Song of the Day: 'This Christmas' by the Shoes

How "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" is a holiday classic and this isn't is everything that's wrong with this world. 

Song of the Day: 'This Christmas' by the Shoes

  This one's kind of a funny story. A few years ago I heard what I thought was a Christmas song by my beloved Kirsty MacColl, the great British singer/songwriter who died in a boating accident back in 2000. Since she had recorded "Fairytale of New York" with the Pogues, it didn't seem unreasonable that she may have recorded other holiday music, so I just figured I had missed it when it originally came out. But when I finally tracked the song down, I discovered it was not only not by Kirsty, it was by a group with a male vocalist -- the Shoes -- a band a music-trading partner of mine my had been imploring me to listen to for years, with little success. (Keep in mind I worked with a woman for four years before I found out she was black -- thanks to an Ebony magazine subscription renewal on her desk.) AllMusic explains that the album it appeared on -- "Yuletunes: A Collection of Alternative Pop Christmas Songs" -- was organized by the Shoes back in 1991, inspired by the Beatles fan club Christmas albums back in the '60s. I've since gotten "Shoes' Best," but iTunes reveals I still haven't played it much. "This Christmas," however, rates right up there with "Fairytale," the Waitresses' "Christmas Wrapping" as well as my Frank Sinatra and Phil Spector Christmas albums. Listen why:

Buy on iTunes HERE.

Music Box: Shoes

Happened to be in H&M on Fifth Avenue twice in recent days, and both times I heard the most wonderful jangly '80s-style Christmas song playing over the PA system. I was almost certain it was my girl Kirsty MacColl, but given the fact that I (believe I already) have her entire catalogue -- plus she's already known for a classic Christmas song with the Pogues -- something told me maybe not. So I texted myself some of the lyrics -- Things'll get better/ doesn't seem like it now but they always do /I hope you find yourself someone this Christmas -- and went home and did the equivalent of the flying cars we were promised as children: a Web search. 

This immediately came up: 

Subject: 80s Christmas song 

I have been looking for this song for about a year now. The main chorus lyrics are "I hope you find yourself someone this christmas" and a female sings it. It always plays on our satellite radio at work.

 

Anybody help? 

Then after a few ill-advised guesses -- like someone this music/Web-savvy wouldn't know who the Waitresses, Mariah Carey or Darlene Love was -- the poster answered his own question, thus answering it for me too. Turns out the song was "This Christmas" by Shoes -- a under-loved power-pop band that was formed in the '70s and is fronted by a man (oops!). The answer was particularly amusing to me given that an online music friend of mine has been BEGGING me for years to give them a try, but I would never acquiesce. (I've since added the "Shoes Best" file he sent me ages ago to iTunes -- you were RIGHT, Spencer. Are you happy now?!)

"This Christmas "appeared on a 1991 alt-rock Christmas album the band organized called "Yuletunes" -- that featured actual '90s mainstays like Matthew Sweet and Material Issue -- but is clearly the standout track.

If you don't know it, have a listen and tell me this isn't the best Christmas song you didn't know about, too.