Dec 20, 2009
Bossy’s Ear Worm
Welcome to Bossy’s Ear Worm, which features songs currently in Bossy’s headphones. Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.
The Waitresses, Christmas Wrapping.
Maybe this is a predictable holiday selection — and one of the few Christmas songs Bossy allows that wasn’t recorded before the 1950s — but this song from 1981, 1981 people, never ceases to bring a smile to Bossy’s face.
It’s a sweet, sweet narrative wrapped inside one of Bossy’s favorite bass lines of all times (and the bass player was a girl. Bossy knows this because she could never get enough of the band photos because the two girls were so cute.)
Bossy will always have reverence for the person who wrote, “Calendar picture, frozen landscape, chilled this room for twenty-four days…”
Bah, humbug! No, that’s too strong
‘Cause it is my favorite holiday
But all this year’s been a busy blur
Don’t think I have the energy
To add to my already mad rush
Just ’cause it’s ’tis the season.
The perfect gift for me would be
Completions and connections left from
Last year, ski shop,
Encounter, most interesting.
Had his number but never the time
Most of ‘81 passed along those lines
So deck those halls, trim those trees
Raise up cups of Christmas cheer,
I just need to catch my breath,
Christmas by myself this year
Calendar picture, frozen landscape,
Chilled this room for twenty-four days,
Evergreens, sparkling snow
Get this winter over with!
Flashback to springtime, saw him again,
Would’ve been good to go for lunch,
Couldn’t agree when we were both free,
We tried, we said we’d keep in touch.
Didn’t, of course, ’til summertime,
Out to the beach to his boat could I join him?
No, this time it was me,
Sunburn in the third degree.
Now the calendar’s just one page
And, of course, I am excited
Tonight’s the night, but I’ve set my mind
Not to do too much about it.
Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!
But I think I’ll miss this one this year.
Hardly dashing through the snow
Cause I bundled up too tight
Last minute have-to-do’s
A few cards a few calls
‘Cause it’s r-s-v-p
No thanks, no party lights
It’s Christmas Eve, gonna relax
Turned down all of my invites.
Last fall I had a night to myself,
Same guy called, halloween party,
Waited all night for him to show,
This time his car wouldn’t go,
Forget it, it’s cold, it’s getting late,
Trudge on home to celebrate
In a quiet way, unwind
Doing Christmas right this time
A&P has provided me
With the world’s smallest turkey
Already in the oven, nice and hot
Oh damn! Guess what I forgot?
So on with the boots, back out in the snow
To the only all-night grocery,
When what to my wondering eyes should appear
In the line is that guy I’ve been chasing all year!
“I’m spending this one alone,” he said.
“Need a break; this year’s been crazy.”
I said, “Me too, but why are you?
You mean you forgot cranberries too?”
Then suddenly we laughed and laughed
Caught on to what was happening
That Christmas magic’s brought this tale
To a very happy ending!
Love this tune! Wish it got more airplay…
Yay for the comments returning!
Oh yeah! that base! I got caught in the grocery when this came on over the loudspeaker (my grocery has the best tunes!) and it was the first time in months I left any grocery in a good mood.
The only Christmas song I would listen to for a few years, I had no idea it dated back to 1981, but wow, talk about a classic in that case. So glad you posted the lyrics!
This is up in my top five BEST EVER Christmas songs. LOVE. “You mean you forgot cranberries too?!” CLASSIC.
Totally one of my favorites, right along with The Pretenders – 2000 Miles, and Squeeze – Christmas Day.
“A & P has provided me with the world’s smallest turkey…” still hilarious. Thanks for the time warp back to freshman year in high school!