er hergegangen.	He comes, he comes, The bridegroom comes! O Zion's daughters, come ye forth, His journey hieth from the heavens Into your mother's house. The bridegroom comes, who to a roebuck And youthful stag is like, Which on the hills doth leap; To you the marriage meal he brings. Rise up, be lively now The bridegroom here to welcome! There, look now, thence he comes to meet you.
3. Duet
Sopran Wenn kömmst du, mein Heil? Bass Ich komme, dein Teil. Sopran Ich warte mit brennendem Öle. Sopran, Bass {Eröffne, Ich öffne} den Saal beide Zum himmlischen Mahl Sopran Komm, Jesu! Bass Komm, liebliche Seele!	Soul When com'st thou, my Savior? Jesus I'm coming, thy share. Soul I'm waiting with my burning oil. Soul, Jesus Now open the hall both For heaven's rich meal. Soul Come, Jesus! Jesus Come, O lovely soul!
4. Chorus
Zion hört die Wächter singen, Das Herz tut ihr vor Freuden springen, Sie wacht und stehet eilend auf. Ihr Freund kommt vom Himmel prächtig, Von Gnaden stark, von Wahrheit mächtig, Ihr Licht wird hell, ihr Stern geht auf. Nun komm, du werte Kron', Herr Jesu, Gottes Sohn! Hosianna! Wir folgen all' zum Freudensaal Und halten mit das Abendmahl.	Zion hears the watchmen singing, Her heart within for joy is dancing, She watches and makes haste to rise. Her friend comes from heaven glorious, In mercy strong, in truth most mighty, Her light is bright, her star doth rise. Now come, thou precious crown, Lord Jesus, God's own Son! Hosannah pray! We follow all To joy's glad hall And join therein the evening meal.
5. Recitative
So geh herein zu mir, Du mir erwählte Braut! Ich habe mich mit dir Von Ewigkeit vertraut. Dich will ich auf mein Herz, Auf meinem Arm gleich wie ein Siegel setzen Und dein betrübtes Aug ergötzen. Vergiß, o Seele, nun Die Angst, den Schmerz, Den du erdulden müssen; Auf meiner Linken sollst du ruhn, Und meine Rechte soll dich küssen.	So come within to me, Thou mine elected bride! I have myself to thee Eternally betrothed. I will upon my heart, Upon my arm like as a seal engrave thee And to thy troubled eye bring pleasure. Forget, O spirit, now The fear, the pain Which thou hast had to suffer; Upon my left hand shalt thou rest, And this my right hand shall embrace thee.
6. Duet
Seele Mein Freund ist mein, Bass Und ich bin dein, beide Die Liebe soll nichts scheiden. Seele, Bass Ich will(du sollst) mit dir(mir) in Himmels Rosen weiden, beide Da Freude die Fülle, da Wonne wird sein.	Soul My friend is mine, Jesus And I am thine, Both Let love bring no division. Soul, Jesus I will(You shall) graze with thee(me) on heaven's roses pasture, Both Where pleasure in fullness, where joy will abound.
7. Chorus
Gloria sei dir gesungen Mit Menschen- und mit Engelzungen, Mit Harfen und mit Zimbeln schön. Von zwölf Perlen sind die Pforten An deiner Stadt, wir sind Konsorten Der Engel hoch um deinen Thron. Kein Aug hat je gespürt, Kein Ohr hat mehr gehört Solche Freude. Das sind wir froh, i-o, i-o, Ewig in dulci jubilo.	Gloria to thee be sung now With mortal and angelic voices, With harps and with the cymbals, too. Of twelve pearls are made the portals; Amidst thy city we are consorts Of angels high around thy throne. No eye hath yet perceived, No ear hath e'er yet heard Such great gladness. Thus we find joy, Io, io, Ever in dulci jubilo!

Simon & Garfunkel, "7 O'Clock News/Silent Night"

Ryuichi Sakamoto, "Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence"

Samuel Barber, "Die Natali, Op. 37"

-- LINER NOTES --

Commissioned by the Koussevitzky Music Foundation, and dedicated to the memory fo Serge and Natalie Koussevitsky, Die Natali was begun in July 1960 and completed that November. The premiere, by Charles Munch and the Boston Symphony, took place on 23rd December. As its title suggests, the piece draws on Christmas carols for its thematic ideas, putting them through a series of ingenious harmonic and contrapuntal devices as it does so. After strings and brass have intoned O come, O come, Emmanuel, individual orchestral groups play variations on Lo, how a rose e'er blooming. An extended treatment of We three kings is followed by animated variations on God rest you merry, gentlemen with a brief appearance from Good King Wenceslas, before Silent Night is heard, there are further variations on O come, O come, Emanuel, then, over an ostinato derived from Adeste fideles, the work reaches a culmination with Joy to the world. Silent Night returns to effect a quiet close. -- Richard Whitehouse

David Archuletta, "Riu Chiu Chiu"

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Bob Dylan, "Must Be Santa"

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Merry Christmas from SPUTNiK

Here's a couple of songs from our little home-brewed holiday EP, Christmas At Our House:

"Christmas Eve in Wellfleet"

"I Don't Want To Fight Tonight"

"Please Come Home For Christmas"

From 'Neptune's Daughter'

The original version of 'Baby It's Cold Outside', sung by Esther Williams and Ricardo Montalban.

The Staple Singers, "Who Took the Merry Out of Christmas?"

Ringo, "Christmas Time Is Here Again"

Ringo's Plea on Behalf of the BWBF

Christmas Lights

The Maytals, "Happy Christmas (The Christmas Song)"

The Walkmen, "No Christmas While I'm Talking"

Happy ELPmas!

"Humbug"



"Nutrocker"

Tomoyasu Hotei, "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)"

The Carpenters, "Home for the Holidays"

The Incredible Casuals, "It's Christmas Time"

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Twisted Sister, "Oh Come All Ye Faithful"

Billy Idol, "Frosty the Snowman"

Judy Garland, "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"

Bob Seger & the Last Heard, "Sock It To Me Santa"

Carnival Art, "Bring a Torch Jeannette Isabella"

The Most Miraculous Christmas Ever

1. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
2. You Better Be Good
3. Suspicious Toys
4. Hang Me From the Christmas Tree
5. Christmas in the U.K.
6. Clash City Santa
7. The Baby Jesus
8. Christmas Jones
9. Talk a Walk on the Christmas Side
10. Waiting For Santa Clause
11. Rough Toys
12. Egg Nog (Rap Style Skit)
13. Throwin' Up
14. It's Just Like Christmas Eve
15. S.A.N.T.A.
16. Reindeer Poontang
17. Walking At North Pole
18. Auld Lang Syne
19. Holiday Gift Ideas
20. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town (Reprise)
21. Run, Run Rudolph
22. Cold No. Pole Sun

Muppet Remainders

Robotmadder reminded us that we forgot to post "The Christmas Wish".

Apologies all round.

Bette Midler, "Mele Kalikimaka"

Wonderful Boars and Carols of Yore

I'd be remiss if all I did was post great Christmas music, like Steeleye Span's "Boar's Head Carol". The better part of merriment is food; so, here's our old family recipe for the titular dish:

Select a well-shaped head with short ears, and the snout uncut, cut with a good collar well toward the shoulder, bone out without cutting the rind (leave snout bone in). Sew up mouth, place head in brine for three or four days. Prepare the following mixture :

5 lb. sausage meat chopped coarse,
cut three or four cooked cured pork tongues into fairly large cubes,
about 1 lb. cooked bacon or ham, also in cubes,
6 hard boiled eggs chopped to about size of a pea,
4 oz. Pistachio kernels split.

Mix together all these ingredients, fill head very tightly with this mixture. Sew a piece of strong material to back of head bring over between the ears and under the jaws, over the snout, take back, drawing tightly until back of head is reached, then sew again.

Cook at temperature of 190 degrees for 4 hours. When set glaze and garnish.

I hope that speeds you to your Happiest Christmas!


Should you find yourself short of such an apex of glee, try on Krayzie Bone's "Wonderful World", and tip back something fizzy.

Choral Christmas

[Another dispatch from the wilderness of pre-Revolution Romania]

From the Romanian Christmas Carols album, conducted by Marin Constantin:

"Little Fur Tree Twig" - Gheorge Cucu (1882-1932)
"Adoration of the Magi" - Vasile Popovici

These recordings were banned in Romania during the Communist era, though they were made by the state and used as cultural outreach to the rest of the world (not to mention popular gifts among the ruling elite).

Here's an extra track, a gorgeous Romanian setting of the Lord's Prayer: "Tatal nostru"

Merry Christmas from Jodru

Happy Christmas!