Christmas compilation; winter solstice stuff

[mandocrucian]

I got one of my older turntables fixed up - the heavier tonearm tracking weight just ploughs over dust and light scratches making for much more convenient of CDr burn transfers. In the process of dumping some of my LP collection (I kept all mine), I've been making note of Christmas type tunes for a (homemade) alternative seasonal compilation.

Christmas Song - Jethro Tull, Living In The Past or This Was (reissue w/bonus tracks); Jethro Tull Christmas album (recently recorded version)

Jack Frost and The Hooded Crow - Dave Pegg, The Cocktail Cowboy Goes It Alone; - Jethro Tull, Jethro Tull Christmas album

The Spirit of Christmas - Steve Ashley, Stroll On Revisited

The Cherry Tree Carol - Pentangle, Solomon's Seal

Gaudete - Steeleye Span, Below The Salt; Portfolio

Christmas Hare - Roger Watson, The Pick and the Malt Shovel

Sock It To Me Santa - Bob Seger & The Last Heard, early 45rm single (1967), included on A Rock 'N' Roll Christmas complilation CD

solstice oriented:
<span style='color:blue'>Poor Old Horse - Muckram Wakes, A Map of Derbyshire

Old Horse - Martin Carthy, Out Of The Cut</span>

not really about Christmas, but probably includable:
<span style='color:green'>Christmas Card From A Hooker in Minneapolis - Tom Waits, Blue Valentines

The Sun Never Shines On The Poor - Richard & Linda Thompson, Hokey Pokey</span>


<span style='color:red'> Add more tracks to the list.....</span>

NH

[mad dawg]

Great list Niles! #Here are my contributions:

John & Yoko: Happy Christmas (War is Over)

Timbuk 3: All I Want for Christmas

U2: Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)

Spinal Tap: Christmas with the Devil

XTC: Countdown To Christmas Party Time

Los Lobos: Rudolph the Manic Reindeer

[John Bertotti]

This may not be a classic to everyone but it isn't christmas without the Bob and Doug Mckinze twelve days of Christmas. Hope that's possible. John

[mandocrucian]

All of the tracks I originally listed, with the exception of the Seger 45, were not from a "holiday" themed record. #(The Jethro Tull Christmas Album (http://www.j-tull.com/news/christmasalbum.cfm) is largely a collection of older winter themed Tull material, in new performances.) These were just tracks off regular albums.

<span style='color:blue'>Ring Out Solstice Bells - Jethro Tull, Songs From The Wood, also on The Jethro Tull Christmas Album</span>


<span style='color:green'>Inside - Jethro Tull, Benefit

Fire and Wine - Steve Ashley, Stroll On Revisted

Jesus Gonna Be Here - Tom Waits, Bone Machine

God Loves A Drunk - Richard Thompson, Rumor and Sigh</span>

[mando bandage]

Always nice to throw Robert Earl Keen's "Merry Christmas from the Family" into the mix.

R

[Martin Jonas]

Horslips: Drive The Cold Winter Away

That's actually an entire Christmas album (and entirely wonderful), but the title track on its own is a lovely tune which I frequently play on mandolin.

The Young Tradition: Lyke Wake Dirge

(Not strictly speaking about Christmas, but certainly a wintery feel to it).

Steeleye Span: The Holly And The Ivy
Steeleye Span: The Boar's Head Carol

(Both Christmas singles, now on the "A Rare Collection" CD)

A.L. Lloyd: The Bitter Withy (from "English & Scottish Folk Ballads")

To balance matters, there's always the Kipper Family's album "Arrest These Merry Gentlemen".

Martin

[Bret Roberts]

Well, if your looking for Christmas typ music with a twist,
you should really take a look at Horny Hoildays by
Mojo Nixon ( one of my all time favorites ) to see the track list click here #http://www.geocities.com/mojo_fan/disco/hornyholidays.htmlhere (http://www.geocities.com/mojo_fan/disco/hornyholidays.html)

Hope you like it.( no mandolin tho )

[OdnamNool]

What pops into my head is Joni Mitchell's "The River" (?) Don't know the title, it's probably from the "Blue" album... you know, "It's comin' on Christmas... I wish I had a river I could skate away on..."

[mando bandage]

Steve Earle's "Nothing but a Child"

R

[ira]

the pretenders- 2000 miles is a christmas tune. though i don't think there is one on the track, would sound great as a mando song. really pretty slow tune, and unexpected from this band (much as i happen to like their tunes-not exactly known for tenderness).

[Bret Roberts]

Was thinking abought this post last night and I could not believe that no one has mentioned " Fairytale of New York " by the Pouges. By the way, ditto on the 2000 miles by the Pretender, that is a great song.

[Plamen Ivanov]

"Last Christmas" by George Michael. Very nice song, may be not quite "Christmas" in fact, but pretty suitable to be performed on a mandolin.

[David M.]

Bruce Cockburn's "Cry Of A Tiny Babe":
1st verse:
Mary grows a child without the help of a man
Joseph get upset because he doesn't understand
Angel comes to Joseph in a powerful dream
Says "God did this and you're part of his scheme"
Joseph comes to Mary with his hat in his hand
Says "forgive me I thought you'd been with some other man"
She says "what if I had been - but I wasn't anyway and guess what
I felt the baby kick today"

Great song, but no mando.

[regdave]

John Hartford's "On Christmas Eve" originally on Headin' Down into the Mystery Below, and "Steamboat Whistle Blues" from the Aereoplain

[pickles]

It's a little early for me to be thinking about Solsice or Chrischannukwanzamas. Maybe that's why my favorite is that last-minute classic...

At Last I'm Ready for Christmas -- Stan Rogers


I always get a lump in my throat when I hear this holiday version of the growing up song, in the spirit of "Turn Around" or "Circle Game" ...

Arbolita -- Tish Hinojosa


John Fahey's gorgeous Christmas album has lots of great instrumental cuts, and some of my favorite vocal covers of familiar Christmas songs are on the Roches' We Three Kings.


And what's that warming up one for the dead of winter, with the refrain,
"Your my sweet maple sugar, honey, hot buttered rum"

[luckylarue]

How about:

Xmas on the Isthmus - Terry Allen from the cd "Salivation."

Christmas in Prison - John Prine

Christmas time in Washington - Steve Earle

[pickles]

Some Mahalia Jackson and a little Perry Como, so we can all get weepy remembering Grandma.

I want to get me the Blind Boys' holiday disc. I'm sure a cut or two from there would be worthy of any compilation.

Oh, yeah, and Hot Buttered Rum -- I finally remembered that the first cover I heard of that one was Bryan Bowers'.

[mando bandage]

Louden Wainwright III

Christmas is Just Around the Corner,

or something like that

R

[Klaus Wutscher]

Emerlon, Plake and Palmer: I beleive in Father Christmas Works II

[Klaus Wutscher]

Almost right!

Emerson, Lake and Palmer: I believe(d)?? in Father Christmas