This page shows videos of all of the holiday tunes I have recorded over the years. They are listed alphabetically, and the tunes with numeric titles are listed first. For musicians playing on the tunes, a link to downloading the sheet music is below each song.
We did a live show at The Bards Town ( 1801 Bardstown Road) Thursday, December 9th from 7:00 PM – 9:30 PM. The room was crammed full of awesome musicians and audience members, and it was a real night to remember. Hoping to make this an annual tradition.
Here is a link to the script that Faith Lindsey read that tells the back stories to the songs:
_2019-12-19 Bards Town Show Script
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1:42
They call New Orleans the Crescent City because of the way the Mississippi river cradles the city forming a crescent on the southern edge. Since 1835, the St. Charles Streetcar has also traipsed a crescent shaped path across the city from Audubon Park on the west through the historic Garden District ending at the historic French Quarter. This song is about a man who gets on the St. Charles Street Trolley on Christmas Eve with an engagement ring in his pocket headed to the French Quarter with a plan to propose to his girlfriend at midnight in Jackson Square. He brings his grandpa’s pocket watch with him to keep track of the time, because he knows that if his plan falls through, that the last trolley back to his home leaves the French Quarter at 1:42 AM.
Special Thanks to Keith McGill for delivering the wonderful vocal performance, and to Dan Dilamarter (guitar), Sean McInnis (Trumpet), and Max Pickett(Trombone) for this special recording.
Music Download
1:42
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24
This song is about a man who grows up the only child of parents who had adopted him. After his parents are gone, he has no family. Years later, he submits a sample to a DNA testing service only to learn that he has 23 other relatives, and he goes to meet them at the holidays. This song was inspired by a friend of Patrick’s whose mother grew up in a small Midwest town, and when she got pregnant as a teen, she was sent off to Chicago “to visit relatives”. After she gave birth and the baby was with the adoption agency, she returned back to her small town. Later in life, she had a large family with a man she married. The adopted baby is that friend of Patrick’s who did DNA testing as a 60 year old man and discovered this long-lost family. Although his birth mother was gone before he made the connection, he has been to holidays, weddings, and funerals with this “new” family ever since.
Music Download
24
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Before there were Reindeer
This song of the night is written from the perspective of Santa Claus’s ex-girlfriend. Up at the North Pole, way back in high school, Kris Kringle was her fool, in every way. They would go out sleigh riding together, until her best friend (the future Ms. Claus) stole Santa away from her. Years later, Santa Claus just happens to be delivering presents to HER Christmas Tree, and they have a chance encounter.
Lucy Fitzgerald: Vocals, Chris Fitzgerald, Bass, Patrick Fitzgerald, Piano.
Music Download
Before there were Reindeer
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Christmas Time is Here
In December, 2020, I arranged and recorded a mandolin trio performance of the Vince Guaraldi classic “Christmas Time is Here”.
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Family
This next tune is not specifically about the Fitzgerald Family and only BARELY about Christmas. The verses of the song all represent someone learning to understand the world better through the advice of his or her mother.
Keith McGill: Vocals, Patrick Fitzgerald: Mandocello, Vocals.
Music Download
Family
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Funky Funky Santa
Alright alright people! It’s time to get Funky! This is the dance craze that is sweeping the North pole and frankly, the rest of the world. If you don’t know how to do the dance, don’t worry, the song is actually instructional. You’ll just put your boot to the left, put your boot to the right, and shimmy down the chimney.
Zoe Peterson and Lucy Fitzgerald: Vocals, Dan Dilamarter: Electric Guitar, Jim Becker: Drums, Tim Kelty: Guitar, Patrick Fitzgerald: Bass.
Music Download
Funky Funky Santa
Funky Funky Santa Large Print Lyrics Only
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Horns
This tune certainly wins the prize for most bizarre fan fiction back story. It is sung by Krampus, the mythological Central European Christmas Devil. In this version, he was a woodland creature found by Santa and talked into doing a “one-time stunt” where he would scare children into being good. The stunt worked so well, that Santa continued to use him as a scapegoat from that point on. Krampus wants desperately to be welcomed into polite society as a member of the extended Christmas family, but alas, he is forever villainized by a culture of fear. Whenever he tries to get close to the holiday cheer, his Horns always give him away.
Patrick Fitzgerald, Piano, Vocals. Sean McInnis, Trumpet. Jim Mayer, Trumpet. Max Pickett, Trombone.
Music Download
Horns
Horns Horn Part
Horns and 142 Bb Trumpet Part
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Lights Up on the Tree
This tune is about a couple in four distinct phases of life celebrating the holidays. They grow older together and share the holidays together with their growing family through multiple generations.
Jenrose Fitzgerald: guitar and vocals, Patrick Fitzgerald: mandolin and vocals.
Music Download
Lights on the Tree
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Little Shepherd Trail
The Little Shepherd Trail is a scenic road that stretches 38 miles along the crest of Pine Mountain in Harlan and Letcher Counties in the Southeast corner of Kentucky. The mountains are beautiful, although some have had their tops removed to get to the coal underneath. This next song is about a family in Appalachia experiencing hardship but learning how to remain hopeful, or as the lyric goes “This mountaintop storybook cold starry night slightly tragic nativity tale”.
Amy FItzgerald – Vocals, Marty Purdy – Mandolin and vocals, Patrick Fitzgerald – Guitar and vocals.
Music Download
Little Shepherd Trail
Little Shepherd Trail Large Print Lyrics Only
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Mango Christmas
This tune is from an era when people were not connected with cell phones and social media. It is about a couple who randomly met years ago on a snowy Christmas Eve while each was visiting Germany. After spending a lovely holiday together, they decided NOT to run off together, but to arrange another Christmas Eve rendezvous the following year across the world. They have no way to contact each other except for their annual holiday get-together. The relationship continues in this fashion for many years, but this year, a slight misunderstanding may doom the whole affair.
Mae Alice Harrell: vocals, Owen Fitzgerald: vocals, Patrick Fitzgerald: guitar.
Music Download
Mango Christmas
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My News to Tell
This song is about the Angel “Rose”. (Gesture to Lucy Fitzgerald) Right before the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, God approached Rose and asked her to spread the good news. Little did they know that the Angel Gabriel overheard their conversation. He got so excited, that he just could not contain himself, and he accidentally let it slip. He “accidentally” blew his trumpets on high proclaiming the birth of the Christ Child? Please! (Pronounced Puh leeeze!) Or, to hear Rose tell it, that dirty low-down snake in the grass Gabriel had to hog all the glory for himself. Had to steal Rose’s thunder. Had to step into the limelight that was ordained on high to be designated for Rose. Well, it is over 2,000 years later, and Rose is NOT over it. In this song, she is in a cocktail bar in Buffalo, New York spilling over the side to anyone who will listen. It just goes to show that even “The Greatest Story Ever Told” is not immune to outrageous fan fiction.
Special thanks to Lucy Fitzgerald for inhabiting the character of Rose.
Craig Wagner (Electric guitar), Tim Kelty (Guitar), Ian Mutchnik (Drums), Patrick Fitzgerald (Bass).
And here is the live version from The Bards Town December 19, 2019
Music Download
My News to Tell
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One Day of the Year
It was actually recorded in December, 2017 in the music room at Bloom Elementary with Debbie Graf and her wonderful third grade class. Debbie is one of those awesome teachers who brings her guitar to class and makes music a priority all year ‘round. We collaborated on writing this song for her class to sing.
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Peace and Joy
This song is about two people who encounter each other in a tattoo parlor on Christmas Eve. The woman has just gotten her first tattoo, which has the word “Peace”. The man is there to have a tattoo removed: specifically, the one that has the name of his EX named Joy. They encounter a stranger in need outside, and when they help him, he notices that they have Peace and Joy on their respective arms. After the encounter, they rush back inside to make their body art complete. When all is said and done, they each have a matched set.
Special thanks to the high school phenom band “Anemic Royalty” with guest vocalist Zoe Peterson. Anemic Royalty is Jeremy Rochman (guitar, vocals), Seamus Coyle (guitar), Oden Curry (bass), and Miles Rochman (drums).
Music Download
Peace and Joy
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Richest Man in the World
This is a Great Lakes sea shanty that attempts to harness the feel of a song written in the 1880s. The story is that of a family who is experiencing their first Christmas without their beloved Uncle Pearl, who was worked on large freight ships in the Great Lakes. Every Christmas, he would come visit bringing them great treasures from faraway lands like Sleeping Bear, Petoskey, and Macinaw. Although it would be easy to categorize it as “The Wreck of the Patrick Fitzgerald”, it really draws more inspiration from Paul Simon’s song “Duncan”. ‘Tis a wealthy man whose haves exceeds his needs and even his wants.
It features Don King on Guitar and Vocals, Jacob Head on violin, and Patrick Fitzgerald on Mandocello and Vocals.
Music Download
Richest Man in the World
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Santa Clause is Gone
This tune was actually the first Christmas tune Patrick ever wrote. It has a big audience participation part that comes by so often, you can’t possibly miss it. In Trivial Pursuit, they call this an “ALL PLAY”.
It features Torion Gore on vocals, John Hawkins on slide guitar, Amy Fitzgerald on vocals, Patrick Fitzgerald on mandocello, and Tim Kelty on guitar. Thanks to all of these fabulous musicians.
Completely my fault that I bumped the focus on the center camera right before we started and did not realize until after everyone left.
Music Download
Santa Clause is Gone
Santa Clause is Gone Large Print Lyrics Only
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Saranac
If you leave this site with one melody stuck in your head, it will be this one. This song is about a woman who sits out on frozen Lake Saranac in upstate New York ice fishing and waiting for her baby to come join her. They go back to the cabin, snuggle up, and dream about summer when they can return to Lake Saranac and fish from their canoe to the song of the loon.
Lucy Fitzgerald, Vocals. Patrick Fitzgerald, Guitar. Jane Halliday, Violin. Ian Mutchnick, Percussion
Music Download
Saranac
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Slide on Down to Christmas Town
The next tune is a bit on the slippery side. Inspired by the Grinch’s epic sleigh ride from the top of Mount Crumpet down to Christmas Town, this song attempts to slip in more “slide” puns per square inch than any other holiday tune. (True Story.) And if you need any further evidence that this tune has “jumped the shark” if you listen closely, you’ll hear that one of the verses is about Santa paying high tribute to Evel Knievel.
It features Torion Gore on slide vocals, John Hawkins on slide guitar, Allison Cross on slide trombone, and Patrick Fitzgerald on slide guitar.
Music Download
Slide on Down to Christmas Town
Slide on Down to Christmas Town Large Print Lyrics Only
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Sycamore Lane
Sometimes life just ain’t fair. There are a lot of bullies out there in the world, and sometimes they go to your school. Sometimes they troll you on line. Sometimes they live on your street. In this next song, Four misfits on Sycamore Lane each get picked on in their lives, but for Christmas THIS year, each one receives a superhero costume under their Christmas Tree, and it emboldens them to stand up to their tormentors. With an homage to the late Jim Croce, please enjoy Sycamore Lane.
Torion Gore, vocals. Tim Kelty, Guitar. Marty Purdy, Mandolin, Patrick Fitzgerald, Bass. Jim Becker, Drums
Music Download
Sycamore Lane
Sycamore Lane Large Print Lyrics Only
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Three Wise Ones
Although this song allegorically plays on the three wise men of Christmas, the modern age demands a more gender nuanced approach to this imagery. The three wise ones are portrayed as the different human qualities of Awareness, Empathy, and Action. Since it essentially is a religion and gender neutral quest of a person to become more enlightened around the holidays, perhaps the best this tune can hope for is to become sung as a Unitarian Hymn.
The main reason for writing this song was to give a vehicle to play mandocello and sing harmony with Marty Purdy (Mandolin) and Amy FItzgerald.
Three Wise Ones
Three Wise Ones Large Print Lyrics Only
Tumbleweed
This next tune follows four generations of a family founding a fictitious Wyoming town called Tumbleweed through it’s mid to late 1900s decline and one man’s struggle to remain content amid its disarray. Although it’s cowboy yodel draws from classic western tunes, the writing is an homage to Steven Fromholz’s brilliant tune Texas Trilogy. This song is called “Tumbleweed”. And at this point, we should offer that this tune is rated PG-13.
Ian Thomas: Dobro. Patrick Fitzgerald: Guitar, black hat, and Vocals.