1981
Billy Squier-Christmas Is The Time To Say I Love You
I know it’s the holiday when I see this pop up on Twitter and Facebook, it’s an MTV classic!
1982
Joe King Carrasco & The Crowns - It's A Party Christmas
This year we got Tex Mex! Clare Joseph, Rene Garcia, Joe Davola, Jeff Bolton, Liz Nealon, Gale Sparrow, Vinnie Longobardo, Neal Mirsky, Larry Rosen, Rick Krim, these are names of MTV staffers who put MTV on the map I love they’re featured in this video!
1983
George Thorogood & The Destroyers Rock And Roll Christmas, featuring blues guitar legend John Lee Hooker as Santa
1984
Bryan Adams Reggae Christmas, with Pee Wee Herman
1985
(Yes singer) Jon Anderson, 3 Ships leading this prog-rock Christmas song.
Look for me, Alan Hunter, Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, and JJ Jackson all clowning around in this slice of heaven from the 80s. Definitely good times if you were there watching, thank you! If you’re just discovering these MTV classics, thank you! (ps I’m wearing a John Lennon T shirt at the end that I wish I still had!)
1986
The Monkees Christmas Medley
This Monkees video is historic for Monkees fans as it reunited Monkee Mike Nesmith with Monkees Peter Tork, Davy Jones and Micky Dolenz!
In the world of MTV this video gives a peek into a new era. We’re welcoming VJs Carolyn Heldman and Downtown Julie Brown, but by this time we’d said good-bye to original VJs JJ Jackson and Nina Blackwood which was part of the transformation to MTV phase 2, that would include Head Banger’s Ball host Adam Curry, VJ Kevin Seal, and Yo! MTV Raps hosts Ed Lover and Doctor Dré. This was our last Christmas video.
But guess what…out of the blue along would come something called “The Internet” and “YouTube.” Thanks to them we can enjoy these videos all over again!!
Have a beautiful reggae, rock ‘n roll, party Christmas and Hanukkah and Kwanzaa!
I LOVE YOU!
~Martha