Country Holiday Music That Doesn't Suck: Christmas Cookies

 This song by George Strait ought to be a holiday standard.

Country Holiday Muic that Doesn't Suck: Lucinda Williams and Holly Cole 'If we make it through December"

Merle Haggard's "If We Make It Through December" is not only one of the Hag's great songs, but it is on its way to becoming a standard. It has not only been covered by mainstream country artists like Alan Jackson and Marty Robbins, but also by roots musician Lucinda Williams and the Canadian jazz-pop  Holly Cole.  (Here's my post on the Hag's version.)

Holly Cole

Country Holiday MusicThat Doesn't Suck:: Steve Earle "Christmas Time in Washington"

Some might say it's not aholiday song, but rather a protest song. Some might question whether Steve Earle is a country artist. I say, it's a damn fine song and close enough to country for me.

Country Holiday Music That Doesn't Suck:Joe Nichols "Let It Snow"

You may know Joe Nichols from his 2005 Billboard Number One hit  "Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off,"one of his four career hits, but he deserves a more thorough listen/   He might remind listeners of Alan Jackson or George Strait with a little more rock sound.  Nichols, unlike too many other country artists, keeps his holiday music country. This is a 2006 performance at the Grand Ole Opry.   If you like this you might look for his 2004 CD A Traditional Christmas. 

Country Holiday Music That Doesn't Suck: Wille Nelson "Pretty Paper"

Willie wrote this.

Country Holiday Music That Doesn't Suck: Alan jackson "Please,Daddy, Don' Get Drunk This Christmas"

Alan Jackson covered this tune first recorded by the schmaltzy John Denver in 1973 on his highly regarded 1993 album Honky Tonk Christmas.

Country Holiday Music That Doesn't Suck: Loretta Lynn To Heck with Ole Santa Claus

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Country Holiday Music That Doesn't Suck: George Strait "Christmas Time in Texas"

A pretty simple video, but a great song from George Strait.

Country Holiday MusicThat Doesn't Suck :Merry Christmas from the Family

Robert Earl Keen is a Texas singer-songwriter associated with the Americana movement. His songs have been covered by Lyle Lovett and many others. Here is his humorous take on Christmas.

Holiday Music That Doesn't Suck Retrospective

 I was in a store the first part of this week that was playing a radio station devoted to Christmas music.  It reminded me of just how dreadful, how dreckish far too much of our holiday music is.  And, why I created the "holiday music that doesn't suck" series the last two years.  Before launching two series for 2013 (one for country and one for blues/jazz/and R&B), I thought it would be nice to reprise.  There are play list videos for each years selection and link to the individual posts that have a little background information.

 2011 Holiday Music That Doesn't Suck

Holiday Music That Doesn't Suck #1

     Sonics "I Don't Believe in Christmas"

Holiday Music That Doesn't Suck #2

     Louis Armstrong, "Zat You, Santa Claus?"

Holiday Music That Doesn't Suck #3

      Denise LaSalle "Santa's Got the Christmas Blues" 

Holiday Music That Doesn't Suck #4

    Charlie Parker "White Christmas" 

Holiday Music That Doesn't Suck # 5

     Holly Cole  "Santa Baby"

Holiday Music That Doesn't Suck # 6

    Merle Haggard's "If We Make It Through December"

Holiday Music That Doesn't Suck #7

    Miles Davis and Bob Dorough "Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern)"

Holiday Music That Doesn't Suck #8

    Amos Milburn "Christmas Comes But Once a Year.

Holiday Music That Doesn't Suck # 9

    Charles Brown  "Merry, Christmas Baby."

2012 Holiday Music That Doesn't Suck

Holiday Music That Doesn't Suck #1 (2012 edition) 

      Lowell Fulson "Lonesome Christmas"

Holiday Music That Doesn't Suck #2 (2012 edition)

       Ella Fitzgerald  "White Christmas"

Holiday Music That Doesn't Suck #3 (2012 edition)

     The Moonglows  "Hey Santa Claus"

Holiday Music That Doesn't Suck #4 (2012 edition)

     Dexter Gordon  "Christmas Song" 

Holiday Music that Doesn't Suck #5 (2012 edition)

     Ms. Jody "It's Christmas. Baby"

Holiday Music That Doesn't Suck #6 (2012 edition)

     John Coltrane "Greensleeves/What Child Is This?"

Holiday Music That Doesn't Suck #7 (2012 edition)

      Sonny Boy Williamson II "Santa Claus"

Holiday Music That Doesn't Such #8 (2012 edition)

       Blossom Dearie and Bob Dorough. "Baby, It's Cold Outside"

Holiday MusticThat Doesn't Suck #9 (2012 edition)

      The Modern Jazz Quartet - England's Carol or God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen. 

Holiday MusticThat Doesn't Suck #9 (2012 edition)

The Modern Jazz Quartet - England's Carol or God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen.

Holiday Music That Doesn't Suck #7 (2012 edition)

Sonny Boy Williamson II "Santa Claus"

Holiday Music that Doesn't Suck #5 (2012 edition)

Ms. Jody "It's Christmas. Baby". A contemporary Southern soul singer. I really like this gem that I discovered quite by chance.

Holiday Music That Doesn't Suck #4 (2012 edition)

Tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon performing Mel Torme's "Christmas Song." I like the way that Gordon's improvises around the melody and that he improvises in the spirit, mood, and tempo of the song. Very nice.

Holiday Music That Doesn't Suck #3 (2012 edition)

"Hey Santa Claus" by The Moonglows (1953), a doo-wop and r-and-b group from Cleveland, who recorded for Chess and discovered Marvin Gaye.

Holiday Music That Doesn't Suck #1 (2012 edition): Lowell Fulson "Lonesome Christmas"

This is my second annual installment of Holiday Music that Doesn't Suck. In 1950, West Coast bluesman Lowell Fulson recorded "Lonesome Christmas." According to comments on the youtube clip it is Andy Harwick on sax and Ray Charles on piano.  The Charles is unmistakable.

Holiday Music That Doesn't Suck #8

Amos Milburn "Christmas Comes But Once a Year." Recorded in 1960 on King Records as the "b" side to a cover of Charles Brown's "Please Come Home for Christmas."

Holiday Music That Doesn't Suck #7

Miles Davis and Bob Dorough "Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern)"

In 1962, the brass at Columbia Records wanted to include a selection by Miles Davis in a Jingle Bell Jazz holiday compilation album.

Miles turned to the singer, pianist, and songwriter Bob Dorough, who would later write many songs for Schoolhouse Rock.

Blue Xmas has been described as the Christmas song for everyone who hates Christmas or the excess of Christmas.

"When you're blue at Xmas time
You see through all the waste
All the sham, all the haste
And plain old bad taste
It's a time when the greedy
give a dime to the needy."

Holiday Music That Doesn't Suck # 6

Merle Haggard's "If We Make It Through December" is one of the Hag's great songs. It describes the too common real holiday experience of too many Americans--when the lack of a paycheck or an insufficient paycheck puts the gift-giving and holiday festivities out of reach. Not only is this remarkable song far different than the usual holiday fare, it was a hit, topping Billboard's country chart for four weeks in December 1973 and January 1974, and ranking number two in the 1974 year-end chart.

Holiday Music That Doesn't Suck # 5

Allmusic.com says of Canadian singer Holly Cole "her smoky voice is sultry, yet she's ironically humorous and candid while reshaping traditional standards and pop classics. Jazz is her bedrock, but not exclusively." She has recorded two holiday CDs that are well worth a listen: Santa Baby,Live in Toronto and Baby, It's Cold Outside.

There's a video of Cole doing "Santa, Baby" from the Toronto show. The 1953 song was co-written by Joan Javits, the niece of Sen. Jacob Javits and a huge hit for Ertha Kitt. It has been covered by many, many artists. Cole's version is one that doesn't suck.