May your holiday season be jam-packed with groovy tunes, delicious treats, and lots of love and laughter with family and friends.

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Track-by-Track

Snoopy's Christmas - The Royal Guardsmen 1967 follow-up to "Snoopy vs. the Red Baron" depicting a fictional Christmas Eve dogfight ending with Snoopy and the Red Baron sharing a holiday toast behind enemy lines. Hit #1 in New Zealand and Australia.

Ringing Bells (Sweet Music), Pt. 2 - Young Senators DC Go-Go pioneers' psychedelic soul track reissued in 2016 after 45 years. Not actually a Christmas song despite the "ringing bells" title—DC septet backed Eddie Kendricks in 1972 before fading into obscurity.

Christmas Day - Squeeze 1979 melancholic look at Christmas through the lens of post-holiday cleanup from British new wave masters known for clever, observational songwriting about everyday life.

Stop The Cavalry - Jona Lewie 1980 anti-war song that wasn't meant to be a Christmas song—only mentions Christmas in one line. Record company added tubular bells to make it sound festive. Peaked at #3 UK and became a perennial holiday favorite.

O Little Town Of Bethlehem - Sister Rosetta Tharpe 1956 gospel recording from the "Godmother of rock and roll"—widely acclaimed as one of the greatest Sanctified gospel singers, known for flamboyant performances blending gospel, blues and swing.

The Bells of St. Mary's - The Drifters February 1954 Atlantic Records session featuring Clyde McPhatter's soaring tenor and Bill Pinkney's deep bass. Hit #2 on R&B charts. You've heard this in Home Alone and The Santa Clause.

Merry Christmas Baby - Vernon Garrett "I Didn't Get Nothin' for Christmas" from Ichiban Blues At Christmas compilation—Southern-fried funk from Atlanta's modern blues label, described by the Washington Post as "the last authentic Southern blues."

I Want To Come Home For Christmas - Marvin Gaye Recorded 1972 about a Vietnam POW, Motown rejected it for being too political. Released posthumously 18 years later. One of the most poignant anti-war Christmas songs ever recorded.

Player's Ball - OutKast 1993 debut single—OutKast is the only hip-hop act to debut with a Christmas song. Refers to an annual Atlanta party thrown during Christmas. Released 10 days early on LaFace Family Christmas compilation.

Llegó Navidad - Los Lobos Title track from the Grammy-winning East LA Chicano band's first holiday album in 2019. They researched nearly 150 Christmas songs from across North, Central and South America before recording.

Auld Lang Syne - Jimi Hendrix Band of Gypsys New Year's Eve performance at Fillmore East, December 31, 1969 at midnight. Historic recording marking the turn of the decade.

Jingle Bells - The Brute Force Steel Band 1955 steel band recording from Antigua, reissued by Smithsonian Folkways in 2004. Traditional Caribbean steel drum arrangement originally released on Cook Records.

Le petit renne au nez rouge - Danièle & Michèle French version of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" created by Jacques Larue. Covered by everyone from Harry Belafonte to Céline Dion. This version remains obscure.

The Last Time I Saw You (O Christmas) - Porridge Radio 2020 track from Brighton indie rock band known for emotionally raw confessional songwriting. Their take on a "miserable Christmas."

Listen, The Snow Is Falling - Harry Nilsson Yoko Ono song originally the B-side to John Lennon's "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" in 1971. Nilsson's cover released posthumously in 2019 on album "Losst and Founnd."

Santa Claus Is Coming to Town - The Shades 1966 girl group from Indiana recorded this rare 45 at RCA Studios Chicago for the Fujimo label.

Santa Claus Blues - Black Ace Texas blues guitarist Babe Kyro Lemon Turner—born December 21, 1907, just before Christmas. Known for National steel guitar "Hawaii meets the Delta" style. Recorded for Decca in 1937.

Jesus' Birthday - Joseph Washington Jr. San Jose plasterer who performed around the Bay Area made this barely-known 1983 private-issue funky soul Christmas album. Reissued by Numero Group. Washington passed away in late 2021.

The Loneliest Christmas Tree - Lisa Miller Lisa Miller recorded this when she was 10 or 11 years old in 1967. Her voice sounds way older than that. The song was written by her mother and aunt. B-side to "Love Is" on Canterbury label.

Santa Claus Ain't A Hippie - Charlie Stewart Obscure recording with limited information available. You tell me.

White Christmas - Jo Stafford Capitol Records' top-selling artist from 1944-1950, Stafford recorded 48 hits during that period including this Christmas standard.

Just a Sad Xmas - The Soul Duo 1969/70 Shiptown label recording described as "almost an anti-Christmas song." Melancholic holiday blues.

(It's Gonna Be A) Lonely Christmas - The Orioles 1948 early R&B Christmas classic that reached #8 on Billboard and #5 the following Christmas. One of the first R&B Christmas songs, helping establish the tradition.

Jingle Bells - The Gladiators Remastered reggae arrangement from the Jamaican roots reggae band.