I’m proud of the Christmas music collection I’ve curated over the years – dozens of albums covering all the classics and spanning every conceivable genre. But there are a few songs in the collection, my “alternative classics”, that I need to hear for the season to really be complete. Hope you enjoy them. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all.
At the top of the list is “Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto” by James Brown. The song is from the Funky Christmas album, an incredible set all around from the Godfather of Soul, full of great grooves and great lyrics.
The Waitresses’ “Christmas Wrapping” is a bouncy piece of fun that hooks you, ’cause you just have to hear how the story ends.
The special harmonies of the Beach Boys make for creative takes on Christmas classics. But if you live in a cold winter climate, like I do, and wonder how Christmas feels when palm trees are outside you window, “Little St. Nick” by the Beach Boys is what I imagine.
And finally, the most bizarre Christmas song every recorded, “Christmas at K-Mart” by the late Root Boy Slim. K-mart sued to keep this song off the radio for many years, though it’s 7-11 that really takes it on the chin in the lyrics. And if this is your first exposure to Root Boy, do root around on YouTube to hear his madness and political commentary, 70’s style, with tremendous backing musicians.
Music New to You from the Past and Present 
My favorite is still The Beach Boys! Merry Christmas to my favorite DJ…Grandpa DJ now 🙂
I’d not heard the ones by James Brown or Root Boy Slim, but the ones by the Waitresses and Beach Boys are favorites of mine too.
I grew up in San Jose, and always prayed for cold, snowy weather at Christmas, but the most we got was chilly rain. Then I lived in St. Louis, where I got my fill of cold and snow, and am now happy to be in Palm Springs with sun and palm trees. Have a Merry Christmas!
Glad I found something new to you. You’ve done so much of that for me over the past year. I highly recommend the whole Funky Christmas album. So many great songs. Merry Christmas to you too, and I hope the COVID situation in California improves soon.
Hey HarryDJ, please consider “Fairytale of New York” by The Pogues (with female vocal by Kirsty MacColl) as a unique and rousing Christmas song. Not a carol and not for kids, but it has a Christmas spirit to it with “the bells were ringing out on Christmas Day”!