A TMC Christmas Compilation Vol. 1

Over the last few years, I've enjoyed many music compilations offered by other bloggers. When it comes to Christmas tunes, some compilations can be very predictable with their inclusion of traditional carols. Others such as A Truer Sound have offered creative, funny and generally off-the-beaten-path Christmas songs - even when many of the songs are sung by well known performers.

With inspiration from ATS, Rockstar Aimz, the Feel Bad For You crowd, etc., I now provide my own Christmas Compilation. Not only is it my inaugural Christmas compilation, but its my first compilation since Because Whit Happens began three years ago.

Most of the tracks were sourced from live show recordings I've collected the last few years. Not all are from boots, and in the spirit of Christmas I hope I don't get Scrooged by the music po-po. All are my gift to you.

Santa Claus Is Back in Town - Jon Randall - Nashville Unlimited


Carol Of The Bells - Nashville Mandolin Ensemble - from their out-of-print release Gifts


The Grinch Song - Slaid Cleaves- recorded 2009-12-10 at The Cactus Cafe in Austin, TX


Christmas in Nashville - Bob Walkenhorst - recorded 2007-12-19 at The Record Bar in Kansas City, MO (Bob fronted The Rainmakers in the 80s and 90s and again with their 2011 reunion.)


Jingle Bells Womack Style - Elmo Buzz & The Eastside Bulldogs (better known as Todd Snider & The Nervous Wrecks - recorded 2006-12-23 at Three Crow Bar in Nashville w/Dakota Montana (aka Tommy Womack) on vox


Peace Call - Eliza Gilkyson - recorded 2004-12-10 at St. David's Episcopal Church in Austin TX


No Room at the Inn - Jeff Porter - 2007-12-19 The Record Bar


Rudolph with Cousin Eddie greeting the neighbors - National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation soundtrack


Little Drummer Boy - Chicago - recorded 1998-12-08


Relatively Speaking (I've Got The Blues) - Darrell Scott - Nashville Unlimited


Luigi The Lonely Christmas Bear - Tommy Womack- recorded 2008-12-20 at Norm's River Roadhouse in Nashville, TN


The Spirit Of Christmas - Ray Charles - National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation soundtrack


Silent Night - Bob Walkenhorst - 2007-12-19 The Record Bar


Merry Christmas to you; try new music; see live bands; and hug your folks, significant other, young'uns, and your pets.

TMC

Limping into Year 4

December 20 historical events:

• 1803 - The Lousiana Purchase is completed.
• 1879 - Thomas Edison privately demonstrates the incandescent light bulb.
• 1945 - Original KISS drummer, Peter Criss, is born.
• 1957 - Elvis Presley was given his draft notice for the U.S. Army.
• 1996 - NeXT merges with Apple COmputer.
• 2008 - The Because Whit Happens blog goes live.

Really? Three years ago? Yep. And to be mentioned in same breath as those other events ... well, that's pretty lame.

After a reasonable number of posts the first couple of years, I slacked way off in year 3.

• I didn't attend as many live shows.
• New music? Almost non-existent for me this year.
  
• My racing-related blog, Bench Racing, got more attention than this one.
• Twitter has become my primary outlet for random thoughts. Where I once wrote several paragraphs about an opinion or happening, now I most often condense my observations into one or more 140-character tweets.

Yet, the blog is still here. And I hope I'll continue to post periodically. I'm under no illusion that many folks follow me here regularly, and that's OK. A great piece of guidance I got a few years ago was to blog things of interest to me and to blog them when and how I wanted. I've kept that advice front and center the last three years.

If you are reading this now and have read anything else I've posted the last three years, thank you.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

TMC

Feel Bad For You Pumpkin Edition

This blog has become as stagnant as the American economy, as trailer park pool water, as my exercise regiment, or as Blackberry's market share.

Thank goodness someone else still blogs new stuff so I can reference it and re-post it as a new entry. A Truer Sound has again posted the monthly edition of the Feel Bad For You mixtape compilation. The October edition has an all ... err ... mostly instrumental theme. Phil Norman (Twitter) once again gets props for the nice artwork.

As stated in the past, the concept is rather simplistic. Several of us have formed some sort of whacked, 'X' degrees of separation kinship through blogs, Twitter, Facebook, e-mail, restraining orders, etc. We submit one song of our choosing each month. The fact many of us have common interests in music doesn't suck when it comes to compiling the submissions.

So now that the calendar has flipped to October, don your shades during the day or a light jacket at night, enjoy a pint of your favorite Oktoberfest seasonal, carve your jack-o-lantern, load up on the candy for the kiddies, and listen to FBFY here (or click here to download the compilation).



My contribution this month was Townsend, TN by Nashville's The Royal Court of China. The band had two distinctly different commercial releases - a self-titled debut and a second harder-edged release named Geared and Primed. After a multi-year hiatus, the band reunited a few years ago for a knock-down, drag-out show at Nashville's famed Exit-In at which I was elated to be present.

Townsend, TN is an actual place and is perhaps best known for being the gateway to Cade's Cove - an undeveloped, tranquil, tourist trap. Yes I used undeveloped, tranquil and tourist all in the same sentence. I've never listened to Townsend, TN while driving through Townsend, but I can visualize the song would work doing so.

RCC broke one single, Half The Truth, from their second album Geared and Primed. Having once worked for someone who lived his professional life telling about half the truth 100% of the time, I've never forgotten about this song.

Because this is the month of Halloween, here is an RCC treat for you. Remember though - no tricks in return.

TMC

Feel Bad For You Sweaty Edition

A Truer Sound has posted the August edition of the monthly Feel Bad For You compilation. Phil Norman (Twitter) gets the props for the nice artwork for this month's edition.

The concept is stupidly simplistic. Several of us have formed some sort of whacked, 'X' degrees of separation kinship through blogs, Twitter, Facebook, etc. (kind of like one of those distant cousins you avoid even at once-a-decade family reunions). We submit one song of our choosing each month. The fact many of us have common interests in music doesn't suck when it comes to compiling the submissions. (As an aside, Compiling The Submissions sounds like an awesome goth band name if you ask me.)

In addition to sampling each others' choices, you too are a winner. Treat the compilation like loading your plate at a weird wedding reception. Take multiple helpings of some, taste a bite of another before tactfully returning the rest to your plate, smell some and recoil in horror, etc.

So with the continuing - yet to be expected - heat and humidity, mop your brow, deodorize your pits, swig a cold brew, and listen to FBFY here (or click here to download the compilation).


My contribution this month was One More Summer by Kansas City's The Rainmakers. After a 14-year hiatus, the band reunited (less one founding member), released a CD of all new material, and toured several joints in Norway. NORWAY??? Yes - Norway - who supported the band early and often in their prime time. One More Summer is from the band's second release - Tornado - from way back in 1987. (Seriously? 1987? When 100% of my college loans were still due?) But here is a version of the song from one of the band's spring Norwegian shows.

TMC

Feel Bad For Your Heat Rash Edition

A Truer Sound has again posted the compilation of Feel Bad For You - July edition. Popa2unes (Twitter) designed some hilarious artwork for this month's edition.

With much of the country enduring insufferable heat and humidity this month, perhaps these tunes will provide some soothing, ointment relief ... to your ears. Listen to it here (or click here to download the compilation).



Incredibly, 2011 is already half-way done. As a result, I submitted a song titled The Fifty Percenter by Rich Hopkins and Billy Sedlmayr. For several years, Hopkins was lead guitarist for the Tucson, AZ based band The Sidewinders. (The band later changed its name to the Sand Rubies after an unfortunate, ridiculous lawsuit over the Sidewinders name by another band.) Today, Hopkins records and plays more often with his band The Luminaros.

This video will give you a second helping of Hopkins' music - the great, title track of an album he did with The Luminaros: Dirt Town.


I'm pretty sure I forgot to blog about the May and June editions. So take a listen those compilations at the FBFY site as well.

Stay cool. Drink plenty of fluids. Stretch your mind. Enjoy different music.

TMC

City Songs Saturday - Freedom Edition

July 4, 2011 - The 235th birthday of the most incredible, liberty-filled, freedom-rich nation on the earth. I'm immensely grateful to the founding fathers, the Continental Army, and the military branches of the United States for visioning it, declaring it, earning it, and defending it.

This week's City Songs Saturday focuses on some of the key cities at the flashpoint of the revolution then and at the epicenter of government today. As has been the pattern, I've included 5 songs. But to be honest, it was a bit of stretch to go with five and still cover multiple cities. Songwriters haven't exactly been forthcoming with songs about places like Lexington, Concord, Saratoga, and Valley Forge. Perhaps I could have included one about Quebec, but I've tried to focus this series on U.S. cities. So away we go...

I'm Shipping Up to Boston - Dropkick Murphys - I'll lead with this one because (1) the song is short but fun to scream and (2) I'm giving a nod to fellow blogger - the music diggin', straight shootin' Rockstar_Aimz - who currently claims Boston as home.

I'm a sailor peg / And I lost my leg
Climbing up the top sails / I lost my leg!

I need to create a "to do" to blast this song later this September on Talk Like A Pirate Day.

Brasilia Crossed With Trenton - Bob Mould - I have no idea if Mould's Trenton is meant to be about the New Jersey city. But in this case, I'm going to make it so.

I see buildings / With laundry hanging out of the window
Never in my wildest dreams would I think I'd see
Brasilia crossed with Trenton

Streets of Philadelphia - Bruce Springsteen

Philadelphia Freedom - Elton John

The Ghost of Old D.C. - J.B. Beverly & The Wayward Drifters - This one was a stretch for me. I didn't have what I believed to be a blog-worthy song title about Washington, DC. But in searching around for one, I found this band. From what I've heard of this video and other song samples, I'll be listening to them more ... a lot more.

...well, there is a patch of train tracks outside of Silver Spring
it used to be the freight line right into old DC...

Happy Independence Day folks. Never - ever - take your freedoms for granted.

TMC

City Songs Saturday - Border State Cities

Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. That should be plenty of territory of border states to explore a few city songs. Right?

Spokane Motel Blues - Tom T. Hall

El Paso - Marty Robbins

Saginaw, Michigan - Lefty Frizell

Brownsville Girl - Bob Dylan

Helena, Montana - Terry Allen - Strong song...even if the video isn't

TMC