The last show before Christmas warrants the annual avalanche of holiday songs, starting with the Bosstones, Aimee Mann and Nick Lowe, shifting to ’60s oddities from Bobby Goldsboro and Brian Hyland, and enduring rokcers from the Kinks and the Ramones.
There was so much Yuletide, there wasn’t time for the usual birthday salutes, except for one we could never omit: The ageless Keith Richards, turning 80 today. Luckilly, his first solo single was also a Christmas song — albiet a cover of an old Chuck Berry tune.
Time was reserved for special salutes to the 60th anniversary of the Phil Spector Christmas Album and the creative audio collages from Corporal Blossom and company, illegally shuffling more versions of Christmas standards than you could shake a candy cane at.
Here’s the link to the whole show; the setlist follows:
Capital Radio, Dec. 18, 2023, 1 – 4:43 p.m., www.cygnusradio.com
- “Xmas Time (It Sure Doesn’t Feel Like It,” The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
- “Whatever Happened to Christmas,” Aimee Mann
- “Christmas Can’t Be Far Away,” Nick Lowe
- “Christmas is A-Coming,” Lead Belly
- “Christmas Time is Coming (A Street Carol),” Stormy Weather
- “Christmas Time,” Chris Stamey & The dB’s
- “Hey Guys! It’s Christmas Time,” Sufjan Stevens
- “Look Around You (It’s Christmas Time),” Bobby Goldsboro
- “It’s Christmas Time Once Again,” Brian Hyland
- “Christmas Time is Here Again,” The Smithereens
- “It’s Christmas Time,” Smokey Robinson & the Miracles
- “It’s Christmas,” The Len Price 3
- “The World at Christmas Time,” Susan Cowsill
- “Make It Home,” Juliana Hatfield
- “Ole Year Christmas,” The Sisterhood
- “Run Rudolph Run,” Keith Richards
- “Father Christmas,” The Kinks
- “Christmas Wish,” NRBQ
- “Just Like Christmas,” Low
- “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” Los Straightjackets
- “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight Tonight),” The Ramones
- “Christmas Blues,” Canned Heat
- “Every Day will be Like a Holiday,” William Bell
- “Santa Claus,” Sonny Boy Williamson II
- “Presents for Christmas,” Solomon Burke
- “DJ Play a Christmas Song,” Cher
- “Christmas is a Joyful Day,” Lord Executor
- “You’re All I Want for Christmas,” Brook Benton
- “Purple Snowflakes,” Marvin Gaye
- “Santa Claus Baby,” The Voices
- “The Fourth Noel,” The Minus 5 with Colin Meloy
- “Hung Fire,” Hiss Golden Messenger
- “Better Than Snow,” Norah Jones & Laufey
- “Cold Cold Winter,” The Pixies Three
- “The Bell That Couldn’t Jingle,” Burt Bacharach
- “Come On Santa,” The Ravonettes
- “I Don’t Intend to Spend Christmas Without You,” Claudine Longet
- “At the Christmas Ball,” Bessie Smith
- “Christmas Day,” Detroit Junior
- “Christmas Everyday,” Rosie Flores
- “Lonely Without You (This Christmas),” Mick Jagger and Joss Stone
- “Everything is Cool,” John Prine
- “Christmas Must Be Tonight,” Robbie Robertson
- “I Want to Come Home for Christmas,” Ne-Yo
- “Hard Candy Christmas,” Tracey Thorn
- “Maybe This Christmas,” Ron Sexsmith
- “This Christmas,” Donny Hathaway
- “Give Me a Second Chance for Christmas,” Mike Viola & the Candy Butchers
- “Santa Bring My Baby Back to Me,” Elvis Presley
- “Santa Claus Go Straight to Ghetto,” James Brown
- “Ain’t No Chimneys in the Projects,” Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
- “The Bells of St. Mary’s,” Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans
- “Sleigh Ride,” The Ronettes
- “Marshmallow World,” Darlene Love
- “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” Darlene Love
- “Silent Night,” Phil Spector & Artists
- “O Holy Night,” Nat King Cole
- “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts),” Corporal Blossom
- “White Christmas,” Corporal Blossom
- “Little Drummer Boy,” Corporal Blossom
- “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” No-L
Capital Radio returns for a special edition Dec. 25 at 1 p.m. ET at www.cygnusradio.com, where this and past shows are archived. Also available on the cygnusradio.com app, available free at iTunes or ApplePlay.