Of course the Christmas Eve Eve show was going to be holiday music top to bottom. But not only Christmas; there were a half dozen or so Hanukkah songs in there as well.
Kacey Musgraves, Mike Doughty and Major Lazer all had new songs, but there were some oldies in there too from Bob Seger to the Surfaris. Two of the artists were also marking birthdays: D.C.’s own Jorma Kaukonen turned 75 and it was the 87th anniversary of the birth of Chet Baker, who died in 1988 at 58.
The most shocking thing was to play six songs in a row by artists who had all died in 2016: Leon Russell, Prince, Greg Lake, David Bowie, Leonard Cohen and Sharon Jones. What a terrible year.
Here’s what I played on the radio tonight:
Friday Night Rock, 12-23-2016, 9:30 p.m.- 1 a.m., Radio CPR, 101.7 FM, Washington D.C.
- “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town,” The Three Suns
- “Christmas Coming,” Anton Ellis
- “The Last Month of the Year,” Vera Hall Ward
- “Christmas is a-Coming,” Lead Belly
- “Christmas is a Joyful Day,” Lord Executor
- “At the Christmas Ball,” Bessie Smith
- “Christmas Morning Blues,” Kansas City Kitty
- “Go Tell It On the Mountain,” The Staple Singers
- “Stone Soul Christmas,” Binky Griptite
- “Mistletoe and Holly,” Jack Jones
- “That Swingin’ Manger,” Bob Francis
- “Winter Wonderland,” Chet Baker born in 1929 died at 58 in 1988 would have been 87
- “What Child is This,” Jorma Kaukonen turned 75 today born in D.C.
- “Latke Clan,” The LeeVees
- “How Do You Spell Channukkahh?” The LeeVees
- “Goyim Friends,” The LeeVees
- “Christmas is Coming,” Rhett Miller & Sydney Wayser
- “Christmastime for the Jews,” Darlene Love
- “Feast of Lights,” They Might Be Giants
- “Rock of Ages,” Ben Kweller
- “Maybe This Christmas,” Ron Sexsmith
- “Christmas is Going to the Dogs,” Eels
- “Xmas Time (It Sure Doesn’t Feel Like It),” Mighty Mighty Bosstones
- “Holiday,” Mike Doughty with Roseanne Cash
- “Everything is Cool,” John Prine
- “Little Drummer Boy (Up the Khyber),” Hoodoo Gurus
- “Surfing’ Santa,” Lord Douglas Byron
- “A Surfer’s Christmas List,” Surfaris
- “The Man With All the Toys,” The Beach Boys
- “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” Los Straitjackets
- “The Christmas Song,” The Ravonettes
- “Christmas Day,” Detroit Junior
- “Sock It to Me Santa,” Bob Seger & The Last Heard
- “Do You Hear What I Hear / You Really Got Me,” Bobby Lloyd and the Skeletons
- “We Three Kings,” Leon Russell
- “Another Lonely Christmas,” Prince
- “I Believe in Father Christmas,” Greg Lake
- “Peace on Earth / Little Drummer Boy,” David Bowie / Bing Crosby
- “Silent Night,” Leonard Cohen with Jennifer Warnes in 1979
- “8 Days (of Hanukkah),” Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings
- “Present Without a Bow,” Kacey Musgraves with Leon Bridges
- “Joy,” Tracey Thorn
- “The Christians and the Pagans,” Dar Williams
- “I Was Thinking I Could Clean Up for Christmas,” Aimee Mann
- “Xmas Cake,” Rilo Kiley
- “The Winter Song,” Eisley
- “Christmas Without a Kiss,” Smoke Fairies
- “Sha La La,” Cathy Harrington
- “Won’t Be Long Before Christmas,” The Supremes
- “Let’s Make this Christmas Mean Something This Year,” James Brown
- “Christmas Is,” Run DMC
- “Fairytale of New York,” The Pogues
- “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” Bob Dylan
- “Jesus Christ,” Big Star
- “Give Me a Second Chance for Christmas,” Mike Viola and the Candy Butchers
- “I Want an Alien for Christmas,” Fountains of Wayne
- “Christmas Treat,” Julian Casablancas
- “Merry Christmas from the Family,” Robert Earl Keen
- “I’m Walking the Floor This Christmas,” Ernest Tubb
- “Ole Year Christmas,” The Sisterhood
- “Silent Night,” The Blackhearts
- “Atlas Eets Christmas,” Imagene Peise
- “Merry X-Mas (War is Over,” The December People
- “Christmas Trees,” Major Lazer
- “White Christmas,” Corporal Blossom
- “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” No-L
Friday Night Rock returns Dec. 30 on Radio CPR, 101.7 FM, Washington, D.C., or online at www.tinyurl.com/radiocpr