“I’m really gonna miss it, all the treasure and the trash,
And later in the evening, I can just imagine,
You’ll put on Junior Murvin and push the tables back…”
“How To Make Gravy” [Paul Kelly - 1996]
Another year of Just Released is all but done ‘n’ dusted.
The tinsel and champagne corks have been cleared away after last week’s ‘Best Of 2013 JR Awards®’ and preparations are now underway for the next celebration: The3rd Annual JR ‘Christmas Special’.
From Studio B on the 4th floor of the historic Abernathy Building, we’re approaching this “most wonderful time of the year” from a slightly skewed angle to present a selection of Christmas music for people who don’t like Christmas music. The weather man assures it won’t be anything like the proverbial White Christmas around here (if it is, we’re in real trouble) so we’ve eschewed the idea (as well as the song) in favour of seasonal tunes that are somewhat more universally inclusive. Absent, are “chestnuts roasting on an open fire”, snowmen who go by the name of “Frosty” and reindeer, no matter what colour their nose might be. In their place, we have The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl with one of the greatest Christmas songs ever - Ray Charles proving he could sing any kind of fluff and make it his own - and the hardest workin’ man in show business, James Brown using a Christmas song to thank his fans, pimp his records and plug his concerts. (Lest we forget, James Brown died on Christmas Day seven years ago).
American a cappella group Straight No Chaser rework two Christmas classics in this edition, incorporating the original voices of Paul McCartney and Otis Redding.
Making his first-ever seasonal record this year was the always affable Nick Lowe. His tongue-in-cheek, “Christmas At The Airport” featured in JR a couple of editions back but also from his ‘Quality Street’ album is an old favourite from the ‘60s written by Joe South (“Old Toy Trains”). Another notable cover is Linda Ronstadt’s version of Joni Mitchell’s “River”, a song highlighting that for some at least, Christmas can also be a time of great loneliness.
Along with Joni, another songwriter with unimpeachable credentials is Paul Simon, whose song “Getting Ready For Christmas Day” samples a sermon by Baptist preacher and gospel singer, the Reverend J.M. Gates from 1941. Meanwhile, one of Australia’s greatest songwriters, Paul Kelly will always be known for “How To Make Gravy” viewing Christmas from the perspective of a man behind bars.
This is the final edition of Just Released for 2013 but we will be back early next year for season 4.
Wherever you happen to be this Christmas, we hope you enjoy the break.
Both Bill and myself wish you all the best for the season and a for prosperous and happy year ahead.
Stay frosty…
The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl: “Fairytale Of New York”
Straight No Chaser featuring Paul McCartney: “Wonderful Christmastime”
Straight No Chaser featuring Otis Redding: “Merry Christmas Baby”
Linda Ronstadt: “River”
Jethro Tull: “A Christmas Song”
Katie Noonan and Tim Friedman: “Maybe This Christmas”
Ray Charles: “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town”
James Brown: “Soulful Christmas”
Troy Cassar-Daley: “Christmas For Cowboys”
Nick Lowe: “Old Toy Trains”
Paul Simon: “Getting Ready For Christmas Day”
Pretenders: “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”
Tony Bennett: “I’ll Be Home For Christmas”
Paul Kelly & Neil Finn: “How To Make Gravy”
You can also connect via local web pages at the links below..
Just Released: Heard Saturdays at 12pm & repeated Sundays at 4pm (AEDST or AEST) on ABC Digital Radio through Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne,Adelaide and Perth, and streaming on demand at the Gold Coast, Newcastle, Hobart and Darwin web pages. JR can also be heard on Radio Australia throughout Asia & the Pacific.
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♫ {](-_-)[} ♫ Thanks for listening.
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