Happy Birthday Frosty

Another Rankin/Bass production, Frosty the Snowman,

premiered on CBS-TV on this date.



This was Jimmy Durante's final film (not counting documentaries and one short film appearance).


The original recording of Frosty The Snowman by Gene Autry was his seasonal follow-up to his successful recording of Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer in 1949.



This time he peaked at #7 in December 1950.


The Snowman in July (1944)



The film uses music and animal sounds, but little to no dialogue. The only spoken words are the snowman's dying song: "Da ist der Sommer meines Lebens..." (German: "that's the summer of my life")


Frosty The Snowman (1953)



This short was commissioned by music publishers Hill & Range in 1950. They provided animation studio United Productions of America (UPA) a finished recording for the soundtrack. The short cost $7,500 to produce and was made for television showings to promote the song.


Snowman's Dilemma (1960)




The Snowman (1982)



When this program first aired on PBS stations in the United States, the introduction featured a newly filmed introduction by David Bowie instead of Raymond Briggs on the grounds that the animation needed a star.


Before you go - I couldn't resist this mashup of I Melt With You and Frosty The Snowman by Les Skivvies



I should have known what the costumes for The Skivvies were going to be.

I will not play the songs featuring Olaf from Frozen (the earworms they cause has led to a UN report being issued concerning possible war crime being committed by yours truly.) Really, don't bother to look for them if you can help yourself.


The family you come from isn't as important as the family you're going to have.

No family is perfect - Even kids abused by their domineering father



Today's second Christmas special - A Beach Boys Christmas


Toy Drive Public Service Announcement




Little Saint Nick -



The "Run run, reindeer" line was copped from Chuck Berry's song Run Rudolph Run, where Berry sings, "Run run, Rudolph." By making the reindeer generic, The Beach Boys avoided copyright issues - Berry had to turn over royalties to his song to the creator the Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer story.


The Man With All The Toys -



As a single in 1964, the song had limited success (No. 6 on the Billboard Christmas chart), but built sales over successive Christmases and is listed by Billboard in the Top 100 selling Christmas songs in history.


Merry Christmas, Baby -



In Germany, three years after the album's initial release, Merry Christmas, Baby was a surprise selection for a holiday single.


Christmas Day -



Christmas Day was Al Jardine's first lead vocal on a Beach Boys record, but in less than a year his voice would be heard again — on the group's Number One hit, Help Me, Rhonda.


Another Christmas song they got around to sing in between the verbal abuse from their father

Santa's Beard -



On Santa's Beard, the Beach Boys themselves provide the song's instrumentation. Although Brian often used studio musicians to lay down instrumental tracks for the Beach Boys to sing over, the group was quite capable of doing the job themselves.


There is no place like home for the holiday.

Demand Euphoria!

Who's got a big red cherry nose?

December 6 -
It's the Feast of Saint Nicholas (yes, that St. Nick.)



Amongst other things, he is the patron saint of children and was known for his generosity. He's also known as the patron saint of sailors, fishermen, merchants, the falsely accused, prostitutes (Huh), repentant thieves, pharmacists and broadcasters.



The biggest gift he ever gave was to a poor man and his three daughters. The man had no dowry to pay for his daughters and was worried that if they never married they would have no choice but to become prostitutes. Hearing this, Saint Nicholas visited the poor man at night and anonymously threw three purses filled with gold through his window. Because of this, he became the patron saint of pawnbrokers. Traditionally, three golden baubles are hung in the window of pawn shops to represent the three purses of money.

Let's check out some other ways St. Nick has been portrayed:

Evolution of Santa Claus -




Santa School -




Santa Claus' Workshop (1950)




Careless Santa  They Might Be Giants -




'Zat You Santa Claus  Louis Armstrong -




Today is the 58th anniversary of the original broadcast of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, so we have another Christmas video countdown today - Rudolph!



Rudolph was born 83 years ago this Christmas season, at the Montgomery Ward department store headquarters in Chicago. He was the star of a humble coloring book, written by a copywriter, Robert May, who almost named the protagonist “Reginald.” May, who’d been lonely as a child, based the character on himself. Store executives fretted that shoppers might think Rudolph’s nose was red because he was drunk, but something about Rudolph’s story spoke to people. He was an outcast, down on his luck. When Santa gave him a job (it was the Great Depression, after all)—well, something clicked.

That Christmas, the company passed out two and a half million copies of the book


Original Rankin/Bass Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer end credits (in black and white)




Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer (1944) -




Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer  Gene Autry -




Rudolph (You Don't Have to Put On The Red Light)




various commercials feature Rudolph and his friends -












Bad Lip Reading Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer



(Be very afraid when the misfit toys gang up on up.)

There are 12 days until Hanukkah,
Christmas is in 19 days!

Demand Euphoria!

I refuse to play 'Have a Cheeky Christmas'

Today's holiday special - Really Bad Christmas songs.

I received word from medical authorities that I should avoid posting Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer. It would be considered risky given your mental state.



Duly noted.


Rock and Roll Santa  Jan Terri -



Please don't get me wrong - this is bad. Really bad. Spectacularly bad. And yet, Ms. Terri is very well known as an 'Outsider Rock and Roll' performer and there are people posting on the web that this is one of their favorite holiday songs. It's starting to have an Ed Wood, Plan Nine From Outer Space feel to it.


Christmas Cookies   RuPaul -



There are certain words you never want to hear in a holiday song: "Finger-licking," "back door," "piping hot," "loving oven," and "Dutch oven." Because nothing says Christmas like a fart joke.


Don't Shoot Me Santa   The Killers -



Another holiday song that no one asked for - a murderous boy pleading with Santa to not shoot him. But they, there are folks who love this one.


Spin Me a Christmas   Aqua –



First Barbie Girl in 1997 then 12 years later this. It's just a Scandinavian nightmare.


Dominick the Donkey   Lou Monte -



Just say no.


We'll end with our perennial favorite -



What list of cheesy holiday songs would be complete without this wretched dreck concerning a filthy child's odd foot fetish (especially since it centers around his dying mother) - always an uplifting tune.



But I will give Patton Oswald the final word on the subject.



Demand Euphoria!

It's that time of year

Without any further ado - the true cost of Christmas)

OK kids, PNC bank has reported that there is a 10.5% increase in the price of the items needed for the 12 days of Christmas (compared to the 2021 pandemic prices). It is the third highest year-over-year increase in the index's history. In the 39th year of their survey, PNC has found that the 12 items come out to a grand total of $45,523.27,; a $4,3,27.69 increase from 2021. The cost of this year's CPI increase was driven by pandemic-related supply chain disruptions and elevated energy and commodity prices impacting the cost of goods and services. (I did not know this but you do not get any bargains by purchases these item online; buying all 12 items from the comfort of your living room would cost you $49,663.73, ($4,064.64 more than in-store purchases.) an increase of 8.19% from the 2021s on-line total of $45,599.09.



These prices are, of course, just for one verse of the song. If you add up the total cost of all the items from the entire song (what PNC Wealth Management calls “The True Cost of Christmas”) it would surmount $197,071.09, a 9.8% increase from 2021!

So it stands to reason that today's holiday theme is - The Twelve Days Of Cristmas

The 12 Days Of Christmas -




12 Drinks of Christmas  Fay McKay -




Christmas Countdown   Frank Kelly-




The 12 Days of Christmas A Tale of Avian Misery -




The 12 Gifts of Christmas   Allan Sherman -




The Twelve Days of Yaksmas -




Simon's Cat 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS -

Demand Euphoria!

ACME Eagle Hand Soap Radio Hour Today (305)

Thank you for joining us today

ACME commemorates the anniversary of St. Elvis' comeback with their annual tribute -

Touch but his sweat soaked leather raiments and be made whole again:

Today's holiday theme - It's an Elvis Christmas today


If Every Day Was Like Christmas -




Merry Christmas Baby -




I Believe -




Santa Claus Is Back in Town -




Oh Little Town of Bethlehem -




Christmas Duets -




If you find yourself all tingly in your bulbous naughty bits;

you're listening to Elvis; he understands.


Before our feature presentation, ACME would like to start the evening with a holiday favorite the 1932 Disney short Mickey's Good Deed, directed by Burt Gillette.



Mickey's Good Deed is the second Mickey Mouse cartoon with a Christmas theme. The first one was, Mickey's Orphans, which premiered in 1931.


We're guessing that you are starting to decorate the house for the holidays this weekend. The programming department of The ACME Eagle Hand Soap Radio Hour would like to help get you into the mood. They thought to dust off this funny but surprisingly forgotten 1945 Barbara Stanwyck classic, Christmas in Connecticut. Bette Davis was originally cast as Elizabeth early in 1944, but Barbara Stanwyck replaced her in April of that same year. The main character, a homemaking specialist who can't boil water, is partially based on the then popular Family Circle Magazine columnist Gladys Taber, who lived on Stillmeadow Farm in Connecticut.. So we would like you to relax (quick, find the most comfortable seat on the sofa,) get a snack (perhaps, some popcorn,) and a beverage and join The ACME Eagle Hand Soap Radio Hour in watching Christmas in Connecticut.



Just before this film, Barbara Stanwyck had starred in Billy Wilder's Double Indemnity, in which she played a seductress who lures a man into helping murder her husband. The clothes for that film were created by Paramount's resident designer Edith Head, and Stanwyck was so impressed with how attractive Head's outfits made her look in that film that she insisted Warners hire Head to design her gowns for this film as well.



Demand Euphoria!

Wish you a very merry, cherry cherry Christmas

This is the ACME staff's favorite holiday game -

Guess The Theme


Santa Baby -



Along with I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, this was one of the first Christmas novelty songs. Christmas songs written at the time tended to be nostalgic looks at the holiday or kid's songs, but this one took a different approach, with Eartha Kitt singing about how she's been good all year and expects some very expensive gifts to appear, including a fur coat, a new coat and even a yacht. This girl has expensive taste.


(There’s No Place Like) Home For The Holidays -



The song was recorded twice by Perry Como. Once in 1954, and released as a single for Christmas. The second time was in 1959 and has appeared on many compilations records.


Silver Bells



This Christmas classic was written by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans for the 1951 Bob Hope movie The Lemon Drop Kid. The song was inspired by the Salvation Army bell ringers around the city. The following year Bing Crosby, together with Carol Richards recorded the first recorded version.


I'll be Home For Christmas -



This song quickly became one of America's most popular holiday songs along with White Christmas, which Bing Crosby had also recorded. The song particularly struck a nerve with overseas GIs and their families awaiting their return from serving their country in World War II. The GI magazine said Crosby accomplished more for military morale than anyone else of that era.


It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year -



Over the years, this song has become an enduring holiday standard with covers by several artists for their Christmas albums, including Johnny Mathis, Amy Grant, Vince Gill, Garth Brooks, Paul Anka, and Chicago, to name a few.

Remember, there is no prize for guessing the theme, except for the pride you can have within yourself

Demand Euphoria!

The holidays during wartime –

Ike was absolutely correct, we truly need to beware ‘the military-industrial complex.’ I had been highly suspicious of the follow statistic – the US has been involved in some form of ‘armed military‘ conflicts 228 out of the 245 years of it’s existence. But I’ve tracked it across a number of different sources, for example 1, 2 & 3, and a consensus seems to be that we are a very war-like nation. So it is very easy to see how the true reason for the holidays is lost in the fog of war –

The Christmas Truce on the Western Front of 1914 –




I'm Sending A Letter To Santa Claus Vera Lynn -




World War II Christmas Radio with Ginger Rogers




Christmas message 1952 -




There's Peace In Korea Sister Rosetta Tharpe -




Christmas in Viet Nam Soul Searchers -




I Want To Come Home For Christmas Marvin Gaye –



What set the Christmas songs of the Vietnam War apart was their naked honesty concerning the plight of the soldier. These guys weren’t very happy to be there – at least, they didn’t stay that way very long after going “in country.”


Bob Hope USO Christmas Special from the Persian Gulf –




Christmas in Fallujah  Billy Joel –




Christmas Day from Afghanistan 2017 –




Happy Xmas (War Is Over) –





Demand Euphoria!