The ACME Eagle Hand Soap Radio Hour (254)

Thank you for joining us today

Before our feature presentation, ACME would like to start the evening with another Looney Tunes Bugs Bunny cartoon, the 1960 Lighter Than Hare, (featuring Yosemite Sam,) directed by Friz Freleng.



This is Friz Freleng's first science-fiction cartoon, and the first time Yosemite Sam is a spaceman.

Before the start of our feature presentation, ACME Eagle Hand Soap would like to shaer with you their annual salute to the holidays via Rock and Roll (well, some Rock and Roll). First up - Do you hear what I hear?: Female Performers:


Run Rudolph Run   Norah Jones –



Chuck Berry based this tale on Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, giving Rudolph a bit of an attitude as he delivers the toys. Unlike Santa, however, Rudolph is copyrighted, and Berry had to give the publishing rights to Johnny Marks, who wrote the original Rudolph. Perhaps if Berry had used "Randolph" (another reindeer he mentions), he could have kept the publishing.


I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas    Lake Street Dive –



The original 1953 record by 10 year old Gayla Peevey is a Dr. Demento Christmas staple, and is currently available on his album The Greatest Novelty Records of All Time Vol. 6: Christmas.


Snow   Tracy Thorn –



This song is one of many songs Randy Newman wrote in the days before he became a recording artist of his own songs and was writing songs for other artists to record. Another beautiful version of the song was recorded (but never original released) by Harry Nilsson. Newman has never recorded the song himself.


2000 Miles   The Pretenders -



While many people believe the song's title and lyrics refer to two long-distance lovers who miss each other over the holidays, it was actually written for James Honeyman-Scott, the group's original guitarist, who died the year before the song was released.


Silent Night    Annie Lennox -



It is believed that the carol has been translated into over 300 languages around the world, and it is one of the most popular carols of all time.


Merry Christmas Baby   Sheryl Crow -



Although the song is credited to Johnny Moore and Lou Baxter, blues songwriter and singer Charles Brown insisted he was really the song's co-writer, not Moore.


And of course the holiday favorite - Christmas Wrapping    The Waitresses -



When Chris Butler wrote this song, he was not feeling very festive. The Waitresses were signed to ZE Records, whose boss, Michael Zilkha, asked the bands on his roster to each come up with a Christmas song that would go on a holiday compilation issued by the label. The Waitresses were in the middle of a grueling tour, and weren't happy about the task, especially since it was July and they weren't exactly in the Christmas spirit. Butler was a notorious Scrooge, so this was a particularly daunting task. He banged out the song very quickly, writing the last of the lyrics in a taxi from his apartment in New York to Electric Lady Studios, where they recorded it. The end result was a very uplifting Christmas song with a happy ending.


As always, ACME wants you to join them in celebrating the holidays with your friends at The ACME Eagle Hand Soap Radio Hour - the official soap of our nation's bald eagles. Remember if your bald eagle's talons are filthy, do we have a soap for you! We are smack dab in the middle of the holiday season, given Christmas is a mere week away! Why join The ACME Eagle Hand Soap Radio Hour in celebrating that How the Grinch Stole Christmas! written by Theodor "Dr. Seuss" Geisel was published as a book by Random House in December of 1957. The book criticizes the commercialization of Christmas and the holiday season.

Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! the CBS animated special based on the book of the same title by Theodor Geisel (better known as Dr. Seuss), directed by legendary cartoon director Chuck Jones, premiered on this date. The ACME Eagle Hand Soap Radio Hour would like you to join us in watching this fun holiday special, so push away from pile of gifts you are wrapping, if you can, get comfortable and enjoy the show.



The special is notably the first prime-time animated television special based on a Dr. Seuss book, it features narration by Boris Karloff (who also voiced the title character) and music written by Albert Hague. Here's a brief interview with Chuck Jones involvement with the special -



Boris Karloff was picked to voice the Grinch after Chuck Jones heard a recording of him reading Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book stories (which Jones was a fan of).

Here's a 'making of' documentary of the special, hosted by the late Phil Hartman -



and finally some very rare original commercials from the original broadcast -



Much like the Coca Cola sponsor plugs from A Charlie Brown Christmas, the original broadcast of How The Grinch Stole Christmas was sponsored by the Foundation for Full Service Banks and featured plugs for them at the beginning and end of the special. These have since been edited out of subsequent airings and are quite difficult to find, however they recently resurfaced in 2021.



So, welcome, Christmas, bring your cheer. Cheer to all Whos far and near. Christmas Day is in our grasp, so long as we have hands to clasp. Christmas Day will always be just as long as we have we. Welcome Christmas while we stand, heart to heart, and hand in hand.

Demand Euphoria!