This generous two-disc set from Document Records features 52 tracks of vintage African American Christmas-themed blues and gospel pieces (with a couple of street sermons thrown in) recorded between 1925 and 1955, ranging from down-and-out laments and jailhouse moans to surprising (and occasionally risqué) requests for what Santa can bring down the chimney. Highlights on the first disc include the opening track, the joyous 'Christ Was Born on Christmas Morn,' recorded in 1925 by comedian and female impersonator Frankie 'Half Pint' Jaxon; Harry Crafton's 'Bring That Cadillac Back' (a Cadillac might not be the best gift if your girlfriend likes to ramble) from 1947; Tampa Red's amazing, ringing slide guitar tone on 'Christmas and New Year's Blues' from 1936; and the bizarre, disturbing field recording of 'Junior's a Jap Girl's Christmas for His Santa Claus,' sung by Willie Blackwell for Alan Lomax in Arkansas in 1942. Other high points include the charming 'Christmas Boogie,' recorded in 1950 by piano prodigy (he was only ten years old when this recording was made) Frankie 'Sugar Chile' Robinson and the intense, bottled-up street-corner sermon 'The Wrong Way to Celebrate Xmas,' recorded by Rev. Edward Clayborn in 1928. The second disc yields even more holiday gems, including the bottleneck guitar attack of Black Ace (Babe Karo Lemon Turner) on 1937's 'Christmas Time Blues (Beggin' Santa Claus)'; Leroy Carr's stark and brilliant 'Christmas in Jail' from 1929; a breezy, bouncing 'When Jesus Was Born' by gospel harmony quartet the Sons of Heaven (who were really the Selah Jubilee Singers doing a little moonlighting -- which they did often, also recording as the Jubilators, the Southern Harmonaires, and the Larks) from 1948; and the sparse, stunning 'Christmas Time Blues' by the mysterious Boll Weavil (Willie McNeil), also from 1948. A marvellous collection, Blues, Blues Christmas is a refreshing addition to the more standard holiday material that prevails during the season.

Track Listing

• Frankie 'Half-Pint' Jaxon - Christ Was Born On Christmas Morn'
• Titus Turner - Christmas Morning Blues
• Charley Jordan with Mary Harris - Happy New Year Blues
• The Cats & The Fiddle - Hep Cat's Holiday
• Ralph Willis - Christmas Blues
• Willie Blackwell - Junior's A Jap Girl's Christmas For His Santa Claus
• Butterbeans & Susie - Papa Ain't No Santa Claus (Mama Ain't No Christmas Tree)
• Jimmy Butler - Trim Your Tree
• Harry Crafton with Doc Bagby Orchestra - Bring That Cadillac Back
• Bertha 'Chippie' Hill - Christmas Man Blues
• Cecil Gant - Hello Santa Claus
• Bumble Bee Slim - Christmas And No Santa Claus
• Felix Gross - Love For Christmas
• Lonnie Johnson - Happy New Year Darling
• Tampa Red Tampa Red - Christmas & New Year's Blues
• Amos Milburn - Let's Make Christmas Merry, Baby
• Julie Lee And Her Boyfriends - Christmas Spirit
• Bessie Smith - At The Christmas Ball
• Rev. A. W. Nix - How Will You Spend Christmas?
• Harmon Ray - Xmas Blues
• Jimmy Witherspoon - How I Hate To See Xmas Come Around (Christmas Blues)
• Joe Turner with Pete Johnson & His Orchestra - Christmas Date Boogie
• Sugar Chile Robinson - Christmas Boogie
• Leadbelly - The Christmas Song
• Lighnin' Hopkins - Happy New Year
• Rev. Edward Clayborn - The Wrong Way To Celebrate Christmas

• Bo Carter - Santa Claus
• Black Ace - Christmas Time (Beggin' Santa Claus)
• Charlie Jordan - Christmas, Christmas Blues
• Johnny Otis Orchestra - Happy New Year Baby
• Little Esther & Mel Walker with Johnny Otis - Faraway Christmas Blues
• Leroy Carr - Christmas In Jail (Ain't That A Pain)
• Kansas City Kitty - Christmas Mornin' Blues
• Rev. J.M. Gates - Did You Spend Christmas Day In Jail?
• Rev. J.M. Gates - Death Might Be Your Santa Claus
• Blind Lemon Jefferson - Happy New Year Blues (Original New Year's Day Blues)
• Smokey Hogg - New Year's Eve Blues
• Sons Of Heaven - When Jesus Was Born
• J.B. Summers with Doc Bagby's Orchestra - I Want A Present For Christmas
• Sonny Parker with Lionel Hampton Orchestra - Boogie Woogie Santa Claus
• Roy Milton Solid Serenaders - New Year's Resolution Blues
• Sonny Boy Williamson II & His Harmonica Houserockers - Sonny Boy's Christmas Blues
• Roosevelt Sykes - Let Me Hang My Stockings In Your Christmas Tree
• Elzadie Robinson - The Santa Claus Crave
• Walter Davis - Santa Claus Blues
• Boll Weevil (Willie McNeil) - Christmas Time Blues
• Floyd Dixon - Empty Stocking Blues
• Mabel Scott with Les Welch & His Orchestra - Boogie-Woogie Santa Claus

Additional Details

Label: Document Records

Genre: Blues

Run Time: 140 mins

Region: 0

Release Date: 01/30/07

UPC: 714298320923