THE WAITRESSES Christmas wrappings REACTION - No Christmas song should be so groovy!

[@matthewschiavi7353]

This song has probably one of my most favorite bass lines of all time.

[@RaymondBCrisp]

Certainly my favorite bass line in a Christmas song.

[@samuelgates5935]

Tracy Wormworth is the FEMALE bass player 🎉🎉 The FUNKIEST BASS LINE OF ANY CHRISTMAS SONG🔥⛄🔥🦌🔥🎄

[@vielka1838]

Love it! It's not Christmas until I play this one...thanks! 🎄🎶

[@rulebs]

I agree

[@StaciaAmnaber]

Me too!!!

[@pebblehilllane]

The song was cobbled together from bits and pieces of ideas for different songs by a guy that literally hated Christmas. The Waitresses were releasing "I Know What Boys Like" as a single but the record label said they needed a side B. He threw together the various bits and pieces, wrote they lyrics, literally finishing them while on the way to the studio to record the song and it became an iconic Christmas classic from the 80's. The guy was Chris Butler. He went to Kent St. University and was an eye-witness to shooting and lost a close friend named Jeffery Miller. He the was in a band with Chrissie Hynde, later a member of the Pretenders, and a guy that later became a member of Devo, who's name I cannot remember at the moment. The Lead singer for The Waitresses happened as a fluke. Chris Butler was playing somewhere and had the song "I Know What Boys Like" and asked if there was a girl in the crowd that could sing and wanted to and Patty Donahue got up and sang and ended up the lead singer for the band. Christ Butler never wanted to make the song "Christmas Wrapping" or any other Christmas song. He was a bit of a Scrooge, but he had to and history was made.

[@amyk9175]

I agree- very new wave. It screams early 80s.

[@jollyj3285]

My all time faves....great story...great bass line....the sax....her delivery...i love this song so much...my fave ...btw their amazing bassist has been playing with the B52's for years!!! Tracy Wormworth🎉

[@jkbezo1]

Probably heard it at stores during Christmas season. Its common. Yes, this is new wave, punk rock, very early alternative rock. Fun music to dance to and have fun. You are right. Nice song and band. "I know What Boys Like" is another good song from them.

[@Marcus-Oh-really-yes]

Such a fun and infectious holiday song! Thanks, Harri and John.

[@ryansheehan9462]

When I used to work for CVS this song used to play in there at Christmastime. I ended up stopping what I was doing in order to catch enough lyrics to google it and find out what song it was.

[@wolf762x51]

Gets my vote for best bass line in a Christmas song. I love this song, have to hear it every year. My favorite one to play bass on as well. Just a good time song.

[@yesmisskitten]

The fabulous Patty Donahue singing! Sadly passed in 1996 - but her deadpan & cynical style was fantastic - they had a really big hit with I Know What Boys Like (which most of the video images here are from) & the theme song from the show Square Pegs, but I'd suggest No Guilt ❤ Alice Cooper also specifically pulled her to sing on his song I Like Girls - she's credited with "Vocals & Sarcasm" on the album 😆❤️ Mars Williams on sax also played with Psychedelic Furs and Liquid Soul, he just passed a couple of weeks ago - great saxophonist xo

[@bennettjoseph1481]

Thank you for mentioning a bit of Patty Donahue's biography. She, and this band, are sadly mostly forgotten and have never been sufficiently appreciated in my view.

[@Music-wu5de]

The bassist Tracy Wormworth went on to record with the B-52s, Paula Abdul, and others.

[@John_Chu]

@@Music-wu5de The bassist on the original recording of "Christmas Wrapping" was Dave Hofstra, a founding member, who had left the group by the time the video was shot. Hofstra went on to become an in-demand double-bassist in the jazz world, playing with John Zorn, Robin Holcomb, Bobby Previte, Bill Frisell and others.

[@AlexByth]

​@@John_Chu No, this was Tracy Wormworth's debut with the group. I think you may be getting confused with the video for "I Know What Boys Like" where Wormworth did mime somebody else's bassline - but that wasn't Hofstra either, it was Chris Butler, because the track was recorded in 1978 before Hofstra joined and the video was made in 1982 after he left! So although Hofstra was the bassist for their first album, he managed to miss out on both of the group's best known "hits".

[@KittyCarlile-490]

Yay The Waitresses I've not heard in years

[@briangray00]

The sax was a massive instrument in the 70s, hung on to mid 80s and then died, on it's arse I miss it terribly. I'm sure I'm not the only one who wrongly assumed it was Debbie Harry singing, the first time you heard this.

[@trishgorman6456]

My all time FAVORITE Christmas song! Thanks for the reaction!!

[@Graham_Street]

She has passed and is buried with her mum, I think in Ohio . RIP ❤

[@johannesvalterdivizzini1523]

It's very addictive, isn't it? I was exactly the right age when I first heard this (24) living in the right place (East Village NYC), so it has tons of memories for me.

[@Triggerhippie70]

Always have loved this song

[@glenndespres5317]

One of my favorites. Me and my son.

[@purfctwmn]

Just love this song and yes kinda is like true to life. Lol

[@MediaAceStar]

Harry, thanks for this one! One of my favorite Christmas songs!

[@josephmilitello647]

This was on a Christmas compilation album that also featured another one of my favorite Xmas songs, "Christmas on Riverside Drive," by August Darnell.

[@wayne_twentyfive]

This was a new one for me, and it wasn't bad at all .. I couldn't grasp all the lyrics, so looked them up, and they tell a nice story of a woman at Xmas time who finally has some good stuff happen to her after a rough and hectic year .. I only know The Waitresses from their catchy hit "I Know What Boys Like", but this was another cool little song .. Thanks for the great reaction, Harri.

[@brucewebb1114]

An awesome story put to music.

[@JerseyBillz]

It's a Happy song...that's all you can say

[@missblondie2393]

Great choice John always puts me in the festive Christmas Spirit Merry Christmas to you

[@John_Chu]

Merry Christmas to you too, Miss B!

[@StefanEngler-rb8lu]

I remember this, great groovin Christmas tune!

[@debbiechang5781]

I never heard this John and I loved it. I usually avoid most Christmas music but this was fun. Thanks Harri and John. 🎄✌️

[@John_Chu]

You're welcome, Debbie. Their big hit was "I Know What Boys Like" that followed in1982. It was on all the time on MTV. Patty Donahue and most of the band was from Cleveland. She passed at 40 from lung cancer. Chain smoker.

[@davidmaholchic6146]

Can this song really be 40+ years old a classic love you

[@annabinksy1694]

Love this !!! A Christmas song which shocked my husband and I was Nat King Coles The Little Boy That Santa Forgot. Only reason that come on our radar was because we watched this documentary in the guy who cts Christmas songs and him and a Haitian band did a rendition of this song. Blew us away even though it was so darn sad :-(

[@silverfire01]

Yeah so is not a rock classic but is a great christmas party song. I can imagine a few going up to dance to. Reminds me a bit of the old sugarhill gang rappers delight song which was also very danceable though wasnt a christmas song.

[@Phoenix85006]

So glad you loved it Harry! Not a big fan of Christmas music but this song puts me in the Christmas spirit 🎅🎶🎄

[@maybeimamazed80]

Nice review! I forgot about this song! Great memories!

[@bryanforis1839]

When she lived she put a lot year in short time on earth Christmas became a Christmas band and tv and movies and now Christmas radio

[@anthonymussari8783]

The Spice Girls did a "British" version of this in 1998.

[@richardconnolly4835]

As Christmas and winter nears, check out Gordon Lightfoot's Song for a Winter's Night - a cool winter song - makes you feel like you are alone in a cabin in the woods.

[@StefanEngler-rb8lu]

Would love to see you check out Run with the Fox by Chris Squire.

[@justjack0715]

GREAT reaction Harri! May I suggest Sarajevo/Christmas Eve - Trans Siberian Orchestra. YOU WILL LOVE IT!👍👍👍👍👍

[@pauldover1403]

Well, that seems to me to be a most un-John-Chu-like choice but probably it's my perception that's wrong. This got an awful lot of radio play in 1981-2 and still pops up around Christmas but I'm with Phoenix85006 here, it does put you in the Christmas spirit. I had always thought that this was actually an all-girl band but I see now that I was wrong. Sadly, I see though that the singer, Patty Donnahue, died when she was only 40.

[@John_Chu]

As Bob Dylan has written, "I Contain Multitudes." LOL. My musical tastes are quite...diverse (or perverse). Season's greetings to you, Paul!

[@grahamdughan1156]

Hi Harri - have you tried Christmas Time (don’t let the bells end) by The Darkness another younger in cheek Christmas song

[@contacluj758]

If you want other cool Christmas songs, try Bob Rivers-"Sled Zeppelin" or No Doubt -"Oi To The World"

[@hugginduff]

1982

[@markcraven8386]

To coin a phrase, "you chose poorly". The video is so low quality it's best to cue up a lyric version and dwell on your imagination and hearing. Bonus points, check out a cover video of the bass line, I can recommend several. The lyrics are the meat and the bassline is desert.

[@missrachelreads]

This is a great song, but the video is terrible. I don't think it is official or shows the band at all. There is a video for it, that I've seen a lot but I think it is a lyrics only video. Colorful, though. :)

[@monolit73]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! What could be better than the combination of the best vocals in the world and the best soundtracks in the world of cinema in a great show!? Please react to a grandiose performance - Diana Ankudinova. Art of Hans Zimmer Soundtrack from the movie Dune On this show Diana also performed the soundtrack from Bond 007 - No Time to Die Hans Zimmer - film score composer and music producer. He has won two Oscars and four Grammys, and has been nominated for three Emmys and a Tony. Zimmer was also named on the list of Top 100 Living Geniuses. Full video name: Diana Ankudinova. Art of Hans Zimmer Soundtrack from the movie Dune This video is from Diana's second official channel - "Diana Ankudinova Life" This channel only features live performances by Diana and there are no copyright restrictions. Her main official channel "Diana Ankudinova" has 1.42 million subscribers.

[@JCourts2k23]

If i heard this on the radio, i would immediately hit SKIP

[@bmw128racer]

Great Christmas song, but that music video is just awful: A bunch of Waitresses music videos poorly clipped and slapped together.