PART 1: Christmas Time Is Here – Josh Kantor; Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer Mambo – Billy May; White Christmas – The Ronettes; Christmas Time Is (Coming ‘Round Again) – The Mavericks; We Need a Little Christmas – The New Christy Minstrels; Sleigh Bell Rock – Three Aces and a Joker; Reindeer Boogie – Hank Snow; Nut Rocker – B. Bumble & the Stingers; Merry Twist-mas – The Marcels; God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – Los Straitjackets; Santa Bring My Baby Back (to Me) – Elvis Presley; Christmas Time All Over the World – The Smithereens; Santa Claus Is Coming to Town – Mitch Miller; Gonna Wrap My Heart in Ribbons – Hank Thompson; Dig That Crazy Santa Claus – Oscar McLollie & His Honey Jumpers; Reindeer Rock – The Sportsmen; Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree – Brenda Lee; Jingle Bells – Booker T. & the MGs; Soul Christmas – Graham Parker & Nona Hendryx; Hey Skinny Santa! – JD McPherson; Christmas Time Is Here – Chris Stamey; Christmas in Suburbia – Librarians With Hickeys; Frosty the Snowman – Leon Redbone & Dr. John; Can’t Wait to See You on Christmas – Deni Bonet & Chris Flynn; Run Rudolph Run – Lemmy Kilmister, Dave Grohl & Billy F. Gibbons; Twistin’ Bells – Santo & Johnny; Beboppers Christmas – Cordell Jackson; Santa’s Pissed Off – Craig Bell w/Pluto IX; Away in a Manger/Silent Night – The Big Fat Combo; Hooray for Santy Claus – Milton deLugg & the Little Eskimos
PART 2: The story of the making of A Charlie Brown Christmas; Christmas Time Is Here – The Vince Guaraldi Trio; Snowflakes – The Vince Guaraldi Trio; My Little Drum – The Vince Guaraldi Trio; Christmas Is Coming – The Vince Guaraldi Trio; Linus and Lucy – The Vince Guaraldi Trio; What Child Is This – The Vince Guaraldi Trio; What Christmas Is All About – Linus; Hark! The Herald Angels Sing – A Charlie Brown Christmas; God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – Jon Batiste (ft. Judith Hill); O Come, All Ye Faithful (Cantique de Noel) – Jackie Wilson; That Swingin’ Manger – Frank Sinatra
PART 3: Christmas in Heaven – Billy Ward and His Dominoes (lead vocal: Jackie Wilson); Happy Xmas/War Is Over – John Lennon & Yoko Ono; First Christmas – Diane Keaton; Manger 6 – Bob Rivers & Twisted Radio; I Am Santa Claus – Bob Rivers & Twisted Radio; Christmas Greetings – Brian Wilson; What I Really Want for Christmas – Brian Wilson; Little Saint Nick (Single Version) – The Beach Boys; The Man With All the Toys – The Beach Boys; Santa’s Beard – The Beach Boys; Merry Christmas Baby – The Beach Boys; A Christmas Carol – Tom Lehrer; O Holy Night – Lou Christie & the University of Pittsburgh Men’s Glee Club; For Too Long – Eric Hisaw; Christmas Outta Site (Wonder) – New Mystery Girl; Joy to the World – The Butties
PART 4: Greensleeves – Jeff Beck; Blue Christmas – Porky Pig; Keeping Christmas Near – Anne Marie Menta; Just Another Christmas Song – Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings; The Christmas Song – Alex Chilton; Jing Jing a Ling – Honey and the Bees; Purple Snowflakes – Marvin Gaye; If We Make It Through December – Merle Haggard; Po’ Folks Christmas – Bill Anderson; One More Christmas – The Mavericks; Elf’s Lament – Barenaked Ladies w/Michael Bublé; Hey Santa Claus – The Moonglows; Jingle Jangle – The Penguins; Jolly Old St. Nicholas – NRBQ; Electric Train – NRBQ; Here Comes Santa Claus – NRBQ; I’ve Fallen in Love With a Snowman – Millie Small; Will You Turn Up (for Christmas) – Irene Peña; Santa’s Got a Coupe de Ville – The Four Imperials; Rock’ “N” Rudolph – The Uniques; Hark! The Herald Angels Sing – Fab Four; Who Says There Ain’t No Santa Claus? – Ron Holden
PART 5: White Christmas – Otis Redding; One Little Christmas Tree – Stevie Wonder; The Wexford Carol – The Chieftains w/Nanci Griffith; The Christmas Waltz – Frank Sinatra; Pretty Paper – Willie Nelson; I Believe in Father Christmas – Greg Lake; Merry Christmas Baby – Southern Culture on the Skids; White Christmas – The Drifters; Six White Boomers – The Fleshtones; Good King Wenceslas – Mojo Nixon & the Toadliquors; I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus – The 4 Seasons; Ding Dong Merrily on High – Woody Phillips; Christmas Is My Time of Year – The Monkees; Yulesville U.S.A. – The Rockin’ Stockin’ (Billy Lee Riley); Frosty the Snowman – The Charms; North Pole Rock – Cathy Sharpe; Don’t Believe in Christmas – The Sonics; Christmas Spirit?? – The Wailers; Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town – The Jackson 5; Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight Tonight) – Ramones
… is the hostess of Franorama 2.0, most Thursdays from 1-5 p.m. Eastern Time on Cygnus Radio. So what’s a genre? I just throw everything against a wall and see what sticks. Rock’n’roll, garage, punk, soul (especially Northern), rockabilly, real country, cheesy goofball stuff – no matter what generation, if it has a heart and soul, it has a home here.