Christmas Cavalcade 2018 - Part Three

Welcome, my friends, to the last look at terrible Christmas records for this year and, coincidentally, THE 500th WORLD'S WORST RECORD BLOG POST!

First up is another reader recommendation. Regular WWR contributor Mikael Borg brought this particular horror, Elvis Won't Be Here For Xmas by Linda Hughes, to my attention recently and I had to share it with you… that is until I realised that I had posted it last year! Still, it bears repeating, especially as I am now able to fill in a few extra details on Ms. Hughes career.

I’ve no idea of this Linda Hughes is the same young lady who was one of the early Micky Mouse Club Mousketeers, but I can tell you that she did record a bunch of songs, including What Am I Living For, Trash Can and others in the 60s for Seattle-based producer Tex Hughes (her husband, father or brother perhaps?). She also recorded a cover of the Elvis hit Return to Sender. At least two of Linda’s 45s were issued on Seattle’s Jerden label, the same company that originally put out Louie Louie by the Kingsmen.

I’m struggling with the next choice, and realise that the reason for its inclusion here probably says more about my own liberal political views, but isn’t Jingle-O the Brownie (performed here by Tennessee Ernie Ford) just a little bit racist? With its roots in British folklore, a brownie is a spirit that is “usually described as ugly, brown-skinned, and covered in hair,” according to Wikipedia. The song was originally issued by Ford in 1960, on the flip of his Capitol single Little Klinker, a jolly little tune about Santa’s dog.

Finally for today, and for this year’s Christmas Cavalcade, here’s Chicago-based Outsider music legend Jan Terri with Excuse My Christmas, issued in 2011. The track also turned up on her 2013 album The Wild One, which also featured such heartwarming Christmassy tunes as Get Down Goblin and Rock ‘n’ Roll Santa. By the way, if you’re stuck for a Christmas present for your loved one, for $20 Jan will call them and leave the voicemail message of your choice: https://janterri1.bandcamp.com/merch/autographed-picture-or-phone-call

If you want more bad Christmas music, the most recent episode of The World’s Worst Records Radio Show featured 20 Christmas clunkers. You can stream it HERE

Now, for a little extra, here's a truly great Christmas song that's bound to become a classic.

Written by Andy Partridge (of XTC fame), sung by Micky Dolenz and issued on this year's Monkees Christmas Party album, here's the official video to the wonderful Unwrap You At Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone!

Download Elvis HERE

Download Jingle-O HERE

Download Excuse HERE