Dr. Demento Still Going Strong 40 Years Later

In 1972-3 I used to listen to Dr Demento ( Barrett Hansen) a nd his ‘demented’ music on the radio while getting kicked out of UCLA. It wasn’t the good doctor’s fault. I was just a lousy student, or I’d rather be working int he real world like the doctor, even at KLA’s radio station, where I did broadcast an oldies show for no pay- or out learning in the real world. So much for pre-med. And, it was the same good doctor who, interestingly, was largely responsible for helping me graduate after being on probation. You see, he had just started teaching a class on the History of Rock and Roll at UCLA. Well, they told me I could take any two classes and I had to get a B average in both of them. Well, I got an A in both a sociology class as well as an A in Dr Demnto’s class, while having a ball and getting to know Dr a bit. Can’t believe40 years have passed but glad he’s still on the air – and the show hasn’t changed much as I remember. It’s been a couple decades at least since I’ve really listened to the show, which is easiest to pick up as an online feed for $2 a show or by joining the Demento club – and well worth it.

Here’s a sample of the special Christmas show playlist which I’m currently listening to :

Playlist courtesy of The Dr. Demento Show available on the web at http://dmdb.org/cgi-bin/plinfo.pl?drd11.1221.html The Dr. Demento Show #11-52 – December 21, 2011 Special Topic: Holiday part 3/3 (kid-friendly) Jingle Bells (Laughing All The Way) – St. Nick (The Just For Laughs Players) Pantomime: Everywhere It’s Christmas – The Beatles Pink Christmas – Moneyshot Cosmonauts A Christmas/Kwanzaa/Solstice/Chanukah/Ramadan/Boxing Day Song – Christine Lavin & The Mistletones Christmas Travelogue – anonymous ¿Dònde Està Santa Claus? (Where Is Santa Claus?) – Augie Rios ‘Zat You, Santa Claus – Louis Armstrong & The Commanders Stuck In The Chimney – Lorne Greene I’m Gonna Put Some Glue Around The Christmas Tree – Joel Grey Santa’s Lament – Father Guido Sarducci Demented News With Whimsical Will Swingin’ Them Jingle Bells – Fats Waller Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town – Joseph Spence (I Wanna Go) Surfin’ With Santa! – The Hollyberries Beatnik’s Wish – Patsy Raye & The Beatniks Blue Christmas – Seymour Swine & The Squeelers (I’m Spending) Hanukkah In Santa Monica – Tom Lehrer How The Grinch Stole Chanukah – Mike Toomey Nine Words – Lauren Mayer Monsters’ Holiday – Bobby “Boris” Pickett & The Crypt-Kickers Snoopy’s Christmas – The Royal Guardsmen Christmas On An Island With A Martian And A Gorilla – Red State Update Gridlock Christmas – The Hollytones The Chickens Are In The Chimes – Sascha Burland & The Skipjack Choir w/ Mason Adams I’m Walking Backwards For Christmas – The Goons Hardrock, Coco And Joe – cartoon soundtrack Scruffy The Elf – Corey Doak I Can’t Wrap – Scooter Picnic Christmas Wrapping – The Waitresses I’m Waitin’ Up For Santa Claus – Nervous Norvus Santa Claus Boogie – Hasil Adkins Some Things For Christmas – Shari Lewis & Lambchop Dearest Mr. Santa Claus – Heywood Banks Dear Santa – Sean Morey Santa Claus Song – George P. Watson Santa’s Got An Airplane – The Beach Boys Outer Space Santa – Lawrence Welk’s Little Band The War Of The Lights – The Therapy Sisters Did You Heared What I Heared – Slidawg & The Redneck Ramblers Rusty Chevrolet – Da Yoopers Barnyard Christmas – Spike Jones & His City Slickers f/ The Bell Sisters A Daddy’s Christmas – Albert Brooks & Little Kristi I’m A Christmas Tree – Wild Man Fischer (Duet w/ Dr. Demento) Boogie Woogie Hanukkah – Gay Men’s Chorus Of Los Angeles Hanukkah Bird – Smooth-E Hanukkah Rocks – Gefilte Joe & the Fish Chinese Food On Christmas – Brandon Walker Holiday Greeting #5 (1987) – “Weird Al” Yankovic The Pretty Little Dolly – Mona Abboud The Night Before Christmas – Harry Kari Hallelujah Chorus (excerpt) – The Portsmouth Sinfonia O Holy Night – Tiny Tim Christmas Dragnet – Stan Freberg w/ Daws Butler & Orchestra Deck The Halls – Kukla, Fran & Ollie next week: Funny 25 ——– This playlist was sent to you automatically courtesy of the Demented Music Database at http://dmdb.org/ If you know of others who would like to receive these mailings, please have them send an e-mail message to [email protected] with “subscribe playlists” as the subject line. In the body of the message, enter the exact e-mail address to which the playlists should be sent. (No scrambled “spam-proof” addresses, please.) Also, be sure that the e-mail address you entered is not preventing incoming mail from [email protected]