Ultimate Christmas Song Hard Rock Mixtape Playlist - show notes
The quintessential Rock & Roll Christmas song mixtape playlist aka how to “Bro-out Christmas”
Do a Paul Stanley voice - I don’t want no, Mariah Carey, I’m not trying to listen to any Bing Crosby — I’m looking for some Cold Gin!
Carl’s initial playlist:
“Father Christmas” by the Kinks- Love this one - original concept. Total rocker! Song about a dept store santa getting mugged and robbed. They just want cash money! Straight Cash HOMIE!!!! Great use of xylophone, too
“Little Saint Nick” by the Beach Boys - It’s a jam - cuz the beach boys harmonies are the best Damn harmonies of the 20th century
Cover “You’re a mean one mr grinch” by the Whirling Dervishes — Yeah i’ll give you this one… good rock version of an all-time favorite of mine
“The season’s upon us” by DropKick Murphy’s - The drop kicks basically just stole the Pogues sound, added a bag pipe guy, and a pinch of Mighty Might Bosstones Bravado — this song reminds me of “I’m an a-hole” by Dennis Leary — This song does not get on my mixtape — I mean it’s a fun video and all - Convince me Carl!!!!
“Christmas Eve/ Sarajevo” Trans Siberian Orchestra — This band is basically if Metallica had only done Christmas songs for a career. Def a cool and and song to see live Def cool for those christmas lights / synched to music shows on people’s houses and in Miller Light commercials
“Christmas is the time to say I love you” Billy Squire- Video of the 1981 MTV staff/ VJ’s in Billy’s chorus is what it’s all about — also this is the first time I’ve ever seen what Billy Squier looked like back in the day — Good feel good one - a sing a long to hopefully start a sing a long at your house
“Christmas in Hollis” Run DMC - I mean this is my all-time fave!
“Merry Christmas (I don’t want to fight tonight)” The Ramones - Such a LONG ISLAND Video (with accents and everything) - It’s a video that crosses Beastie Boys “Fight for your right” with Christmas party domestic squabbles
“2000 Miles” the Pretenders - This is such a great song - are the pretenders the most under rated band ever? Crissy Hynde is a gifted singer, total Hall of Famer. This song sounds more like a pretenders song than a christmas song, which is a GREAT THING — that’s what makes a real badass Christmas song - do something cool and original and it will be “Forever” - Love this pick, Carl!
“thank god it’s Christmas” Queen - Can honestly say until last night, I had never heard this song in my life — it’s good, cuz It’s Queen and Freddie Mercury - how did i miss this song for the better part of 4 decades
“Fairy Tale of New York” the Pogues- might be a top 3 song about the city of new york (All time, including Jay-Z & Alicia Keys and Frank Sinatra) - Matt Dillon plans a cop in the video - And any time you can feature a tin whistle and questionable epithets in the same christmas song, you’ve got a winner. Video pretty much makes me want to cry in a good way — so it’s the jam of jams in my mind
Christmas all over again - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers - end of Home Alone Too: Lost in New York - I like this jam cuz it’s more of a Petty song than a Christmas song
“Run Run Rudolph” - Chuck Berry - great jam. Also from Home Along - but this chuck berry song isof the one John Travolta and Uma Thurman dance to in Pulp Fiction. Nothing say Christmas like that
AC/DC “Mistress for Christmas” - Sounds exactly how you think an AC/DC Christmas song would sound. Jingle bells, power chords and sexual innuendos galore. It’s on the Razor’s Edge Album too. Released in 1990 this record also featured Thunderstruck and Money talks
Happy Christmas (War is over) by John Lennon & Yoko Ono
The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping (who I always think is Blondie) - Straight out of the 70’s - got a punk/ Disco/ hip-hop groove. Questions from the video, who is the lead singer of the waitresses? She’s handsome lady — and the rest of the bandare apparently “male waitress” which is cool. Hold the phone, the bass player is also a lady - NICE!!!! Great 80s graphics
U2 - Christmas (Baby Please come home) - Still Gives me goose bumps They made this back in the Joshua Tree days - complete with Black & White video and all. Is U2 the only band with a money Christmas song that also has a money New year’s song? “New Year’s Day”
Wham - Last Christmas - totally thought that was just George Michael solo
Great Big Sled - by the KIllers - Great jam — another one that sounds like a Killers song with Christmas lyrics - these are the type of tunes i’m most down with - and they also have a parody Christmas song - “Don’t shoot me santa” which i actually really like upon 1 listen last night