This time of year, the same familiar holiday songs are on loop. We've been "rockin' around the Christmas tree" for 50 years, All I Want for Christmas is for Mariah Carey to stop singing that song, and 'Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer' a few too many times for comfort.
That's why each year on Under the Radar we bring on WGBH audio engineer Mike Wilkins. For 25 years, Wilkins has been collecting rare and unusual recordings of Christmas songs. Listen to this year's holiday mix above. Check out the song list and and listen to Wilkins' conversation with Callie Crossley below.
1) UP ON THE LOUNGETOP - Accretions Records (w/ The Trummerflora Collective)
2) IT MUST BE CHRISTMAS AGAIN - Murray Ross
3) O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEMAYHEM – TriBeCaStan
4) ISLAND OF MISFIT TOYS - The Misfits
5) WE'RE A COUPLE OF MISFITS - The Inflatablemen
6) THE ELVES FINALLY RAP - Benny Grunch & The Bunch
7) THE FAT MAN - The Dupue Brothers Band
8) ARCHIES CHRISTMAS PARTY - The Archies
9) BELLS OF LOVE – Erausre
10) THE SHOPPING MALL - Holiday Music
11) SANTA, I BEEN BAD ALL YEAR - Benny Grunch & The Bunch
12) CHRISTMAS COOKIES - G. Love
13) THE SUGARPLUM DANCE - Take 6
14) DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR? - Blind Boys of Alabama & Taj Mahal
15) WE THREE KINGS - Merrie Amsterburg
16) JEST 'FORE CHRISTMAS - Ben Sanders
17) ROCK WITH THE SNOWMAN - Randy Rich and The Poor Boys
18) SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN' TO TOWN - The J's with Jamie
19) CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION - Rockin’ Sidney
20) FAMILY CHRISTMAS - Lizzie West
21) MAMACITA, DONDE ESTA SANTA CLAUS? - Guster
22) CHANNUKAH GUY - The Goldbergs
23) HAPPY HOLIDAY FEELIN' - Rex Trailer
24) SUPER SUNNY CHRISTMAS - Redd Kross
25) MERRY CHRISTMAS, I LOVE YOU - Mark Bacino
26) THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT - Keith LuBrant
