Inside Music with Melinda Newman

Watch: Christmas roundup with Justin Bieber, Kelly Clarkson, My Morning Jacket and more

Plus your daily dose of Bah! Humbug! from Diamond Rugs and Sunny Sweeney

By Melinda Newman Tuesday, Dec 6, 2011 4:06 PM

Justin Bieber

Credit: Vevo

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Admit it. You wanted a Santa Claus who knows how to pop and lock for Christmas, didn’t you? Well, look no further, because everyone’s favorite holiday elf, Justin Bieber, has just delivered one to your internet stocking. In his new video for “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town,” the toys, Santa’s helpers, and Kris Kringle himself are all breaking into head spins.

The only one who looks like he isn’t having a good time is Mr. Under the Mistletoe himself. In his 8,000th holiday video this week, Bieber seems very concerned and intense about Santa Claus’s arrival or maybe the steampunk glove he’s wearing is just a little too tight.

The live action video, embedded below, is the second from Bieber for “Santa Claus is Coming To Town”; the first was an animated clip to accompany “Arthur Christmas.” Arthur makes a few very unobtrusive drop in for this video, but otherwise, knows to stay the hell out of the kitchen. Given that this arrangement follows the Jacksons’ version, there is a very sweet little homage to the group. See if you can figure it out.

[More after the jump...]

As the big day comes closer, we’ve got Christmas love from a number of other artists today as well.

If you like your Christmas songs a little more traditional, Kelly Clarkson turns in a faithful, languid rendition of “I’ll Be Home For Christmas,” embedded below, that has just the right amount of yearning.

My Morning Jacket also covers “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” featuring The Head and The Heart on their new iTunes Sessions EP, available today. The 7-track goody features six holiday-themed tunes, including two new songs, as well as a live version of Circuital’s “Wonderful (The Way I Feel).” If you like your Christmas music with a healthy heaping of twang and pedal steel, check out “When The Bells Start Ringing” featuring The Head and the Heart, which is available as a free download via iTunes today.

Need a little Bah! Humbug? Check out Diamond Rugs’ “Christmas in a Chinese Restaurant.” Things just simply couldn’t be going worse for our protagonist, who’s wife has kicked him out of his house for telling his kid that Santa doesn’t exist. He’s left to wander the cold and lonely streets. Best line? “How’s the turkey? How’s the ham? I can’t finish my moo goo gai pan.” Not familiar with Diamond Rugs? It’s a new outfit featuring John McCauley and Robbie Crowell, both from Deer Tick; The Black Lip’s Ian Saint Pe, Los Lobos’ Steve Berlin, Dead Confederate’s Hardy Morris and Six Finger Satellite’s Bryan Dufresne. The song is streaming below.

If you’re a fan of new country singer Sunny Sweeney or if your family is one of those for whom Christmas is just another dysfunctional day, you must check out “One More Christmas Beer.” You have to buy it to hear the whole thing, but, really, who can resist lines like “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em/get drunk and annoy them...God bless the family/Can’t wait till it’s over/pass me one more Christmas beer.”