December in the D.C. area means crowded streets, wild changes in weather, and the endless string of holiday songs on local radio stations (I’m not leaving you out of this, SiriusXM!). The holiday music includes the usual suspects who are known to many audiences only by their Christmas music. Andy Williams, Bing Crosby, Gene Autry, hey, even Wham!
That got me thinking about which artists were only successful with Christmas tunes. Not the ones who are BEST known for the tinsel and mistletoe, but the ones who are ONLY known for it. One-hit wonders are everywhere. Here are a few we only hear during the holidays. Let me know who I missed. Here we go, in no particular order:
1. Band-Aid – “Do They Know Its Christmas”
I know, that’s kind of cheating because this was a one-time gathering specifically for Christmas, but it’s the most obvious choice. Besides, I don’t think Boy George has ever appeared on this blog before. Now, he can tell everyone he has. Put that on your LinkedIn profile, my friend. I love how intensely Bono is staring at the lyrics at 1:37. It’s one line. You can probably remember it. (I’m kidding. I do the same thing when I’m recording. It’s embarassing.)
2. Thurl Ravenscroft – “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch”
This is not James Earl Jones. It’s a white guy from Nebraska who did a ton of voiceover work for Disney. He was also Tony the Tiger. You can still hear his voice on several rides in Disneyworld, including Pirates of the Caribbean and The Haunted Mansion. This song’s been covered a million times. Darius Rucker does a good job on his cover.
3. The Waitresses – “Christmas Wrapping”
My favorite on the list because this song just screams the 80’s. That’s BEFORE you see the video. Songwriter Chris Butler reportedly slapped the song together from some leftover riffs and finished the lyrics in the cab on the way to the studio.
4. Elmo and Patsy – “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer”
This song was originally the subject of huge debates. We debated a lot of silly things in the 80’s. Madonna wasn’t the only polarizing figure. People would call in to radio stations in protest of Elmo and Patsy. Before we had the Internet, we had to keep ourselves entertained somehow.
Note: There are a ton I’m missing, but “I Believe in Father Christmas” doesn’t qualify. That’s by Greg Lake, of Emerson, Lake and Palmer, and King Crimson. So, definitely not a one-hit wonder, but I was listening to that when I thought of this list. (I’m kidding. I was binge-listening to The Waitresses.)
What did I miss?