alyctes Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 It's that time of year again... We've been asked to gig a retirement home this December. I am [s]a curmudgeon[/s] not keen on saccharine pap, and I've avoided Christmas songs for many years. At the moment the setlist includes Wham's 'Last Christmas', 'Stop The Cavalry' (if I can persuade the singer), and that thing Greg Lake did in the 70s - which I like much more than I thought I would. So, any more suggestions for the setlist? Ta! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casapete Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 I quite like Springsteen's 'Santa Claus is coming to town', and ' I wish it could be Christmas every day by Wizzard. Two of the few I can stand repeated listenings of. That shuffle thing is easy to dance to when drunk... Also anything off the Phil Spector Christmas album would probably go down well for the same reason, and how about 'Fairytale of New York' by The Pogues and Kirsty McColl? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzzy Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 Get them singing along to Bob Dylan https://youtu.be/oXiiChEN7TE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bay Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 (edited) The slade and wizzard classics are a laugh to play and will get any crowd going (well possibly apart from one at a retirement home, but short of a wheelbarrow full of amphetamine it may be a struggle). Edited October 6, 2017 by T-Bay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 We do Step into Christmas by Elton John and Shakie's Merry Christmas Everyone and they always go down well. We tried the Pogues one but if you actually listen to it, it's about a minute of the cheery upbeat bit that everyone loves but the rest is depressing We used to enjoy doing Rock and Roll Christmas by Gary Glitter but you can't really get away with playing any of his stuff anymore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyJohnson Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 I wrote a Christmas song a few years ago. I could loan you that. It's got everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudewheresmybass Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 Run run Rudolph - particularly the lemmy version There are a couple of hard rock/ metal versions of songs out there. We wish you a metal Christmas albums seem to be the best 😉 Certainly more fun 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yank Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 I love the traditional Christmas songs. Years ago they weren't played non-stop from Thanksgiving on. They still are beautiful melodies and harmonies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No lust in Jazz Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 Christmastime in Motor City - Was (Not Was) always gets the party started. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 Should there be a law saying that you can't mention Christmas until the day after Bonfire Night? But in answer to the OP: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e874vKfYfuU Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kendall Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 This.... the best Christmas Number One that never was. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wH2umxtA_sc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casapete Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 Some interesting choices so far for a gig at a retirement home...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ead Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 I've always enjoyed Chrismas Wrapping by The Waitresses I think? It may be called Christmas Rapping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 [quote name='ead' timestamp='1507281358' post='3384417'] I've always enjoyed Chrismas Wrapping by The Waitresses I think? It may be called Christmas Rapping. [/quote] The bassist on that was one of Marcus Miller's students, forget (her?) name now, but it's a great bassline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 (edited) [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1507280274' post='3384411'] Should there be a law saying that you can't mention Christmas until the day after Bonfire Night? But in answer to the OP: [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e874vKfYfuU[/media] [/quote] Nice one - a sublime cover and exactly what sprung to my mind too ! (It still gives me goosebumps) Back to the OP - have you had a listen to 'A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector' - I'd go for something from that (as did the Cocteau Twins) Edited October 6, 2017 by ahpook Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacko Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 Chris Squire and Alan White - Run with the fox. The only Christmas song worth listening to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrCrane Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 https://youtu.be/ffO8nZThwmM https://youtu.be/ew6rVcL3Up8 I'll get my coat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toneknob Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 James Brown's Santa Claus Goes Straight To The Ghetto Vulfpeck's Christmas in LA these and many others feature in my non-intolerable Xmas playlist at [url="https://open.spotify.com/user/toneknob/playlist/20XsgQ4kMStnkfZF6iNYdB"]https://open.spotify.com/user/toneknob/playlist/20XsgQ4kMStnkfZF6iNYdB[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbayne Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 The Eagles: 'Please Come Home For Christmas' always goes down well for us. A nice slow bluesy 6/8 type of thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 I've played Slade before, nice bassline. Lonely this Christmas by Mud is great, probably not appropriate in an old folks home though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taunton-hobbit Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 Attempt at being creative - Mustang Santa ? All right, I'm going....just stop throwing stuff.......... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassy Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 John Kirkpatrick's "Jogging along with my Reindeer" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
interpol52 Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 [quote name='ead' timestamp='1507281358' post='3384417'] I've always enjoyed Chrismas Wrapping by The Waitresses I think? It may be called Christmas Rapping. [/quote] Always been my favourite Christmas song. Great bassline too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
el borracho Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 [quote name='interpol52' timestamp='1507303460' post='3384657'] Always been my favourite Christmas song. Great bassline too. [/quote] I think it was Tracy Wormworth - now in the B52s Most of the classic xmas songs were from the 60's and 70's. That was 40/50 years ago. People in retirement homes were still relatively young then so the songs are probably from their era. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mentalextra Posted October 6, 2017 Share Posted October 6, 2017 Just out of interest, have any decent Christmas songs been written in the last 20yrs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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