Gee Whiz, It's Christmas - Carla Thomas
From Soul Christmas (1968), arguably one of the Best Christmas Albums. Carla Thomas was best known for her 1961 hit,
Gee Whiz, which she wrote as a teen. Here she riffs off that song, rambling to someone estranged, a lover, maybe-
it's funny that I haven't thought to call you before/and why is it I haven't seen you around anymore- and then pulls herself together, remembering that this is supposed to be a holiday song-
still can't figure out why you crossed my mind/I guess it's just to say: gee whiz, it's Christmas- lazily referencing her hit and the season as a way to escape
yet another awkward phone call. I like Christmas songs that are a sideways acknowledgement of the ridiculousness of recording songs specifically for December, "come on, I have
all these experiences you want me to sing about, and you're making me write a Christmas song?"
- Tessa