A novelty can be one of three things: A) an unusual song, sung mostly by a serious actor, that is comical or a little naughty and becomes a cult hit. OR B) a perfectly normal song that is sung by a comical or unusual singer. OR C) an unusual song, possibly funny or suggestive, sung by a comical or unusual singer.
Today's song is clearly in the C category. Today's song is called It's Christmas/ Christmas Eve 1953. It's sung by Antonio Fargas. I'm sorry, Antonio 'Huggy Bear' Fargas.
For those of you not older than 35 or so, Huggy Bear was a streetwise informant on the hit TV show Starsky and Hutch. The character was a sort of caricature of black street criminals; in particularly the stereotype of the pimp! Though Fargas has an impressive film resume such as Everybody Hates Chris, Osmosis Jones and Firestarter. Yet, no matter what, even if the actor was to win an Oscar for portraying Barack Obama, Antonio Fargas will forever be known Huggy Bear.
The Christmas song is clearly done in that jive-talk style Huggy Bear was known for. The album even adds 'Huggy Bear' to the actor's name. But what is most unusual about this song is when It's Christmas was released- 1980. Over a full year since Starsky and Hutch was cancelled!
I think the reason this song surprises the heck out of me is that it's so obscure! Had this song come out during the height of Huggy Bear's time on the boob tube, this song might have become a well known novelty tune. Instead, it's become yet another unknown carol that sought to cash in over a fad and missed the limelight by coming out too late.
Maybe today's posting will give the song it's due. I doubt it as it's an awfully silly song. Heck, it might even be considered a little racist or out of it's time at least. One way or another, most people who read this post will agree- this is a song that clearly come out of left field.
Enjoy...
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