Welcome to Round 5
of my
WWF
(Wow What Fun)
Grudge Match!
Grudge Match!
WWF Grudge Match is inspired by the pro wrestling exhibitions I watched
on television when I was a kid. Today I present, for your entertainment and
edification, original recordings, covers and a song parody, all competing
for your approval. Your mission, Jim, if you decide to accept it, is to
tell me which songs and which versions, if any, you prefer.
LET THE
WWF Grudge Match
BEGIN!
Remember, ladies and gentlemen...
This is only an exhibition...
This is not a competition...
Please... no wagering.
This is not a competition...
Please... no wagering.
JIMMY BOYD
This is a kinder and gentler edition of Grudge Match because it features the uplifting
sounds of the season. The first Christmas song brings a tear to my eye every time
I listen, because it takes me back to my earliest memories of childhood. In fact,
this was the first record I ever owned, given to me by my parents, I was told,
on my second birthday. The song was waxed by 13 year old Jimmy Boyd,
a California singer who, in 1960, lived many a young man's dream by
marrying beautiful model & actress Yvonne Craig who later played
"Batgirl" on the hit TV series Batman. Let's go way back to the
age of innocence, Christmas time 1952, to hear an evergreen
that generations of children know and love. Jimmy Boyd
sings-- "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus."
"I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"
- Jimmy Boyd (Christmas 1952,
highest chart pos. #1 BB/#6 Cash Box)
THE LENNON SISTERS
In my previous post, The Lennon Sisters invited us to enjoy the holidays on
"Christmas Island." The sweet sibling songbirds from Lawrence Welk are back
this week to take part in my Grudge Match. Here now are The Lennon Sisters
singing their version of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus."
"I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"
- The Lennon Sisters (from 1960 album
Christmas With The Lennon Sisters)
WHAM!
1984 was a tremendous year for the English pop duo Wham! The act
scored three chart-topping singles in the U.S. with "Wake Me Up Before
You Go-Go," "Careless Whisper" and "Everything She Wants."
The song "Last Christmas," released in the UK and other countries as the double A
side of "Everything She Wants," shot to #1 in three countries and #2 in eight others.
The music video shows Wham! members George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley
along with their girlfriends and other twenty-somethings enjoying the holiday
at a Swiss ski resort. In conjunction with the charity super group Band Aid,
George and Andrew donated all royalties to the mid 80s Ethiopian famine.
"Last Christmas" - Wham!
(Christmas 1984, double A side
of "Everything She Wants,"
highest chart pos. #1 Denmark,
Slovenia & Sweden)
MEGAN SINGER
Who can forget Shady Green's contribution to my
New Year's Day, 2019, post - the singing Singer Family
of San Diego, California, and their cool cover of the
Tommy James hit "Draggin' The Line"? Requests
have been pouring in (from my mama) to see
it again, so here goes.
Just when you thought it was safe to stick your hand in the fan, daughter
Megan Singer is back with another cover. Miss Singer proves she's a
zinger with this a delightfully gruesome piece of performance art
entitled-- "Zombie Last Christmas!"
"Zombie Last Christmas" - Megan Singer
(Christmas season 2016)
THE LENNON SISTERS
Please listen to a third song from The Lennon Sisters' 1960 Christmas album.
Here again are 'lil Chanet," Kathy, Peggy and Dianne, The Lennon Sisters,
singing a seasonal song that was written in 1934 and has been popular
ever since and recorded by many artists-- "Winter Wonderland."
"Winter Wonderland" - The Lennon Sisters
(from 1960 album Christmas With
The Lennon Sisters)
TONY BENNETT
In 1968 the ageless wonder Tony Bennett, sometimes nicknamed
Tony Benefit for donating so much of his time to charitable causes,
reached Billboard's special holiday chart with this fine rendition
of "Winter Wonderland." Yule love it!
"Winter Wonderland" - Tony Bennett
(Christmas 1968, highest chart pos.
#87 Billboard US Holiday 100,
from 1968 album Snowfall aka
The Tony Bennett Christmas Album)
I'm wrestling with the idea of
bringing you more volumes of
WWF Grudge Match
Stick around... oh, and by the way...
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Hi, Shady! Unless someone else is typing as I type, I'll be your early bird today!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to say that I really don't like your first featured song, particularly Jimmy Boyd's version!!! It drives me crazy!
Do you listen to SiriusXM? It's my go-to music in the car and during December I always have it tuned to "Holiday Traditions". I also enjoy Classical holiday music (Messiah, Nutcracker, etc) along with traditional hymns.
Tony Bennet is fine, but he's not really my favorite "crooner". I've always felt Dean Martin gets short changed. And of course I enjoy Bing, Frank, and others....
Hi, Kelly!
DeleteSay it with me, dear friend: "I (state your name) am the Early Bird!" :) Thanks so much for coming over to sample the seasonal sounds on my 2020 Christmas post!
I'm sorry you don't like Jimmy Boyd's holiday classic from the very early 50s. Is it his voice or the theme of the song itself or both? Listening to that record is one of my earliest childhood memories.
Mrs. Shady and I usually dial up a holiday music channel on our Apple TV and listen to it as she bakes cookies or as we wrap presents and trim the tree. I will admit that when it comes to Christmas songs or any type of song, I prefer the crooning of Dean Martin to that of Tony, The Binger, Frank, Perry Como, Dean's comedy partner Jerry Lewis or Pat Boone. However I would love to hear your canine companion Pat sing/bark "Jingle Bells." :)
Well I hope you liked "Winter Wonderland" by The Lennon girls or, at the very least "Zombie Last Christmas." :)
Thanks again for coming early and have a wonderful Christmas, dear friend Kelly!
*sigh* I think it's both his voice and the song in general. To each their own...
DeleteI've just spend a couple of hours watching Holiday Inn for the very first time. My SIL gave me a copy last year (it's a favorite of his) and has been waiting for me to finally get around to watching it. It was totally worth the wait! Great music and great dancing!
Actually my best singer is Jed (who, as you know, is ill). He has a lovely voice and I enjoy hearing him howl. Our all time best, though, was Betty, who was half beagle.
Hope you and Mrs. Shady have a wonderful Christmas, too!
Hi again, Kelly!
DeleteThanks for letting me know that Jed is the best singer among your living dogs. I hope he can bounce back from his illness. I'm sorry you have his condition and the loss of Mabel weighing on you through the holiday season.
I'm glad you enjoyed Holiday Inn, a romantic musical that salutes 16 different holidays and features the crooning of The Binger and the dancing of Fred Astaire. I'm pretty sure I watched Holiday Inn decades ago. I just viewed the trailer and was reminded that I regularly watched one of the movie's leading females on the small screen. In the 50s Marjorie Reynolds played wife/mother Peg on the second TV version of The Life of Riley, the series that starred one of my favorite actors William Bendix. Jackie Gleason played the title role in the first Riley TV series.
Thank you again for your kind visit and comment, dear friend Kelly, and happy Christmas to you and your family!
Hi Shady! This is such a fun, Christmassy post! I still admire the Lennon Sisters for all of their accomplishments, and their version of "Winter Wonderland" with the accompanying cartoon video is the best! Not to discount Tony Bennett-he rocks! And, they take the medal for "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" also. I remember little Jimmy Boyd told the story well, and it was believable, but my vote goes to The Lennon girls!
ReplyDeleteI definitely remember the Singer Family and "Draggin' The Line"! Even though I love Tommy James, The Singers do it up so cool! And, Megan is a hit with her "Zombie Last Christmas". A very talented family, the Singers.
George Michael was such a favorite of mine, and I truly miss his great voice and music. "Last Christmas" is a good song, I always liked it.
Thank you for a fun post, Shady. Juggling life right now is tough, and, I apologize for missing your last post. I hope you are doing well. Take Care, dear Shady, and I wish a very Merry Christmas to you and Mrs. Shady and your family.
Hi, Suzanne!
DeleteI'm delighted to see you, dear friend! Thanks a lot for stopping by for my 2020 Christmas post - Round 5 of the WWF (Wow What Fun) Grudge Match! When you missed my last post, I figured it is because you are up to your ears. It would have been a blue blue Christmas without you, and I thank you very much for making time to come over his week. I suspected that you are facing a variety of challenges on the domestic front. I can always tell when friends are having a tough go of it. Please email me if you'd like to discuss. I care and I'm a good listener.
I'm happy to be able to offer a distraction in the form of these holiday songs. I love the visual images used in both of those Lennon Sisters videos. Last week I posted another of their holiday songs from that same 1960 album. All three Lennon videos were uploaded by the same YouTube producer. They are examples of the wave of hybrid sync edit videos showing up on YouTube in recent years. YouTubers "marry" footage from vintage films and animated features to original studio recordings that have been brilliantly remixed and remastered. Some of those custom reimagined productions work, and some don't. I think the three made for the Lennon girls' songs work quite nicely. I believe the lead vocal you hear on The Lennon Sisters' version of "Mommy Kising Santa" is that of "lil Chanet," as Lawrence Welk used to call her. She has a cute and endearing voice and I love listening to it. Can you feel the warmth thrown off by that Tony Bennett video? :)
I'm pleased that you recall that Tommy James cover by The Singer Family. I never get tired of watching it and I wish they'd produce more. Clearly daughter Megan is a gifted songstress and I'm glad you enjoyed her parody school production "Zombie Last Christmas." It took heart (and brains) to put that one together. :) It's such a shame that George Michael died young at age 53, and ironic that he died on Christmas Day, same as my dad and my dad's dad.
I wish you and Scootie a merry Christmas, dear friend Suzanne. Thanks again for coming today. Please write to me if you feel the need to connect with a genuine friend. Take care, have a safe week and please join me next weekend if you can for one of the most highly anticipated events of the year - the 58th Annual New Year's Rockin' Eve in the Shady blogcast! :)
Hey, Shady,
ReplyDeleteTony Bennett's OK, though I prefer Andy Williams, Perry Como, or The Rat Pack (individually or all together).
The Lennon Sisters were fodder for the scandal sheets, as I recall, but tbey certainly could sing.
If I don't talk to you before then, Merry Christmas!
John
Hi, John!
DeleteI'm excited to see you, good buddy. Thanks for coming by. You've got a ringside seat for my WWF Grudge Match!
Tony Bennett has outlived many of his contemporaries. Now age 94, he continues to perform and record. He must be doing something right. :) Me likey Perry Como, too, and I watched his Kraft sponsored television show every week for years.
You're right, John. If you check out the True Hollywood Story behind The Lennon Sisters, you'll find plenty of dirty laundry, but their vocals are clean and wholesome. I'm glad you appreciate their singing.
John, thanks again for coming and Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Give me the Lennon Sisters on all fronts here! I'm not really a fan of Tony Bennett's version. As for Mommy kissing Santa Claus I can pass on it. All I've heard this week is Michael Jackson singing it anyway! The "Last Christmas" song made me laugh for a couple of reasons...hello eighties hair and clothes? But that song just puts Jack's teeth on edge. He hates it and turns the station in the car when it comes on...which seems to be always! Ha! So I guess I'll stick with the classics from Bing, Dean, and of course John Denver and the Muppets! Jack is doing well and slowly getting back to his old self. Working half days and resting as much as possible. Trying to beef up a bit after losing so much weight in a short amount of time. Me, on the other hand, don't have that problem! Anyway, I hope you have a wonderful Christmas, stay safe and I know you'll be welcoming in the New Year here!
ReplyDeleteHi, Yaya!
DeleteThanks for coming to my annual Christmas post, dear friend! This time it coincides with my 5th WWF Grudge Match featuring three seasonal songs, each performed by two different recording artists.
I'm elated to know that you appreciate "lil Chanet" and the singing Lennon Sisters. You are the second person to remark that you don't care for the early 50s song "Mommy Kissing Santa Claus." You are also the 4th person to indicate you are not a big fan of Tony Bennett's version of "Winter Wonderland." These revelations surprise me a little, but I appreciate learning the likes and dislikes of my friends. I think it's fascinating that innocent songs intended for children fare no better here at Shady's Place than angry, confrontational heavy metal.
Regardless I hope you enjoyed the cozy fire in the fireplace on Tony's video and agree that the visuals sync edited to the 1960 Lennon Sisters recordings are equally nostalgic and heartwarming.
I'm sorry to learn that "Last Christmas" is such a turn off song for Jack. Maybe he'll find "Zombie Last Christmas" more to his liking. :)
I'm overjoyed to learn that Jack is gaining ground day by day. As I told you before, that home cooking of yours is bound to put meat back on his bones and allow him to gain strength and energy. That plus the proximity, love and support of family will surely speed his recovery. I'm certain of it.
I wish you a wonderful Christmas at The Pines, dear friend YaYa. Thanks for again for being here. If you can, please join Shady Seaweed this weekend for his eagerly awaited, greatly anticipated yearender blogcast live from Shady Square - The 58th Annual New Year's Rockin' Eve in the Shady!
Hello my friend! What great songs (except I agree with Kelly and am not a fan of "I saw Mommy..." or "Grandma got run over...") I side with Kelly too in a preference for Dean Martin over Tony Bennett. I had a special fondness for the Lennon Sisters because one of them is named Janet. I wasn't aware of the scandals though, I'll have to go check on that! Perhaps I'll change my mind. I do like Wham's "Last Christmas."
ReplyDeleteHoping you and the Mrs. have a spectacular Christmas. We may have to postpone our family celebration since my hubby tested positive for the dreaded virus and although he had just cold type symptoms and is better now except for a lingering cough, our oldest doesn't feel comfortable coming over. I got tested yesterday and am waiting for the results. The kids are getting tested next week. None of us have symptoms so I am hoping for the best. Can we please have a better 2021?
I have been pretty quiet on my blog the last few days but am making X-mas cards in the studio and perhaps will get a post or two in before the new year. Stay safe!
Janet’s Smiles
Hi, Janet!
DeleteI'm excited to have you over, dear friend. Thanks for coming to my Christmas party!
Oh, NO! I stopped in my tracks just now when I read the bad news that your hubby has tested positive for the virus. I'm so sorry, Janet! Thank goodness his symptoms are mild. Please take all necessary precautions to keep yourself and your family safe until he gets the all clear from the doctor. I offer prayers for his complete and speedy recovery and negative test results for you and your children. I gotta believe that 2021 will be a better year than 2020. It has been a dystopian nightmare.
In reply to your comments about the musical content of this post, I will first state that it is hard to believe "lil Chanet" Lennon, whose voice you hear doing the lead vocal on that 1960 version of "Mommy Kissing Santa," is now in her mid 70s! Is it possible the popularity of Janet and her sisters inspired your folks to name you Janet? I can't get over how many people are telling me they don't like the sweet, innocent children's song "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus." I thought it would get a thumbs up from everybody. I am also surprised that so many people don't like Tony Bennett as much as other crooners. Given Tony's longevity and millions of fans, I thought he'd collect most of the imaginary votes in this exhibition. I hope at the very least you enjoyed sitting by the roaring blaze in the fireplace on his video. :) I also suspect you appreciated the vintage holiday artwork on display as the Lennons sang "Mommy Kissing Santa." I'm glad you like that song by Wham! Dang, no votes so far for "Zombie Last Christmas!" :)
Again I thank you for making time for a visit in the middle of an alarming family crisis. Prayers go out to you, Janet. I wish you and your loved ones a safe, healthy and happy Christmas!
Tom,
ReplyDeleteThis is the first time I think for me to hear Jimmy Boyd singing "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus". Well...maybe I do remember Jimmy and all this time I thought he was a girl singing. After all he was a young fella when he recorded the song. I sorta thought Brenda Lee recorded this song but I can't find it.
I recall the Singer Family. It was fun re-watching their "Draggin' the Line" video as well the introduction of Megan Singer's "Zombie Last Christmas" parody. Talented girl!
I always enjoyed the sound of The Lennon Sisters. I thought I'd prefer Tony Bennett over the sisters' "Winter Wonderland" but I actually liked the girls version better. Had this been an actual contest then I would've given my vote to TLS.
Thanks for sharing some classic festive mewsic. I can't believe it's Christmas week already but I know at the start of the month that the days would zing by and zing by they did! I hope you and Mrs. Shady have a very happy and wonderful Christmas, my friend!
Hi, Cathy!
DeleteThanks for coming over, dear friend! I'm happy to have you here listening to my set of seasonal sounds presented in pairs, BOTB style, for your comparison and evaluation.
Little Jimmy Boyd does indeed sound like a female vocalist as he sings his Christmas time classic "Mommy Kissing Santa." I'm pleased that you remember and like the version of "Draggin' The Line" done so well by The Singer Family, and that you like the follow-up I posted- the stage production of "Zombie Last Christmas" performed by Singer daughter Megan and her school friends. She has a wonderful voice and lots of poise and comedic talent.
Shucks, nobody has "voted" for Tony Bennett so far, and that's a big surprise to me. I thought he'd collect the lion's share of votes. I think we have the YouTube uploader to thank for The Lennon Sisters getting so many likes on their song versions. Not only did he remix and remaster the sound of their original 1960 studio recordings, he also chose excellent vintage visuals to go along with the songs, making each one a wonderful package, a customized conceptual video interpretation that never before existed.
I'm glad you enjoyed these sounds of the season. Thanks again for breaking away from your holiday preps long enough to visit and for your cheery comment. I wish you and DH and the rest of your family a wonderful Christmas, dear friend Cathy!
Merry Christmas to you and yours, my dear friend!
ReplyDeleteWow, what fun is right! There was no battle here, all of these songs won! You chose some of my favourites, Wham's "Last Christmas" tops the list! Winter Wonderland is a classic and I remember singing this every year in elementary school, along with the Dreidel Song. Thanks for bringing back sweet memories, dear friend. :)
I love Dragging the Line, but wasn't familiar with this performance. I never really saw the performer in the flesh, so thanks for this video! I'm off for the next two weeks and I think this will be my soundtrack for the week. :)
At least your WWF wasn't like this storm for the now WWE had for PPV back in 2006: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMKFIHRpe7I
A Hanukkah and Christmas miracle indeed. Have a great week and holiday, dear friend.
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteMerry Christmas, dear friend, and thanks for coming to my Yule party. Yule as in "yule love these sounds of the season." :)
Until you showed up, I was hard pressed to find anyone who likes the hit song by George Michael & Wham! - "Last Christmas." I'm happy to learn that it tops your list. "Zombie Last Christmas" tops mine. :) With the cheerleader dance troupe doing their thing in the background and the family decked out in colorful period clothing styles, I think The Singer's rendition of "Draggin' the Line" is better visually than that of the original artist Tommy James.
It was hard for me to watch that video you linked me to. The entire last four years have been a vulgar spectacle on par with those wrestling exhibitions and I wish I could forget the Trump administration ever happened. Maybe there's a future for Donald as a pro wrestler. He's a master of hype.
Thanks again for coming to the party and happy holidays to you and your folks, dear friend JM!
Hi Shady,
DeleteAgreed about the video. When I found it, I watched in horror because that was his presidency in a nutshell. I believe he appointed McMahon's wife for a role in his administration too. The only future I hope for the Donald is behind bars. Maybe he can hype people up in prison.
I'm not a fan of Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas", I'll take "Last Christmas" any day of the week! LOL! I like the lyrics and well, I've always liked Wham's vocals. "Zombie Last Christmas" makes me chuckle.
I hope that you have a very Merry Christmas!
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteYessum, I can see a bright future for Teflon Don behind bars or, if they let him out for good behavior (doubtful), as a pro wrestling promoter or even as one of the villainous character wrestlers. Anything as long as he stays out of politics. I hear they need a dog catcher in Barrow, Alaska.
I see that Andrei Cerbu's Garage just produced a great cover of "All I Want For Christmas" featuring lead zinger Daria B. You might like it more than the Mariah Carey original. I'm glad you enjoyed the high schoolers doing the parody production "Zombie Last Xmas."
Merry Christmas to you and your folks, dear friend JM!
Hi, Shady,
DeleteMaybe if they put him a padded cell, he can be a pro wrestling promoter all he wants. He could also do it while wrangling dogs in Alaska. LOL! Yes, agreed, he needs to stay out of politics. He and his ilk.
I'll have to check that out. Thinking of you today, dear friend. I hope that you have a wonderful Christmas. Happy Thankful Thursday!
Hi again, Jessica Marie!
DeleteYessum, check out the rendition of "All I Want For Christmas Is You)" performed by the band Shut Up & Kiss Me! at Andrei Cerbu's Garage. It's a great cover.
Thanks again for coming to my Christmas potty. Stay tuned for the event of the year that everybody's been talking about - live from Shady Square - The 58th Annual New Year's Rockin' Eve in the Shady hosted by Shady Seaweed - The World's Oldest Living Toddler! The wrecking ball is about to drop and the festivities get underway dark and early tomorrow morning. Hope to see your face in the place!
Hi Shady,
DeleteI checked out Shut Up & Kiss Me's cover and I agree, I love that version of "All I Want For Christmas Is You"! I was listening to their ACDC Christmas covers and I just love all of the bands from Andrei Cerbu's garage.
Can't wait to ring in the new year with you, dear friend! I look forward to your Rockin' New Year's tomorrow. Enjoy the rest of your Christmas, dear friend.
I'm glad you watched that vid. Those Smokin' Dudes in Andrei's Garage crank out one killer kover after another and I'll be posting them in the months and years ahead.
DeleteThe ball is dropping in Shady Square. Happy New Year, dear friend JM!
I don't mind the Mommy kissing Santa Claus but not one for that kid singing it but he was lucky to be able to bed down with Batgirl so I give it to the Lennon Sisters although they tend to sing it rather blandly, in my books. Oh gosh Wham! That looks like fun to be at that cabin and frolicking in the snow. Look at his hair! He had great hair and I give it to Wham even though I love the zombie video with Marcia. It's like Marcia decided to leave the Bradys and hop over to the Partridge family. That is a fun song with the young girl singing a great baritone...lol. I give the last song to the Lennon Sisters again because it was sweet and I love that old style animation with the prancing horses. The other video I liked to and gave me some great ideas for cards to make...nothing like retro style. Tony Bennett was never my favourite but man how cool is it to think he sang with Judy Garland and Lady Gaga. Have a very Merry Christmas!!
ReplyDeleteHi, Birgit!
DeleteIt's great to see you, dear friend! Thanks for coming to my Christmas potty disguised as a WWF Wrestling match.
Based on your opening comment, I think it's safe to give "Mommy Kissing Santa" a nod of semi-approval and a half vote to "Lil Chanet" and those up-and-coming Champagne Ladies, the singing Lennon Sisters.
I'm pleased that you singled out Wham! and their video for "Last Christmas." I like the way the loved-and-lost scenario is presented as George Michael and his group of criminally attractive 20-something friends vacation at a Swiss ski lodge. Yessum, George Michael had great hair. I'd give anything for just one of them! :) Hey, don't look now, but I'm pretty sure you are the first to state that you love "Zombie Last Christmas" featuring Marcia Brady lookalike Megan Zinger.
Seems like I'm going to have to bribe people to get them to vote for Tony Bennett (and I'm not above doing it if you'll kindly lend me the money). However, America's sweethearts, The Lennons, rack up another vote for their rendition of "Winter Wonderland." I suspected that an artist like you would notice and admire the visuals in those two Lennon videos. They really help sell the songs and do indeed provide you with ideas for your greeting card designs.
Thank you again, and very much, for another great comment, dear friend BB. I wish you and your family a merry Christmas as well!
Delete
I prefer the Lennon Sisters version of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus". I just find Boyd's voice annoying. True, he's only trying to be funny, but, in my opinion...he's not. And, really, at 13 years of age, one should really get past believing in Santa Claus or calling one's mother "Mommy". What's that you say? He's pretending to be someone younger than 13? In that case the record company should have seen if Red Skelton was available. Or maybe that guy in the Little Lord Fauntleroy suit on The Abbott and Costello Show. You know, the one that ended up in The Three Stooges. Shady, I know you're too young to remember Fanny Brice's Baby Snookums, but back in 1944 me and my fellow POWs used to listen to her on the short wave radio that someone had smuggled into the stalag along with the box of fig newtons and back issues of Argosy magazine. The German guard walked in on us unexpectedly one day and threatened to confiscate the radio unless we got nylon stockings for his 23-year-old "niece". However, we told the guard that we were actually listening to Axis Annie--we explained she had a cold that night and that's why her voice sounded so shrill--and the guard would be impeding the war effort (THEIR war effort, not ours) if he didn't back off. But I digress. Brice would have been perfect for this song (in fact, I suspect Boyd was trying to imitate her.) Unfortunately, Brice had died a year earlier, so Boyd got the gig instead. As for the Lennon Sisters, they sing the song straight, and lo and behold, if you listen closely to the lyrics, you get the joke anyway, which is: Santa is actually Daddy and Mommy is actually a department store mannikin, the real Mommy having run off with the meter reader some years earlier.
ReplyDeleteWhat in the world is Jerry Seinfeld doing in a Wham! video? Oh, wait, that's Andrew Ridgeway, Wrigley, whatever his last name is (or was. Is he still alive? Or did he perish in the Falklands war?). Anyway, I prefer Wha--let's drop the pretense, we're all adults here--I prefer GEORGE MICHAEL's now-classic version of "Last Christmas". But I'm curious about the accompanying video. I know it's the "official" video since both Michael and Anthony Rigidly are in it. But what are we looking at exactly? Is this the day before--um, that would be Christmas--she gave his heart away? Or is is this "this year" and NOW he's giving it to someone special? At least the zombie video matches the lyrics. LITERALLY, as a matter of fact.
I own a Tony Bennett CD and absolutely nothing by the Lennon Sisters, so I was surprised to find that I, too, prefer the female siblings version of "Winter Wonderland" (which technically isn't any more a Christmas song than "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow" or "Baby, It's Cold Outside', none of which mention the holiday and, besides, it's not like December 26 is the first day of spring.) Bennett is trying just a little too hard to jazz it up, rather than take the song on its own terms. Also, I might have been seduced by that marvelous cartoon that accompanies the Lennon's version. With Bennett, you just get a roaring fire, which makes the attempts at jazzing all the more desperate. Maybe if there had been a smoky, Mafia-owned nightclub instead. If that's not Christmas enough, the cocktail waitress could have worn a red dress with white fur trim along with a matching wool stocking cap, and the 300-pound bouncer could have been dressed like an elf.
Uh, I've just been told (in red letters yet!) my HTML has exceeded the 4,096 character limit. I'll have to wrap this up in another comment thingee. Stay tuned.
As for all the crooners that's been mentioned in the comments, don't forget Nat King Cole, Vic Damone, and Mel Torme. And then there's the ladies. Did somebody already mention Judy Garland? I see that they did. Well, how about Eartha Kitt? And the Andrew Sisters sing backup on several of of Der Bingle's Christmas songs. Funny how all the old-school singers come back to life every Christmas. Thank God they're not flesh-eating zombies.
DeleteMerry Christmas, Shady. Now let me finish my egg nog. I'm on my third quart.
Hi, Kirk!
DeleteThanks for joining the fun, good buddy! Nothing much on your mind this time? Cat got your tongue (fingers)?
Your essay reminds me of the first time I watched Billy Wilder's Stalag 17. Throughout the 50s I had watched the TV series Fury starring Peter Graves in the role of a decent, upstanding and trustworthy dad. (SPOILER ALERT) Imagine how jarring it was, how crushed I was when it was revealed that Graves' character, Sgt. Frank Price, was not just one of the American men being held at a German P.O.W. camp barracks, but was actually a German spy/mole/informer/bad person. BOOO! Graves redeemed himself as a good guy in the role of Jim Phelps, head of a super-secret government agency, the I.M.F. team, on Mission Impossible. Next thing I know, Graves is breaking bad again in the role of a pervy pilot asking little Joey if he's ever been in a Turkish prison.
Where am I going with all this? Nowhere! I'm just trying to fill the page and make my reply look roughly the same length as your comment.)
SCROLL DOWN:
There... I used up some more space.
Getting back to our off-topic topic, it's interesting that the German guard had a 23 year old niece. I have FIVE 23 year old nieces. You might have heard of them - The Swedish Bikini Team.
I now move to the portion of my reply in which I discuss the actual content of the post and your evaluation of it. However, before we go any further, let me remind you:
This is only an exhibition...
This is not a competition...
Please... no wagering.
To me Jimmy Boyd's original version of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" is a sweet song not intended to be funny. That's how my ears and heart have experienced it ever since I first listened to the record at the age of two. It's interesting that, to you and friend Janet (above), and perhaps many others, the song is intended to b funny and perhaps worthy of being lumped in with novelty holiday ditties like "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer." To me it's as far on the other end of the spectrum as you can get. Dang, good buddy - I wish you had posted a SPOILER ALERT before giving away the shock ending of the song, the punchline that Santa is actually Daddy and Mommy is actually a department store mannequin, the real Mommy having run off with the meter reader some years earlier. Now you've got me questioning why I have always resembled George Hamilton even tho my father was a dead ringer for Alfred E. Neuman. Oh well - "It takes a village (people)."
I think what we are seeing in that Wham! video is footage of this year's (1984) salivation (sic) at the Swiss lodge as George Michael sucks it up and realizes that his girl now belongs to someone else. That footage is combined with flashback scenes from last year's (1983) Christmas salivation (sic) showing George and his sweetie romping in the snow, etc. just before the breakup. Shucks, she'd still be into him if he hadn't insisted on entertaining the group last year with magic tricks and shadow puppets.
WHAT??? You actually own a Tony Bennett CD and STILL didn't vote for him? Can't you even find a dead guy to vote for him in your place? Well, that does it! I'm never going to post another song by Tony Bennett. From this day forward, I'm pushing a male vocalist who's sweeping the nation with his talent and charisma. His name is Monti Rock III and he's lead zinger of the hottest band in the land - Disco Tex & The Sex-O-Lettes.
I see that you needed to continue your comment on a second form. Good! That allows me to run up my comment total by doing the same.
Hi again, Kirk!
DeleteLet's not forget Ma and Pa Kettle. (Just sayin'...)
I'm here to respond to part 2 of your comment. Unfortunately, I got nothin'... except a bad case of carpal tunnel.
Thanks again for coming to my potty (sic), good buddy Kirk. Have a wonderful Christmas celebration (sic)!
Ola from PV, Mexico, friend Shady. Weather is lovely. Peeps are friendly. Food is yummy. Life is good:) Reenting a simple room with kitchenette, and buying and preparing our own food. Masks are mandatory inside businesses, and optional outside. Seeing a few young/ middle aged Americans, but hardly any Canadian snow birds came down this year. Taking long walks at the beach, the pier, Zona Romantica, and of course feeeding the feral cats in the park by the river. The newest addition I a maybe 6 week old lil ginger fur ball. I feed him fish, but avoid as much human contact as possible as hee will to learn fast to beeecome as independent as possible. With no mama around, he tends to cry a lot, wandering around inside the abandoned store, the ferals call home. If I lived here permanently, I would take him in for sure. Thunderbutt is frolicking under my kidlt's XMas tree, and Gingerito is fighting to survive.?.. Anyway ... Wishing you and your loved ones a happy and healthy XMas. Sending love, cat PS: I hope this note sends as my tablet is kind of on the fritz ...
ReplyDeleteHi, cat!
DeleteWelcome welcome welcome, dear friend! I was just thinking about you earlier today and assuming that you were on holiday basking in the warmth of the sun down Mexico way. It makes me happy that I came to the correct conclusion as to your whereabouts, and I must tell you how much of an honor it is to have you think about me and visit Shady's Place in the middle of your getaway. Thank you so much, cat!
I'm delighted to learn that the PV weather is lovely. Thanks for describing the scene down there at this time of year. I am elated knowing that you are strolling the beach and pier and meeting new kitties down by the riverside. However my heart goes out to Gingerito the ginger kitten. It brings me down to think of all the stray and abandoned cats and dogs leading desperate lives in Mexico and other countries. Impoverished adults and children begging for money and food is also a major problem. Mrs. Shady and I encountered beggars of all ages when we visited Central Mexico last year.
Thank you again for your very kind visit, dear friend cat. I hope you continue to enjoy your stay down there and that you have a wonderful Christmas.
LUBBINS LUBBINS LUBBINS to you, dear cat!