Here's the reason I did the whole Elvis thing over the last couple of days: a whole bunch of holiday Elvis "tributes." I didn't include any impersonators here, since I don't as a rule collect those, and the thought of wading through that slush to pick out one good thing to post here made me shudder. (I do like El Vez's take on "Feliz Navidad," though.)So let's get started, shall we? I haven't mentioned "break-in songs" yet on any Silly Sunday posts, but you can click here to read a little bit about the originator, and then sometime soon I'll do a month of four posts about them. Suffice it to say this: Break-in songs are little comedy skits which use snippets from pop songs as dialogue. When you hear Mad Milo's "Elvis For Christmas" I think you'll figure out what I mean.
Then, Marlene Paula wants to spend Christmas with Elvis. (I also have songs where the singer begs for a Beatle, or even Eddie Fisher, as her Christmas gift.) She tries to namecheck a dozen Elvis hits, and I'm pretty sure she makes it. (via)
This year, we lost The King of Pop. Thirty-two years ago we lost The King of Rock and Roll, and back then tribute records were still a big thing. (I haven't heard any Michael Jackson tribute records, and I can't imagine how they'd sound either.) So Diana Williams sent Santa a letter in 1977, reminding him how rough the year had been for holiday songsters -- why, they lost Elvis and Bing Crosby and even "Mr. Auld Lang Syne," Guy Lombardo. And Linda Hughes wants to remind us tearfully that since Elvis is gone, there'll be no more records, or "great" concerts. (I'm pretty sure that Elvis hadn't done any "great concerts" for five or six years at that point, for the record.) Her final line ALWAYS makes me laugh; it's just so overwrought. And I even agree with her, just not her delivery of the line.
Finally, the King is dead -- long may he reign! The Serious Brothers tell us the tale of how so many Elvis obsessives spend Christmas every year with The King (or at least his shoddy licensed merchandise).
There are a few more Elvis-Christmas-tribute songs out there, but I don't have them so I haven't uploaded them. (I also have one I didn't put on here, Bob Rivers' "Message From The King" which is a two-minute string of lackluster fat jokes from a mediocre impressionist.) Remember - Christmas is a time for peace, and love, and sideburns and sequined jumpsuits. Christmas... is a time for Elvis!
Mad Milo - Elvis For Christmas 1 2
Marlene Paula - I Want To Spend Christmas With Elvis 1 2
Diana Williams - Goodbye Bing, Elvis & Guy 1 2
Linda Hughes - Elvis Won't Be Here This Christmas 1 2
The Serious Brothers - It's Another Joyful Elvis Presley Christmas 1 2
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