The Xman XmasTape 1987
Ed Christman
Christmas is a time for music and memories. In that spirit, this playlist is an excerpt from Ed Christman‘s yesteryear Xman Xmas mixtapes, compiled circa 1986-1988.
Encompassing well-known classics by Burl Ives and Bobby Helms, long-lost gems (e.g. The Gems’ “Love for Christmas”) and surreal oddities such as Edd “Kookie” Byrnes’ “Yulesville,” here are some Christmas classics to revisit and deep cuts to discover. In particular, Christman, Billboard senior editor/analyst, would like to call your attention to Dean Martin’s reference of Rudolph as “Rudy, the red-beaked reindeer.”
Andy Williams, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”
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The Crystals, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”
Bobby “Boris” Pickett and the Crypt Kickers, “Monster’s Holiday”
The Trashmen, “Dancin’ With Santa”
Bobby Helms, “Jingle Bell Rock”
Chuck Berry, “Run Rudolph Run”
Plan 9, “Merry Christmas”
Elvis Presley, “Blue Christmas”
Al Green, “White Christmas”
Otis Redding, “Merry Christmas Baby”
The Partridge Family, “My Christmas Card to You”
The Cheepskates, “Christmastime With You”
The Wailers, “She’s Comin’ Home”
The Turtles, “Christmas Is My Time of Year”
Milton DeLugg & The Little Eskimos, “Hooray for Santa Claus”
The Sonics, “Don’t Believe In Christmas”
Brenda Lee, “Papa Noel”
Chris Stamey, “Christmas Time”
The Rockfield Chorale, “Jingle Jangle”
The Galaxies, “Christmas Eve”
Cliff Richard, “Little Town”
Frank Sinatra, “Mistletoe and Holly”
Isaac Hayes, “Mistletoe and Me”
Nat “King” Cole, “The Christmas Song”
Fay Lovsky, “Christmas Was a Friend of Mine”
The Beach Boys, “Little Saint Nick”
Barry Richards, “Baby Sittin’ Santa”
Three Aces and A Joker, “Sleigh Bell Rock”
Jack Scott, “There’s Trouble Brewin'”
Yard Trauma, “Christmas Tyme”
Edd “Kookie” Byrnes, “Yulesville”
Percy Faith & His Orchestra, “Joy to the World”
Burl Ives, “Holly Jolly Christmas”
NRBQ, “Christmas Wish”
Rosemary Clooney, “Suzy Snowflake”
Dean Martin, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”
Stan Freberg, “Nuttin’ for Christmas”
Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons, “Jingle Bells”
Louis Armstrong, “‘Zat You Santa Claus?”
Brenda Lee, “I’m Gonna Lasso Santa Claus”
The Drifters, “White Christmas”
Santo & Johnny, “Twistin’ Bells”
The Tryfles, “Gloria (In Excelsis Deo)”
Paul Whiteman & His Orchestra, “Christmas Night In Harlem”
James Brown, “Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto”
Solomon Burke, “Christmas Presents”
The Gems, “Love for Christmas”
Wednesday Week, “Christmas Here”
Darlene Love, “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)”
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, “Deck the Halls/Bring a Torch”
Alison Moyet, “The Coventry Carol”
Chris de Burgh, “A Spaceman Came Traveling”
Sting, “Gabriel’s Message”
The Supremes, “Born of Mary”
Mike Oldfield, “In Dulce Jubilo”
Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons, “The Carol of the Bells”
Glad Singers, “Three Kings”
The Platters, “Jingle Bells Jingle”
Aztec Camera, “Hot Club of Christ”
Crocodile Shop, “December Mourning”
The Ravers, “(It’s Gonna Be A) Punk Rock Christmas”
Nadroj & the Wolrats, “Forget It”
Andy Paley, “Sleigh Ride”
The Ronettes, “Sleigh Ride”
John Lennon & Yoko Ono, “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)”
Bing Crosby & David Bowie, “Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy”
The Kinks, “Father Christmas”
The Turtles, “Santa and the Sidewalk Surfer”
The Fools, “Rockin’ In a Christmas New Year”
Billy Squier, “Christmas Is the Time to Say ‘I Love You'”
Roy Wood, “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday”
The Waitresses, “Christmas Wrapping”
Kurtis Blow, “Christmas Rappin'”
James Brown, “Let’s Make Christmas Mean Something This Year”
Paul McCartney, “Wonderful Christmastime”
Bing Crosby, “Christmas In Killarney”
The Ronettes, “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus”
Brenda Lee, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”
Elvis Presley, “Santa Bring My Baby Back to Me”
Billy West, “Jingle Bell Rock”
The Royal Guardsmen, “Snoopy’s Christmas”
XTC, “Thanks for Christmas”
Davitt Sigerson, “It’s a Big Country”
Pretenders, “2000 Miles”
Slade, “Merry Xmas Everybody”
The Crystals, “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town”
Bing Crosby, “White Christmas”
The Dickies, “Silent Night”
Cristina, “Things Fall Apart”