Hey Santa Video

Thanks, Toast. That is one of my favourite songs from the Christmas CD. I love the line "I decked the tree; I wish you'd just deck me."

The Christmas CD is awesome. If anyone out there hasn't bought it yet, go out today and get it!

FifiKitty,

I agree that the Christmas cd is great. It is in my player from Thanksgiving on, and gets listened to every day in rotation with others and often just straight through. Occasionally, the dvd gets played as well, when I have time to sit and watch. I also love Hey Santa, but also Santa Bring My Baby Back To Me, and Gotta Be Good.............

I love that line, too. I also like the almost pitiful tone in his voice when he goes "This ain't no fun."

Here are a couple more Christmas videos:

Washington Square Video

Let It Snow Video

I like that line, too. ("This ain't no fun!")

Thanks for posting the videos from the Jimmy Kimmel show. Hershel does a great job on "Let it Snow". Well, they all do a great job (as always).

After I watched the Christmas video I followed the link for a 1993 video of Chris singing "Dark Moon." I had never heard it before --- beautiful song.

Thanks for helping me find it!

and Hershel IS fantastic on "Let It Snow" He really is one great guitar player. I make sure to tell him that every concert I go to.

Geez........Those links were great.
Many thanks

I got the Christmas CD this week. I see it has a couple of extra bonus tracks on it just for the Aussie market...but tell me, did the U.S. version also miss out on the little booklet inside? It's full of lyrics and some cute pictures of Chris'n'Co sitting on a beach and so on. It's also illustrated by the Great One Himself - lots of Chris-art in there. Let me know if you guys in the Land of the Free missed out on this bit too, and I can scan this in and upload to the website over the w/end.

Morning Cheryl! (4:45 am here!) The version I have has the booklet and "Santa Bring My Baby Back" as a bonus track but not "I'll Be Home" like the AU version. Maybe the cd without any bonus' doesn't have a booklet at all? Why can't there just be one version? Isn't life confusing enough?

How is it determined who ges the bonus song? If I remember correctly, I bought mine at Target right after it came out. I have heard that other cds at Target have bonuses, so could it be a per store thing? I do have Santa Bring My Baby Back, and it is one of my favorites. And the booklet is so cute, with the boys on the beach with presents!

Thanks for that Hey Santa link... thank god for YouTube, eh!

Did anyone else go to the Wicked Game clip from the Sunrise morning show? Was it just me, or did CI look a little less than impressed with the host's secretary quip? He's got to be the most well-bred person in show business - always gracious, even when being tormented by dorky morning hosts... And perfect pitch and stage presence, even live first thing in the a.m. It's a cliche, but he's truly a musician's musician, imo.

Re: the Aussie release of the Xmas CD, it's readily available in the U.S. via mainstream online outlets such as Amazon.

I have not seen the Christmas CD for sale in Ontario, Canada. I bought mine after a concert in New Jersey.

I bought my copy in the summer of 2005 here in the US. I do not have "Santa Bring My Baby Back," but I do have the booklet with the lyrics and the beach pictures. It even has Rodney sitting with Chris in one shot. Hershel and Kenney signed the center picture right near themselves for me. Chris signed the back shot where he is sitting with the red and white t-shirt. He drew the halo around his head that he has drawn for many other fans also. What was cool is that he was wearing that exact same shirt at one of the meet and greets at a later concert.

Yep, you got it Kathy ~ there's a sticker on the CD cover which says the Aussie bonus tracks are 'Santa Bring my Baby Back' and 'I'll be Home for Christmas". Yeah, it is a little confusing as to why they have different bonus tracks for different countries. Dunno why they do that...possibly because the record company people think that some tracks will go down better in certain places more than others, so use it as a marketing gimmick? Hmmm.... Anyway, guess what I'm listening to right now?? Yep, I'm spinning the Xmas album right now - for it's very first time. (It's a virgin ) That's cause I only bought it the other day....and it's GREAT. I've got it turned up loud and it's like I'm getting a personal serenade.




All I can think of is that it's a marketing thing....but I must say, over the years we seem to have got a LOT of extra stuff down here in Australia that doesn't appear anywhere else. As to why different songs get put on certain CD's for different markets...maybe they choose them by just blindfolding some record company guy and then let him pick names out of a hat??! Seriously, who knows?? Yes, I love the booklet too. Ohh...I've just heard one (track 15 - sorry I'm just reading it off the stereo display...can't be bothered getting up out of the chair to grab the CD cover again ) where he sounds like Louis Armstrong, lol - now that's a different sound!






Unfortunately I missed out on seeing 'Sunrise' - it's on at the crack of dawn here, and I am NOT a morning person. I should have set the video up for it the night before, but we've only had this VCR for a couple of months and I haven't worked out the timer thing yet.... . But I have to agree - I've seen several less than stellar interviewers with Chris over the years, and he's always a perfect gentleman, no matter who, where or what time of the day it is.

I think I know who you mean though...they call themselves Mel and Kochy (or Koshy??). She's a blonde bimbo and he's an ambulance chaser, literally...(let me explain, lol) Do you remember the big drama down in Tasmania a few months ago when those miners were trapped underground for days? Well, the country's entire media lay siege to that small town down there, like vultures. They were all trying to be the first to get an exclusive story with the miners once they were rescued. 'Kochy' (David Koch) literally chased an ambulance that took the miners to hospital and tried to ingratiate himself with them. He took off on foot and ran along behind it while chatting to the miners inside. (I know, cause I watched him do it live on TV). Well, he thought he was going to get a million dollar exclusive, but the miners ended up signing on with a different TV channel altogether, lol.

Wicked Game at Sunrise

This is for those of you who missed it. The interview's not posted, but you can tell at the very end how Chris is kind of annoyed at the hosts when they try to joke with him.

BlueSpanishSky, thanks for posting the weblink to Chris's "Wicked Game" video at Sunrise found on YouTube. I did save the link to my Favorites and will watch it later.

-Deanna

Glad you found a copy in NJ. Sorry you haven't seen the Xmas cd FRONT AND CENTER (oops, I mean "centre") in the music stores up there where it should be, but please tell your fellow Ontarians if they don't see it in the stores they can buy it from places like Amazon.ca and Chapters.indigo.ca

Canadian Amazon has the Aussie pressing (with a hefty import price) as well as the North American version. I know Chapters has the NA version, not sure about the Aussie version. Tell your friends from Ontari-ari-ari-o to get shopping!

There was DEFINITELY a blonde bimbo involved! Yeesh. I've watched a few morning shows Down Under that set my teeth on edge, but I don't remember them being as bad as this. Then again, I can't watch American morning shows, either. Maybe I'm not a morning person. But at least I don't have to PERFORM on morning shows. Or be polite to the hosts...



Wow. What a disgusting little man.

Has anyone posted the Youtube interview with CI and Torgen? I loved this interview. Just in case you missed it, here's segment one of six:
Torgen & Chris
Click on the tool bar to the right of the clip for segments 2-6. #6 is a hoot. But it's all good.

That Torgen interview is my favorite. Chris seemed at ease throughout the interview because the questions were great, not idiotic. Maybe it's because of the bed...

Thanks, Gemini. I'll let my fellow Ontarians know. I don't order CDs on-line because I prefer to support the remaining few music stores but if they don't have it, it's hard to buy it from them. (I would order it through the music store, actually.) It's a shame the CD isn't in the music stores up here because a lot of people don't know about the Christmas CD, so they don't know to order it from Amazon.ca or Chapters.Indigo.ca. I played the whole CD at a work lunch on Friday and no one had heard it or seen it before. I didn't know that Canadian Amazon has the Aussie pressing. I'll look into that but I can imagine the price.

Thanks from Ontari-ari-ari-o!

BlueSpanishSky,

Thanks for posting "Wicked Game at Sunrise". Chris takes the sirens wailing very well in the middle of his singing. Very cool.

Gemini,

I now have the Ontari-ari-ari- o song going through my head. Haven't heard that one in a long time eh? By the way I am a Gemini as well.

Geminis -- whew! Did everyone know that the best drivers are Leos?

OK, back to Christmas. Tomorrow, I'll post something about the Christmas CD and get this back on topic.

Here is another video of "Washington Square". This one is from Max Sessions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka-ATnSLgUk

Really nice!!!

Thanks, Kathy!

I do so love him in street clothes, rather than the suits!

Such a beautiful song. So poingnant and full of feeling.

~Lilo

Thanks, Munchie. That's a really nice performance of "Washington Square". I played the song for one of my friends the other day and they said they hadn't heard it before (they thought the Christmas CD was all covers). She was really impressed when I told her Chris wrote it. He is one smokin' songwriter (is that appropriate to say?).

A few people I know were surprised that Chris wrote any of the songs on the Christmas CD too? Yet, they know that he is a very talented songwriter (smokin'? I like that better Miss Fifi... )
One of my friends said "I thought all the good Christmas songs had already been written.?" That was a major compliment to Chris. She just assumed that Washington Square was one of those really good songs from a long, long time ago.

Yes, my friend thought the very same thing. (She thought it was a beautiful song, btw.)

In the Christmas spirit, here's some Chris Isaak Christmas CD Trivia for you:

The blanket that Chris has on the CD sleeve is a Hudson's Bay blanket. This blanket is made for the Hudson's Bay Company (also called "The Bay") in Canada. The Hudson's Bay Company was founded in 1670 and today is Canada's largest department store retailer. This blanket was traded with the natives for furs. Do you think Chris got his blanket in British Columbia during his TV show filming? What do you think he traded for it? Sequins perhaps?

That's your history lesson for today.

Hey Fifi,

Another photo trivia question for you: whose fluffy white dog is that? He (she?) made an appearance on the Xmas Soundstage show, too.

The Hudson's Bay design was also used by other fur traders, I do believe. But I hope he bought it up in Canada, where they should be purchased. Is the Bay still selling them?

P.S. Y'all will be happy to know that Pandora has songs from the CI Xmas cd on pretty heavy rotation on my customised xmas music station. I typed in generic songs like Jingle Bells and once Pandora figured out I wanted Xmas, she started giving me CHRIS ISAAK Xmas music. She's a smart gal.

Hi there Gemini,

Pandora is great, isn't it? Just wish I could listen more often, I prefer Pandora to regular radio stations.

The white dog is called Rodney and he belongs to Chris' manager Sheryl. He does seem like a really well-behaved dog.

Anneli

Two years ago when the Christmas CD was released, Best Buy had a free Xmas CD for people who joined their buyers club. It included another CI&S Christmas song that wasn't on the US or Target release. I'll check my copy to see which song it was.

Thanks for the dog info, Anneli!

And yeah, Pandora is great. I'm dying for them to get classical music up and running... but at least they have Chris Isaak.

Hey Gemini,

Well, someone's already mentioned it, but I hear that the fluffy, white dog (Rodney) is Chris' manager's dog.

Yes, The Bay is still selling the Hudson's Bay blanket. They are quite expensive and go upwards of $400. Maybe Chris bought his at The Bay? Does anyone know the answer to that one?

The Hudson's Bay Company had a monopoloy on fur trading in what is now Canada (as deemed by the British), so all the fur traders would have traded those blankets. Have I bored the socks off everyone yet?

And yet it's a little-known (and somewhat mysterious) fact that the Hudson's Bay blankets are made in England, not Canada... okay, NOW everyone's bored Anyway, we get them down here from the L.L.Bean catalog. My guess would be that the stylist on that shoot was responsible for the blanket choice, not CI. Or maybe it's Rodney's special blankie.

In the Xmas spirit: guess which song I'm listening to right now? Baaaad little girl/Baaaaaad little boy...

It's easier to say than do
You gotta be good!

Do I get a lump of coal for having impure thoughts about a certain blue-eyed singer? Gee. Santa's a real party pooper.

So...
Tell me/When was Jesus born?

Last month of the year!

And no, you don't get coal as long as Santa doesn't know about it.

You are quite right, Gemini, the Hudson's Bay Blankets are made in England in a little town in Oxfordshire called Witney (or were at one time), close to where my Aunt Sheila and Uncle Desmond live. (Don't you love the names? My middle name is Sheila, after my aunt. My first name is that of a Catholic nun friend of my Mom. I have no chance.....) The town has been famous for its woolen blankets since the middle ages. (I'm starting to sound like an excerpt from one of Kenney's blogs. )

L.L. Bean rocks for selling them. Maybe Chris' HB Blanket is to keep the surfboard warm.

I love "Gotta be Good".

They also sell Hudson Bay Coats. My sister has worked for the Bay for over 20 years. The blankets are given usually (with money donated by staff members) to someone retiring or leaving after having been employed by the Bay for a number of years. Neat trivia FifiKitty.

I put the Christmas Kfog interview and music medley on youtube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xh3dCBr0gZY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZTHtK_q1_o

Yes, I've seen photos of the coats. Maybe we should all chip in and get Chris one to wear when he tours Alberta. Granted, he's waiting until May to go there but you never can tell....he may need the coat to keep his little body warm. Maybe your sister can get us a discount. (if Chris agrees to model the coat, maybe.)

The blankets are good "going-away" presents. We gave a Hudson's Bay Blanket to someone who was returning to Mexico after working for our company for a few years. It seemed appropriate.

OH -- Munchie -- You're the best for putting those clips on YouTube.

Kathy,

Thank you for ALL the amazing photos and links that you provide us with all year long. I love those little characters that you have waving etc. Have a great holiday.