Limp 013 (Courtesy of Discogs)It’s the most wonderful time of the year…unless you hate Christmas music. Still, the nation’s capital has a rich musical history and many area musicians, some celebrated, some forgotten, have contributed to the holiday spirit with enough song to make you forget that Mannheim Steamroller is on tour. Here’s DCist’s YouTube playlist of some of the best, worst, and most unusual holiday themes to come from the Washington area. A hat-tip to Kevin Coombe’s invaluable DC Soul project for pointing the way to some of the more obscure singles here.
John Fahey – “Joy to the World” From The New Possibility (1968), later titled Christmas with John Fahey Vol. 1. The Takoma native, one of the most celebrated guitarists of his time, was an avid record collector and was known to cold canvas rural neighborhoods in the deep south in search of old 78s. You can guess what he wanted for Christmas.
The Reind Dears — “X-mas is Going to Bring Me Down” From a 1978 single on Limp Records recorded by legendary producer Don Zientara. The Reind Dears was a late-70’s DC punk supergroup, featuring members of The Shirkers, the Pin-Ups, Urban Verbs, and Nurses. With Howard Wuelfing on bass/vocals, Danny Frankel on drums, Tommy Kane on guitar, Martha Hull on vocals, Amy Tract on vocals, and Marc Halpern on guitar.
Duke Ellington – “Jingle Bells” A 1961 session released on the compilation Jingle Bell Jazz.
The T.T.E.D All Stars – “Ho Ho Go Go Santa” A 1985 release from the label run by Maxx Kidd, who has been called the “Berry Gordy of go-go.”
The Spectators – “Merry Christmas Darling” A funky instrumental track not to be confused with the Carpenters standard. I can’t find any information about this group, but thanks to Kevin Coombe’s DC Soul for leading me to it.
Root Boy Slim and the Sex Change Band – “Christmas at K-Mart” A private press single that landed Root Boy, born Foster MacKenzie III, a record deal with Warner Bros.
The Coolbreezers – “Let Christmas Ring” A 1958 doo wop track, also listed on DC Soul. Apologies for the bad transfer.
Charlie Byrd – “The Christmas Song” From the guitarist’s 1982 Christmas album. Byrd was a regular at the Showboat Lounge on 18th Street, in a space that has now been renamed in his honor: Songbyrd Cafe.
Danny Gatton – “Linus and Lucy (live)” I wrote about the late guitarist’s private press debut here. This is a good live recording, made somewhere in Washington in 1989, though unfortunately the venue isn’t listed.
Matt Hoyt and Eric Lancaster – “‘Tis the Season” A holiday cover of Fugazi’s “Long Division”.
Henry Rollins – “Twas the Night Before Christmas” From the 1991 compilation A Lump of Coal, Rollins apparently has no whimsy for he holiday season.
Chuck Brown – “Merry Christmas Baby” From the Godfather of Go-Go’s 1999 album The Spirit of Christmas.
Mark Whitfield, Ran Blake and Shirley Horn – “The Christmas Song” From the 1997 compilation Jazz for Joy.
Robert Flack – “25th of Last December” From Flack’s 1997 Christmas album, this wistful ballad was written by R&B veteran Gene McDaniels. He is perhaps best known for writing Flack’s early hit, “Feel Like Makin’ Love.”
C-Quents – “Merry Christmas to You Baby” Another obscurity from the great DC Soul site, this 1968 45 was released on the Captone label.
Marvin Gaye — “I Want to Come Home for Christmas” Originally released on a Motown Christmas album, this 1972 song was written for troops in Vietnam
Eva Cassidy and Chuck Brown – “The Christmas Song” Another track from The Spirit of Christmas, this features two longtime Washington favorites.
John Fahey – “Silent Night”
