Didn't Make the Cut Part 1: "Merry Christmas from the Family"

Cathy and I are putting the finishing touches on our 7th annual Christmas CD. Hopefully we'll have that out to friends and family in about a week. Over those 7 years we've amassed quite a Christmas MP3 collection. I'm charged with the task of whittling them down into a CD of about 20 songs or so. So far we haven't repeated a single song except for Auld Lang Syne and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."

Over the next couple of weeks I'm going to highlight songs that have never made the cut. Some of them are favorite novelty songs, some are classics I don't really like and some I do like, but aren't really appropriate for a kid and family friendly mix. The first song matches that last category. It's Texas singer/songwriter Robert Earl Keen's "Merry Christmas from the Family" from 1994. The song is about a dysfunctional family Christmas. While the family members are over the top caricatures, anyone with a big family can probably relate to one or more of the situations described. Keen also recorded a squeal of sorts called "Happy Holidays Y'all." Hallelujah, everybody say cheese!



Jill Sobule cover:



Montgomery Gentry cover:



Dixie Chicks cover:



Lyrics:
Mom got drunk and Dad got drunk at our Christmas party
We were drinking champagne punch and homemade eggnog
Little sister brought her new boyfriend
He was a Mexican
We didn't know what to think of him until he sang
Feliz Navidad, Feliz Navidad

Brother Ken brought his kids with him
The three from his first wife Lynn
And the two identical twins from his second wife Mary Nell
Of course he brought his new wife Kay
Who talks all about AA
Chain smoking while the stereo plays Noel, Noel
The First Noel

Carve the Turkey
Turn the ball game on
Mix margaritas when the eggnog's gone
Send somebody to the Quickpak Store
We need some ice and an extension chord
A can of bean dip and some Diet Rites
A box of tampons, Marlboro Lights
Hallelujah everybody say cheese
Merry Christmas from the family

Fred and Rita drove from Harlingen
I can't remember how I'm kin to them
But when they tried to plug their motor home in
They blew our Christmas lights
Cousin David knew just what went wrong
So we all waited out on our front lawn
He threw a breaker and the lights came on
And we sang Silent Night, Oh Silent Night, Oh Holy Night

Carve the turkey turn the ball game on
Make Bloody Mary's
Cause We All Want One!
Send somebody to the Stop 'N Go
We need some celery and a can of fake snow
A bag of lemons and some Diet Sprites
A box of tampons, some Salem Lights
Hallelujah, everybody say cheese
Merry Christmas from the Family