Xmas Leftovers 2023

Every single Xmas there are always leftovers – tracks released too late for the Christmas early-mid December rush to get the podcast out. I get that it’s hard to get in the festive mood so early, but really releasing Christmas tracks a few days or a few weeks before Xmas is sadly too late (I can talk, one year I did my Christmas episode 2 days before Xmas. No-one listened to it, so that’s how I know it’s a bad idea!).

And there was a Christmas challenge on the Crumplbangers forum just as I was putting the podcast to bed, so a few of these tunes never made that either…

But some of the tracks are well worth being featured, and go into the stack for 2024, and anyone who isn’t totally sick of Christmas tunes might get these. First up is piecesofeight’s take on one of my favourite tracks, I Believe In Father Xmas – Ozzy Osbourne – Mama, I’m Coming Home vs Greg Lake – I Believe in Father Christmas vs U2’s cover of same with a Christmas Carol slant.

Then we have a couple of jungle Xmas anthems – I mean Ray Keith is the Jungle Santa after all – with oki’s bonkers Rudolf The Snow Nosed Raindeer (Dean Martin Vs. Gene Autry Vs. Sotf Vs. Silent Night) – love the DJ SS nod in this – to The Lighter which samples Love Story.

And then we have Dunproofin’s Jungle Christmas track, Paul McCartney – Wonderful Christmastime
vs Deekline & Ed Solo & Kleu & General Levy – Junglist which again, if I’d heard these before recording the podcast we would have totally had a Jungle Christmas section!

I will add any more festive leftovers to this post if/when I find them!

P.S. Finally getting a release is ToTom’s mashup I played on the 2022 Xmas podcast – This Must Be the Place to Keep Yourself Warm (Talking Heads vs. Frightened Rabbit).

I think I said on the podcast how it feels like a Christmas mashup to me, but it’s not specifically related to the festive period. What I like is the lyrics about family. relationships and home – from contradicting places e.g. “It takes more than fucking someone, to keep yourself warm” vs “Home, is where I want to be” express the weirdness to me of this time and home in general.

You might want to be with friends and family, but it’s quite often weird and bittersweet and not that good? Old stuff comes to the fore at Christmas and New Year , it can be a painful time.

Have a Merry Xmas and a Happy New year – and see you in 2024!