Songs for the Holiday Season Trivia Quiz

Answer: Roomful of Blues

"Roomful of Christmas" is a 1997 album by the band Roomful of Blues. A cover of Lloyd Glenn's "Christmas Celebration" is the first track on the album, and it closes with Lowell Fulson's "I Want to Spend Christmas With You". Between those two songs the band mostly covers more traditional holiday tunes like "White Christmas" and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas". If you like blues and big band sounds this is a good album try for some holiday season variety.

Roomful of Blues was originally founded by Duke Robillard and Al Copley in 1967. While band members have changed the group has stayed active for more than 45 years. Featuring a tight swing and big band sound Roomful of Blues has been nominated for numerous Grammy awards. At the Blues Music Awards in 2005 they received the award for Blues Band of the Year.

You can also hear Roomful of Blues on the 2009 album "Alligator Records Genuine Houserockin' Christmas" performing "Santa Claus, Do You Ever Get the Blues". A few other songs from that album are listed below.

Coco Montoya - "A Bluesman's Christmas"
Shemekia Copeland - "Stay a Little Longer, Santa"
Little Charlie and The Nightcats - "It's Christmas Time Again (Spend, Spend, Spend)"
Saffire - The Uppity Blues Women - "Really Been Good This Year".

If you like that album you can also try the 1992 release "The Alligator Records Christmas Collection". A few of the songs from that album are listed here.

Koko Taylor - "Have You Heard the News?"
Little Charlie and The Nightcats - "Santa Claus"
Lil' Ed and the Blues Imperials - "I'm Your Santa"
Charles Brown - "Boogie Woogie Santa Claus"

Answer: Duke Robillard

Duke Robillard helped to found the band Roomful of Blues in 1967. He also replaced guitarist Jimmy Vaughan in The Fabulous Thunderbirds. He has played with many well-known blues artists including Pine Top Perkins, Jay McShann and Jimmy Witherspoon. Robillard won the 2000 and 2001 W. C. Handy Award for Best Blues Guitarist.

Duke Robillard produced and included his band on almost half of the songs from "Stony Plain's Christmas Blues". Some of the other songs found on the album are listed below.

Duke Robillard - "Duke's Christmas"
Rosco Gordon \Duke Robillard Band - "Merry Christmas Everyone"
Asleep at the Wheel\Roomful of Blues - "Switchin' in the Kitchen"
Long John Baldry\Jimmy Witherspoon\Duke Robillard Band - "Christmas Blues"

Answer: Amos Milburn

Amos Milburn was born on April Fool's Day of 1927 and passed away in 1980 following his third stroke at the age of 52. He was one of the original jump blues artists of post-World War II. He was popular for his 1953 recording of the Rudy Toombs song "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer" later covered by other artists, including John Lee Hooker and George Thorogood. Milburn went on to record a series of commercially successful drinking songs. He recorded "Let's Make Christmas Merry, Baby" in 1949.

A few of the other classic Christmas songs covered on the 1990 album "Billboard Greatest R&B Christmas Hits" are listed below.

Chuck Berry - "Run Rudolph Run"
Mabel Scott - "Boogie Woogie Santa Claus"
Lou Rawls - "The Little Drummer Boy"
The Cadillacs - "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer"

Answer: Santa Claus

The modern image of Santa Claus has evolved over many years from legends and folklore related to Saint Nicholas, Sinterklaas, and probably even the Norse god Odin. In fact, it was probably Odin's eight-legged, flying horse Sleipnir which eventually evolved into the eight flying reindeer used by Santa Claus to pull his sleigh. Did you know that male reindeer lose their antlers in the winter? Only the females, or castrated males, would normally have antlers in late December. But, I think that if we accept that they can fly all bets are off about what is normal. Santa is probably more concerned about being type cast by Coco-Cola. Prior to 1931 Santa Claus could wear any color of clothes that he wanted. But since Coco-Cola dressed him in their red and white that Christmas season in their ads he has been forced to only go out of the house in that single costume.

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy released the album "Everything You Want for Christmas" in 2004. The album includes covers of "Blue Christmas" and "We Three Kings". The band also displays their retro big band and swing sound in the songs listed below.

"Rockabilly Christmas"
"Jingle Bells (Cha Cha)"
"Is Zat You Santa Claus"

Answer: Lou Rawls

Lou Rawls was born in 1933 and grew up on the south side of Chicago. He is best known for his singing voice and won three Grammy Awards for Best Male R&B vocal performance. But he also performed as a voice actor and appeared in numerous television shows and movies including "Sesame Street", "Baywatch", "The Big Valley", "Leaving Las Vegas" and "Blues Brothers 2000". In 2004 he was recognized for more than 25 years of support for the United Negro College Fund which included an annual telethon fundraiser. Rawls passed away in 2006.

"The Ultimate Christmas Album, Volume 4" was released by WCBS, New York, in 1998. Just a few of the other songs included on this album are listed below.

Santo & Johnny - "Twistin' Bells"
Elvis Presley - "Blue Christmas"
Brenda Lee - "Santa Claus is Comin' to Town"
"Peace on Earth\Little Drummer Boy" - David Bowie and Bing Crosby

Answer: Larry Carlton

Larry Carlton is a jazz guitarist who has produced a significant volume of work both as a session player and as a solo artist. A four time Grammy Award winner, he has worked with Steely Dan, Joni Mitchell, Billy Joel, Foreplay, and many others. His work with Steely Dan on the 1976 song "Kid Charlemagne" was recognized by "Rolling Stone" magazine as one of the best guitar solos of all time. In 1988 Carlton was shot in the throat near his California studio, Room 355. Despite nerve damage and a shattered vocal cord he recovered quickly.

The album "Christmas at My House" was released in 1989. It is an easy listening smooth jazz album which includes eleven holiday songs such as "The Christmas Song", "Winter Wonderland" and "Joy to the World". This is one of the highest quality seasonal albums you will find, featuring excellent musicians throughout, plus a couple of excellent vocals. "Ringing the Bells of Christmas" also features Christopher Cross with Michele Pillar on vocals and is a highlight of the album. Pillar and Carlton were married at the time "Christmas at My House" was recorded.

The vocals of Michele Pillar have some resemblance to Karen Carpenter's. The album "Christmas Collection" by the Carpenters is another popular choice for easy listening Christmas songs. The Perry Como album "Seasons Greetings", featuring "(There's No Place Like) Home for the Holidays" and my favorite version of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town", is another easy listening classic.

Answer: Clothes

Clothes are frequently a Christmas worst case scenario. From children receiving underwear or socks to fathers unwrapping ties this has been a common theme for generations. The song "Santa Brought Me Clothes" is the story of one child who only wanted toys for Christmas and is not impressed with receiving clothes, even if they do come in pretty packages.

The album "Merry Fishes to All" is a family holiday recording released in 2004 and nominated for a Grammy award. From "Chocolate Christmas" through "The Eleven Cats of Christmas" to "Bob and Bob" the music provides an enjoyable listen for both adults and children. I somehow suspect that the same child is responsible for the songs "My Birthday Comes on Christmas" and "I Got a Cheese Log".

Answer: Cheech and Chong

Cheech & Chong is a comedy duo which includes Richard "Cheech" Marin and Tommy Chong who reached their peak popularity in the 1970s. Together they produced numerous albums, movies, and stand-up comedy routines which focused around the drug counterculture of the time. "Sister Mary Elephant" and "Earache My Eye" are a couple of their popular comedy routines. "Basketball Jones" is another musical comedy offering from the duo. Their 1973 album "Los Cochinos" won a Grammy for Best Comedy Album. Their films include "Up in Smoke" and "Cheech & Chong's Next Movie". On "That '70s Show" Tommy Chong plays the role of Leo, owner of a local photo shop, in 65 episodes. Cheech Marin stars, along with Don Johnson, and plays the character Joe Dominguez in 120 episodes of the San Francisco cop show "Nash Bridges".

For some other humorous Christmas tunes you might try the three songs listed below.

Allen Sherman - "The 12 Gifts of Christmas"
Stan Freberg - "Christmas Dragnet"
(Those first two will be funniest for people who remember the 60s.)
Robert Earl Keen, Jr. - "Merry Christmas from the Family"
(This one has its roots in deep south Texas. I recommend the live version.)

Answer: Happy Christmas (War is Over)

"Happy Christmas (War is Over)" was written by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, recorded with Plastic Ono Band and the Harlem Community Choir. Released in 1971 in the US and 1972 in the UK, "Happy Christmas (War is Over)" is both a Christmas song and a Vietnam War protest. John Lennon indicated that he learned from his hit "Imagine" that he would be more successful delivering political messages "with a little honey".

Lennon was a popular anti-war activist and following the success of both "Happy Christmas (War is Over)" and "Give Peace a Chance" US President Richard Nixon activity worked with the FBI in attempts to have him deported. In 1973 Lennon was ordered to leave the US. But the deportation order was never carried out and he eventually received permanent residency. In December of 1980 Lennon was shot and killed outside his home at the Dakota in New York City.

For seven years, from 1963 through 1969, The Beatles recorded special Christmas greetings for members of their fan club. Other Christmas recordings by members of the Beatles include "Ding Dong, Ding Dong" by George Harrison, the Ringo Starr album "I Wanna Be Santa Claus", the Paul McCartney tune "Wonderful Christmastime".

Answer: Christmas in Hollis

"Christmas in Hollis" is a Hip-Hop Christmas song by Run-D.M.C. which references the Hollis neighborhood of Queens in which the group members grew up. It has been used at least six times in television shows and in the 1988 movie "Die Hard". At the time the group was more popular than any previous rap group had been and they originally opposed the idea of recording a Christmas song, fearing that it would damage their reputation as rappers. The tune they eventually recorded was inspired by the beat from the song "Back Door Santa". In 2013 Darryl "DMC" McDaniels indicated that the first and best Christmas rap song was Kurtis Blow's "Christmas Rappin", but "Christmas in Hollis" was number two. "Christmas in Hollis" was later included on the various artists album "Christmas Rap".

Run-D.M.C., featuring Joseph Simmons, Darryl McDaniels and Jam Master Jay, were founded in 1981. They have been one of the most influential groups of all time in their genre. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2009.