Sometimes, that holiday spirit sneaks up on you.
Unexpected holiday moment No. 1
.38 Special played a show in Green Bay on Friday night. My friend Mike mentioned on Facebook earlier that day that he was going to it. I responded:
“.38 Special has a surprisingly good Christmas record, ‘A Wild-Eyed Christmas Night,’ released more than 20 years ago. If they play some cuts from it, keep an open mind and enjoy!”
Good memories of that record, shared here 13 holiday seasons ago.
“Halleujah! It’s Christmas,” .38 Special, from “A Wild-Eyed Christmas Night,” 2001. A joyous, upbeat tune written by guitarists Don Barnes and Danny Chauncey and lead singer Donnie Van Zant.
Unexpected holiday moment No. 2
Stopped by our local Barnes & Noble store on Friday afternoon. I don’t often go to big-box stores, but at the moment B&N is the only place in town to get MOJO magazine. Wandered into the record and DVD section, where I saw this:
This is a record I bought on a whim 16 years ago. I have two copies of it, one mono, one stereo. Can’t imagine I paid more than $10 for the two of them combined.
But here we have a reissue, “a Barnes & Noble exclusive” that’s “mastered for vinyl from the original tapes” with “extensive liner notes.” It’s “clear with red ‘Santa’ swirl” and “limited to 500 copies!” Yours for just $29.99. Hm.
When I bought my first copy just after Christmas 2007, I thought it might be cheesy, but it’s pretty good. It’s a bit of a time capsule, with Steve and Eydie serving up a bubbly, sophisticated slice of the seemingly lost art of the pop duet, done in the finest nightclub tradition.
Good memories of this record, also shared here 13 holiday seasons ago. The cover track is a sexy, sassy duet written by Bill and Patty Jacob, orchestrated by Don Guercio and arranged by the great Don Costa.
“That Holiday Feeling!” from “That Holiday Feeling!” Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, 1964.
Unexpected holiday moment No. 3
On Saturday night, we drove down to Manitowoc, a half-hour away, to see a delightful exhibit of vintage aluminum Christmas trees, which were made there from the late ’50s to the early ’70s.
We popped into a nearby tavern for a bite to eat before the talk and tour. The local classic rock station was piped into the bar. As we walked out, we were greeted with this delightful blast of holiday spirit.
“Sock It To Me, Santa,” Bob Seger and the Last Heard, 1966. I have it on “Heavy Music: The Complete Cameo Recordings 1966-1967,” a compilation LP released in 2018.
Good memories of this record, shared here 14 holiday seasons ago. “Deck the Halls” meets Mitch Ryder and James Brown on this rave-up by a young Bob Seger and one of his earliest Detroit bands.
AM, Then FM 