It's a pity that this, the final video from The Hipwaders' A Kindie Christmas album, came out so close to Christmas that it didn't necessarily attract a lot of pre-Christmas attention. Because the video for "Yes, It's Christmas" is the best of the bunch. Dig the band in animated Victorian gear. Dickens totally would've written about chainsaws, had chainsaws been invented when he was alive.
The Hipwaders - "Yes, It's Christmas" [YouTube]
The Deedle Deedle Dees Can Wait
Y'know, posting 'round here has been on the slow side for a number of reasons the past week or so, and I suspect that a lot of you have been, you know, spending time with your families rather than on the Internet. So I'm unilaterally extending the deadline on my contest to win American History + Rock 'N' Roll = The Deedle Deedle Dees, the brand-new album from, er, The Deedle Deedle Dees. I'll bug you about it in the new year, so just go here and enter now...
The Caspar Pipe? Verve Babypants? Huh? On NPR?


Video: "The Kid with the Replaceable Head" - Richard Hell
Really, when you think about it, this might almost be the perfect Pancake Mountain song -- punk, with a kid-friendly-in-a-Roald-Dahl-sort-of-way narrative. The song's performed by Richard Hell (Television and a solo career, primarily), and although the song's pushing 30 years old at this point, I'm guessing this version is from his new Destiny Street Repaired release.
Really, though, it's about 10 months too late, as the animation (and song) is just about perfect for Halloween...
Richard Hell and the Voidoids - "The Kid with the Replaceable Head" [YouTube]
Interview: Dean Jones (Dog on Fleas)

Video: "Freight Train" - Elizabeth Cotten
Imagine, if you will, Mick Jagger performing "Satisfaction" at John Lennon's house, where John and Yoko record him for posterity.
This is the kids' music equivalent. Elizabeth Cotten performing "Freight Train" at Pete and Toshi Seeger's house, as recorded by the Seegers. The sound quality isn't the best, and I've noted this clip before, but now it's been posted to YouTube. Given how little video we have of the early days of recorded family music, this is quite valuable. (Not to mention a great song.)
Elizabeth Cotten - "Freight Train" [YouTube]