“Santa Bought A Yacht” is one unexpected sleigh ride from 308 Ghost Train. Just in time for the holidays, 308 Ghost Train sings about a hipper, Ray Ban Sunglasses wearing Saint Nick. Matching the energy and spirit of a rockabilly tune from someone like Brian Setzer to the humor and fun of a National Lampoon movie, “Santa Bought A Yacht” gives a new twist to Christmas and the making the season bright.
From the start, this little rocker tune is energized. 308 Ghost Train is the moniker of Anthony “Train” Caruso. He’s based in Florida, which explains the water-loving Santa in his song. I gotta say, at first, I was a bit skeptical – I mean it’s hard to compete with Christmas classics like “Little Saint Nick” from The Beach Boys, Earth Kitt’s “Santa Baby” or even The Kinks’ “Father Christmas”. 308 Ghost Train gets the groove going and in his own clever way, gave me a cheerful, positive listening experience. It’s a fun song and frankly, yeah, in his tune Rudolph “Rudy” The Red-Nosed Reindeer gets a DUI, and it will make you shake your head in disbelief, but beach-loving adults will think it’s funny. It is. And, to imagine Santa and his merry-band-of-misfits doing things like drinking is pretty funny. Even Santa has to party! Do you blame him?
The music bed to “Santa Bought A Yacht” has heavy piano keys. Jerry Lee Lewis would be proud – the combination of the piano and the rocking’ guitar riffs swells like a solid ocean wave. The keys just sprint through the song like what I’ve often imagined Santa’s Christmas Eve journey feeling and sounding like. The guitar work is softer, sweeter-pitched than a blues-rock base, but still in the same realm as southern rock, rockabilly and even pop rock flavor. Caruso’s voice is deep and he’s strumming along with his interesting tale! He’s not laid back like Jimmy Buffett and it makes for a way more interesting experience. I kept coming back to the comparisons of Jerry Lee Lewis or even Chuck Berry. He’s not pandering. I think this song is just the shot of energy this crazy season needs. And, you will have visions of Santa dancing in those glasses in your head after a few listens. Believe me, I can’t get the music bed out of my head! Caruso’s Santa is fun, changing things up and he’s way more rebellious than what I’ve heard from other songs! He might have some flaws, but in the end, he makes the best of it all.
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Overall “Santa Brought A Yacht” deserves to be added to the ‘must listen’ list. It’s not naughty, and it’s not nice. It’s jovial and the piano work is incredible. Something about Caruso makes you really believe in this storyline- and he has the music chops to back it up. Get in the Christmas and holiday spirit with this never-before-heard tale of a rockin’ Santa and his band of merry characters in the hilariously-fun song “Santa Brought a Yacht” out now. Like all great holiday songs – it makes you smile.
Gwen Waggoner
