Yogi Yorgesson's "I Yust Go Nuts At Christmas" and the Hamms Bear

"Christmas 78's - I Yust Go Nuts At Christmas - Yogi Yorgesson"

althazarr, YouTube (December 2, 2009)
video, 3:55

"Oh, I yust go nuts at Christmas On that yolly holiday Ill go in the red like a knucklehead Cuz I'll squander all my pay...."

It's not much, as a video: Someone apparently took a video of an old 78 rmp record player, with Yogi Yorgesson's classic record on the turntable.

There's a close-up of the record label at the end, with most of the information you'd probably want. (It was released by Capital Records)

The audio quality isn't what we're used to, here in the early Information Age: but don't blame the videographer. I remember the "good old days" - and that's what quite a few records sounded like. Happily, AM radio's sound was generally so fuzzy, you never noticed the scratchiness when the song was airing.

And yes, this recording was on the radio, regular as clockwork, every Christmas season. Until one year, it was banned. There were a lot of very earnest people protecting The Masses from one thing or another then.

I didn't figure out what the problem with "I Yust Go Nuts At Christmas" was, until years later.

Actually, I'm still not sure, but I think it may have been these two lines -

(Beware! Beware! Shocking, BANNED LYRICS ahead!!)

"...I look at my watch and midnight is near
"I think I'll sneak off for a cold glass of beer...."

Yep: Yogi actually said beer!! Right out loud.

And, as if that weren't enough, then he said -

"...Down at the corner the crowd is so merry
"I end up by drinking about 12 Tom & Yerry...."

Oh, the horror! The horror!

Public Service Announcement: Don't Get Smashed and Drive - Or You Probably Will

Seriously, folks. Getting drunk isn't the best idea. Drinking and then driving is a really bad idea, too. It isn't just that you might get yourself killed - there's a chance you could take someone with you.

Now, As I Was Saying - - -

It may not have been skittish latter-day Carrie Nations who blacklisted "I Yust Go Nuts At Christmas."

Or maybe it was banned because Yogi implied that carpet sweepers weren't an ideal gift.

The point is, this is (my opinion) a funny narrative (not quite a song) about very real parts of the human experience that stand up and throw cream pies at us around the holiday season. And now, you can listen to it online.

Like this choice bit:

"...After dinner my Aunt and my wife's Uncle Louie
"Get into an argument; they're both awful screwy
"Then all my wife's family say Louie is right
"And my goofy relations, they yoin in the fight...."

I hope this video stays on YouTube for a while. Another one - with vintage (and most likely copyright-protected) video got removed for TOS violations. This one may, too: but I hope there's enough leeway for it to stay.

What can I say? I like the song.

And, those old Hamms Bear commercials.

"Hamms Beer Bear"

jobiejaws, YouTube (December 7, 2006)
video (0:34)

"Hamms bear singing From the land of sky blue waters...comes the beer refreshing...."

We're 'protected' from this sort of thing now.

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• "Buying a Six-Pack and Gas - Banned in Lithuania "
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• "Beer in a Fire Extinguisher, Sort of"
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• "Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer Inspires Coffin Design"
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• "Beer Robot: the Video"
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More:

• "- - - Videos of Christmas Lights, Holiday Lights, and Music"