December 25

There's something about having a Christmas birthday that doesn't feel entirely fair. Sure, everybody's celebrating and you probably get the day off of work; on the other hand, you probably get used to people ignoring your birthday a lot sooner. I mean, how do you compare with the biggest birthday celebration ever? You could be born with the cure for cancer in your hands and little wings on your feet, and you'd still be competing with the Big Guy for attention.
Well, that's what the blog is for. But I'm still in busy mode, so it's one set of candles today, and that's for Shane McGowan, formerly of the Pogues. Alive a lot longer than anybody thought he'd be, he's got a set of new teeth and a just-completed tour with his old bandmates behind him. Good year for the man.
Let's sew things together with a video clip of McGowan's most famous musical composition, a Christmas song called "Fairytale of New York":

december 11

Tis the season, so I can only imagine what Brenda Lee goes through. I mean, she was one of the 60's biggest stars: 37 chart hits, Rock n' Roll Hall o' Famer, her first number one at 16 years old, the BEATLES opened for HER...
But just like Billy Joel has "Piano Man", Brenda Lee has "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" haunting our radios forever, even if it is only for a few months a year. (By the way, she recorded "Rockin'" when she was 13 years old. It tanked during its initial release. Who knew?)

Anyway, didn't have much luck finding vintage Lee around the Tree. I found this telethon footage from a few years back...



-and this clip from the TV show American Dreams, with Kelly Clarkson playing Brenda Lee. Take your pick...