(The Wedding Present’s David Gedge)

And here are today’s seasonal pickings, courtesy of the USB turntable, and many years spent hanging around record shops…

First up, the Wedding Present. As has been well documented over the years, back in 1992, the Wedding Present released one 7″ a month, in a limited edition of 10,000. They all made the UK Top 30, and the A-side was a weddoes composition, the b-side a cover. Amongst the songs that made the b-sides over the course of that year were the Go-Betweens’ ‘Cattle and Cane,’ Isaac Hayes’ ‘Theme From Shaft,’ and Bow Wow Wow’s ‘Go Wild In The Country.’ For their Christmas single, it was inevitable that there would be a Christmas cover, and so it was that The wedding Present ended up covering Elton John.

Wedding Present -‘No Christmas.’mp3

Wedding Present -‘Step Into Christmas (Elton John cover).’ mp3

A few days ago, one of my older students, who has long chatted with me about music revealed that he had bought a couple of White Stripes’ 7″ singles, at £30, including this one, billed as ‘Merry Christmas From The White Stripes.’ ‘Ah yes, I said, ‘ I bought that one when it first came out.’ ‘I bet it only cost you a pound!’ he said, slightly agonised. Well, no, £3, if memory serves. It’s not particularly Christmassy, but I guess it came out for Christmas. The b-side features Jack White reading from Luke’s Gospel about the coming of The Magi (The Three Wise Men) and then Meg attempting to sing Silent Night. It’s more of a curio than essential listening, so here is the a-side:

White Stripes -‘Candy Cane Girl.’ mp3

I first heard this track, ‘Christmas Wrapping’ at some point in the late 90s. It had been a no.45 hit in the UK in December 82, the only time the band ever charted in the UK. the drummer was Billy Ficca who had been in Television. I still think it sounds like Blondie -in a good way. It’s now been on several Christmas compilations over the years, and I eventually found a copy for myself in a charity shop in 2003, on 12″ (also found an LP version of Songs The Lord Taught Us by The Cramps there that very day, too(I’m easily pleased). This is the 12″ version, Enjoy!

Waitresses -‘Christmas Wrapping (Long Version).’ mp3

And there will be more tomorrow…