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Christmas songbook


pogo97

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Thank you - both for this year's edition as well as for years past. I downloaded a copy of your collection a couple of years ago - and it immediately became a staple source for Christmas tunes whenever I've needed 'em. It's been one of the most helpful things I've picked up from any of the forums I participate in!

 

Thank you!

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Thank you, SpaceNorman! It's great to hear that it's useful to more than just me. And you're very welcome.

 

This year's edition has composers and years -- interesting how old (or not old) some of them are. That, and I transferred more edits from my working copy to the master. No new songs. Yet.

 

For those who are new to this channel, the notion of the book is to have a small (40ish) number of very select Christmas songs on hand and to learn them well so we can do Christmas parties and do "those songs" without slipping into schlock or playing them poorly.

 

Merry Only Five More Weeks to the Solstice Day

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Well look here Jack, there's something down the track

He's got rhythm in his feet, but nothing in the sack

The boogie woogie Santa Claus

Boogie woogie Santa Claus

Boogie woogie Santa

Comes to town every Christmas day

Well he lives up in a mountain

Like a hermit in the cave

He never had a haircut he never took a shave

The boogie woogie Santa Claus

Boogie woogie Santa Claus

Boogie woogie Santa

Comes this time every Christmas day

 

Well...It's rock, rock, rock, Mr. Santa

Jump, jump, jump, Mr. Santa Claus

Well the boogie woogie Santa

Will boogie all your blues away

Got no presents for your tree, no candy for your socks

When he starts to boogie the whole town rocks

Mama get your hat, put your best dress on

We're gonna jump for joy on the Christmas morn

The boogie woogie Santa Claus

Boogie woogie Santa Claus

Boogie woogie Santa Boogie

All your blues away

Well...It's rock, rock, rock, Mr. Santa

Jump, jump, jump, Mr. Santa Claus

Well the boogie woogie Santa

Will boogie all your blues away

 

I saw Brian Setzer do this in his Xmas Show many years ago...sure beats playing Jingle Bells or even

.

 

 

 

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Agreed. I had it on my "to be learned someday list" and I saw that I'd put "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" and "Jingle Bell Rock" into a set only because they can rock, if only a little. But damn, they're shlocky. (In passing, who the hell puts a Christmas Tree in the middle of the room so you can 'rock around' it? Stupid rich people in really big houses?) So I learned BWSC today and will use it instead -- perfect for boogie woogie piano. May consider "Back Door Santa" next -- not sure.

 

 

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I do a medley of "Holly Jolly Christmas," "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," and "Jingle Bell Rock" on the 12-string -- and I introduce them as coming from a time early in rock and roll when songs sounded remarkably alike! But my fave 12-string Christmas song remains "Happy Xmas (War is Over)." ALWAYS goes over well.

 

Other cool Yule songs that always get a response include "God Rest Ye Merry/We Three Kings" (I was medley-izing those before the Barenaked Ladies -- but their version is oh so cool), "Grandma/Reindeer," and "Mr. Grinch."

 

Two I will include eventually are Joni Mitchell's "River," and Greg Lake's "I Believe in Father Christmas." If I ever get super-ambitious, it'll be Jethro Tull's "Solstice Bells." Someday...

 

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and all that good stuff!

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I also downloaded this a while back, printed it out and put it into a binder. Thanks for the hard work.

 

Last year we played:

 

Please Come Home For Christmas - Closest to the Eagles version

Merry Christmas From the Family - Robert Earl Keen

Mary Did You Know - Kathy Mattea's version

Daddy's Drinking Up Our Christmas - Commander Cody

Same Old Lang Zyne - Dan Fogleberg

 

 

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I just added Cool Yule to my Christmas book. I've done a half dozen shows at the Vancouver Christmas Market this year, and I needed more uptempo stuff. Did this song tonight, and I love it because I was able to memorize the lyrics on the train ride in. Less lyric, more music - my new motto.

 

Louis Armstrong probably owns Cool Yule, but Kurt enunciates, so you can hear the words. It's also kind of cool that he does a little Lord Buckley style "rap" at the end of the tune with his sideman.

 

 

 

BTW I do the beds more like the Bette Middler version, and so far the crowds are liking it.

 

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Nice version, but you're right, Satch owned it. (Anything he sang, he owned.)

 

I don't perform these, but they're pretty cool:

 

At the Christmas Ball Bessie Smith

Back Door Santa Clarence Carter

Cool Yule Louis Armstrong

Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me) Elvis Presley

Swinging Them Jingle Bells Fats Waller

'Zat You, Santa Claus? Louis Armstrong

 

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Interesting stuff. I thought about Back Door Santa, but there are often kids present at my Christmas gigs - don't want the parents peeved at me. Zat You Santa Claus might be my next Xmas addition. Thanks for that - and thanks for the book as well.

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