MUSIC: How An Obscure 80s Punk Band Created A Christmas Classic - Redux

I found the following story from NPR and am adding it to this piece I've already posted. - OlderMusicGeek



I found this while surfing the net. I edited it down. You can read the whole piece here. - OlderMusicGeek

How an obscure 80s punk band created a Christmas classic
By JOHN PETRICK
Thursday December 22, 2005

Struggling band The Waitresses dragged themselves off the road and into a Manhattan studio to record - of all things - a Christmas song on a hot August day in 1981. Little did they know they were about to create a classic - a song that would well outlive the band, the 80s and, sadly, the frontwoman who sang it.

"I go back and I try to think of what the original inspiration was. I think it was just very much that for years I hated Christmas," says Chris Butler, founder of the Waitresses and writer of the bittersweet, cool but sentimental Christmas Wrapping.

The song is as much about a harried lifestyle and trying to make connections as it is about Christmas. "Everybody I knew in New York was running around like a bunch of fiends," he says of Christmases back around the time he moved from his native Ohio to New York City and formed the Waitresses. "It wasn't about joy. It was something to cope with."

As talk-sung by late lead singer Patty Donahue, Butler's song depicts a hard-working single girl who resolves to sit Christmas out one year. This, as she laments her repeated and unsuccessful attempts to reconnect with a guy she met by chance the previous winter. But just as in A Christmas Carol and It's a Wonderful Life, a twist of fate and a little magical intervention restore our heroine's belief in the Christmas spirit, after all.

Their record label had asked each of its punk bands to write a Christmas song for a holiday album. "A Christmas album? On a hipster label? Come on. Never happened," says Butler, giving the raspberry. "They were extreme individuals," he says of the label's roster.

Then again, the band itself was once a myth.

While Butler was a musician playing, he wrote songs for a make-believe side group. "I came up with the name `the Waitresses' because it just sounded kind of New Wavey," he says. "It was all a big joke."

But when industry people in New York expressed serious interest in I Know What Boys Like, Butler quickly cobbled together a formal Waitresses lineup. Many of the musicians Butler recruited were Midwesterners who, like himself, gravitated to New York. Meanwhile, Donahue was still in Ohio.

A free spirit who was in and out of college when she wasn't working waitress jobs, she decided to come along for the ride. "I gave her my last 50 bucks, put her on the Greyhound bus, she kissed her boyfriend goodbye, and she decided to come to New York. What the hell?"

The Waitresses officially debuted as a real, fully organized band at Little Club 57 at 57 St. Mark's Place on Jan 3, 1981. Months of playing everywhere - and I Know What Boys Like still wasn't making much of a dent.

In they came from the road in August 1981, exhausted, discouraged and not exactly in the Christmas spirit. Butler wrote Christmas Wrapping in about a week, put together from what he calls his "riff pile" - cassettes with bits and pieces of songs he wrote, for a rainy day. Some of the lyrics were written in the cab, en route to the studio. He credits his fellow musicians with adding brilliant flourishes to his basic musical arrangement. And, of course, he credits Donahue - the least experienced band member with the highest visibility.

"This is what she brought to the party: She was very smart. She was very funny. She was a very good actress. Great sense of humor, great timing. This was not the world's greatest vocalist, but she could get inside these lines and act them out, with a cigarette, and be my kind of favourite 1930s tough broad in all those Depression-era movies. She could do that kind of tough, tough, been-there, done-that, you-can't-fool-me kind of woman."

Two days of recording, and Christmas Wrapping was in the can. Back out on the road they went, forgetting all about it - until it started getting radio play come Christmas season. It was a weird way to have a hit.

"We had to play the song up until, like, June. And we had to capitalize on it - `Hi, this is our new album. We're the people who did that song back at Christmas,'" he says. "I am an official one-hit wonder. Except I have two half-hits: The Christmas song, and I Know What Boys Like, which never quite broke through but never quite went away."

Though they were seemingly gaining momentum, what happens next isn't quite the magical happy ending of Christmas tales. "We ran out of gas," he says about working on their next album. "We had a huge deadline. Huge pressure. And she (Donahue) said, `The hell with it'."

Then in the mid-90s, this Christmas tale comes to an even less happy ending.

"I found out she was sick, through a friend. I immediately called her. We kind of kissed and made up. I asked if there was anything I could do. We had a couple of phone conversations." Donahue died of lung cancer on Dec. 9, 1996, at age 40.

And as for Christmas? He has a bit of a different perspective on it, now. Especially when he's rushing around doing errands and suddenly hears his song on the radio, after all these years.

"Who'd have thunk it? Yeah. Holy cow," he says of its longevity. "Miracles do happen. It's MY Christmas miracle. And it slaps me around and says, `Lighten up. It's Christmas'."



A link to the original article

Merry Christmas or whatever holiday you're celebrating!
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OlderMusicGeek's Christmas QuickMix

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MUSIC: My Favorite Song of the Day (That I Haen't Mentioned Already) - Feb 11, 2007 –“The Time Warp (Remix)” from The Rocky Horror Picture Show

This is from me, not some reprinted article. - OlderMusicGeek

This is an 1989 remix of the song that was on the version of the cd that I found at my local library.

There are about 10 million cd’s with different versions of the soundtrack to the movie. I’m not exactly sure which one I have!

But I should admit from the start here that I am, more or less, a virgin. It’s a sad thing to admit in your mid-40’s – especially considering that I’ve been married and have a kid!

Although I’ve had seen the movie, I haven’t been to one of the wild and proper shows. I’ve seen it on tv twice and went to see it in the theater once but there was hardly anyone there so no one did the performances.

And now in my mid-40’s, I’d feel a little awkward going to one of the shows. Maybe I’ll go to one of the anniversary showings – when there will be older folks like myself there. Go with my daughter and embarrass her or something.


Well, what can I say about “The Time Warp”? Anyone who’s been to the movie knows what a great tune it is. But since I have a job here to do, I’ll try to describe it.

First off, there’s that guitar that sounds like a train careening down a hill to a bridge that has collapsed.

Then of course we have that rough voice coming in talking about how madness is taking its toll but he somehow has to keep control. And he’s joined by a vampirella voice, hers slowly drawn out complementing his biting style.

Then suddenly he whips into a heavy metal scream over this wonderful boogie-woogie piano, giving it an almost 50s feel. And on the remix, there’s this wonderful, syncopated snare drum added. Then a chorus of dominantly females joyously singing about doing the time warp again.

This is followed by the contradiction of a stuffy professor type telling us that it’s only a jump to left, while a rowdy chorus of gals in a 50’s style yell that it’s then step to the ri-i-i-ight.

Then after another exchange between Mr 70’s-Rock Word-Biting Singer and Vampirella, we bring in the 40s with a fun nasally singer – apparently mixing the 50s and 70s in one song isn’t enough. Plus, what’s a little tap dancing too?!

This remix adds a few quotes from the movie, without overdoing it and dragging it out too long.

Then the professor and the chorus bring us into the wonderful run out of energy finish!

Beautiful and too much fun!

A link to the Rocky Horror website

A link to My Favorite Song of the Day posts

MUSIC: My Favorite Song of the Day (That I Haven't Mentioned Already) - Feb 10, 2007 – “I’m Waiting for the Man” by The Velvet Underground

This is from me, not some reprinted article. - OlderMusicGeek

My older brother had been a Velvet Underground fan for quite some time, and although I liked them, they didn't do much for me. I guess that they were a little too weird and different for my taste back then.

But in college, as I heard what an influence that they were on so many of the alternative music artists I liked, I went back to them, and found them very appealing.

The Velvet Underground was a band so many years ahead of their time that it’s not even funny. They were doing stuff that Joy Division and other bands would be doing 10 years later. The Velvet Underground were contemporaries of The Beatles and Beach Boys, for the god’s sake! And bands like Jesus and the Mary Chain, Stereolab and The Raveonettes owe a big debt to them!

Funny enough, “I’m Waiting for the Man” is one of their more poppy songs. Of course, talking about one of The Velvet Underground’s more poppy style songs is like talking about one of Picasso’s more conventional paintings – it would still be pretty different and weird.

The song, though a bit bizarre sounding, is really quite simple.

Starts off with this great, discordant piano, riffing on a short string of notes, with a guitar picking away on accompanying riff.

Then we got Lou Reed easing in with his unique vocal style.

I have to admit that I didn’t know for a number of years that Lou was singing about a guy waiting for his drug dealer. I just thought it was about a guy in a bad neighborhood wishing his friend would hurry up and show. – I can be very naïve. I don’t deny it! –

But as the song goes on, the piano picks up power and is join by a great jangly rhythm guitar. And Lou begins to slowly add tension to his voice, while still letting his voice just slowly pull the song along.

Then we close with this really discordant piano to a fade.

Very simple, but so extremely effective. Different and weird, but catchy and riffy. And just plain amazing!


A Velvet Underground web site

A link to My Favorite Song of the Day posts

MUSIC: My Favorite Song of the Day (That I Haven't Mentioned Already) - Feb 9, 2007 - "Love You More" by Buzzcocks

This is from me, not some reprinted article. - OlderMusicGeek

I have to admit that until recently that I'd never heard that much of Buzzcocks' stuff.

I mean I always liked what I heard. I just, for some reason, never got around to listening to more of their stuff. I don't why since I really liked the stuff I had heard.

But finally, I downloaded their singles collection, Singles Going Steady. - I know, I love the title too! -

And I loved everything I've heard so far. - And no, I haven't listened to the whole cd. Sorry, people, but I love shuffle, and I love hearing a whole variety of music. That's why I got a 30 gig mp3 player. And will get a 80 gig one of these days! -

So this song actually isn't one of their great tunes. Which, of course, brings up why is it on My Favorite Song of the Day. What can I say? I had a busy day and didn't listen to much music this Saturday, so this was the best song I heard.

I mean it's a good song and a fun song. It's got all of the Buzzcocks' great sound going for it. That speed driven punk guitar work, the usual hard slapping punk bass, and the pound-pound throw-in-a-few-cymbals punk drumming. Along with Peter Shelley's fun lyrics and singing. And some nice melodies and harmonies going for it too.

The ending is kind of annoying, because it sounds like your cd player died.

But like, I said, the main problem with this song is that Buzzcocks have better tunes. This song only gives you a taste of what Buzzcocks are capable of. So if you like this song, I strongly recommend that you try some of their other stuff.




A link to the Buzzcocks web site

A link to My Favorite Song of the Day posts

MUSIC: My Favorite Song of the Day (That I Haven't Mentioned Already) - Feb 7, 2007 - "Boys Don't Cry" by The Cure

This from me, NOT some reprinted article. - OlderMusicGeek

This was always one of my favorite songs in college! And whenever I hear it, it takes me back to those days.

I have to admit, though, I’m not a big Cure fan and a lot of their music doesn’t do that much for me. But I love their “hits” – if I can really call them that, since they were never that big here in the States. Well, at least not outside of the new wave/punk crowd.

But this is just so fun! Kind of strange to say about a sad, break up song, but it’s true.

There’s that great jangling guitar going through the song, with that wonderful riff coming in every once and a while. And although there’s nothing fantastic about the drumming, it works for the song, keeps it going along and to quote American Bandstand dancers, it’s got a great beat to dance to. And I love a funky bass line!


And this song was rather important to me in my college days. Although it is supposed to be a break up song, and I knew it was a break up song, I still kind of reinterpreted it as an unrequited love song.

I would tell you
That I loved you
If I thought that you would stay
But I know that it's no use
That you've already
Gone away

Unfortunately, it’s pretty much only the chorus that can be reinterpreted that way. But as I never even had a girlfriend until after college – yeah, yeah, I know – it was about the only way I could relate to the song.

And it was just as well that I made into an unrequited love song. I listened to mostly on this mixed tape a friend, Will, made of the music of our other friend, Jan. And Will and I both had a big crush on Jan, but she liked both of us only as friends.

But it was a good friendship and the 3 of us saw a lot great shows together in college. And this song reminds me of those good times. How can I resist a great song to dance with wonderful great parts that reminds me of happy days?


But before I finish this piece, I should talk about the role this song played after I asked my ex for divorce. Things were rather bitter – I wanted the divorce and she didn’t. And she felt used, abused and discarded after putting so much effort in the marriage. I felt exhausted, tired and frustrated at making something that wasn’t working well work at all.

So anyway, I heard this song – and I guessed it finally let me look a little more understanding at what my ex was going through and why she was so upset. And although she wasn’t a boy, she was tough and didn’t like showing her emotions.

Misjudged your limits
Pushed you too far
Took you for granted
I thought that you needed me more

Now I would do most anything
To get you back by my side
But I just
Keep on laughing
Hiding the tears in my eyes
'cause boys don't cry
Boys don't cry
Boys don't cry


A link to My Favorite Song of the Day posts

A link to The Cure web site