Brian Setzer - Run Rudolph Run

The song "Run Rudolph Run" has become a Christmas classic, and is one of the most recognizable rock 'n' roll Christmas songs. The song was popularized by Chuck Berry, and it was originally released in 1958 as a b-side to Berry's version of "Merry Christmas, Baby".
The song has been covered by an endless list of performers, including: Lynrd Skynrd, Sheryl Crow, Keith Richards, Foghat, Billy Idol, Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem and a supergroup consisting of Lemmy Kilmister, Billy Gibbons and Dave Grohl, to only name a few.
I think that Brian Setzer and his orchestra do a fantastic job with the song, they play it like straight forward happy 50's rock 'n' roll which fits the song very well.
Below is the Lemmy, Gibbons and Grohl version embeded, it's a good version too, but I still prefer Setzer's version, but they're both good.


Enjoy ; )

Eric Clapton - Christmas Tears

This is a performance by Eric Clapton playing the Christmas song "Christmas Tears". The concert footage is from a benefit for The Special Olympics, and it is shot in Washington D.C. in December of 1998. President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary were present, and they held the benefit.
There were many different acts present at the concert, and the year after the concert, a CD of the concert was released. (Click here to go to purchase a copy of the CD).
Other acts at the concert were: Mary J. Blige, Jon Bon Jovi, Tracy Chapman, Sheryl Crow, John Popper, Run–D.M.C. and Vanessa Williams
On Clapton's part this is a pretty standard blues tune, singing about loneliness and missing some one at Christmas. It doesn't have bells and all that, and in some ways it's not that uplifting, but I still think it's a pretty good song. Maybe just because it isn't your typical overproduced pop song, but a good blues song that just happens to be about Christmas.
It's a really good performance on Clapton's part, of a good and a little untraditional Christmas song.

Enjoy ; )