The Waitresses crafted the greatest Christmas song ever. (Polygram Records)
Today’s Audio Files might be my favorite of the year–it’s time to shine a spotlight on The Waitresses, the new wave delight that is responsible for the best Christmas song ever.
It’s time for “Christmas Wrapping,” which has the best white-girl rap ever in a song (yes, it’s better than Debbie Harry in Blondie’s “Rapture”)
I have spit these rhymes in the car dozens of times, usually starting in my pre-dawn Black Friday shopping and going right through Christmas day.
There are no more A&Ps, and sadly, singer Patty Donahue died in 1996, but “Christmas Wrapping,” a tale of love and missed connections that I fear will turn into a Garry Marshall movie one day, will live forever.
This one goes out to all of those who forgot cranberries, too.
But The Waitresses were not just about the greatest Christmas song ever, they also will live on whenever “Square Pegs.” I particularly love that this clip has part of the ’80s high school show.
And of course, no talk about The Waitresses would be complete without “I Know What Boys Like,” which also has a killer sax solo and such a wonderfully snotty attitude.
Want to know what other Christmas songs I love? Check under the creepy Wham! photo.
Wham! The other outtakes from the “Last Christmas” single are even more disturbing. (Contributed Image)
Dec. 1: Wham!
Dec. 2: Richard Marx
Dec. 3: Gram Rabbit
Dec. 4: Nat King Cole
Dec. 5: Mariah Carey, Jimmy Fallon and The Roots
Dec. 6: Billy Squier
Dec. 7: Run-DMC
Dec. 8: The LeeVees
Dec. 9: John Mellencamp
Dec. 10: Johnny Mathis
Dec. 11: Paul McCartney
Dec. 12: Debbie Gibson
Dec. 13: Band Aid
Dec. 14: Eurythmics
Dec. 15: New Kids on the Block
Dec. 16: The Vandals, No Doubt
Dec. 17: Bryan Adams
Dec. 18: David Bowie and Bing Crosby
Dec. 19: The Kinks
Dec. 20: The Carpenters