(The Wedding Present's David Gedge)
And here are today's seasonal pickings, courtesy of the USB turntable, and many years spent hanging around record shops...
First up, the Wedding Present. As has been well documented over the years, back in 1992, the Wedding Present released one 7" a month, in a limited edition of 10,000. They all made the UK Top 30, and the A-side was a weddoes composition, the b-side a cover. Amongst the songs that made the b-sides over the course of that year were the Go-Betweens' 'Cattle and Cane,' Isaac Hayes' 'Theme From Shaft,' and Bow Wow Wow's 'Go Wild In The Country.' For their Christmas single, it was inevitable that there would be a Christmas cover, and so it was that The wedding Present ended up covering Elton John.
Wedding Present -'No Christmas.'mp3
Wedding Present -'Step Into Christmas (Elton John cover).' mp3
A few days ago, one of my older students, who has long chatted with me about music revealed that he had bought a couple of White Stripes' 7" singles, at £30, including this one, billed as 'Merry Christmas From The White Stripes.' 'Ah yes, I said, ' I bought that one when it first came out.' 'I bet it only cost you a pound!' he said, slightly agonised. Well, no, £3, if memory serves. It's not particularly Christmassy, but I guess it came out for Christmas. The b-side features Jack White reading from Luke's Gospel about the coming of The Magi (The Three Wise Men) and then Meg attempting to sing Silent Night. It's more of a curio than essential listening, so here is the a-side:
White Stripes -'Candy Cane Girl.' mp3
I first heard this track, 'Christmas Wrapping' at some point in the late 90s. It had been a no.45 hit in the UK in December 82, the only time the band ever charted in the UK. the drummer was Billy Ficca who had been in Television. I still think it sounds like Blondie -in a good way. It's now been on several Christmas compilations over the years, and I eventually found a copy for myself in a charity shop in 2003, on 12" (also found an LP version of Songs The Lord Taught Us by The Cramps there that very day, too(I'm easily pleased). This is the 12" version, Enjoy!
Waitresses -'Christmas Wrapping (Long Version).' mp3
And there will be more tomorrow...
8 comments:
Ed, I've lost your email address so I'll have to ask publicly - I've now started compiling the Sweeping The Nation blogger poll for the year, so it'd be appreciated if you could mail over your top ten albums of 2007 before the end of the month. Cheers.
Right you are, will do!
Ed
Christmas Wrapping is one of my favourite Christmas-themed songs. Thanks!
My Top 10 for the year are:
1. Bat For Lashes
...and, erm, that's it. Don't listen to new music a lot, do I?
Glad to have the 12 inch Waitresses in my collection (lordy, makes them sound like something out of the Wizard Of Oz).
Dinah -Glad you like it. It's one of mine too.
sig - I wouldn't worry about not posting a lot of new music in December, hell, it's been mostly old stuff round here!
Ed
I bought that 7" as well, it was magical at the time, I'm afraid to pull it out just now though, I have a feeling it hasn't been looked after as well as it could have been..
What's the song that is similar to christmas wrapping. female singer or band. same type of theme. can't track it down.
dang, i've just been trolling around looking for christmas tracks for next year's mixes (http://krupsjustsayin.blogspot.com/2007/12/mp3-monday-holiday-edition.html) and was thinking, "gee, i wonder if wedding present ever made a christmas song. how perfect that would be." and then i found you but discovered i was too late and your links are dead. any chance you could repost or send me the mp3s? i'll be your best blogger friend and thank you on next year's radio show (http://krupsjustsayin.blogspot.com/2007/12/more-holiday-cr-krup.html).
thanks...
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