Tyler Clark presents: Local Mythologies writes25 Off-The-Wall Holiday Tunes: Paddy Roberts, “Merry Christmas You Suckers” (1962)

It's Christmas at CHIRP Radio, and we're looking for a cure for the common carol. Instead of bending to the will of the average 24-hour holiday muzak stations, we're spending the season unearthing a bunch of winter-approved tunes that you probably haven't heard for a while (or maybe even ever). Today: Paddy Roberts thinks your Christmas pudding is stupid.

 

Paddy Roberts, "Merry Christmas You Suckers" (1962)

If South African comedian/crooner Paddy Roberts was huffy about Christmas creep in 1962, I'd hate to imagine the heartburn he'd get over the holidays of 2015. Then again, though an updated version of "Merry Christmas You Suckers" might feature a few bombs tossed toward Black Friday and elves on shelves, the continued relevance of the original and its snide sentiments might just mean that Christmas has always been something of a pain in the ass. Over a lilting waltz, Roberts pokes holes in the holidays plans of the man in the red-and-green flannel suit, gleefully exposing the negative side of everything from holiday boozing to visits to Santa. It's a refreshing piece of self-schadenfreude during a season when it's easy to take things too seriously, but even Roberts (sort of) comes around in the end; after all, when you're under the threat of mutually assured global annihilation (also, depressingly, still a real issue), who cares if that eggnog makes you fat?