Christmastime is here again
Well, it finally happened.
I was finally subjected to my first live performance of the season of “Feliz Navidad,” which ne’er fails to make me want to gouge my eardrums out with a knitting needle. I also was at a fancy office Christmas party on Friday night and the soul cover band kept throwing in trombone lines from Joy To The World and Sleigh Ride, etc etc etc.
It brought to my attention the fact that this post is long overdue. I’ve got a pretty sizeable collection of “Christmas Music That Won’t Drive You To Drink Unless You Want To” — which just got a shot in the arm this year thanks to a rockin’ 3-CD compilation I received from Philly friend Brian (yay Brian!).
There’s a lot of schmaltzy crap out there this season, kids. Stay safe. Here’s a haven of good stuff for your seasonal mixmastery:
FUEL FOR YOUR FRIENDLY CHRISTMASTIME FIRE
We Four Kings – The Blue Hawaiians (surf music!)
Everything’s Gonna Be Cool This Christmas – Eels
Do They Know It’s Christmas – Pete Yorn
Work on Christmas – Harvey Danger
God Is Real (Jesus Is Alive) – John Davis (of Superdrag)
Angel In The Snow (unreleased version) – Elliott Smith
Washington Square – Chris Isaak
I’d Like You For Christmas – Julie London
Donna and Blitzen – Badly Drawn Boy
You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch – Luce
That Was The Worst Christmas Ever! – Sufjan Stevens
Back Door Santa – The Black Crowes
Baby, It’s Cold Outside – Leon Redbone & Zooey Deschanel (Elf)
Winter Wonderland – Liz Phair
The Gift of Grace – Denison Witmer
Christmas Eve – Teenage Fanclub
Silent Night – Ben Harper & The Blind Boys of Alabama
When I Get Home For Christmas – Snow Patrol
Listening To Otis Redding At Home During Christmas – Okkervil River
Xmas Curtain – My Morning Jacket
Fairytale of New York – Stars
The Rebel Jesus – Jackson Browne
Maybe This Christmas – Ron Sexsmith
What A Year For A New Year – Dan Wilson (of Semisonic)
Merry Christmas Everybody – Rooney
The Winter Song – Eisley
White Christmas – Mark Kozelek
Christmas – Leona Naess
Christmastime is Here – Snowden
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas – Hem
Holy, Holy, Holy – Sufjan Stevens
Silent Night – Brian Wilson
**HO HO HO, The file as a ZIP**
That helps to slightly ease the sting of briefly having — and then cruelly LOSING — the vinyl Christmas With Elvis record last night at a houseparty with a white elephant gift exchange.
It was mine. I was so excited. But now the doe-eyed Elvis (with those dewy lips, good heavens) is gone from my Christmas celebration, stolen by another gal, sending me home with a plastic candy cane full of little bottles of flavored Stoli instead.
I’m still in mourning.
Name: Heather Browne
Losing the Elvis record…that definately makes for a Blue Christmas.
Michael — December 17, 2006 @ 11:51 am
:_) I love you sooooo much
Yayo — December 17, 2006 @ 12:13 pm
Thank you!! I’ve finally found my holiday spirit after listening to some of these songs. Happy Holidays!
Heather L — December 17, 2006 @ 12:22 pm
Pete Yorn Christmas song! Plus other goodies! Thank you so much Heather! Merry Xmas!
Chumpster — December 17, 2006 @ 12:28 pm
I love Stars, but I am yet to hear a bearable cover version of Fairytale of New York.
Excellent post though, Heather! Merry Christmas.
lism. — December 17, 2006 @ 12:30 pm
Somewhere the snow is falling and those home returning trains are carrying the hopes of the young – I love Christmas songs – thanks Heather.
Have you heard Tom Waits ‘bawlers’ cd from the Orphans set yet? The version on there of ‘Young at Heart’ is gorgeous – there ain’t no other word for it.
Russell — December 17, 2006 @ 3:24 pm
thanks, Heather!!!
I’ve been downloading Christmas songs like crazy, but with everything I still have to do, I may just rely on your mix.
Happy Holidays, and thanks for sharing all the great music!!
LauraJ
Anonymous — December 17, 2006 @ 3:59 pm
Just wanted to tell you that you have quickly become my favorite blog site. Thank you!
Anonymous — December 17, 2006 @ 5:49 pm
Great stuff, thanks a lot. It’s especially nice to see the Eisley track up; I can’t wait for the second album. Keep up the good work.
Roland — December 17, 2006 @ 6:35 pm
Rebel Jesus!? Only the best Xmas song ever! Have you heard the version from his Solo Acoustic CD that came out recently – it is chill bump inducing.
You never cease to amaze me girl!
Sybil — December 17, 2006 @ 7:30 pm
Thanks a lot for this respite from the deluge of muzak versions of Christmas songs that are almost unavoidable this time of year. Happy holidays!
J — December 17, 2006 @ 7:59 pm
That had to hurt! Thanks for the zip file. I hope you have a great holiday.
V — December 17, 2006 @ 11:39 pm
these are the best christmas songs ever!!!
super heather!!! thanks
Antu — December 18, 2006 @ 2:47 am
Mmmmmuzak.
Merry Christmas everyone!
You too Heather.
Anonymous — December 18, 2006 @ 5:58 am
I just wanted to offer my services … I have every song Elvis could have released on that vinyl record, so if you need some sent in your direction, you just say the word and I will do what I can to make your eyes smile once again.
Everybody needs a lil more Elvis in their lives, after all.
Dainon — December 18, 2006 @ 6:17 am
You need the electronic Coventry Carol from Ackers & G (AGK).
Downloadable from http://www.agkmusic.com
oh, and this is nice
http://www.digitonal.com/winter/winterlent.html
Gster — December 18, 2006 @ 9:52 am
Thank you very much for the christmas mix. I’ve been digging your mix from last year as well. keep posting the great music.
Stephen K. — December 18, 2006 @ 9:53 am
Excellent post once again. Now all you need is the Colbert inspired The White Chrismas Album. So much fun this time of year.
Mike — December 18, 2006 @ 12:16 pm
Awesome collection of tunes! Am feeling a bit more festive now after these and watching National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation!
Any chance of a re-upload of the 2005 collection of Christmas songs as the links don’t work any more and there’s some songs I really wanna hear there. Pretty please?!
Thanks again!
Johnny — December 18, 2006 @ 4:07 pm
any chance we can get the 2005 mix available to download again? I need some REAL christmas music to listen to instead of the BS they play on B101 all day long… PLEASE!!
Anonymous — December 18, 2006 @ 7:32 pm
you’ve got the best mix ever, heather! thanks!
I put in a plug over at TTL for this very post alone. No schmaltzy crap, indeed!
b.s.
bigshoulders — December 19, 2006 @ 11:59 am
thanks for this – how wonderful
merry christmas to you and yours
Kev — December 19, 2006 @ 3:36 pm
Thanks, Heather. Merry Christmas!!!
bigmac — December 19, 2006 @ 9:27 pm
I love the mix Heather! Thanks for posting it and I hope you don’t mind but I lifted the Rooney track from you for my holiday mix. Techically I owe you for the Pearl Jam track as well but at least I already had the Stars song slotted for this year’s mix.
Hopefully you’ll have better luck with Elvis next year but a stoli filled cany cane should help you get over the loss!
Have a great holiday and I look forward to more great tunes from you in ’07!
Sean — December 19, 2006 @ 11:43 pm
I love the mix Heather! Thanks for posting it and I hope you don’t mind but I lifted the Rooney track from you for my holiday mix (techically I owe you for the Pearl Jam track as well but at least I already had the Stars song slotted for this year’s mix!). Have a great holiday and I look forward to more great tunes from you in ’07!
Sean — December 19, 2006 @ 11:44 pm