Yes, Virginia, there were Christmas songs on today’s Capital Radio, but those that had to do with friendly beasts — the animals in the manger, those powering the Santa sleigh and just random Yuletide mice, cats and a hippopotamai. Twenty five in all, including two different versions of “Friendly Beasts” and eight variations on Rudolph.
There were Xmas songs, too, meaning those that had the Greek letter shorthand in the title.
We began with tributes to Mick Abrahams, the English bluesman and first guitarist of Jethro Tull, who died Friday at 82, and especially Joe Ely, the Texas troubadour, who died a week ago at 78. A friend of The Clash, it blended well with a remembrance of Joe Strummer, who died 23 years ago today at 50.
The link to the whole show is above; the setlist follows:
Capital Radio December 22, 2025. 1 – 4:33 p.m. www.cygnusradio.com
- “Capital Radio Two,” The Clash
- “If Music Could Talk,” The Clash
- “She Never Spoke Spanish to Me,” Joe Ely
- “The Road Goes On Forever,” Joe Ely
- “All Just to Get to You,” Joe Ely
- “Should I Stay or Should I Go,” The Clash
- “Boxcars,” Joe Ely
- “Some Day the Sun Won’t Shine for You,” Jethro Tull
- “Cat’s Squirrel,” Jethro Tull
- “Dear Jill,” Blodwyn Pig
- “Friendly Beasts,” Johnson Mountain Boys
- “Christmas Piglet,” The Presidents of the United States of America
- “Christmas is Going to the Dogs,” Eels
- “Jingle Bells,” Singing Dogs
- “Chrissy the Christmas Mouse,” Donald O’Connor & Debbie Reynolds
- “Santa Mouse,” Bob Morrison
- “Maury, the Christmas Mouse,” Rodd Rogers
- “Jólakõtturinn,” Bjork
- “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas,” Gayla Peevey
- “The Christmas Song,” Canned Heat & the Chipmunks
- “Dominick the Donkey,” Lou Monte
- “Little Donkey,” Cerys Matthews
- “Rockin’ in the Manger,” 5 Chinese Brothers
- “That Swingin’ Manger,” Mr. Bob Francis
- “Christmas Unicorn,” Sufjan Stevens
- “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” The Fab Four
- “Nine Little Reindeer,” Gene Autry
- “Run Rudolph Run,” Keith Richards
- “Reindeer Boogie,” Hank Snow
- “Jesus the Reindeer,” Emmy the Great & Tim Wheeler
- “They Shined Up Rudolph’s Nose,” David Mayfield Parade
- “Hooves on the Roof,” Nick Lowe
- “Donna & Blitzen,” Badly Drawn Boy
- “Dasher with a Light Upon His Tail,” Kitty Wells & The Jordanaires
- “The Friendly Beasts,” Sufjan Stevens
- “Xmas,” Jesse Malin
- “Xmas,” Shelby Lynne
- “Xmas Twist,” The Twistin’ Kings
- “Xmas Time is Here Again,” The Flirtations
- “Groovy Xmas,” The Linda Lindas
- “Xmas Cake,” Rilo Kiley
- “Xmas Bell Rock,” Barry & the Highlights
- “Merry Xmas Everybody, Oasis
- “Spotlight on Xmas,” Rufus Wainwright
- “Xmas Aye Eye,” Ben Folds
- “Ole Year Xmas,” The Sisterhood
- “Presents for Christmas,” Solomon Burke
- “Father Christmas,” The Kinks
- “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Wanna Fight Tonight),” Ramones
- “Merry Christmas,” Wesley Willis
- “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” No-L
Capital Radio returns Dec. 29 at 1 p.m. ET until after 4 on www.cygnusradio.com, where this and other recent shows are posted. The show can also be heard via the cygnusradio.com app, available free at iTunes or GooglePlay. Older shows are available at Substack.com/@rogercatlin.