SF Gate
SF Gate

Steven Wine, AP Writer
Published: November 24, 2008

Little Steven's Underground Garage, "Christmas A Go Go" (Wicked Cool)

This fun-filled Christmas grab bag features tunes naughty and nice, garage rock, power pop, psychedelia, rhythm & blues, novelty songs and one of the greatest couplets in the history of the holiday: "Come on Comet, come on Cupid, don't just stand there looking stupid."

Compiled by Steven Van Zandt of the E-Street Band, the 20-song set is sprinkled with rarities, including "Sock It To Me Santa" (quoted above) by Bob Seger, "All Alone On Christmas" by Darlene Love and the E-Streeters, and "Santa Claus Is Surfin' To Town" by Soupy Sales.

One quibble: The liner notes don't indicate when the cuts were recorded, and some date back more than 30 years. Such heavyweights as Keith Richards, the Kinks and the Ramones are included, but there are also excellent efforts from more obscure acts, among them Wizzard and the Cocktail Slippers.

All involved deliver Christmas music that's very rock 'n' roll, with double-entendres about chimneys, a nod to Santa's hot rod by the Brian Setzer Orchestra and insults from Joe Pesci directed at a children's choir. In short, it's just the thing to get a listener in the holiday spirit.