I really did write this song in a Bob's Big Boy this morning....

 
A frosty winter night, a Saturday four days before Christmas in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the band set up on a narrow stage. Before the set, Richard asked, "Why are we playing here, now?"

Lemon-Eater Jones, who only looked like he was eating lemons when he played his horn, smiled. "'Cause it's my hometown. I was born here."

"Should have took that left turn," commented Bugs. Kylie thumped him on the arm and he whuffled through his mustache.

"I didn't know that," said Melody. "Is it in the band bio?"

"Yup," chimed in Elspeth. "When he was young, they called him the Albuquerque Flash."

"Uh, huh," said Gogie. "'Cause he always dress so fine."

Everyone laughed.

 
Unlike Arnie Roberts who always hid in a black-curtained soundbooth at the back, Elspeth set up on the front right corner of the stage with her consoles and keyboards. She was dressed in striped red and white tights, a green overall jumper, her trademark big glasses, and had her black hair in pigtails tied with Christmas bows.

Behind her on that side of the stage, Richard Alexander sat at Gogie Luft's old drum set with various instruments on stands between them. Gogie himself sat at another drum kit across from Richard, his leathery old face smiling as he tapped out magic intricacies with his wands. A real honkytonk piano sat against the stage wall in front of him.

Down in front on the left, Melody Jo Thierry played her twin keyboards, dancing to the rhythms and singing chorus high and sweet. Her long red-blonde hair made a light show all by itself.

Midstage, the guitar battery of Kylie and Bugs Benny played with lightning. Bugs's mustachios droopy with sweat, Kylie turned sideways to watch him, she made the clouds for his thunder.

Down in front and center, Lemon-Eater Jones had both a bass guitar around his neck and a straight soprano sax sitting in a little stand near him. He sang cool when the band played hot, and hot when the music cooled. He syncopated his singing, now on the beat, now behind, blue-rocking whatever the melody might be. He always sang as if no one had ever sung before.

Over the nearly three years since the band came together, Lemon had emerged as the true leader and front man. Melody Jo might be a star with her own separate recording contracts but Aron Jones's style and showmanship made I-NO-Y the band it had become. Brilliant and steady, he was the black star that they steered by.

 
At the end of the first set, Lemon came down in front and told the audience, "Gonna do a little Christmas song I just wrote over in the Bob's Big Boy on the freeway."

The crowd laughed.

"No kidding. I was listening to some music on the speakers there. Johnny Rivers and Janis Joplin and even Andy Williams. You know, white people's music." He grinned and the crowd laughed louder.

"I-NO-Y." He turned and gestured at the band. "Rock Me a Little Christmas — Baby!"

Rock me a little Christmas — baby!
Sing me Christmas songs like I like to hear.
Rock me a little Christmas, baby. Sing
About frosty nights and shepherds so near.

Rock me a little Christmas — baby!
You're so beautiful and I'm so lonely.
But you're far away and I'm locked up in here
Baby, you can make my Christmas bell ring.
Rock me some Christmas, darling.
It's only
December this time of year.
Yeah, mama!

Lemon blew his pipe on the bridge while the girls sang high and sweet and Bugs stormed. Gogie and Richard passed the drum lead back and forth, grinning like fools.

Rock, rock me some Christmas.
Rock us some Christmas cheer.
Rock, rock me some Christmas.
It's only Christmas once a year.

The girls sang it twice and Lemon put down the sax and sang the last line with them the second time through. Then he picked up his bass for the last verse, playing and singing hotter than chestnuts roasting in a house on fire.

Rock me a little Christmas — baby!
You know, you know, you can do it so well.
Rock me a little Christmas, baby, so
I can hear you sing it, here in my cell.

Rock me a little Christmas — baby!
I'm missing you so much at Christmas time,
Rock me some holiday love.
Don't stop, no!
Tell me that you've got something nice to sell.

A short, ferocious, Johnny Rivers-style second bridge and then the coda.

It's only December this time of year.
So rock me some Christmas, baby!
Just the kind of love that I like to hear!
Rock me some Christmas...
Baby!

The lights came down as Elspeth crashed the board, then started a pre-programmed light show. In a baby spot, now red, then green, then white, Aron "Lemon-Eater" Jones took a bow. The crowd made all the noise it could because the Albuquerque Flash had come home for Christmas.