Here’s a joyful holiday podcast that mixes the Reds, the Greens, and mostly the Blues of Christmas music. The lowdown dirty blues, often referred to as “the devil’s music” offers a stark flip side to Bing Crosby.
By tradition, the Reds of Christmas was less about wrapping paper and Santa suits and more about the pills it might take to drive an old Ford a few hundred miles in the snow to the next gig.
Greens? Mistletoe and cash always registered, but there’s also killer side dishes like mustard and collard greens that go great with ham and turkey. But the Christmas blues was hard to shake….but quite possible to cure on that day of all days. Out of December despair we get some humor in the form of hope.
From the get go, Christmas blues was a lament. The holidays arrived in a time of no money, no sugar plums, and worst of all, no love. Love was lost, gone, forgotten, and really missed. If this Santa Claus guy could bring you anything, then why couldn’t he come down the chimney with that gift that returned itself, that one person who had made previous holidays so merry and bright.
Let’s join some cold hearts by the fireplaces for a few glimpses at the ghost world of Christmas past.
But first we have to leave the mistletoe on the tree and deal with what happened last year. The sleigh ride begins with Hank Ballard and the Midnighters, circa November 1962. The Cuban Missle Crisis had happened a month before, but it was the least of Hank’s problems, where it’s “Christmas Time for Everybody but Me.”
Ella Fitzgerald is the fine wine of Christmas. The first lady of music was part jazz singer part comet, but we know the blues and jazz often got to share a seat. Such star power in this song. Written by Count Basie, Eddie Durham, and Jimmy Rushing--orchestrated by Frank De Vol, from 1960s Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas with “Good Morning Blues.”
It’s Christmas morning 1947. 1946 was great, but since then the needles have fallen off the tree and the mood has changed. Somebody got a Cadillac last year and used it to get away. Harry Crayton sings in front of Doc Bagby’s orchestra. He wants to know what went wrong, but more important, he wants his ride back. Uber doesn’t happen for a few Christmases yet.
The roots of Boogie Woogie can be traced back to African American communities of the 1870s, probably in the piney woods of northeast Texas. It got its name around 1913, ascended in popularity in the 20s. The evolution continued into a country boogie which evolved shortly after World War II. Fast forward to Detroit, 1950, where Sugar Chile Robinson let it rip on the Christmas boogie.
In this next glimpse of Christmas unmerriment, J. B. Summers tells us how bad it can get. Santa needs to fix the current situation and fix it quick. J. B. has been good, but times have been bad. “I Want a Present for Christmas” was recorded in Philadelphia just before Thanksgiving of 1949.
Santa has the toughest job in the world. Especially when he’s trying to get his deliveries made and he keeps stopping at houses that want to raise a holiday toast and give the jolly old elf and little Christmas Cheer. The reindeer are waiting and Santa’s getting sloshed. Clyde Lasley and the Cadillac Baby Specials inventory a liquor store on “Santa Came Home Drunk.”
Curiosity sent Sonny Boy Williamson II snooping around the house, one thing led to another.
Texas guitar giant Freddie King bent many strings across the Lone Star State. “Christmas Tears” are the worst because they freeze so fast.
Samuel Lightnin’ Hopkins believed his greatest gift did not come at Christmas, but at a church picnic in Buffalo, Texas when he was 8 years old. That would be around 1920. The gift? An appearance by the legend Blind Lemon Jefferson. After that, Lightnin’ believed “the blues was in him.” Here he is at 40, recorded in 1953 in Houston Texas.
Double entendres show up in the blues more often than bottleneck slide guitars. I’m not about to point any of them out, but I can tell you this is Victoria Spivey and her Chicago Four with a scratch classic from Depression Christmas 1936. Victoria stands her ground on “I Ain’t Gonna Let You See My Santa Claus.”
Lowell Fulson was west coast all the way. He confuses those who dig for his fabulous blues recordings because he sometimes recorded as Lowell Fulsom with an m he transposed to avoid contract problems. Born in Atoka, Oklahoma, he migrated with his family to California in the 40s. He had lots of hits and played into the 90s. So instead of moaning at midnight, this holiday tune is just a simple wish. But Lowell Fulson just wants to spend Christmas with you.
Bobby Nunn found success in the world of Doo Wop, where he starred with the Robins and the Coasters. As a solo act he could rock the blues. If there were a video for this one, Bobby would be lit in dark dark blue while the rest of the world is going about decking the halls and fa-la-la-ing. But not poor, poor Bobby. December 25th is just another long lonely day. He is in Hollywood in 1953 but it isn’t enough for Bobby Nunn, who can barely hear the Christmas Bells.
Charles Brown also spent his winters in sunny LA. He developed his sound in the blues club circuit, which took the lead from the crooning velvet of Nat King Cole. Brown first recorded his Christmas classic in 1947 in a trio known as Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers. He was so smooth, and a major influence on the likes of Johnny Ace, Ivory Joe Hunter, and Ray Charles. Here we catch up with him when he’s home for the holidays in 1954 and the song is becoming a standard. Why not, it’s all about diamond rings, paradise, and good music on the radio. Who could ask for more?
Most of Jimmy McCracklin’s holidays were spent in the city by the bay, San Francisco. Jimmy wrote almost a thousand songs in his time, recorded 30 albums, and four of them went gold. So naturally, his jump blues take on the holiday was the other side of lonely, the side where you party all night long. The party mood continues with Jimmy Butler whose stocking was packed with double meanings. No explanation needed. From 1954 it is “Trim Your Tree.” From 1950 Jimmy Liggins and His Drops of Joy get in the mood with one condition. Forget the food, the jewelry, the cars. This is not the time of year to be flying solo. How about a little mistletoe? “I Want My Baby for Christmas.”
Jimmy Witherspoon was born in Arkansas and got ou his break during World War II, singing with Teddy Weatherford’s band on Armed Forces Radio broadcasting from Calcutta India. He logged several successful European tours, and got famous for his style of blues shouting. Here we drop in on a rough Christmas. Jimmy checks his balance--15 cents--and tries to pawn his radio. And! Jimmy rhymes the song title “How I Hate to See Christmas come around” with “brings me down.” Christmas blues with Jimmy Witherspoon!
Christmas 1950, blues great Floyd Dixon has those Empty Stocking Blues. And he’s not talking about them being filled with candy and fruit. This is more about two empty stockings that used to walk around the Christmas Tree. Remember Bobby Nunn? Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers back up Floyd who wants these stockings filled.
Mickey Champion
Laying a finger aside of our noses, we get back to the sky with a duet that could be called “Baby It’s Cold Inside.” There was no snow on the ground in LA in 1950 when the Nic Nacs with vocalist Mickey Champion recorded “Gonna Have a Merry Christmas.”
This was a tough Christmas, but if the Blues comes down your chimney, music can always help. Hope you’ve enjoyed the Reds, Greens and Blues for Christmas, and that Santa brings your baby back to you. Have mercy, and a fabulous holiday!
The educational underground pirate radio Old School podcast with Professor Mikey featuring rarities, stories, and surprises from the last half of the 20th century. A eclectic variety of discovery for newer music lovers, a reconnection for the rest of us, present in a theme format that thinks outside the album cover. Rock, country, blues, and anything else that might have captured the 20th century imagination, updated for a newer audience while remaining a comfort to older rockers.
Professor Mikey spent over 50,000 hours in various broadcast booths in 60-some markets, taking to the air at 16 a couple of months before The Beatles released Revolver. He rocked, informed, and amused his listeners in six different decades. Old School is his attempt to put it all together in a great set. He is confirmed AM-FM Positive.
The educational underground pirate radio Old School podcast with Professor Mikey featuring rarities, stories, and surprises from the last half of the 20th century. A eclectic variety of discovery for newer music lovers, a reconnection for the rest of us, present in a theme format that thinks outside the album cover. Rock, country, blues, and anything else that might have captured the 20th century imagination, updated for a newer audience while remaining a comfort to older rockers.
Professor Mikey spent over 50,000 hours in various broadcast booths in 60-some markets, taking to the air at 16 a couple of months before The Beatles released Revolver. He rocked, informed, and amused his listeners in six different decades. Old School is his attempt to put it all together in a great set. He is confirmed AM-FM Positive.
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