F16C Christmas Week Pt1 – James Brown – Santa Claus Go Straight To the Ghetto
Ho Ho Hyeaahhh!
Listen/Download – James Brown – Santa Claus Go Straight To the Ghetto
Greetings all.
The time has come, as it does once a year for yours truly to let loose with the Ho Ho Hos and the jingle bells and what not on account of the fact that Christmas is approaching rapidly.
As has been mentioned here before, this is a multi-religious household, with myself representing the (extremely) lapsed-Catholic and my wife repping the Jewish and the Little Corners an interfaith bouillabaisse, their eyes and hearts filled to bursting with the childhood wonder of the season.
Which is really what it’s all about, at least from my vantage point, where what I want is no more or less than their happiness, and my wife’s good health.
You know that I’ve mentioned here (every single Christmas since this blog has been extant) that I have never been a prodigious collector of holiday music. Whether this has to do with my acceptance (almost at the DNA level) of the cheesy/classic seasonal sounds of my childhood, to the point where I can sit back and take some comfort in the sound of the voices of Andy Williams or Jim Nabors (and surprisingly enough, I can), or that seeing limited appeal/value in holiday music, I’d rather spend my money on reg’lar old soul and funk is in the end meaningless, since there always seems to be something cool dropping in from the margins to satisfy the Funky Kringle in us all.
I bring you today’s selection in particular because it is a favorite of bot myself and my wife, and naturally because it is a very groovy, upbeat and cheerful Christmas offering from Mr Please Please Please (HO HO HO?) himself, James Brown.
When I listen to ‘Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto’, I realize that what we get with this record is both funky and danceable, but also poignant, especially in these days where there’s a tent city of homeless families not 10 miles from my warm, toasty house, and Mr Brown was thinking of how this, the most precious of holidays for children especially, could be rough for the poorest among us, and we should remember that while we listen to this song.
We should also remember that James Brown, who gave us such a great Christmas song, left us on that very day five years ago.
So dig the tune (there’ll be many old faves dropping as the week progresses) and remember that not everyone has the wherewithal to have a groovy holiday.
So try to remember that even if you are (like me) not a religious person, that the Christmas season can just be about brotherhood in the general ‘Family of Man’ sense, which is cool too, especially when times are tough (which they are for so many).
See you on tomorrow.
Peace
Larry
Also, make sure that you check out the POAC link below (click on the logo). It’s a fantastic organization that provides services to our local autism community, with education and recreational events, and any contribution you could make would be greatly appreciated.
If you want one of the new Funky16Corners stickers (free, of course) click here for info.
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Christmas, Funk, Funk 45, Funky16Corners, James Brown, Soul, Soul 45
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Christmas, Funk, Funky16Corners, Soul
Themocracy
I love this song! Thanks for all the joy you’ve brought this year.
x
DL
Hard to believe it’s been five years… all the best to you and the family this Holiday Season!
Same to you and yours Red!
I’m not religious as you, but I like this days to stay with family… So have fun this holidays!
This tune brings it home on many levels, all right. Thanks for the post. All the best to you and your family for health and happiness this holiday season and in the coming year.
What I dig about your blog, Larry, is that you not only bring the funk, you have a unique way with words: the world would be a better place if we were all an interfaith bouillabaisse. Cheers to you and yours from me and mine.
Thanks JB!
Soulful Christmas is my fave JB christmas slice. Clyde’s drumming, well, what do I have to say?