Hung Like a Horse with Care

A little stocking full of jams...

The Flaming Lips: Christmas at the Zoo

My Morning Jacket: Xmas Time is Here Again

Canned Heat: Christmas Blues

Jackson 5: Santa Claus is Comin to Town

Joni Mitchell: River

I'd post more but Bobby Bare Jr. is in town and I need to start drinking.
PC

Why Can’t Every Day Be Like Christmas?

According to Wikipedia (so take it with a grain of salt!), many stations in the U.S. didn’t start their now popular all-Christmas playlist until after the September 11, 2001 attacks. That year, many stations switched to all-holiday programming from Thanksgiving through Christmas. The format change proved a hit with listeners and now hundreds of stations across the U.S., from mainstream pop and country to adult contemporary, crank out the Christmas tunes each year. Honestly, I don’t remember if that’s the case or not—I grew up in Central Pennsylvania and had to listen to some god-awful wretched radio stations. The worst among them was WMRF—somewhere hovering above the Earth is their radio signal, no doubt playing Three Doors Down, The Calling, and any other drivel that they thought was popular in the late 1990s. But each year on Christmas Day, they played only holiday songs. Still, most of them sucked and they’re the kind of songs that won’t be featured here—sorry, no Band Aid, no Wham, no songs about Christmas shoes, but maybe some Billy Squier and Elton John. It is stations like WMRF that ruin Christmas music for many people. Thankfully, all of you have discovered music blogs.

Santa Claus Is Coming to Town – The Harmony Grits
A smokin’ version of the classic—this one explodes in drums, backup vocals, and an impassioned lead that sounds like he’s pleading for Santa. For goodness sake!

If Every Day Was Like Christmas – Elvis Presley
One of the best Christmas albums every recorded, right up there with Phil Spector and The Beach Boys. This beautiful lead-off track reminds you (in case you ever forgot) what a great voice the King had in his prime. And of course, it would be a wonderful world if every day was like Christmas.

I’ll Be Home on Christmas Day (Alternate Version) – Elvis Presley
Not to take anything away from the regular version Elvis sings, but this alternate is a treat. A great bluesy groove adds quite a bit. In fact, the only thing this shares with the original is the title and lyrics. In my opinion, it's the definitive version of the song. Love that key change half-way through. Reminds me of the man’s fantastic output before his stint in the service.

Christmastime Blues – Trainwreck Riders
So, there’s some debate about what actually qualifies as a Christmas song. Obviously, the three songs above, directly reference the holiday. However, there are lots of others, like “Christmastime Blues,” that might not be what you consider a true-blue Christmas song. A famous example of this is Merle Haggard’s “If We Make It Through December.” Though it was included on a Haggard Christmas album, the song is about a man who loses his job amidst a recession and makes a passing reference that “Daddy can’t afford no Christmas this year.” Some critics say that this isn’t enough to classify as a Christmas song. I think that’s hogwash. Sadly, not everyone enjoys prosperity and happiness this time of year, and Haggard’s song exemplifies that (don’t worry, we’ll be posting in a bit). And so does this tune by the Trainwreck Riders. While its references to the holidays aren’t overly obvious, it’s about spending the holidays alone.

But what do you think? What classifies as a Christmas tune? And what doesn’t? For some reason “My Favorite Things” by Rodgers and Hammerstein is played this time of year—that always confused me. The movie Love Actually does a great job at mocking artists who only try to record that Christmastime number one hit.

Repost Request:
77 Santas – Gayla Peevey

Christmas Will Be Just Another Lonely Day

What a great season it’s been thus far. We’ve had more visits in just the first than week than we had all season last year. It’s been wonderful. The comments have also been much appreciated. That’s what Christmas is all about—bringing people together, whether that might be at your family dinner table or through the blogosphere. With that said, I’d like to send my best to our friends over at Bongobells. They’ve dealt with some hard times recently—you can read about it on their site. Here’s hoping the season finds them, and everyone, in the best of places.

As I compiled the songs for today’s post, I realized that nearly all of them are a little downbeat. It’s a cloudy, cold day here in Virginia and the songs fit the atmosphere today.

Please Come Home for Christmas – Charles Brown
Here’s an example of why people hate the typical Christmas tunes we hear on the radio. Each year, stations drag out the boring, uninspired Eagles version of this song. And, if you only listen to mainstream radio (and I suppose people still do), you’d only know of that version and be missing Charles Brown soulful and mournful rendition. This is by far my favorite version of the song. We have another one done by The Uniques that we’ll post this season.

Christmas Will Be Just Another Lonely Day – Brenda Lee
Yet again—everyone knows “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree,” which is a fine tune. But Brenda Lee recorded lots of Christmas songs. Don’t let those soaring strings and backup vocals fool you—much like “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home” this is a deeply melancholy song.

Christmas Is Just Another Day for Me – Ernest Tubb
The Texas Troubadour lamenting the “gloom around [his] Christmas tree.” Tubb’s voice was unmistakable. He actually mocked his own singing style. He told an interviewer that 95% of the men in bars would hear his music on the juke box and reply to their girlfriends, "I can sing better than him," and Tubb added that they would be right. But of course, we know that’s not true. The rip of this song features a skip toward the end for some reason.

Christmas Eve Can Kill You – The Everly Brothers
The brothers never sounded more like Simon and Garfunkle than on this 1972 track. It’s relentlessly depressing and might verge on parody if their vocals didn’t play it so straight. It should be no surprise that the song was included in a now out-of-print compilation called Bummed Out Christmas which featured such other downbeat holiday songs as “Santa Got a DWI” and “Somebody Stole My Santa.”

Call Collect On Christmas – Del McCoury
This one comes courtesy of Brendan over at The Rising Storm, one of my favorite blog sites on the net. I had never heard this track before but it just might take the cake as the saddest on this list. This comes from 1974’s My Dixie Home. As Brendan noted, it doesn’t sound like a “typical” Christmas song. But it certainly sounds like the best of bluegrass.

Coming up in the next few days, I’ll try to dig back through my CD collection and post a few pre-war blues tracks.

Shuffle of Traffic, Roll of Piano

A very brief, instrumental post from me today. This from Nicolai Dunger's excellent album, "Tranquil Isolation." Do yourself a favor and buy it. He has a great voice, though you don't get to hear it here.

Going Home for Christmas

PC

Elephants and Hippos

These things come in three. First we lost Porter Wagoner, then Robert Goulet. Now, country singer Hank Thompson has passed. Thompson was 82 years old and had only canceled a tour last week. He had been diagnosed with aggressive lung cancer just two days earlier. Between 1949 and 1974, he had 29 songs reach the top ten. Perhaps his most memorable was “Walk on the Wild Side” which contained the line “I didn’t know God made honky-tonk angels.” Since we’re in Christmas mode, I won’t post any of Hank’s great country ballads like “Hangover Tavern,” “He’s Got a Way with Women,” of “You’re Going Back to Your Old Way Again.” Luckily, we have a Christmas tune by the man in the vault. This is an obvious response to Gayla Peevey’s classic “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.”

I’d Like to Have an Elephant for Christmas – Hank Thompson

I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas – Gayla Peevey

Frosty the Snowman – Porter Wagoner

This Christmas I Spend with You – Robert Goulet

Spendin’ New Year’s Eve in the Clink

A bone-chilling night in Central Virginia. Gloves and a wool hat aren’t doing the trick on trips outside. But nothing warms me up like some Christmas tunes. So, without any more introduction, here’s the second post of the day.

Christmas in Jail – The Youngsters
Ah, makes you wonder how many celebrities will be spending the holiday the same way. I count two! Learn this lesson if you haven’t already: don’t drink and drive.

I’ll Be Home for Christmas – The Mills Brothers
Beautiful harmonies and a nice laid-back style.

O Holy Night – The Green Pajamas
This is one of those 90s bands no one seemed to ever care about. But they’re well worth checking out. They bring to mind Mazzy Star and The Posies—shoe-gazing pop.

Let Me Sleep – Pearl Jam
A 1991 fan club Christmas single, including in their excellent B-side collection Lost Dogs.

Silent Night – Huey “Piano” Smith and the Clowns
This version is anything but silent—it’s the rockingest rendition I’ve ever heard. Just try to not turn this down.

I’ve Been Sorta Worried about Santa Claus this Year

Tomorrow marks a week since we started our Christmas posts. The files on YouSendIt expire after 100 downloads or seven days. We like YouSendIt because it allows you unlimited downloads rather than waiting an hour or more to download a track like some other sites. However, once the files start to expire, we can repost tracks upon request—we’re not going to do fifty tracks at once, but if you’re interested in a song or two, let us know in the comments and we’ll do our best to repost.

An eclectic bag of goodies today.

Greensleeves – Michel LeGrand and His Orchestra
Instrumental rendition of the old standard—and I mean old. As far as anyone can tell, the song dates back to at least 1580. It was originally about Lady Green Sleeves, a promiscuous woman and perhaps a prostitute. Green was associated with prostitutes in England and it has been claimed that the women were required to wear green sleeves. So, how in the heck did this melody come to be associated with “What Child Is This?” The Christmas version was written in 1865, but thus far, I can’t find anything that hints at why the tune and lyrics were matched.

I’ll Be Home for Christmas – John Prine
Piling on with the song PC posted yesterday, here’s Prine’s version of “I’ll Home for Christmas.” Prine’s typical loose singing style fits perfectly with the shuffling beat.

Christmas Morning Rum Had Me Yawning – Lord Beginner
From Wikipedia: Lord Beginner (born Egbert Moore) was a popular exponent of the Caribbean musical form Calypso, helping to spark a renaissance of the genre in the 1940s and '50s. Hailing from Port of Spain in Trinidad, Beginner recorded and toured in New York with other leading members of Trinidad's "Old Brigade" of calypsonians, before emigrating to England with fellow calypsonian Lord Kitchener in 1948. The pair arrived near London on the Empire Windrush, the first of many voyages conveying West Indians wishing to start a new life in Britain. Beginner began playing clubs throughout London and was a success, recording for the Parlophone label in 1950.

Christmas at the Beach – Irene
Doesn’t sound like a bad place to spend the holiday.

Santa’s Gonna Come In a Stagecoach – Buck Owens
That great Bakersfield Sound mixes with Christmas.

Santa Claus Is Back In Town – Dwight Yoakam
Yoakam was deeply influenced by Buck Owens—he even has a new album out of all Buck covers.

Karen! I got the most expensive tree they had!

As you can already see, we are big fans of Phil Spector and his walls of sound. Here are a few more from his "Christmas Gift for You" album. More of these to come many times over in the next few months. These songs always remind me of that great scene in Goodfellas. "What are you stupid? We got a million fucking bulls out there watchin' us and you go and buy a Cadillac?!"

Here Comes Santa Claus: Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans

Frosty the Snowman: The Ronettes

A couple others:

Christmas in Prison: John Prine

Palace Songs: Christmastime in the Mountains

This one's for JV, who will be enjoying his first Christmastime in the mountains of Virginnie.

PC

The Three Little Dwarfs and Suzy Snowflake

Every Christmas morning the short was played on Garfield Goose (and later Bozo’s Circus) on Chicago superstation WGN. Though once a Chicago-land classic, the short is now a cherished childhood memory for many people who watched it broadcast each year. Definitive info on Hardrock, Coco, and Joe is certainly hard to pin down. Though the film has copyright info, the video quality is so poor, it’s nearly impossible to read. IMDB dates the film to 1951 and Wikipedia credits it to a company called Centaur Prodictions. It’s certainly unlike anything you’ve ever seen and a definite pre-cursor to the Rankin-Bass style.

Originally called “The Three Little Dwarfs,” most remember this song as simply “Hardrock, Coco, and Joe.” Those three are Santa’s helpers and deliver an unforgettable chorus—and who doesn’t love Joe the best? Gene Autry recorded a version of the tune. But why do it? Nothing beats the original. Still, I’m shocked that some unoriginal (and striking) writer in Hollywood hasn’t revamped this into a full-blown computer animation film. It seems only a matter of time.

The Three Little Dwarfs (Hardrock, Coco, and Joe)

Suzy Snowflake – Rosemary Clooney

Centaur Productions also made Suzy Snowflake (check out the version above by the late, great Rosemary Clooney). This short was broadcast over the mid-West like Hardrock, Coco, and Joe—at least to the best of my knowledge. I’m curious to know if any of our readers around the world have seen either film. What are your memories of it? And how did you see it?

Nobody’s Been Naughty. Everybody’s Been Nice.

Apologies for the day off Sunday—Santa needed the day to rest and recoup after getting home at about 3 a.m. on Sunday morning. But I’m making up for the neglect with two great posts today.

It Won’t Be the Same This Year – Vince Gill
I’ve always been a fan of Gill’s music—he has a beautiful voice. However, mainstream country radio now ignores him, like so many other great artists from the early to mid 1990s. But at least 77 Santas hasn’t forgotten about this heartbreaker. Gill wrote this song after the premature death of his brother.

The Shelter – The Tractors
Speaking of forgotten 1990s country music, The Tractors scored a modest hit in 1994 with “Baby Likes to Rock It (Like a Boogie Woogie Choo Choo Train).” I posted a track or two by The Tractors a few weeks back—outside of the novelty of their biggest hit, they were also a good band who penned some socially and politically conscious songs. Rather than record a proper follow-up, The Tractors released a long-forgotten Christmas album. I’ll post a few more tracks throughout the season. “The Shelter” is a retelling of the nativity story.

Christmas Time – The dB’s
This power pop group of the 70s and 80s doesn’t get enough respect. Think Marshall Crenshaw meets R.E.M. This comes off their 2006 re-release of Christmastime.

Little Saint Nick – The Beach Boys
We had a comment about this one a few days back. With each passing year, this song grows higher on my list of favorite Christmas songs.

Don’t Believe In Christmas – The Sonics
Of course we believe at 77 Santas. But when “Fat Boy don’t show,” it’d be hard for anyone to believe.

Be back in a bit with three little dwarfs.

Happy Anniversary to Us!

JV told me yesterday that today is the 1 year anniversary of 77 Santas. Here's to many more. Unless JV tells me this blog relationship makes him feel dead inside, that he wants to see what's out there, that it's not me it's him, etc.
He is on the road today, so I will make a little post to keep things rolling along. Speaking of rolling along, how about those Buckeyes today!?! 28 unanswered points. Stellar. Felt good to get nervous for a little bit there, pacing around the living room etc. Focus, focus, focus. As coach says, we are "never satisified."

Willie Nelson: Pretty Paper

Nat King Cole: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Bing Crosby and David Bowie: Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy (short version)

The Crystals: Parade of the Wooden Soldiers

Bill Monroe and His Bluegrass Boys: Christmas Time's A Comin'

Just a handful today. Our posts will get longer and more detailed (mine, at least) as we get into December.

PC

If Christmas Can't Bring You Home

XM Radio launched their Christmas station yesterday—I’m not sure when Sirius puts theirs on the air, but be on the lookout. I finally organized all of my Christmas music today. If I’m on top of my game, I’ll get around 500 tracks up over the next two months—I live for this time of year. In the past few days, I’ve been listening to some tunes and feeling the spirit. But two days ago I found some Christmas decorations stored in the shed behind the house, apparently left by the last owners. Oodles of tree ornaments but the true find was a nativity scene snow globe that has to weigh around twenty pounds.

We’re going to do two tributes today. First up is Robert Goulet. When I was a kid, I had no idea who this guy was until he showed up on The Simpsons to sing at a casino Bart opened. Here’s a brief little track of Goulet doing a Simpsons version of Jingle Bells.

Jingle Bells – Robert Goulet

Next up is one that should have been posted a few months ago, Lucianna Pavarotti. There’s nothing I can add that hasn’t already been said. The man was a legend.

Adeste Fideles – Lucianno Pavarotti

Covering an old standard is tough work. So often, a “new” version of a Christmas song sounds exactly like the dozens of others we’ve already heard. But Jigsaw Seen delivers a version of a classic that isn’t like any version ever recorded, at least to my knowledge.

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – Jigsaw Seen

Dig that bass line that goes as deep as Santa’s bag of goodies. I know nothing about Marguerite Trina but would love to find out when this song was actually recorded.

The Rocking Tree – Marguerite Trina

If you don’t know this by now, My Morning Jacket is one of the absolute best bands recording music today. This live track showcases that they are also one of the best live performers—and the ethereal lead vocals by Jim James are sublime.

Xmas Curtain – My Morning Jacket (live)

PC might be a little angry at me for posting this so early, but it was referenced in our comments yesterday. The way I see it, PC can post it again because you can never get enough of these guys.

Christmas Must Be Tonight – The Band

Finally, this one goes out to Bill Carty. Yes, Bill, you can now say that you’ve been name-checked on a Christmas blog. Thanks for sending this great track our way.

If Christmas Can’t Bring You Home – Reigning Sound

Good Grief

You cannot refute the fact of this song's title.

Vince Guaraldi: Christmas is Coming

PC

On the First Day of Christmas

XM Radio launched their Christmas station today. So, any naysayers who think we’re too early, turn off your Scrooge and get into the spirit.

We’ll keep it very, very simple for our first day and post our namesake and the best Christmas song ever recorded.

77 Santas – Gayla Peevey

Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) – Darlene Love

It Begins Tomorrow

The 77 Santas holiday season kicks off tomorrow. We’re going to be at it everyday until Christmas. Dare we say better than last year? Well, it just might be. Check back in then.

But before we kick it off, I had one last post I wanted to make. Over the weekend, I had the chance to see The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. If you’ve never heard of this movie, you’re not alone. Warner Bros. has gone out of their way to not market this film, even though it stars Brad Pitt, one of the biggest movie stars in the world. What little promotion they have done makes the film look like a shoot-em-up western. This film is anything but. The film is akin to Terrance Malick’s beautiful mood pieces like The New World and Days of Heaven—it is slow and contemplative, full of meandering plot. Yes, something mainstream audiences won’t like. But those are the types of films I love and Jesse James will become a forgotten masterpiece. Roger Deakins is without a doubt the finest cinematographer working in film today. His compositions and lighting are some of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen in a movie. The myths and legends of the Old West are obliterated in the film—though the sweeping shots of the prairie and wide open sky are beautiful, this is really a character film and a reflection of American society from over a century ago. There is deep loneliness in the characters—they are haunted by their past and by what they had once aspired to become. And they are obsessed with fame and how they will be remembered. If you are in the mood for essentially a tone poem on film, check this movie out. It’s definitely not for everyone’s tastes, but it earned a solid A from me.

One of the standouts of the film was the gorgeous score by Nick Cave and Warren Ellis. Cave already dabbled in westerns, writing last year’s The Proposition, and is a perfect choice for this very literary film. Cave’s songs read like brilliant and dark short stories. His delicate and brooding score should at least get him nominated for an Oscar. The score comes out November 13, but here’s a preview of three tracks.

Rather Lovely Thing – Nick Cave and Warren Ellis

Song for Jesse – Nick Cave and Warren Ellis

Song for Bob – Nick Cave and Warren Ellis

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Buy on Amazon

The Thin Man from West Plains

Sorrow on the Rocks

Committed to Parkview

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) -- Porter Wagoner was known for a string of country hits in the '60s, perennial appearances at the Grand Ole Opry in his trademark rhinestone suits, and for launching the career of Dolly Parton.
Like many older performers, his star had faded in recent years. But his death from lung cancer Sunday, at 80, came only after a remarkable late-career revival that won him a new generation of fans.
The Missouri-born Wagoner signed with RCA Records in 1955 and joined the Opry in 1957, "the greatest place in the world to have a career in country music," he said in 1997. His showmanship, suits and pompadoured hair made him famous.
He had his own syndicated TV show, "The Porter Wagoner Show," for 21 years, beginning in 1960. It was one of the first syndicated shows to come out of Nashville and set a pattern for many others.
"Some shows are mechanical, but ours was not polished and slick," he said in 1982.
Among his hits, many of which he wrote or co-wrote, were "Carroll County Accident," "A Satisfied Mind," "Company's Comin'," "Skid Row Joe," "Misery Loves Company" and "Green Green Grass of Home."
The songs often told stories of tragedy or despair. In "Carroll County Accident," a married man having an affair is killed in a car crash; "Skid Row Joe" deals with a once-famous singer who's lost everything.
In 2002, he was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
In May, after years without a recording contract, he signed with ANTI- records, an eclectic Los Angeles label best known for alt-rock acts like Tom Waits, Nick Cave and Neko Case.
Wagoner's final album, "Wagonmaster," was released in June and earned him some of the best reviews of his career. Over the summer, he was the opening act for the influential rock duo White Stripes at a sold-out show at New York's Madison Square Garden.
"The young people I met backstage, some of them were 20 years old. They wanted to get my autograph and tell me they really liked me," Porter said with tears in his eyes the day after the New York show. "If only they knew how that made me feel -- like a new breath of fresh air."
To many music fans, Wagoner was best known as the man who boosted Parton's career. He had hired the 21-year-old singer as his duet partner in 1967, when she was just beginning to gain notice through songs such as "Dumb Blonde."
They were the Country Music Association's duo of the year in 1970 and 1971, recording hit duets including "The Last Thing on My Mind."
Parton's solo country records, such as her autobiographical "Coat of Many Colors," also began climbing the charts in the early 1970s. She wrote the pop standard "I Will Always Love You" in 1973 after Wagoner suggested she shift from story songs to focus on love songs.
The two quit singing duets in 1974 and she went on to wide stardom with pop hits and movies such as "9 to 5," whose theme song was also a hit for her.
Wagoner sued her for $3 million in assets, but they settled out of court in 1980. He said later they were always friendly, "but it's a fact that when you're involved with attorneys and companies that have them on retainer, it makes a different story."
At a charity roast for Wagoner in 1995, she explained the breakup this way: "We split over creative differences. I was creative, and Porter was different."
He said in a 1982 Associated Press interview that his show "was a training ground for her; she learned a great deal and I exposed her to very important people and the country music fans."
She was present at the ceremony in May 2007 honoring Wagoner on his silver anniversary with the Opry. At the time, he called Parton "one of my best friends today." She also visited him in the hospital as he battled cancer.
Wagoner, who had survived an abdominal aneurysm in 2006, was hospitalized again this month and his publicist disclosed he had lung cancer. He died at 8:25 p.m. CDT Sunday in a Nashville hospice, said Darlene Bieber, a spokeswoman for the Opry.
Country singer and Opry member Dierks Bentley visited Wagoner in the hospice over the weekend and said Wagoner led them in prayer, thanking God for his friends, his family and the Grand Ole Opry.
"The loss of Porter is a great loss for the Grand Ole Opry and for country music, and personally it is a great loss of a friend I was really just getting to know," Bentley said. "I feel blessed for the time I had with him."
Pete Fisher, vice president and general manager of the Opry, said the Opry family of musicians and performers was deeply saddened by the news. "His passion for the Opry and all of country music was truly immeasurable," Fisher said.
Wagoner was born in West Plains, Mo., and became known as "The Thin Man From West Plains" because of his lanky frame. He recalled that he spent hours as a child pretending to be an Opry performer, using a tree stump as a stage.
He started in radio, then became a regular on the "Ozark Jubilee," one of the first televised national country music shows. On the Opry since 1957, he joined Roy Acuff and other onetime idols.
At one point his wardrobe included more than 60 handmade rhinestone suits.
"Rhinestone suits are just beautiful under the lights," he said. "They've become a big part of my career. I get more compliments on my outfits than any other entertainer -- except for Liberace."
While he continued with the Opry, and even had a small part in the 1982 movie "Honky Tonk Man" starring Clint Eastwood, his recording career dried up in the 1980s -- until his return this year.
"I stopped making records because I didn't like the way they were wanting me to record," he said. "When RCA dropped me from the label, I didn't really care about making records for another label because I didn't have any say in what they would release and how they would make the records and so forth."

Leave it on the field, hang your hat in your locker

And get ready to get back to work in the upcoming week....

PC

Break Me Off A Piece of That Football Cream!

32 hours away. So, number 2 Boston College survived last night. That means number 1 Ohio State has to fall, at least in terms of keeping up with the tradition of this season. I’m going to put on a little costume tomorrow night and wish I had a digital camera so I could show everyone—though there’s no Halloween party, I have to wear this during the game.

Dancing On Our Graves – The Cave Singers
More like dancing on Ohio State’s grave! Snap!

PC, your boys ready for a trip to Linebacker U?


Tomorrow, we will continue an old tradition at Beaver Stadium. To win.


There is no name on our jerseys.


We are...

Forecast: White Out Conditions

For the next five days, this blog will be about one thing: Penn State vs. Ohio State.

I am a Penn State fan. PC is an Ohio State fan. For three and a half hours Saturday, we will hate each other. But until then, we will be relentless in our verbal tirades and taunts. If you come here for the great songs we usually post—allow us this indulgence. The Christmas extravaganza will start November 1. We’ll return to our sane, thoughtful selves then.

Right now, our minds are focused one thing: Beaver Stadium, 8 pm, Saturday. OSU is perched atop the number one spot. Penn State is crawling up from the bottom of the rankings. But these teams always play each other hard. It’s Big Ten and college football at its very best.

Of course Ohio State will walk away the losers—if I’m not mistaken, I believe the state’s motto is “Ohio Is for Losers.” And I’ve heard that recently, ever since the 2005 ass-kicking delivered by Penn State, Ohio State’s buckeyes have gotten a little smaller, if you know what I mean.

Nothing But A Heartache – The Detroit Cobras
That’s what OSU are going to have.

I Want You So Hard (Boy’s Bad News) – Eagles of Death Metal
Yes, I do want it hard. And PC, we’re going to be bad news for your crew.

I’m Not Like Everybody Else – Chocolate Watchband
Nope, Penn State isn’t like one of the imposter teams OSU has rolled over this year.

24 Country Songs

If you’re too snobby for another installment of our country showcase, then just keep on moving. Though I compiled these songs, much credit goes to PC for making me dig out some great music by Dwight Yoakam and Hank Williams III. Rather than blather on, I’ll let you check out the songs.

The Late Great Golden State – Dwight Yoakam
The first track off Population: Me, this track features background vocals that sound like something from a 1960s country album—nothing in country music is doing any kind of throwback like this.

Things Change – Dwight Yoakam
Off A Long Way Home—Yoakam is one of the most underrated writers of love songs in the past twenty-five years. The man knows how to pen a great country ballad.

Population: Me – Dwight Yoakam
I love the shuffling drumbeat and the sparse acoustic guitar. Once again, nothing on modern country radio sounds like this—and you can year the influence of Buck Owens on Yoakam’s voice. Wait for the tuba and banjo to play. Together.

Nothing – Dwight Yoakam
Gone featured Yoakam during his creative peak—this music couldn’t be classified as any genre. That’s why Yoakam will remain a cult figure—you can’t pin him down, and that’s refreshing.

A Long Way Home – Dwight Yoakam
This is an acoustic version of dwightyoakamacoustic.net, an album whose title I’ve never figured out. This version showcases the man’s trademark voice. One of his rawest and very best albums.

The Back of Your Hand – Dwight Yoakam
Another mournful, yet hopeful, ballad. The title of the song says it all.

A Thousand Miles from Nowhere – Dwight Yoakam
One of my favorites from the man, off 1993’s This Time, my personal favorite by him. I was twelve or thirteen when I heard this and… well, if I would ever finish my little country music essay, you could read all about this and many other songs from the time.

Suspicious Minds – Dwight Yoakam
An incendiary cover of The King from the forgettable Nicholas Cage movie Honeymoon in Vegas. The electric guitar just tears it up.

Ain’t That Lonely Yet – Dwight Yoakam
Another beautiful country pop song—pretty much a perfect number.

Fast As You – Dwight Yoakam
A killer guitar riff, rock organ, and a great beat—rock radio wishes it could find something like this. Is there still rock radio?

The Blue Collar Rock – The Tractors
In 1994, I loved The Tractors. Their first single, “Baby Likes to Rock It,” was a swinging, shuffling number that scored heavy rotation on CMT. This country downer features a chorus that would make Merle smile. And my favorite line of the day: “My life is certified solid rock hard.”

I’ve Had Enough – The Tractors
Always loved this song—just the perfect rural lament about life and love. You’ll hear more of The Tractors in a few weeks—I’m one of a handful of people who probably own Have Yourselves A Tractors Christmas.

Semi-Crazy – Junior Brown (with Red Simpson)
Red Simpson was perhaps the greatest singer of trucker songs. Junior Brown—with his deep baritone sounding like a roaring eighteen wheeler—tears up the slide guitar and waxes poetic about a “slap-happy, gear-jamming, coffee-drinking truck driving fool.”

White Lightening – George Jones
Might, mighty pleasin’, Pappy’s corn squeezin’s.

4th of July – Shooter Jennings
Waylon’s song released one of the best country albums this decade with Put the O Back in Country. Think about that title if you don’t get it.

Manifesto No. 1 – Shooter Jennings
Sex, Jesus, and rock music. That’s a combination.

Satan Is Real – The Louvin Brothers
Since we had Jesus, we need some Satan to balance it out. Maybe the best album cover ever?

Medley: Satan Is Real/Straight to Hell – Hank Williams III
Straight to Hell is Hank III singing about drinkin’, screwin’, and druggin’. What did you expect a Williams to sing about?

Country Heroes – Hank Williams III
A tribute to the legends who’ve inspired Hank III. The first time I heard this song was about 10 at night in my car alone. It gave me the chills, but the electric guitar alone was enough to coax me to buy this record.

D. Ray White – Hank Williams III
D. Ray White was widely thought to be the best mountain dancer in America before his murder in 1985. He’s still a legend in Boone County, West Virginia and beyond. His son, Jesco White, is the Dancing Outlaw. If you’ve never seen this documentary, track it down. Jesco is an American original.

Pills I Took – Hank Williams III
This song is pretty much about exactly what the title says.

Crazed Country Rebel – Hank Williams III
Overdose of drugs, overdose of sin, I’m gonna live it to the fullest like I’m on in ten.

Lifetime to Prove – BR5-49
Junior Samples used to call BR5-49 on Hee Haw—yeah, I liked Hee Haw. Sue me. And it’s a great name for this country band. They mix cowboy punk, swing, and raw country for a sound that’s amazing.

One Long Saturday Night – BR5-49
I wish every Saturday night sounded like this.