GUMBO #202
Sunday, December 25, 1994 / Midnight - 3:00am
The (Almost) Annual Cajun/Creole/Celtic/etc. Folk-Roots Christmas Special!
 
KCRW Santa Monica, 89.9 FM
KCRY Indio - Palm Springs, 89.3 FM
KCRU Oxnard - Ventura County, 89.1 FM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     Opening Theme:  
     ALIAS RON KAVANA - Soweto Trembles (The Jo'burg Jig)
                        [THINK LIKE A HERO/Chiswick Records]

Many of the songs on this program were taken from compilations, and these 
albums will be abbreviated in the list.  The abbreviated albums are:

BD   = THE BELLS OF DUBLIN, The Chieftains [RCA]
CB   = CHRISTMAS BAYOU, Michael Doucet [Swallow]
CC   = A CREOLE CHRISTMAS, Various Artists [Epic]
AS4  = ALLIGATOR STOMP, VOLUME 4: CAJUN CHRISTMAS, Various Artists [Rhino]
JIT  = JUST IM TIME FOR CHRISTMAS, IRS Records Artists [IRS]
MCC  = MERRY CAJUN CHRISTMAS, Various Artists [Swallow]
MCC2 = MERRY CAJUN CHRISTMAS, VOLUME 2, Various Artists [Swallow]

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THE POGUES - Fairytale of New York [IF I SHOULD FALL FROM GRACE WITH GOD/
     Island]  Perhaps my favorite Christmas song.
BEAUSOLEIL - Christmas Bayou [AS4]  Re-recorded especially for this 
     compilation.
THE CHIEFTAINS - The Bells of Dublin [BD]
PAUL DAIGLE & CAJUN GOLD - Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree [MCC2]
POI DOG PONDERING with THE DIRTY DOZEM BRASS BAND - Mele Kalikimaka 
     [FRUITLESS ep/Columbia-Texas Hotel]
 
BENNY GRUNCH AND THE BUNCH - The Twelve Yats of Christmas [THE TWELVE YATS
     OF CHRISTMAS/Benjie Records]  Would probably only be funny to hardcore
     New Orleanians, but I play it every year anyway!  It doesn't go in a
     set ... it must stand alone.
 
JAMBALAYA CAJUN BAND - Up On the Housetop [AS4]  An English/Cajun French
     version.
CLIFTON CHENIER - It's Christmas Time [KING OF THE BAYOUS/Arhoolie]
ROCKIN' DOPSIE - Jingle Bells [CC]
VINCE GUARALDI TRIO - Linus and Lucy [A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS/Fantasy]
     Not holiday-specific, I guess, but one of my favorite Christmastime
     tunes, and favorite all-around tunes, of all time.
MICHAEL DOUCET - Trinquez, Trinquez (Drink, Drink) [CB]  A traditional
     Cajun Christmas drinking song, learned from the singing of Canray
     Fontenot
CANRAY FONTENOT - La Table Ronde (The Round Table) [ALLONS A LAFAYETTE/
     Arhoolie]  Canray sings this other traditional Cajun Christmas drinking
     song a cappella
 
This next set features the astonishing a cappella singing of Maggie, Suzzy
and Terre Roche
THE ROCHES - The Hallelujah Chorus [MODERN A CAPPELLA/Rhino]
THE ROCHES - Adeste Fideles
THE ROCHES - Angels We Have Heard on High [HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE
     CHRISTMAS/Rhino]
 
BENNY GRUNCH AND THE BUNCH - Christmas in Chalmette [THE TWELVE YATS OF
     CHRISTMAS/Benjie]  Another one that must stand alone.  You won't
     get it unless you know and understand that 'burb that is the
     dreaded Chalmette ... ;-)
 
THE CHIEFTAINS with BURGESS MEREDITH - Don Oiche Ud i mBeithil (That Night
     in Bethlehem) [BD]  Meredith narrates in English, Kevin Conneff sings
     in Irish.
AARON NEVILLE - The Christmas Song [CC]
WHIRLING DERVISHES - You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch [WISH IT WOULD SNOW/
     Whirling Music]  Great cover from this alternative band; now I've
     got music from both of my favorite holiday TV shows in this show!
     Dedicated to Newt Ging-grinch.
THE dB's - Home for the Holidays [JIT]
THE YOUNGSTERS - Christmas in Jail [BUMMED-OUT CHRISTMAS/Rhino]  Rhino has
     the best Christmas compilations, I swear ...
RUNRIG with KAREN MATHIESON of CAPERCAILLIE - Chi Mi'n Geamhradh (I See 
     Winter) [FLOWER OF THE WEST ep/Chrysalis UK]  Gorgeous Gaelic singing.
 
D. L. MENARD with BLACKIE FORESTIER and KEN SMITH - No Christmas for the Poor
     [NO MATTER WHERE YOU AT, THERE YOU ARE/Rounder]
BELTON RICHARD - Blue Christmas [MCC]  In French.
MICHAEL DOUCET - Il Est Ne (He Is Born) - [CB]
JOHNNIE ALLAN - C'est Christmas Dans la Louisiane (It's Christmastime in
     Louisiana) [MCC2]
 
ALLEN TOUSSAINT - White Christmas [CC]
TIMBUK 3 - All I Want For Christmas [JIT]
JAMES BROWN - Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto [SANTA'S GOT A BRAND
     NEW BAG/Rhino]
IRMA THOMAS - O Holy Night [CC]  The Soul Queen of New Orleans
DR. JOHN - Silent Night [DR. JOHN PLAYS MAC REBENNACK/Clean Cuts]  Bra,
     you ain't nevuh hoid dis song till ya hoid it sung by da Docta, solo
     boogie piano.  "Rouund, yon vooiiiiijin!  Mutha an' chile ..."  :-)
 
Two long spoken word pieces frame this set, the first in English, the last
in Cajun French:
TEE JULES D'HEMECOURT - The Cajun Night Before Christmas [MCC2]
BEAUSOLEIL - It Came Upon a Midnight Clear [AS4]
PAUL DAIGLE/ROBERT ELKINS & CAJUN GOLD - La Veille De Noel (Christmas 
     Eve) [AS4]
CAMEY DOUCET - What Christmas Means to Me [MCC]  In French.
HASA ORTEGO - Le Veille de Christmas sur le Grand Bayou (Christmas Eve
    on the Big Bayou) [MCC]
 
THE CHIEFTAINS with JACKSON BROWNE - The Rebel Jesus [BD]
SQUEEZE - Christmas Day [JIT]
T-BONE BURNETT - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen [ACOUSTIC CHRISTMAS/Columbia]
THE WEDDING PRESENT - Stepping Into Christmas [A LUMP OF COAL/First Warning]
     Yes, the Elton John song, of all things ...
MICHEAL O SUILLEABHAIN - Oiche Nollaig [THE DOLPHIN'S WAY/Gael-Linn]  Irish
     tunes on piano and bones
EITHNE NI BHRAONAIN (ENYA) - Oiche Chiun (Silent Night) [HOW CAN I KEEP FROM
     SINGING ep/WEA]
 
KEB' MO' - Jingle Bell Jamboree [A LITTLE MO'/OKeh-Epic]
THE PALACE BROTHERS - Christmastime in the Mountains [HOPE/Drag City]
MICHAEL DOUCET - Auld Lang Sein [CB]

Merry Christmas, Joyeux Noel, Feliz Navidad, Nollaig Shona Faoi Mhaise Dhuit,
belated Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and a happy politically-correct non-
denominational holiday to all ...