BLUES N'AT

     Today, Mrs. Black-N-Gold shares another one of her favorite Christmas tunes, although is not really a song. What it is is a skit by legendary stoner-comedy duo Cheech & Chong. It's called "Santa Claus And His Old Lady"

      In the skit, which is played on classic rock stations around the country during the holiday season, Cheech Marin attempts to explain who Santa Claus is and what he does, to his friend Tommy Chong. Apparently, Chong is not familiar with this cat named "Santa Claus" and thinks he's a muisician. Cheech proceeds to explain to Chong that Santa Claus and his old lady lived in the projects with a bunch of midgets and were evicted because of all the noise coming from their apartment (banging and pounding). Cheech raves about the brownies Santa's old lady would bake.

      They decided to move up to the North Pole and created the "Santa Claus And His Old Lady Commune" to get their heads together. Once a year, they'd put the goodies that they made at the commune into a shopping back and deliver them to good boys and girls all around the world. Chong wonders how they would deliver these, was it by snowmobile? No, man, it was on a sleigh with reindeer leading the way. Chong can't believe that Santa and his elves distribute all the goodies around the world in one night. Cheech has to give him the lowdown on the "magic dust" that helps the reindeer take off and makes Santa small enough that he can go down the chimneys to leave his presents.

      Cheech goes on to say that Santa and his old lady and the elves had to go underground as they were beginning to feel the heat of  too much repression and were considered outlaws. Today, Santa can be seen in front of department stores ringing a bell with a red kettle. Chong is certain he's played with the dude but insists Santa doesn't know "any tunes".

      Originally released in December, 1971, this classic charted as high (pun intended) as #38 on Billboard's Hot 100. It's always a pleasure for Mrs. Black-N-Gold to hear this bit because it's just not Christmas without "Santa Claus And His Old Lady".

     Until next time, boys and girls. Keep It Bluesy and don't bogart those brownies. Save a little bit for Santa Claus.