3 Chords & the Truth: Have yourself a merry little Christmas

The older I get, the more the lyrics to "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" speak to me -- get to me.

And, in a not-always-visible-from space manner, they guide your Mighty Favog in putting together A 3 Chords & the Truth Christmas each year. Don't make me count up how many Christmases that's been now.

Given all this country's recent travails, the line "Next year all our troubles will be out of sight" seems, to me, grossly overly optimistic. On the other hand, they could be. But still . . . you never know.

SO, AT THIS TIME of the year, one holds onto hope. It's a terrible thing to live without hope.

I won't belabor the point. It's time to listen to the music, and give in to the hope that "Next year all our troubles, will be out of sight." Merry Christmas from the Big Show.

It's 3 Chords & the Truth, y'all. Be there. Aloha.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Let your heart be light
Next year all our troubles will be out of sight

 

Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Make the Yuletide gay
Next year all our troubles will be miles away

 

Once again, as in olden days
Happy golden days of yore
Faithful friends who are dear to us
Will be near to us once more

 

Someday soon we all will be together
If the fates allow
Until then, we'll have to muddle through somehow
So have yourself a merry little Christmas now

 

3 Chords & the Truth: Bleak midwinter

It's gray. It's raining. It's December, and Christmas is nigh.

The rain, in these parts, actually is something of a holiday treat. Drought, don't you know? The gray and the chill and the nights that begin in the afternoon, that's just midwinter in the upper Midwest.

This time of year, you have to make your own light. You have to add color to the world by whatever means necessary. In the case of 3 Chords & the Truth, that would be through playing the best music anywhere.

This week, like every week here in the studio, is no exception.

I've got the tunes; I've got my Community coffee shipped from South Louisiana, and that's all anybody needs to keep the gray -- and the December chill -- at bay.

IF I TRY hard enough, I can smell the big blue spruce tree of my childhood Christmastimes. That's not nothing -- these days, our household trees run toward the plastic and metal. "Trees" is not a typographical error. If one tree is good, two are better.

This year, a new wrinkle on the fake-tree front: fixing a loose branch with electrical tape and a bit of faux-fir camouflage. I don't recall ever fixing a real evergreen, so chalk up an advantage for artificiality.

Anyway, as we continue the run-up to the Big Show's big Christmas show next week, we have a mix of all the great music you normally hear, plus some holiday classics, plus some yuletide tunes that might not be so familiar to you. You'd expect no less from this program, right?

Ring those Christmas bells, then settle down in a comfortable chair with your favorite hot beverage for another full-fledged musical experience.

It's 3 Chords & the Truth, y'all. Be there. Aloha.

3 Chords & the Truth: Merry C-c-c-christmas!

The ground is white
The chill is up
We've got some ice
Fell on my duff

Simply having a frostbitten Christmastime
Simply having a frostbitten Christmastime

Big Show's still on
The music's here
That only comes
This time of year

Simply having a frostbitten Christmastime
Simply having a frostbitten Christmastime

A stack of records do their thing
Ding dong, ding dong, ding dong, ding
B-brrr brrr brrr brrr brrrrrrrrrr
C . . . c . . . c . . . c . . . c . . . cold
Sh-shiv-shiv-shiv-shiv-er

SIMPLY having a frostbitten Christmastime
We're simply having a frostbitten Christmastime
Simply having a frostbitten Christmastime

The wool hat's out
Inside the house
Layers won't let
My arms go down

Simply having a frostbitten Christmastime
Simply having a frostbitten Christmastime

But the stack of records do their thing
I've been waiting all year long
Ding dong, doo wop
Ding dong, doo wop
Ding dong, doo wop
Ding dong, doo wop

The ground is white
The chill is up
We've got some ice
Fell on my duff

We're simply having a frostbitten Christmastime
Simply having a frostbitten Christmastime
Simply having a frostbitten Christmastime
Simply having a frostbitten Christmastime
Simply having a frostbitten Christmastime

Ho-ho, ho-ho
Ho-ho-ho wonderful Christmastime

IT'S 3 Chords & the Truth, y'all. The extra-large, family-size Christmas edition of 3 Chords & the Truth. Be there. Alo-ho-ho-ho-ha.

3 Chords & the Truth: It's zaptastic

'Twas the week before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even the BZZZZZZZZAP!

Note to self: The headphones do not connect to the electrical outlet. They plug into the mixing console. 

No, not the mixer in the kitchen, the thing in the studio with the knobs and faders.

I'll bet the above has cleared up a lot of things for you about 3 Chords & the Truth. Unsurprisingly, they're not much clearer for me. But I'll keep on . . . BZZZZZZZZAP! . . . trying.

I DON'T really know where I'm going with this. All I know is it's the week before Christmas, and there's so much to do and so little sleep. I also know there's another fresh episode of the Big Show this week -- right here, in fact -- and it's a real gas.

Because I don't trust myself with the electric.

What? No, I don't know what the hell I'm talking about, either. Perhaps listening to the show will clear things up. Perhaps not.

It's 3 Chords & the Truth, y'all. Be there. Alo-ho-ho-ho-ha.

3 Chords & the Truth: Rock on, man

What?

Hairy fist mush? What the hell is fist mush?

Hang on.

OK,  I turned down my almost brand-new, 48-year-old bitchin' studio headphones. What's this about fist mush?

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh. Merry CHRISTMAS! I thought the wall of sound had turned my brain to mush there for a second.

I see that look on your face. Don't say it, or it's no 3 Chords & the Truth for you. And you do not want to miss this edition of the Big Show.

Yes, it's that good.

Now, if you don't mind, I shall resume rockin' out. Man. Just listen to the show and don't try to talk to me when I have these things on.

Go. Get. Listen.

It's 3 Chords & the Truth, y'all. Be there. Aloha.

3 Chords & the Truth: 'Twas the night before COVID . . .

'Twas the night before omicron, and all through the house,

Not a body was sleeping, not even the mouse. . . .

That's because who's sleeping these days? On this, our second pandemic Christmas.

SUCH IS WHERE we find ourselves these days, and we're making do as best as we can . . . without ending up sick and quarantined, or sick and in the hospital, or sick and. . . . Well, you know.

Still, the show must go on, and for your listening enjoyment, your Mighty Favog presents the big 3 Chords & the Truth Christmas-music extravaganza -- 2 hours and 42 minutes of as much yuletide cheer as we can muster. Alas.

I would say more, but this year's sponsor for the Big Show blowout doesn't want me to step on the corporate message. And that, I must respect.

So I will take my literary leave -- allowing you to start your holiday listening -- with a simple message: Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night. See you in '22.

It's 3 Chords & the Truth, y'all. Be there. Alo-ho-ho-ho-ha.

3 Chords & the Truth: Geeking out

Are you unpoopular? Do you pop out at parties, Poindexter?

Well, fret not -- 3 Chords & the Truth is here!

It will cure what ails you, because what ails you isn't an ailment. 

The ailment is all the Alpha Betas out there, who must be put in their place. Because Alpha Betas suck.

And while we're doing that on the Big Show this week, we'll also have the merriest, the wildest and the most happenin' holiday selections as part of the winning musical mix. It's another great program, and you're cordially invited to attend.

But not the Alpha Betas. Or the Omegas, for that matter.

It's 3 Chords & the Truth, y'all. Be there. Aloha.

3 Chords & the Truth: No old ladies were harmed

Let's be clear: Despite what you may have been told, no old ladies actually have been harmed by listening to 3 Chords & the Truth. 

There may have been a close call or three since 2008, however. 

Just wanted to clear that up straight away. 

That said, we have another stellar program for you this week on the Big Show. Really. That's no bull. Honestly, it's good. 

And we have a surprise for you during the course of the festivities. No, I won't tell you what it is. Then it wouldn't be a surprise for you, now, would it?

I am authorized to reveal that we are officially kicking off the Christmas season on 3 Chords & the Truth this week. That is quite musically tasty, too.

I think that ticks off all the boxes on the ol' checklist, so my promotional work here is done. And, again, no old ladies were harmed -- or institutionalized -- because of this program. Really. 

It's 3 Chords & the Truth, y'all. Be there. Aloha.

3 Chords & the Truth: A socially distant Christmas

Well . . . it's been a year. 

And this year, it'll be a Christmas -- just not the one we'd all hoped for. 

There's nothing we can do about the year 2020 has been, but there's lots we can do about the kind of Christmas this one will be. No, it's not the one we'd dreamed of -- but we certainly can make the best of the one we've got. 

Maybe -- just maybe -- it will be special in its own pandemic-y manner. We at 3 Chords & the Truth are doing our best in the effort. And this is our Christmas gift to you, wherever you might be and however you plan to muddle through somehow. 

AFTER ALL, the Savior whose birthday we celebrate now in the bleak midwinter was born in a manger, surrounded by livestock, had nothing but swaddling clothes  . . . and soon had to flee into exile with his parents. Despite social distancing, incompetent and pernicious political leaders, and the 'rona stalking us all, we will muddle through. 

Somehow. 

Perhaps, we'll even triumph. Just like Jesus -- despite everything.

That's our Christmas wish for you here at the Big Show. 

It's 3 Chords & the Truth, y'all. Be there. Aloha . . . and ho ho ho.

3 Chords & the Truth: Listen to the Big Show. It's good.

It's coming up on Christmas, and all I want Papa Noël to bring me is . . . something to say.

Of all the things 2020 has taken from us, something useful to say that hasn't already been said over and over again is the latest loss for me. In this age of COVID and Trump, you do what you can -- try to keep spirits up -- but sooner or later, you start running out of gas.

Obviously, 3 Chords & the Truth is still going, but my words are. . . are . . . are . . . are. . . .

I got nothin'. Just listen to the Big Show. It's good.

It's 3 Chords & the Truth, y'all. Be there. Aloha.

3 Chords & the Truth: The Late Show

Now that America has completed the Thanksgiving national 'rona superspreading event, we eagerly careen toward the Christmas national 'rona superspreading event. 

So, just in time for the most festive time of the year, it will not be festive at all for millions of our American countrymen. Some of the darkest days of our history will coincide with the darkness of winter. 

This is enough to cause many an otherwise sane and confident person to curl up beneath a mountain of blankets in the dark of night, afraid for the future and despairing for the present. Amid the dark, cold night, we seek a little light -- even if it's the dial light of your old radio . . . or, as the case may be, the light of your smartphone's screen. 

3 Chords & the Truth can't do much to fix what ails us during this dark December, but it can keep you company in the night. We can play music that might, for a moment or three, make you forget and bring a little joy.

And starting with this week's edition of the Big Show, we can bring you a little Christmas, right this very minute. Really, don't we need all the Christmas we can safely get right now? 

That, friend, pretty much sums up this week's program -- a little comfort and light in the cold, dark night. It's something we all need to grab a hold of as often as we can, especially when it comes in the form of really good music.

It's 3 Chords & the Truth, y'all. Be there. Aloha.

3 Chords & the Truth: We need a lot of Christmas

The bigger the show, the less I'll write about it. And the Christmas edition of the Big Show is a big, big show, indeed.

In fact, it's the biggest Big Show we've done in more than 11 years of doing the program. There isn't a little Christmas in this week's 3 Chords & the Truth; there's a lot of Christmas.

There's a simple reason for that, pally.

These days, we need  a lot of Christmas. Every single minute. We need a lot of Christmastime.

In this case, 3 hours and 13 minutes of Christmastime. You're welcome. Actually, thank our sponsor, What? Do a Shot . . . the drink America drinks when it needs to black out.

So there you have it, big Big Show, small post about the holiday music marathon.

It's A 3 Chords & the Truth Christmas, y'all. Be there. Alo-ho-ho-ho-ha.

3 Chords & the Truth: Resistance is futile

There are a lot of entities and ideologies, nay, powers and principalities, out there waiting to assimilate your ass.

The vast majority represent bad, nay, weird ass, stuff. Feel free to substitute a more colorful noun than "stuff."

If you wonder what I speak of, you haven't been paying attention to our sorry and strife-filled times. But this isn't about that.

This is about being assimilated by something good and interesting and, nay, something good for your brain and your soul.

THIS . . . is about 3 Chords & the Truth. We're like the good Borg, and we only require to assimilate a modest and reasonable portion of your mind to the hive.

And maybe your feet, with which we will guide you to use for dancing and tapping.

Apart from that, there's just another exceptional edition of the Big Show to alert you to this week. Good music and a few great Christmas songs as we lead up to the giant Ho Ho Ho Extravaganza next week.

That . . . is all.

It's 3 Chords & the Truth, y'all. Be there. Aloha.

Christmas ain't over till the wise men proclaim

If you can't use the classic peel-off Polaroid film and classic Polaroid cameras anymore, you can use my new favorite iPhone app in the world -- the Polaroid Fx app, which makes smartphone pictures look like whatever kind of Polaroid snapshot you'd like.

Here, I have a Polaroid 107 black-and-white film thing going. Now, if the app could just let you pull the actual print out of your phone and peel the negative off, that would be great.

3 Chords & the Truth: Dude! Merry Christmas!

If you don't listen to a 3 Chords & the Truth Christmas -- that's the big Yuletide Blowout Edition of the Big Show -- Santa Claus is going to shove a lump of coal down your Fruit of the Looms and set it alight.

And Buddy the Elf is gonna laaaaaaaugh and laaaaaaaugh and laugh.

Have a blessed Christmas, now, y'all, y'hear?

It's 3 Chords & the Truth, y'all. Be there. Aloha.

3 Chords & the Truth: We bring the magic

There's magic in the air -- it's almost Christmas, then there's the magic of the radio. On the Internet.

On a podcast that remembers the magic of radio and the magic of those Christmases of long-ago youthful exuberance.

On this edition of 3 Chords & the Truth, we remember the magic. We bring the magic. You just listen and see . . . hear . . . whatever. Magic and a couple of curveballs -- how's that for a description of this week's show?

This week's Big Show.

Geez, how many ways can we say "It's great!" It's like being in junior high and trying to hit that magic 500-word benchmark for an in-class essay. Junior high . . . when we were young and exuberant.

But not about in-class 500-word essays. Yuck.

Well, the show's magic, we're simply having a wonderful Christmastime, and I've officially run out of literary bovine fertilizer. This, my friend, will have to do.

It's 3 Chords & the Truth, y'all. Be there. Aloha.

It's Christmastime in the city

As my wife and I wandered Sunday night around Omaha's Old Market, a couple of things became clear.

That is, besides it being chilly.

OK, damn cold. It is December, and this is Nebraska.

Al fresco season is over until May, unless, of course, your name happens to be Alfonse Fresco. We've no intention of cheating Mr. Fresco out of a single day, which leads me to clarify that Al Fresco season would be the season for Al Fresco and not the season on Al Fresco.

It is a sign of the times that this has to be made clear.

Now, where was I?

Seasons, I believe. And wintertime in the Old Market, Omaha's favorite downtown spot for sidewalk dining and people watching.

The other thing what was clear as we walked down Howard Street -- apart from the unpleasant epiphany that I should have worn a coat, not a jacket, and that it might have been a good idea for my lovely bride to wear . . . socks -- is that Christmas is nigh.

Ho, ho, ho, y'all.

Merry Christmas!

3 Chords & the Truth: The Then Sound?

We may do more than speak anachronism around here.

This week on the Big Show, the closest we actually come to "the NOW sound" is a new record from someone who's been in the music biz as long as I've been alive. Note: That's a looooooonng time.

Otherwise, we have some 78s, some old LPs and some 45s that go back to the genesis of the format. Which was at least a couple of generations removed from how folks get their music now.

At least.

WE SPEAK anachronism -- hell, we live anachronism around here -- because apart from liking it, there seems to be less and less percentage in the present. And sometimes you just need a reprieve from it.

OK, 3 Chords & the Truth needs frequent reprieves from the present . . . the eternal NOW. Give us some good, old-fashioned Then now and again. And again. And again.

Anachronism, c'est nous.

Embrace anachronism. It's good.

AND, while I'm thinking of it, the tasty Christmas tunes continues apace this week on the program as we try to make the season bright. And hot chocolate, pepperminty, candy cane-y.

So it's ho-ho-ho . . . and on with the show.

It's 3 Chords & the Truth, y'all. Be there. Aloha.

3 Chords & the Truth: Gettin' in the spirit

The last of the Thanksgiving turkey has gone into a sandwich. It's cold outside, and we're waiting on the snow. Christmas is around the corner, and I may have had a drink or two.

You would even say I glow . . . it glows. Something glows.

Happy ho-ho-ho to you, pally.

Where was I?

Oh, yeah. The latest edition of 3 Chords & the Truth. Well, this is it.

The show is back after a Thanksgiving break, and we're trying to get in the holiday spirit -- such as it is these days. The Big Show will do its best, which your Mighty Favog is confident is on display with this present episode.

It's festive. Yeah, that's the ticket.

Ho, ho, ho. Listen to the show.

It's 3 Chords & the Truth, y'all. Be there. Aloha.

Pour me another martini, will ya, Jackson? (Thud.)

Oh, the weather outside is frightful!

It's April 15, the wind chill is something like 10 degrees, it's snowing and just west of here, there was a hellacious blizzard.

In other words . . . oh, what the hell.

Enjoy this bit of yuletide the way it sounded in the 1960s -- Christmas Day programming on KFAB-FM in Omaha, circa 1969. Alas, this aircheck of "Cloud Nine Stereo" -- 99.9 on every FM dial -- was recorded on a dual-track mono tape recorder back in the day.

In transferring the recording to the digital realm, I did what I could to get the most out of the audio.

I'm a wizard that way.