Sensible Gray Cells Christmas single

The Sensible Gray Cells: Stupid Xmas / Keep It To Yourself
(Damaged Goods, DAMGOOD608, UK, 2023)

It is funny how some musicians keep coming back to Christmas throughout their careers, even though you would think they hate Christmas, judging by the lyrics of their Christmas songs. Take, for example, "Stupid Xmas," the Christmas single just released by The Sensible Gray Cells. The Sensible Gray Cells are fronted by Captain Sensible (Raymond Burns), one of the founding members of first-wave British punk band The Damned and, for a brief period in the early 1980s, a bona fide pop star, albeit one with his tongue firmly in his cheek. The Captain had a UK number one hit with "Happy Talk" (a song from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific) and two more UK top 30 hits with the novelty rap song "Wot?!" (1982, #26 UK, #10 here in the Netherlands) and the anti-war song "Glad It's All Over" (1984, #6 UK). In 1980, he and fellow The Sensible Gray Cells member Paul Gray recorded the Christmas song 'There Ain't No Sanity Clause' as part of The Damned. The band released it as a single. In 1983 the song was re-released in a remixed version with a different B-side. And one year later Captain Sensible released a solo Christmas single, 'One Christmas Catalogue'.

So you might think that the Captain has a weakness for Christmas. Well, not when you listen to 'Stupid Xmas', in which he complains about spending 'hard-earned lolly' on 'the stuff nobody wears', 'for that lot you can't bear', having to listen to the same old Christmas songs that should have been binned a long time ago but you still sing along to (Slade!) and, worst of all, having to record a Christmas song while the roses are still blooming because 'Lord knows it's only June!' But we all know the Captain is not a plaintiff, and he concludes: 'Let's not whine, it's Christmas time!' So bring on the Christmas bells and vocal harmonies, tell producer Dick Crippen he is Phil Spector, bring your friends and family, the dog and the stuffed turkey toy (no stuffed turkey please, the Captain is a vegetarian), put on a Christmas hat, shoot a video in the middle of summer pretending to be cold (as in "It's Christmas!!!"), finish with a cool guitar solo and there you have it: another Christmas hit to annoy you every Christmas forever.

Released on 7" by Damaged Good Records, on green and red vinyl. Randomly assigned, so it will be a surprise when you buy a copy, which colour you will find inside. And you may be in for even more surprises as, according to the press release, "a certain number of records will have a deliberate mistake hidden... well, somewhere - a jolly wheeze inspired by some of those old Stiff Records 'instant collector's item' mispressings". So, plenty to get excited about! B-side 'Keep It To Yourself' is not a Christmas song, but "sees the band in full 'armchair detective' mode, taking a look at the still unresolved Madeleine McCann mystery", to quote the same press release.

In addition to Captain Sensible on guitar and vocals and Paul Gray of The Damned and Eddie And The Hot Rots on bass, The Sensible Gray Cells features Johnny Moped drummer Martin Parrott on drums. The band recorded their debut album with a different drummer in 2013, reunited with new drummer Parrott in 2019 and released their second album 'Get Back Into The World' in 2020.

The single is sold out on the Damaged Goods website, but if you are lucky you can still find it online or in your local record shop.

You can watch the video for 'Stupid Xmas' here:

Nación Funk All-Stars featuring Koko-Jean Davis: Soulful Christmas & Soulful Christmas Vol. II

Nación Funk All-Stars featuring Koko-Jean Davis
Soulful Christmas: Christmas (Please Come Home) / Merry Christmas, Baby
(Buenritmo, BR 102SG, Spain, 2022)

Nación Funk All-Stars featuring Koko-Jean Davis
Soulful Christmas Vol. II: What Christmas Means To Me / Gee Wiz, It's Christmas
(Buenritmo, BR 112SG, Spain, 2023)

Nación Funk All-Stars is a band from Barcelona, Spain, that has been active for many years in different line-ups, with musicians who are also active in other bands. The group is inspired by both the hip hop culture and the soul and funk music that inspired hip hop. Band leader Lalo López has now assembled a permanent line-up. The Nación Funk All-Stars not only perform and record themselves, but also back up international artists on tour. In 2022 and again in 2023, they collaborated with Mozambican-born, Barcelona-based singer Koko-Jean Davis on two Christmas singles. Davis is the former lead singer of The Excitements and now fronts Koko-Jean & The Tonics.

On the two singles 'Soulful Christmas' and 'Soulful Christmas Vol. II' the group covers four absolute Christmas classics: 'Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)' (Darlene Love) and 'Merry Christmas, Baby' (Charles Brown) on the 2022 single and 'What Christmas Means To Me' (Stevie Wonder) and 'Gee Wiz, It's Christmas' (Carla Thomas) on the 2023 single. Koko-Jean has a powerful and very soulful voice and the Nación Funk All-Stars are a tight band with a strong horn section. Add to this a wall-of-sound production and a clear northern soul influence, especially on the second single, and you know they are doing these songs justice.

You can listen to the four songs on Youtube:




You can buy the singles from the Buenritmo website, and if you buy both, you get them for a cheaper price. Buy them here.

Margot Guryan / Claudine Longet: I Don't Intend To Spend Christmas Without You

Claudine Longet: I Don't Intend To Spend Christmas Without You / Snow
(A&M, A&M 895, USA, 1967)

Margo Guryan: I Don’t Intend To Spend Christmas Without You / Sunday Morning
(Nordpolen Musikklubb, Julepakke13, Norway, 2023)

'I Don't Intend To Spend Christmas Without You' was written by New York songwriter, lyricist, pianist and singer Margo Guryan for French actrice, singer and dancer Claudine Longet, who recorded it in 1967. Earlier that year, Claudine Longet had recorded another song of Margo Guryan, 'Think Of Rain', in fact the first song Margo wrote after switching from writing jazz songs to pop songs.

In the first ten years of her career as a songwriter, Margo Guryan had mainly written jazz and jazz-inspired songs, that had been recorded by artists like Harry Belafonte, Chris Connor and Nancy Harrow. She also wrote lyrics for compositions of jazz greats like John Lewis, Ornette Coleman and Arif Mardin. After a friend played 'God Only Knows' of the Beach Boys album 'Pet Sounds' for her, a completely new world opened for Guryan, and she decided to switch from writing jazz songs to writing pop songs. Margo Guryan is mainly known as a songwriter, although she did record a solo album in 1968, 'Take A Picture', but not wanting to tour to promote the album, the album was not a success. It remained her sole solo release, until several demo recordings she did of songs she wrote for other artists, were released on the CD compilation '25 Demos' in 2001 (and rereleased as '27 Demos' with two extra songs on cassette in 2014 and as '29 Demos' with two more songs on double LP in 2016).

It was Tommy Li Puma, head of A&M Records, who asked Guryan to write a Christmas song for Longet. He explicitely requested to make it a song without all the usual Christmas stuff, like snow, mistletoe and presents. She wrote the song and recorded a demo version. That version later also appeared on the '25 Demos' compilation.

You can listen to Margo Guryan's demo version here:

Margo sent the demo over to California, where Claudine recorded the song. In line with the request of Tommy Li Puma, the song was about Christmas, but had nothing to do with the usual cheerful Christmas celebration, although the song had a hopeful ending. The song tells the story of how two people separated, but in the end, it turned out they only wanted to show the other how it feels to be alone, and to not be together. Finally, the lesson is learned, and they get together again as, it turns out, “I don't intend to spend Christmas without you'”. The singer who Margot wrote the song for, Claudine Longet, was born in Paris in January 1942, and had just seen her major breakthrough the year before. In 1967, Claudine Longet had released several singles and two albums, and her label A&M Records was very active in promoting her as their major female star.

At the time, Longet was married to Andy Williams, well known for the many Christmas songs he recorded. Both Claudine and Andy felt a strong connection with Christmas. It was no coincidence that they had married on Christmas Day, 1961 and that they named their first two children Noëlle and Christian. So it was no surprise that Claudine sooner or later would record a Christmas song.

Claudine was originally from France, but already went to the USA as a teenager, and became the lead dancer of the Folies Bergère revue at the Tropicana Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. She met Andy Williams in 1960, when he stopped when he saw her standing by the side of the road with car trouble. The first few years of her marriage, Claudine was mainly playing in tv series, and she also appeared several times on the Andy Williams show. Occasionally she also appeared as a singer on tv. Her big breakthrough came when she sang an English-French bilingual rendition of the bossa nova song 'Meditation', in a style that soon would become her trademark: singing with a soft sensual voice, filled with longing and melancholy but also with a cheerful optimism.

Herb Alpert offered her a recording contract with A&M Records. Between 1966 and 1970 Claudine would record five albums and many singles for the label, one of these singles being 'I Don't Intend To Spend Christmas Without You'. The single went to #30 in Billboards 1967 Christmas list, but did not chart in the Hot 100, nor in the Adult Contemporary list, like some of Claudine's other singles.

You can listen to Claudine Longet's version here:

Despite the title, the B-side of the single, 'Snow', is not really a Christmas song. It's a beautiful ballad, starting with only piano, and later joined by a flute and violas, about missing a loved one who has gone, with all memories buried under snow. It's sung in a lovely way by Claudine, and in this song, her charming French accent, really adds something to the song. It's a kind of song to warm yourself, while sitting by a fire inside, while snow is all around you outside...

You can listen to Claudine Longet's 'Snow' here:

Fast forward to 2023, when Norwegian Christmas label Nordpolen Musikklubb did what made many lovers of Christmas music who preferred Margo Guryan’s version over that of Claudine Longnet's version very happy: the label released the demo version that Margo Guryan had recorded of ‘I Don’t Intend To Spend Christmas Without You’ on 7”. It comes, as usual with the annual releases on the label, in a festive sleeve, is pressed on red vinyl and limited to 300 copies. Unfortunately, Guryan was not there anymore to witness this landmark, as she had died on November 8, 2021.

Get your copy: here before the single sells out (as most of the Nordpolen Musikklubb releases do.
Or contact the label through their Facebook page

Norah Jones and Laufey Christmas single

Norah Jones & Laufey: Christmas With You: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas / Better Than Snow
(Blue Note, 585210 6, US, 2023)

Norah Jones and Laufey Lín Jónsdóttir differ more than 20 years in age and were born in completely different parts of the world (respectively New York City, USA and Reykjavik, Iceland) but they also have a lot in common. They both came from mixed-race and musical families. Jones is the daughter of Indian sitar player Ravi Shankar, while Laufey’s mother was a classic trained Chinese violinist, and her grandfather was a violin educator of the Central Conservatory of Music in China. Both had a musical education, Jones at the University of North Texas and Laufey at the Reykjavík College of Music and later at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Both mention Billie Holiday as an early influence. And both are known as jazz singers and musicians, who take jazz as there starting point but are not afraid to allow other influences into their music, be it (bedroom) pop or country, which has led to both appealing to a wide audience. Jones had six US top 3 albums, Laufey one, but that is mainly because she only has released two albums so far.

Both also have a love for Christmas music. Over the years, Jones has recorded many Christmas songs, be it as a guest on other artists albums (Seth MacFarlane's Christmas album 'Holiday For Swing'), duetting with other singers (with Cyndi Lauper on a 2011 cover of ‘Home For The Holidays’), on television (on the Holiday Special 2011 of Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations), as part of the group Puss N Boots that she had formed with Sasha Dobson and Catherine Popper (the 2019 5-song Christmas EP ‘Dear Santa’) or as a solo artist (the 2021 album ‘I Dream Of Christmas’). Laufey released a Christmas EP in 2022, 'A Very Laufey Holiday'’ and supplied vocals for Alexander 23’s Christmas single 'Ain't Christmas', also in 2022.

And now, in 2023, the two women got together, and recorded two Christmas songs for a Christmas single, ‘Christmas With You’. The single has one cover, ‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas’, and one original that Jones and Laufey wrote together, ‘Better Than Snow’. Both songs sound very intimate, as if both ladies are sitting right beside you, playing the songs. Jones plays piano and Laufey guitar and cello, while both share vocals on both songs. On 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas' the distinct voices of the two singers blend very well together and there is enough room for some jazzy musical interludes. It is a song that has been recorded many times over, but this version definitely adds something new and fresh to the song.

Laufey lives in Los Angeles, and that may have inspired the playful 'Better Than Snow', as Jones and Laufey sing about Christmas lights on palm trees, driving to the ocean, watching the waves and being warmed by the sun. 'Jackfrost won't mind if we / Stay in the heat of each other / Christmas With You / Is Better Than Snow'. So no snowmen are build this year, but sandcastles. Nevertheless, cookies will still be baked... a very relaxed song, that will go over well, not only if you celebrate Christmas in Los Angeles, but also if you celebrate it in snowy Reykjavik or New York City.

The single comes in three variants: on red vinyl, that can be bought from Norah Jones' website and the Blue Note website, on green vinyl as a Spotify Exclusive, and on regular black vinyl - for all those who just are going to buy it in their local record shop.

You can buy the red vinyl here
You can buy the green vinyl here
You can buy the black vinyl here or can order it through your local record shop.

And you can listen to the songs on Youtube. ‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas’ here:

And to ‘Better Than Snow’ here:

Peaness Christmas single

Peaness: Kiss Me Sweat Pea b/w Sad Season
(Totally Snick Records, SNICK 7, UK, 2023, 45 rpm, small hole, 198 copies)

In the early days of Christmas pop music, the 1950s and early 1960s, a common format for groups that recorded two Christmas originals for a single, was to have one up tempo song that celebrated the joys of Christmas and a ballad that touched on the melancholic side of Christmas to fill both sides of the record. It is this format that the cleverly (and a bit naughty) named female indie pop trio Peaness return to on their first Christmas effort.

Peaness was formed in 2014 by Carlea Balbenta (Balla), Jessica Branley (Jess) and Rachel Williams (Rach), who met each other during their studies at the University of Chester. Since then, they have recorded for several smaller labels (like Alcopop!, Odd Box and Kingfisher Bluez, a label known for releasing a yearly Christmas single). Peaness’ 2022 debut full length was released on their own Totally Snick Records, and so is this Christmas single. The single, that comes in a pink die cut sleeve, while the labels have the shape of cartoon peas, has two originals, the poppy A-side ‘Kiss Me Sweet Pea’ and the melancholic B-side ‘Sad Season’.

‘Kiss Me Sweet Pea’ has everything you have come to expect from a Christmas pop song since the Phil Spector Christmas album: bells, vocal harmonies, lyrics mentioning mistletoe, sleigh riding and presents. Add to that some loud guitars and, to quote the press release, even ‘a nod to the classic Nolly Holder scream’. The press release also talks about the song having a key change, and that is indeed the case. ‘Kiss Me Sweet Pea’ doesn’t paint a positive picture of Christmas to begin with: “It's that time yet again / Am I losing my head? / I'm filling with dread / Since October 31st / I've been thinking the worst / It's all too rehearsed...”. But then, everything changes: the radio starts playing the same old songs again and there it is, the mood change! Gone is the dread. Instead, you start thinking about all the nice things you will do at Christmas time, when you are together again with your loved one.

So indeed, ‘Kiss Me Sweet Pea’ is a feel-good Christmas song that will cheer you up, even more so if you watch the video, as that is as sweet as the song. In the video, band members Balla and Rach are enjoying every moment of the day before Christmas, with their red Christmas hats on, while grinch Jess is dragged along, wearing a black ‘Bah Humbug’ hat and being annoyed about everything that comes with Christmas. The Christmas-market. The snow. Baking cookies. Hanging the stockings. Putting the presents under the Christmas tree. That is, until the morning, when she sees what Santa has brough for her! And soon the black grinch hat is changed for a red Santa hat and the Christmas party is on. With ‘Kiss Me Sweet Pea’ as the soundtrack.

Such a turn for the better is lacking in ‘Sad Season’. In it, Jess, backed up by piano and strings, sings about being alone of Christmas while everybody else is enjoying themselves. At the end of the song, she desperately asks herself "When will my Christmas be like it's supposed to be?". If you would have told me that ‘Sad Season’ is a cover of a song written in the 1940s or 1950s by one of the great songwriters of that time, I would completely have believed it. Christmas songs don’t come much sadder as ‘Sad Season’. But it is beautiful in all its sadness.

I would have loved to have Peaness been part of the Snowflakes Christmas Singles Club, but, unfortunately, that never happened. But I was right in thinking they could come up with a great indie pop Christmas single, as this single shows. I am very happy that a Peaness Christmas single materialized after all. Already one of the highlights of the 2023 Christmas season! Get yourself a copy while it is still available. Because Peaness records tend to sell out quickly.

You can watch the video of ‘Kiss Me Sweet Pea’ here:

And listen to both songs and also order the single at Peaness’ Bandcamp: