Squawk Radio

There are two songs on Big Bad Voodoo Daddy's "Everything You Want for Christmas" that, even if the rest of the album was complete crap, would still make it one of my favorite Christmas CDs. Luckily for me, the rest of the album is absolutely wonderful, so this sucker gets played A LOT during the month of December.

It has everything from traditional carols like "We Three Kings" and "Jingle Bells" (juiced up with EXcellent jazz/swing arrangements and lots and lots of horns) to new numbers written by lead man Scotty Morris like "Christmastime in Tinseltown" and "Rockabilly Christmas." In between, you have your traditional jazz ditties, "Is Zat You, Santa Claus?" and "Merry Christmas, Baby" that'll spike the ol' eggnog like nobody's bidness.

Put it all together, and you have the most partyingest, most danceable-est Christmas collection on the market. Ain't no way you're gonna be able to avoid getting into the holiday spirit listening to this puppy. (You may, however, knock down the tree if you decorate by this CD, because all that jitterbugging around the room is bound to cause problems.)

But getting to my two fave songs on the album. The first is "Mr. Heat Miser," a little ditty from that great campy classic, "The Year without a Santa Claus," which brings back all kinds of fond childhood memories. The second is "Party for Santa Claus," a fabulous calypso/Caribbean entry which, upon googling, I discovered was orginally recorded in 1963 by the calypso band, Lord Nelson. I defy anyone to listen to this song and stay grumpy. And if you don't laugh out loud when you hear the last line, then you're the Antichrist. I'm sorry, but it's true.

So c'mon, kiddies. Put on those elf shoes with the bells on the toes and start swingin'. There are only 20 more shopping days left! But if you put this collection on you iPod and listen to it while you're shopping, I predict you'll have everyone on your list covered in no time.

Merry Christmas, Baby!