From the get go, Christmas blues was always a lament. The holidays arrived in a time of no money, no sugar plums, and worst of all, no love. But 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 fireplace for a few glimpses at the ghost world of Christmas past as Professor Mikey plays the Christmas Blues of Lightnin' Hopkins, Ella Fitzgerald, Floyd Dixon, Sonny Boy Williamson, and many more who were good in every year.
The subject is the Reds, the Greens, and mostly the Blues of Christmas music.
Holiday themes worked their way into the 20th century American art form we call the Blues almost from the beginning. It offered a stark flipside to Bing Crosby.
In the blues 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 fireplace for a few glimpses at the ghost world of Christmas past.
We begin with a true lament from Hank Ballard and the Midnighters, circa November 1962. Think about it. The Cuban Missile Crisis had happened a month before, but it was the least of Hank’s problems on “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 Devol, from 1960s Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas this is “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 merriment, 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. Recorded in Philadelphia just before Thanksgiving of 1949, this is I WANT A PRESENT FOR CHRISTMAS.
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 holilday 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.”
We all know that there are times when we have to BE Santa Claus. Or to wonder what we are getting fro
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. You hate to hear about Christmas Tears because they freeze so fast.
All this Christmas, all this Blues, and there’s more to come. Part 2 of REDS, GREENS, BLUES CHRISTMAS will drop in a couple of days, long before the fat man rolls or the last couple drops on the juke joint floor. Time enough to share this with someone who could use some Blues, or even hook them up with a subscription!
Merry Christmas, baby!
Hank Ballard. "Christmas Time for Everybody But Me (1962)" 24 Greatest R&B Christmas Hits. Gusto, 2009. 02:55
Ella Fitzgerald. "Good Morning Blues (1960)" Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas. Verve, 1960. 04:05
Harry Crafton. "Bring That Cadillac Back (1947)" 100 Christmas Blues. Holiday Classic Records, 2011. 03:39
Sugar Chile Robinson. "Christmas Boogie (1950)" Christmas American Blues. Big Eye Music, 2009. 01:59
J. B. Summers. "I Want a Present for Christmas (1949)" Blues, Blues, Christmas Vol 1. Document Records, 2006. 03:04
Clyde Lasley & Cadillac Baby Specials. "Santa Came Home Drunk (1967)" Bummed Out Christmas. Rhino, 1989. 03:09
Sonny Boy Williamson II. "Santa Claus (1969)" Blue Yule. Rhino, 1992. 03:49
Freddie King. "Christmas Tears (1961)" Blues, Blues Christmas Vol 3. Document, 2013. 03:29
“The past is a blast!”
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