Released in 2003, by the over the top, glam metal resurrection act, The Darkness, Christmas Time (Don't Let The Bells End) has been one of my favorite holiday tunes for close to a decade. The royal timbre of the electric guitars and falsetto of Justin Hawkins are undeniably Queen-like. And what Christmas classic is not complete without sleigh bells and a children choir? I can't think of another modern Christmas tune that packs so much melody and action into three and a half minutes. The tune became such a part of my holiday tradition that I finally had to throw down the cash to the buy the import CD single (it was never released domestically). The b-side, I Love You 5 Times, while entertaining is definitely overshadowed by the bombastic grandeur of the lead track. I hope this one finds its way into your holiday playlist, if it isn't there already.
Girlschool, where have you been my whole life? I love this band's sound. "C'mon Let's Go" is rock & roll perfection. The palm-muted guitar scraping matched with pounding tom-tom drums is punk rock perfection! Girlschool inhabited that creatively blurry zone between punk, hard rock and metal. They were closely associated with Motörhead and the new wave of British metal in the early 80s. They are the longest running all-female rock band, going on 35+ years. "C'mon Let's Go" appeared on their second album, Hit and Run (1981). The album reached #5 on the U.K. albums chart, but never got a proper release in the U.S. Goes well with early Ramones!

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