Canned Heat: Christmas Album featuring Eric Clapton on bonus track
Release date: November 2007
Release Notes by Skip Taylor / Ruf Records
Over the years, just about every major performer has recorded a set of his or her own Christmas favorites.
Canned Heat's first attempt at a Christmas recording came about when I met Ross Bagdasarian at Liberty Records in 1968. Canned Heat was riding the charts with "On The Road Again" and I thought it might be interesting if we combined The Chipmunks and Canned Heat in a remake of The Chipmunk Song that had been a hit ten years earlier. If you didn't know about this track's existence, this artist combination might come as a shock. The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late) featured The Chipmunks & David Seville. The Chipmunks were named after the top three executives at Liberty Records (Alvin, Theodore and Simon). David Seville was another name that Ross used for recording (The Witch Doctor, in 1956 went to #1). The Canned Heat/Chipmunk single received a lot of airplay during the Holidays in 1968, but never gained too much chart success. The "B" side of the single was quickly put together in the studio with Fito de la Parra playing a bluesy ballad on piano and the rest of the band joining in. Meanwhile, I tried to write a lyric that conveyed the blues of not being with the one you loved during the Holidays, but hoping that things would be different next year. The song "Christmas Blues" was born and thirty-five years later, was picked by Heineken Beer for their TV commercial that ran for three Holiday seasons. A second, slowed-down version of "Christmas Blues" features an old friend of the band, Mac Rebennack, better known as "Dr. John" on piano and a third version has been added as a "bonus track." It was recorded in 1998, at the Special Olympics Charity Concert in Washington D.C. It features John Popper from Blues Traveler on vocals and harmonica and Eric Clapton on guitar.
After putting out a few CDs together during the past few years, Len Fico, President of Fuel 2000 Records, suggested that the band put together a Christmas album. He had seen a few other classic groups have success with Holiday CDs and thought that the Heat might have similar success.
So, in 2006, the current Canned Heat lineup, along with another old friend, Jay Spell, recorded their renditions and adaptations of some traditional Christmas songs to combine with some of their older Holiday recordings. "Jingle Bells" dates from 1857 and was originally titled "One Horse Open Sleigh" by composer James S. Pierpont. It soon became more widely known by the opening line of its chorus and has been "Jingle Bells" ever since. Just about every parent has warned their kids that "you better watch out" and "you better be good" because "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town"! J. Coots and HavenGillespie composed their friendly seasonal admonition in 1934.
Tracklist Canned Heat - Christmas Album
01. Deck the Halls
02. Christmas Boogie with the Chipmunks
03. Christmas Blues
04. Santa Claus is coming to town
05. I won't be home for Christmas
06. Boogie at Christmas
07. Santa Claus is back in town
08. Jingle Bells
09. Christmas Blues featuring Dr. John
10. Boogie Boy
11. Christmas Blues featuring Eric Clapton and John Popper
More info at Ruf Records.
