THROWBACK THURSDAY: Getting Ready For Christmas with Rev. J.M. Gates

For today's Throwback Thursday, let's enjoy a little Christmas cheer with the Rev. J.M. Gates, a preacher from Atlanta. Mount Calvary Baptist Church in Rock Dale Park was his church.

Gates recorded a number of short sermons between 1926 (when he was 42 years old) and 1941, the year he died. He cut more than 200 sides for a variety of labels.

As is typical with many old time African American preachers of his time, Gates' sermons usually start out as spoken, but gradually shift to singing. With call-and-response action from members of his congregation, Gates' best tracks are musical as well as rhythmic.

According to Bil Carpenter in his book Uncloudy Days: The Gospel Music Encyclopedia , Gates was responsible for introducing the gospel music of Thomas Dorsey to the black church market. Gates' first record was his biggest hit. That was one called "Death's Black Train." Carpenter said it sold more than 35,000 copies.

Gates' Christmas records are just as light-hearted and cheerful in tone. "We celebrate Christmas wrong, by the way I look at this matter," he declared in one of these records. Indeed, Gateswas a true hell-fire evangelist. His passion was unrestrained. He really did not want you to go to Hell.

For the first jolly bit of Christmas spirit, here's a message titled "Death May Be Your Santa Claus."



Here's one for "you midnight walkers," "you liquor drinkers," "you bootleggers" and "you slick-fingered gamblers" called "Did You Spend Christmas Day in Jail"



And this one is simply titled "Getting Ready For Christmas Day." Are you getting ready? Well, according to Rev. Gates, the undertaker, the jailer and the police force are getting ready for YOU!



Apparently Paul Simon is a fan of Rev. Gates and the above song. He sampled it -- and borrowed the title for this 2010 song. Simon talks about the song HERE.

WACKY WEDNESDAY: A Musical Battle Royal

Last week's Wacky Wednesday, where I toasted Rev. Billy C. Wirtz, whose hilarious repertoir incudes several tunes dealing with pro wrestling, got me thinking about other odes to the grunt-and-groan biz.

So this week I present several of my favorites about wrestlers and, in many cases, by wrestlers.

Let's just call it a loser-leave-town musical battle royal. Watch out for flying chairs!

Let's start with one of my favorite rasslers, the late Sputnik Monroe, who I saw wrestle many times at Stockyards Coliseum in Oklahoma City in the early '60s when I was but a lad. Sputnik was the Heavenly Body from Outer Space, The Body Men Fear and Women Love. In 1959  released one of the first, maybe the very first record by a professional wrestler, "Sputnik Hires a Band." WKNO, a Memphis NPR station, did a story on the song a few years ago, 

Here's his lone single, "Sputnik Hire a Band"



Here's a 1960s garage-rock classic, "The Crusher" by The Novas.



Tampa rocker Ronny Elliot does this heartfelt tribute to one of the titans of the field, Gorgeous George,



NRBQ pays tribute to their "manager," the great Capt. Lou Albano.



Thanks to Dr. Demento, this tune by Fred Blassie probably is the most famous wrestling song of all. Sell it to the circus, what the heck?



Former Main Event magazine editor Mike Edison shares his thoughts on the sport.



Here's perhaps the worst wrestling song ever recorded.



And, yes, I'll let Rev. Billy C. have the last word.

TERRELL'S SOUND WORLD PLAYLIST

Sunday, December 14, 2014 
KSFR, Santa Fe, N.M. 
10 p.m. to midnight Sundays Mountain Time 
Host: Steve Terrell
Webcasting!
101.1 FM
email me during the show! terrell(at)ksfr.org

Here's the playlist below

Check out some of my recently archived radio shows at Radio Free America
Like the Terrell's Sound World Facebook page

Subscribe to The Big Enchilada Podcast! CLICK HERE

My Christmas Gift to the Internet: 2014 Big Enchilada Christmas Special

The Big Enchilada: Fighting the War on Christmas since 2008! Indulge in some holiday cheer with some magical Christmas sounds from The Reigning Sound, The Chesterfield Kings, Das Black Milk, The Polkaholics, Jonny Manak, Deep Sombreros, Joseph Spence, Linn & Linda, Jim Terr, Snoop Dogg and more. 

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Here's the playlist:

(Background Music: Santa Claus is Coming to Town by Jackie & The Cedrics)
I Don't Believe in Christmas by Tallboy
Santa Stole My Whiskey by Jonny Manak
Keep Christin' Christmas by Geary Joe Wood
All I Want for Christmas is a CB by Jim Hubler
Yakov the Polka Reindeer by The Polkaholics
On a Good Time Sleigh Ride by The Peerless Quartet 

(Background Music: Little Drummer Boy by Jimi Hendrix & The Band of Gypsys)
O Santa by Thee Fine Lines
Brother Sylvest/God Rest Ye by Deep Sombrero
Christmas by Das Black Milk
Christmas Orphan by Linn & Linda with the Jordanaires & Millie
Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight) by J.B. Beverley & Buck Thrailkill
Blue Xmas by Snoop Dogg
Frosty Balls by Jim Terr

(Background Music: Here Comes Santa Claus by Los Straitjackets)
Hey Santa Claus by The Chesterfield Kings
Good King Wencelas by The Butthole Surfers
Ice King Christmas Ninja Party by Jonathan Mann
Santa Won't You Please Bring Me Some Beer by Mojo Gurus
If Christmas Can Bring You Home by The Reigning Sound
Santa Claus is Comin' to Town by Joseph Spence

Play it here:

BIG ENCHILADA 79: 2014 Christmas Special by Steve Terrell on Mixcloud

Find ALL my Christmas podcasts HERE

THE SANTA FE OPRY PLAYLIST

Friday, December 12, 2014 
KSFR, Santa Fe, NM 
Webcasting! 
10 p.m. to midnight Fridays Mountain Time 
Host: Steve Terrell 
101.1 FM
email me during the show! terrel(at)ksfr.org

Here's my playlist below:


Check out some of my recently archived radio shows at Radio Free America
Like the Santa Fe Opry Facebook page 

Subscribe to The Big Enchilada Podcast! CLICK HERE
Steve Terrell is proud to report to the monthly Freeform American Roots Radio list