Merry Christmas from Coldcut (above) with a little help from George W.

364 days a year this blog is dedicated to music I love, artists that should be heard, and songs to make you sing/dance/cry/make love (delete as the mood fits)… Christmas Day however is a very very special day. Its a day when we listen to music we’d rather die than hear for the other 364 days, but nevertheless I’ve hunted high and low (ie, blew some dust off the CD rack) to find a few truly great xmas tracks (and some others that at least don’t make you want to put those lovely new socks over your ears).

First up its Happy Birthday to myself (23/12), and a tune that seems very appropriate as I’m dragged kicking and screaming into a new age bracket. This one goes out to all the ageing B-Boys, and hip hop lovers…

Pigeon John – “Growin’ Old” (MP3)

MERRY CHRISTMAS

De La Soul – “Millie Pulled a Pistol on Santa (Full Mix)” (MP3)

A US only import CD from way back in 1991, with an alternate mix of the absolute classic De La track “Millie Pulled a Pistol On Santa”. The best Hip Hop lyrics can stand on their own as Poetry, and De La who were 21 at the time, and so far ahead of the game as to be embarrassing, deliver an astonishing tale of a girl fighting back against her abusive father.

Clarance Carter – “Back Door Santa” (MP3)

Clarance ain’t like no St. Nic, he don’t come just once a year. Have yourself a suggestive Christmas with Mr. Carter’s funk gem.

Lee “Scratch” Perry – “Merry Christmas, Happy New Year (feat. Sandra Robinson)” (MP3)

I can’t listen to this without singing along. Happy New Year from the Upsetter, with a little help from the lost talent of Sandra Robinson. I wanted to post the Dub mix of this but my computer doesnt seem to want to talk to my record player.

While we’re on a reggae tip, The Trojans provide the only way to see in the new year, with a skanked up version of “Auld Lang Syne”.

The Trojans – “Auld Lang Syne” (MP3)

Xmas mixes

Peanut Butter Wolf – “Stones Throw Holiday Mix (MP3)” Hip Hop, Soul, and none of the obvious xmas tracks. (Tracklisting)

Dr Rubberfunk – Mix of the month “Christmas Special” – Zip file here / Visit Dr. Rubberfunk for more top mixes and the debut album.

More tunes:

Stickboy – “White Christmas” (MP3) (Click don’t right click)
Go Home Productions – “Carpenter’s Christmas (Karen Meets Roots Radics Uptown)” (MP3)
dj BC – “Imagine Santa” (MP3)

Loads of other blogs have taken up the tortuous task of compiling a “good” Christmas songs compilation. Here are the chimney’s you should pop down:

“There Ain’t No Sanity Clause” – A 25 song comp (with Artwork) all in one handy zip courtesy of Stop Me If You’ve Heard This Before aka my bro (Essential).

“Santatastic2″ – Excellent compilation of bootlegs, mashups, and the obscure, including hip hop McCartney & “Give Da Jew Girl Toys“. Check out his xmas video mash up of Jacko & Lennon on YouTube.

PodBop is posting 5 Christmas songs a day! Blondie & Fab Five Freddy – “Yuletide Throwdown”, and Porn Orchard are worth a listen.

The Contrast Podcast has a two part Christmas special to download.

Music Like Dirt will return after Christmas refreshed and two stone heavier with a mammoth “Best of 2006″, tracks, gigs, etc.

I’ll leave you with this SNL Justin Timberlake spoof – its posted on every other blog around so i’ll join in. What to get the lady in your life for Christmas?

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