You know what is torture? I have had Feliz Navidad in my head for three
freaking hours and then the next three hours I was tortured by Jewel's
Hands making a very cranky crabb.
It's Christmas time once
again. Seems like somewhere Jingle Bell Crock or Rocking Around The
Christmas Tree is playing on the radio in this world. I'm sure Bobby
Helms if he was still living would be making some royalties to live
comfortbly, but here on Crabb Radio we tend to look beyond the same old
same old. To the point that my christmas songs are the same old same old
but I try to do my best to vary them. But I still get a charge out of
hearing The Wailer's Christmas Spirit?!?
This year is a first of
sorts for me. First year that i have a Girlfriend and is still around
the last five months. Anyway, Miss Nicole wants to help out this blog by
adding some Christmas Tid Bits and then yours truly will bring his idea
of christmas cheer in music. Now, the lovely Sassy.
The largest yo-yo weighs 896 pounds.
Macy's is the 2nd largest consumer of helium in the world.
In Spain, midnight mass is called Misa de Gallo. The "Worlds Largest Christmas Tree" is located in California.
Christmas Card Lane is located in Tampa, Florida.
Gingerbread
was originally a German tradition. Lebkuchen (gingerbread) is exported
from Nuremberg, Germany to the US for Christmas. Johann Maelzel in 1820
invented the first speaking doll.
The first mass production of
Christmas tree lights began in 1820. The largest functional cracker was
181' 11" tall and 11' 9" wide.
Nutcracker figurines originated
in Germany in the 1700's. The first iron pair of skates were used in
Scandinavia in the year 200 A.D. Christmas wasn't declared a federal
holiday in the United States until June 26, 1870.
The first eggnog made in the United States was consumed in Captain John Smith's 1607 Jamestown settlement.
In 1836, Alabama became the 1st US state to declare Christmas as a legal holiday.
In 1875, the first Christmas card was printed in the US by Louis Prang, a Massachusetts printer.
Franklin
Pierce was the first President to have a Christmas tree in the White
House. There are 13 types of Christmas trees that have been in the White
House, the most common is Blue Spruce Pine.
"Silent Night" was composed on Christmas Eve 1818. Sale of Christmas trees began in the US in 1850.
The
worlds largest Christmas store is in Frankenmuth, Michigan. The name of
the store is Bronner's. (note from Sassey: Not a bad store to go into
and they have stuff that ain't Christmas related)
In Finland, Santa is called Joutupukki. Play-doh entered the market as wallpaper cleaner in 1956.
The Top Ten of Xmas Songs this year.
1.
White Christmas-The Ventures Here at the Crabb house we enjoy those
great guitar groups doing updated versions of Christmas songs. Don't
know about you but The Ventures Christmas Album is a must for your
holiday tunes.
2. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town-The Townedgers
Of course the little lady would kill me if I didn't include a track from
the best selling album of all time from the TEs but I have choice of
what to play. Dedicated to all of the fans of this garage band from
Anamosa Ioway.
3. Merry Christmas Everyone-Slade Glam rockers
had this top ten hit in the UK and somehow does get played around this
area from time to time. BTW has anybody gotten that Monster Ballads Xmas
CD? Me neither.
4. The Little Drummer Boy-Harry Simeone
Chorale St Louis 2007, I found a picture sleeve of this 45 of this
song that came out on 20th Century Fox Records but I can't think of
going anyplace growing up to somebody's house that didn't have this
number. Sassy sez The TE version is better. I prefer Johnny Cash's
version that can be found on The Christmas Spirit.
5. Christmas
Time Is Here-Vince Guaraldi One of the great family traditions is seeing
Merry Christmas Charlie Brown although 45 years later it looks crudely
drawn due to us being spoiled rotten by computer generated cartoons.
Guaraldi, already a well known jazz piano player, he became better known
for him scoring the old Peanuts cartoons.
6. Holly Jolly
Christmas-Alan Jackson Another Sassy suggestion. I need to get
that girl to start listening to other types of music outside of country
and more country.
But then again she did took time and effort to compile the christmas facts.
7.
Run Rudolph Run-Lemmy, Billy Gibbons & Dave Gorhl Everybody has
done this Chuck Berry number but you haven't heard anything till you
heard Mr Motorhead put the metal to this song, with help from Mr. ZZ Top
and Mr Foo Fighter. Dig it or don't.
8. Santa Claus Is Comin
(In A Boogie Woogie Freight Train) The Tractors Another suggestion by
the lil' lady who threaten me with 10 hours straight of Feliz Navidad.
9.
Chirstmas In Dixie-Alabama Guess which song was suggested by my other
half? Unfortly while trying to compile this week's blog, my
regular rscrabb@ hotmail site is bogged down by something dragging it
down so I'm using a backup and have to do a Plan B. She gave about 20
suggestions and I think I used a couple of them on this one. She's
always loved this song the best in terms of Christmas music outside of
The Townedger's Christmas album.
10. Step Into Christmas-Elton
John Growing up in the 70s outside of waiting for the latest from
Foghat or Led Zeppelin was always waiting for what the UK Diva would
bestow upon us for singles. For Elton John was the greatest singles
artist in that time although I could do without Crock Rock or Bennie And
The Jets. On this, EJ actually outdo Phil Spector in terms of getting
that seasonal sound. Never did find the 45 when it was out at that time
but I do have this song on about 4 other EJ albums.
on a
side note perhaps the most tasteless christmas song ever put
out....Homo Christmas by Pansy Division. Taken from Rhino's Punk Rock
Xmas CD of 1995, this celebrates gay sheningans under the christmas tree
and has to be heard to be believed. 2nd most tasteless song....Fuck
Christmas by Fear...Lin Ving must have been through the Best Buy line on
December 23.
