When it comes to greatest Chrismas albums of all times I’ll buy Phil Spector’s A Christmas Gift For You but as much as I love it the album I prefer A Ze Christmas
In the eighties Ze Records was the so hot it was cool label. Michael Zilkha and Michel Esteban -a Lebanese Limey and a French bloke met in post-punk New York and formed the label. An astounding out burts of talent recorded for the label and on their Christmas album.
The great August Darnel started his career with Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band before forming the hottest Caribbean funk band who ever existed with Coati Mundi, the almost surrealistically brilliant Kid Creole And the Cocoanuts. For the Christmas album, August took off his white lesiure suit and put on a Santa outfit on “Christmas On Riverside Drive” – a funky dance beat full of sex and snow.
Just as good is the Waitresses song. Lead singer Patty Donahue sadly died at the age of forty and if the Waitresses are remebered by many pep[le today it is because of Jay-Z’s sampling of “I Know What Boys Like” on Vol I. though their first album Wasn’t Tomorrow Wonderful and “Christmas Wrapping” are worth memorializing. That pumping chords and Patty’s every girl vocals are immediately memorable and the horns sound just like Patty. The story is an every single girl Mary Tyler Moore Christmas romance.
Davitt Sigerson, a writer turned song-writed, turned record exec and back to writer, is responsible for one of my favorite Christmas pop songs, “It’s A Big Christmas”. A sweet melody, a little Nillsonly, has Davitt contactting family members from across the country: there’s a connecting to family that is moving: “Got a niece down in Virginia, hard to picture how she’s grown. It’s your Uncle calling, Algel. Can you put your Mommy on the phone”. That entire verse is a wonder of construction, the tiny bridge where you think he is going back into the chorus is so concise and clear -sterling silver made. Great song.
The rest of the album is always AT LEAST interesting: former Suicide Alan Vegan, No New Yorker James Chance, Material and Nona Hendryx, the late lamented Cristiana. It’s like a Christmas party with all the coolest people at school and they all like you!!!
Merry Christmas, all.