Bad Santa VIII

Lord help me, is it that time of year again...?

Something that seems to have become an annual tradition, it's the last Sunday before Christmas and here's another Bad Santa selection, 25 tracks in just under an hour and cheaper than an inflatable reindeer to stick in your front garden.

I'll continue to post throughout the festive season and hopefully I will get to replying to your lovely comments...thanks for your patience!

1) Away In A Manger (Cover of traditional song): Josh T. Pearson (2011)

2) Last Christmas (Instrumental): Wham! (1984)

3) Holiday I.D.: Bullet Boys (1988)

4) Christmas Boogaloo: Big Boss Man (2000)

5) Mary's Boy Child / Oh My Lord (Single Edit): Boney M. (1979)

6) Blue Christmas (Remix): Dead Or Alive (2000)

7) One Christmas Catalogue: Captain Sensible (1984)

8) Lonely Pup (In A Christmas Shop): Adam Faith (1960)

9) Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) (Cover of Darlene Love): Holiday Sidewinder (2018)

10) Frosty The Snowman (Cover of Gene Autry & The Cass County Boys): Cocteau Twins (1992)

11) Got A Cold In The Node For Christmas: Gayla Peevey (1954)

12) Back Door Santa: Clarence Carter (1968)

13) Xmas In Motherwell: The Plimptons (2011)

14) Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Cover of Judy Garland): The Beths (2019)

15) All I Wants Is Truth For Christmas (Demo): The Anchoress (2024)

16) Eggknock: Jonwayne (2018)

17) Child's Christmas In Wales (Album Version): John Cale (1973)

18) Father Christmas (Cover of The Kinks): The Joyzine Christmas Band (2025)

19) It Will Still Be Christmas: The Boy Least Likely To (2020)

20) Christmas Ain't Christmas, New Years Ain't New Years Without The One You Love: The O'Jays (1973)

21) Christmas Alone: Yacht (2020)

22) Frosty The Snowman: Santa Sabbath (2015)

23) A Christmas Message From John & Yoko: John Lennon & Yoko Oko (1971)

24) Christmas Lullaby (Full Length Version): Shane MacGowan & The Popes (1996)

25) Seasons Greetings: Jonwayne (2018)

Bad Santa VIII (56:43) (GD) (M)

And, if you are a glutton for punishment, here are the previous Bad Santa selections from 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2017 and 2016. 

Links are currently inactive, but I will have them up and running in the next day or so...

Decade II: 1983

Side 2 of a mixtape, compiled circa March 1990, lost along the way, reimagined and recreated 12th August 2024.
 
I hope you've brought your cardboard, there's some electric boogaloo ahead...
 

Again, as the cassette, sleeve and track listing are lost in the car fumes of history, I've recreated this from scratch, a dozen songs culled from my collection in spring 1990, when I originally recorded this thing.

I'll acknowledge the elephant in the room and say that yes, Temptation by Heaven 17 got to #2 in May 1983 and even that wasn't enough to secure a place in this collection, much as I love it. 

Was swapping it out for Kissing With Confidence by Will Powers (a mere #17 in Oct 1983) a step too far? Not for me, it's not. Besides, it's got Carly Simon on vocals and it's produced by Todd Rundgren! And the video's lots of fun.

At the expense of other contemporary classics, I've also given a nod to the fact that though I'd been blown away by The Message and Buffalo Gals, The Rock Steady Crew were the ones that my mates at school were more interested in. Whilst I didn't feel particularly inclined to wear a Sergio Tacchini tracksuit or start body popping behind the Science block, I did enjoy the music. 

I do remember that the original 1983 cassette started with Burning Down The House by Talking Heads, which is an obvious choice, perhaps. What's more surprising is that when released as a single in the UK in July 1983, it failed to chart. It took 16 years, Sir Tom Jones leathery lungs and The Cardigans' polish to take the song into the Top 10.

 

More debuts on this side, including Cocteau Twins with the beautiful (but non-charting) Sugar Hiccup. I perhaps should have picked something from the equally wonderful Sunburst And Snowblind EP as the record buying public at least managed to get that release to #86, but it's all good.

Talk Talk, Siouxsie & The Banshees and Depeche Mode are all back, with debuts from Aztec Camera, Shannon, Wall Of Voodoo, Fun Boy Three and an up-and-coming band from Manchester, with a striking lead singer and lyricist. Sadly now a complete twit, but made a big impression on me as a 12-year old.

 

More from this decade next weekend. Don't miss it, Big Brother is watching....

1) Burning Down The House (Album Version): Talking Heads
2) Oblivious (Album Version): Aztec Camera
3) (Hey You) The Rock Steady Crew (Vocal) (Single Version): The Rock Steady Crew
4) Let The Music Play (Radio Edit): Shannon
5) Kissing With Confidence (12" Mix): Will Powers ft. Carly Simon
6) Everything Counts (Single Version): Depeche Mode
7) This Charming Man (Manchester): The Smiths
8) Mexican Radio (UK Extended Mix): Wall Of Voodoo
9) My Foolish Friend (Extended Version): Talk Talk
10) Sugar Hiccup (Single Version): Cocteau Twins
11) Dear Prudence (Single Version) (Cover of The Beatles): Siouxsie & The Banshees
12) Our Lips Are Sealed (Singles Version): Fun Boy Three

20th March 1983: My Foolish Friend EP (#64): 8

27th March 1983: Call Of The West (#57): 9

15th May 1983: Waiting (#7): 12

??? July 1983: Speaking In Tongues (# n/a): 1

14th August 1983: Construction Time Again (#6): 6

9th October 1983: Dear Prudence EP (#3): 11

16th October 1983: High (Hey You) The Rock Steady Crew EP (#6): 3

30th October 1983: Kissing With Confidence EP (#17): 5

27th November 1983: High Land, Hard Rain (#18): 2 *

27th November 1983: Sunburst And Snowblind EP (#86): 10

27th November 1983: This Charming Man EP (#25): 7

19th February 1984: Let The Music Play (#14): 4 *

Side Two (46:00) (GD) (M)

* Oblivious initially entered the UK chart on 30th January 1983 and got to #47 by March, but no higher. Second time lucky when Oblivious was re-released at the end of October and got to #18 a month later.

** Let The Music Play first charted on 13th November 1983, peaked at #51, dropped out of the chart for a month or so, then returned in January 1984 for a further 14 weeks.

Indie Incidentally

...or, single word sounds from the indie underground (kind of).

Dusting off a lucky 13 songs that I haven't played in a while, all done in under 45 minutes. Happy Friday, everyone!

1) Ray: The House Of Love (1990)

2) Spangle: The Wedding Present (1994)

3) Mesh: New Order (1981)

4) Seconds: Pulp (1994)

5) Navigator: The Pogues (1985)

6) Kookaburra: Cocteau Twins (1985)

7) Ambition: The Jesus & Mary Chain (1985)

8) Lullaby: James (1993)

9) Babble: The Cure (1989)

10) Split: That Petrol Emotion (1987)

11) Hoverin': The Breeders (1993)

12) Free: Mazzy Star (1990)

13) White: The Field Mice (1989) 

 

1981: Everything's Gone Green EP: 3 

1985: Aikea-Guinea EP: 6 

1985: Never Understand EP: 7

1985: Rum, Sodomy & The Lash: 5

1987: Babble: 10

1989: Lullaby EP: 9

1989: Snowball: 13

1990: A Spy In The House Of Love: 1

1990: She Hangs Brightly: 12

1993: Divine Hammer EP: 11

1993: Laid: 8

1994: The Sisters EP: 4

1994: Watusi: 2

 

Indie Incidentally (44:29) (Box) (Mega)

Can You Believe Everything I See?

Celebrating Alan Rankine, 17th May 1958 to 3rd January 2023.

 

Another loss, another shock. I can't find the words* but I was struck by Alan Rankine from the first moment I saw Associates in the pages of Smash Hits and on TV with Top Of The Pops. I mean, Billy MacKenzie looked fabulous and had a voice unlike any I'd ever heard before, but I found Alan equally compelling. Those cheekbones, the black hair and widow's peak, that piercing stare. And the music was just astonishing. My starting point was Sulk, though I was drawn back to The Affectionate Punch and the Fourth Drawer Down compilation to discover more brilliance.

 

Whilst the combination of Alan and Billy was something unique and arguably neither could quite recreate that magic apart, Alan released three albums in the 1980s each containing some gems whilst also producing great music for other artists throughout the same decade, returning to the controls for Belle & Sebastian's debut album Tigermilk in 1996 (drummer Richard Colburn was on a Music Business course at Stow College in Glasgow, taught by Rankine).

 

There will be lots of tributes out there that attempt to capture how much Alan Rankine contributed, as a musician, a producer, a teacher and a passionate advocate for the wonder of making music. Ironically, during the tail end of lockdown I discovered some wonderful interviews with Alan by Grant McPhee, giving the backstory to the recording of the Associates' album. I've included a link to Grant's YouTube page, you won't be disappointed. I also want to give a nod to Post Punk Monk's tribute to Alan, one of the earliest to appear in the blogosphere but an excellent overview of the man and his music.

This is inevitably another hastily cobbled together selection. Thinking that there will be lots of focus elsewhere on Alan's work with Billy MacKenzie as Associates, I've tried to take a slightly broader view, taking in Alan's production and solo material. It's a dozen songs in a smidge over one hour, but I think it just about does Alan justice.

Rest easy, Alan.

 

1) Can You Believe Everything I See? (Part 3): Alan Rankine (1987)

2) Be Thankful For What You've Got (Single Version) (Cover of William DeVaughn): Sunset Gun (1984)

3) We Rule The School: Belle & Sebastian (1996)

4) The Sandman (Remix): Alan Rankine (1987)

5) Glory To The Take And The Killing: Alan Rankine (1989)

6) Mona Property Girl (Single Version): Associates (1979)

7) Hazel (Single Version): Cocteau Twins (1983)

8) Something Good (Extended Version): Paul Haig (1989)

9) Summer (Single Version): Anna Domino (1986)

10) Skipping (Album Version): Associates (1982)

11) Can You Believe Everything I See? (Parts 1 & 2): Alan Rankine (1987)

12) Love In Adversity: Alan Rankine (1986)

 

1979: Boys Keep Swinging EP: 6

1982: Sulk: 10

1983: Peppermint Pig EP: 7

1984: Be Thankful For What You've Got EP: 2

1986: Summer EP: 9 

1986: The World Begins To Look Her Age: 12 

1987: The Sandman EP: 1, 4

1987: The World Begins To Look Her Age EP: 11

1989: Something Good EP: 8

1989: The Big Picture Sucks: 5

1996: Tigermilk: 3

 

Can You Believe Everything I See? (1:00:02) (Box) (Mega)

* I appreciate the irony of saying that "I can't find the words" and then rambling on for several paragraphs...!

It's Hard To Settle For Second Best

After last year's tenuous Boxing Day themed selection, here's another to stretch credulity even further, with 10 gift-themed songs. A couple of obvious/inevitable choices with The Jam and Lou Reed, a trio of not-quite-forgotten classics from Cocteau Twins, Way Out West and Calexico and a cheeky Monday Long Song to round things off from Julian Cope, pulling a double shift as frontperson of Brain Donor.

I hope you kept your receipts!

The cover photo was taken in Gloucester city centre a few weeks ago. I was particularly struck by how well they captured the classic Nativity scene of Joseph and Mary's Bethlehem barbecue.

1) It's A Gift: The Kane Gang (1987)

2) The Gift: The Jam (1982)

3) You Can't Steal A Gift: El Perro Del Mar (2008)

4) Gift Horse: Black Box Recorder (2000)

5) Surprise Gift (Fool's Gold vs. N.A.S.A.): Team9 (2009)

6) A Gift: Lou Reed (1976)

7) Half-Gifts: Cocteau Twins (1996)

8) The Gift (Radio Edit): Way Out West ft. Miss Joanna Law (1996)

9) Gift X-Change (Album Version): Calexico (2000)

10) Odin's Gift To His Mother (Album Version): Brain Donor (2001)

 

1976: Coney Island Baby: 6

1982: The Gift: 2

1987: What Time Is It? EP: 1

1996: Milk & Kisses: 7

1996: The Gift EP: 8

2000: It's A Cool, Cool Christmas: 9

2000: The Facts Of Life: 4

2001: Love Peace & Fuck: 10

2008: From The Valley To The Stars: 3

2009: Stereogum & Team9 Present: MySplice 4: 5

It's Hard To Settle For Second Best (45:45) (KF) (Mega)

Just Walk Don't Talk

A companion of sorts to the Floorshow compilation I posted last summer, it's back to the alternative 1980s for a lucky 13 of 12" and extended versions.

I've stuck with most of the artists from Floorshow, but with different song selections, the majority of which haven't appeared on this blog previously. Again, whilst many of these songs didn't make it onto the decks at the alternative pubs and clubs I bothered as a pan-stick caked and hairpsrayed teen, they would get played to death at home, to my parents' frequent dismay.

I've managed to hold onto some of the original vinyl 12" singles: The Sisters Of Mercy, The Damned (transparent yellow vinyl 10"), Siouxsie & The Banshees, Psychic TV. Others have been replaced with shiny disc. A couple - The March Violets and the Razormaid mix of Vicious Pink - have been 21st century discoveries thanks to the power of the blogosphere. 

 

And yes, that misspelling of Ressurection Joe still bugs me, four decades on.

 

I think I'd need more than pan-stick and hairspray to look halfway decent this days, but the music takes me right back, even if there is a soundtrack of creaking bones and groans running in parallel...!

 

1) Stranger (Album Version By Clan Of Xymox, Ivo & John Fryer): Clan Of Xymox (1985)

2) This Corrosion (12" Version By Jim Steinman): The Sisters Of Mercy (1987)

3) Peppermint Pig (12" Version By Alan Rankine & John Fryer): Cocteau Twins (1983)

4) 506 (Full Length Version): The Leather Nun (1985)

5) Anything (And Yet Another Mix By Lance Phillips): The Damned (1986)

6) Sister Europe (Album Version By Steve Lillywhite): The Psychedelic Furs (1980)

7) Song From The Edge Of The World (Columbus Mix By Mike Thorne): Siouxsie & The Banshees (1987)

8) Walk Into The Sun (Extended): The March Violets (1984)

9) Modesty Plays (Long Version): Sparks (1983)

10) Take Me Now (Razormaid Mix By Joseph Watt): Vicious Pink (1986)

11) Swamp Thing (Full Length Album Version): The Chameleons (1986)

12) Roman P. (Fireball Mix By Mark Freegard): Psychic TV (1986)

13) Ressurection Joe (Long Version By Chris Kimsey): The Cult (1984)

Just Walk Don't Talk (1:20:16) (KF) (Mega)

We'll Weather The Storm

First upload to Mixcloud, May 2020, lockdown in full effect. Seventeen tunes in an hour and a bit, boldly claiming to be "taking you out there whilst staying in". Second appearance this week for the Rickie Lee Jones sample, originally used in The Orb's Little Fluffy Clouds, and revisited in Rickie's Alibi by Andres Y Xavi, featured in Sunday's Raindrops Keep Falling mix. 

 

1) Silence, Sea & Sky: The Chameleons (1985)

2) Papua New Guinea (Monsoon Mix): The Future Sound Of London (1991)
3) Om Namah Shiva (Transformation Of The Heart Mix By Bill Laswell): Jah Wobble’s Invaders Of The Heart ft. Najma Akhtar (1994)
4) Little Fluffy Clouds (Ambient Mix Mk I): The Orb (1990)
5) AKA... What A Life! (The Amorphous Androgynous Remix): Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds (2012)
6) Planetary Sit-In (Radio Sit-In Remix): Julian Cope (1996)
7) If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next (The Class Reunion Of The Sunset Marquis Mix By David Holmes): Manic Street Preachers (1998)
8) “lord of the flies” (1963)
9) Cherry Coloured Funk (Re-cycled By Mark Clifford): Cocteau Twins (1995)
10) Elon Musk On Mars: Ergo Phizmiz (2019)
11) Das Modell (Album Version): Kraftwerk (1978)
12) With My Eyes Wide Open I'm Dreaming: Virginia Astley (1983)
13) I Specialize In Loneliness: Jesus Loves You (1990)
14) L'Estasi Dell'Oro (Bandini Remix): Ennio Morricone (2003)
15) Achieved In The Valley Of The Dolls: Barry Adamson ft. Billy Mackenzie (1996)
16) The Rainbow: Talk Talk (1988)
17) The Spoils: Massive Attack ft. Hope Sandoval (2016)

Khayem's Glambient Mix (1:13:20)
 

Floorshow

Mix CD-R, originally compiled November 2004 by Atom Boy for my wife & I, and "kind of dedicated to the mighty Phil Sainsbury and the various clubs where he DJ'd" in Bristol in the 1980s/1990s. By his own admission, some liberties were taken with the tracklisting: the Ofra Haza version of Temple Of Love over the original, for example. I've taken a few more liberties by re-inserting the 12" mix of Psychic TV, which wouldn't fit on the original CD-R, time-wise. I've also replaced the 7" version of Cccan't You See... with the 12" French mix, which (for me) is the definitive version and wasn't originally included as Atom Boy's vinyl was "unlistenable". As a consequence, I've split the compilation into two sides, which would comfortably fit onto a C90 cassette and is more fitting with the period of the music. Image is by Atom Boy, taken from the front cover of the CD-R. Draw the curtains, get some dry ice and low lighting on, down a pint of Snake Bite and forget it's Sunday morning...

Side One

1) A Day (Re-Mixed By Ivo & John Fryer): Clan Of Xymox (1985)

2) Singing Rule Britannia (While The Walls Close In): The Chameleons (1985)

3) The Shadow Of Love (The Ten Inches Of Hell Mix): The Damned (1985)

4) Israel (Single Version): Siouxsie & The Banshees (1980)

5) She Sells Sanctuary (Album Version): The Cult (1985)

6) Live For Today (Extended Version By Todd Rundgren): Lords Of The New Church (1983)

7) Temple Of Love (Touched By The Hand Of Ofra Haza): The Sisters Of Mercy ft. Ofra Haza (1992)

8) Lorelei: Cocteau Twins (1984)

Side Two

1) I Can Smell Your Thoughts (Remix): The Leather Nun (1987)

2) Turn To The Sky (The Spiral Tribe Edition): The March Violets (1995)

3) Heartbeat (Album Version): The Psychedelic Furs (1984)

4) Native Love (Step By Step) (Remixed By Rudy Turner): Divine (1982)

5) Good Vibrations (Kundalini Mix By Phil Harding): Psychic TV (1986)

6) Cccan't You See... (French Extended Mix): Vicious Pink (1984)

7) The Number One Song In Heaven (Long Version By Giorgio Moroder): Sparks (1979)

8) A Day (Re-Mixed By Ivo Watts-Russell & John Fryer) (Reprise): Clan Of Xymox (1985)

 

Side One (44:04)

Side Two (44:16)
 

Bad Santa II (2017)

1) Christmas Message 1963: The Beatles

2) Deck The Halls: Carmen Dragon & The Hollywood Bowl Symphony Orchestra
3) Christmas Message 1982: Simon Le Bon
4) Holiday I.D. 1988: Lou Reed
5) Don't Drink And Drive, Duh: Pee Wee Herman
6) (It's Gonna Be A) Punk Rock Christmas!: The Ravers
7) What A Wonderful World: Joey Ramone
8) Mambo Santa Mambo: The Enchanters
9) Christmas In Hollis: Run-D.M.C.
10) Jingle Bells (2006 Version): Sufjan Stevens
11) Space Christmas: Shonen Knife
12) A Knight Rider Christmas: KITT The Amazing Car Of Tomorrow
13) Nine Inch Noels: Bad Gods
14) Celebration: Morgan Fisher
15) Hooray For Santa Claus: Milton DeLugg & The Little Eskimos
16) Santa Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto: James Brown
17) Zat You, Santa Claus? (The Heavy Remix): Louis Armstrong
18) Bells, Bells, Bells: Meco ft. Anthony Daniels
19) Come On Christmas: Saint Etienne
20) Carpenters Christmas (Karen Meets Roots Radics Uptown): Go Home Productions
21) Silent Night: The White Stripes
22) Silent Night: Music Box
23) Winter Wonderland: Cocteau Twins
24) Santa’s Beard: The Beach Boys
25) Apocalypso (Wiping The Smile Off Santa's Face): Mental As Anything
26) Wonderful Christmastime: The Shins
27) Santa, Bring My Baby Back To Me: Belle & Sebastian
28) Christmas Feeling Ska: Toots & The Maytals
29) I'm A Christmas Tree: Wild Man Fischer
30) Driving Home For Christmas: Pony Club
31) The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire): Aimee Mann
32) Sheila E.'s Christmas Message: Sheila E.

Bad Santa II (2017) (53:34) (GD) (M)