Show/Hide Menu Show/Hide Search

Our 2nd annual Christmas episode features former Def Jam exec and noted Christmas music obsessive Bill Adler. We discuss the 30th anniversary edition of his yearly Christmas mix (available EXCLUSIVELY from us — visit here) and his part in the new holiday music documentary Jingle Bell Rocks.

We also find time to talk about the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, protest movements past and present, and plenty more. Happy holidays from The Cipher! Again, you can listen to Bill Adler’s 30th anniversary Xmas Jollies mix ONLY on our Soundcloud page.

P.S. We’re honored to have been chosen as one of Slate’s “Best Podcasts About Music” this year. You can see the complete list here. And, as mentioned in the show’s introduction, you can find Cornell University’s online exhibit of Bill’s Def Jam materials on the university’s website.

Tracks featured in this episode:

  1. Kurtis Blow, “Christmas Rappin’”
  2. Kurtis Blow, “The Breaks”
  3. Eddie Lawrence, “The Old Philosopher”
  4. Perry Como, “The Story of the First Christmas”
  5. Cleo Brown, “The Stuff is Here And It’s Mellow”
  6. James Brown, “Let’s Make Christmas Mean Something This Year”
  7. James Brown, “Let’s Make Christmas Mean Something This Year”
  8. Joe King Carrasco & El Molino, “Tamale Christmas”
  9. Little Bobby Rey and his Band, “Corrido de Auld Lang Syne”
  10. Biblical Gospel Singers, “I Come to Praise Him”
  11. Slim & Slam, “It’s Gettin’ Kinda Chilly”
  12. Dream Warriors f/Slim Gaillard, “Very Easy To Assemble But Hard To Take Apart”
  13. Don Byron, “Bounce of the Sugar Plum Fairies”
  14. The Respect Sextet, “Suddenly It’s Christmas”
  15. Loudon Wainwright III, “Suddenly It’s Christmas”
  16. David Was, “Seasons Greetings from David Was”
  17. Paul Shaffer, “Seasons Greetings from Paul Shaffer”
  18. Yes, “Roundabout”
  19. Jingle Bell Rocks! trailer
  20. Citizen Kane excerpt
  21. Nat King Cole, “The Little Boy That Santa Claus Forgot”
  22. AKIM & The Teddy Vann Production Company, “Santa Claus is a Black Man”
  23. Jingle Bell Rocks! trailer
comments powered by Disqus