It’s not like I’m really here, or gone – I’m more somewhere in between. But five people I don’t know have emailed me in the past week showing a refreshing interest in humanity by checking that I’m alive. Plus, I figured, I can’t really go to BlogHer next year and canoodle with Kristin and Leah if I don’t actually BLOG anymore. Can I?
I’m not even sure why I feel so silent when I open up MT. You’d think I’d have a lot to say about how weird it was when Stuart was away, or how awesome it was to spend an entire day on Biscuit’s couch, or how my mother managed to pull off a sit-down 20-something person Thanksgiving with the sort of flair and panache I hope to God is genetic, or how I had all these great creative plans for wrapping paper themes and handmade Christmas cards that are sort of falling through the cracks of my constant mono-levels of my common cold.
Is there anything worse than blogging by dint of mentioning all the things you’re NOT blogging about?
Like I said, I have little explanation for my quiet. Lord knows no one is used to me being quiet (beating everyone to the punch with that joke). I’m just feeling quiet. But I love this place, and I love you people, and I love that you email me to ask if I’m dead, so let’s rev this cranky little engine up again with some reader participation and a bald-faced cry for help.
Two years ago, I made an awesome CD called Not So Faithful: Songs for the Festive Heathen, heartily bolstered by your suggestions. It was awesome, and I’m reviving it this year in time for our Christmas party. I need your brilliant suggestions. I have only two criteria:
1) no jesus/festival of light stuff, hello, it’s called Songs for the Festive Heathen
2) it must rock
Sadly, my first criterion knocks out the awesome Barenaked Ladies/Sarah McLachlan God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings medley, which is a pity because that’s my favorite carol of all time, but there you have it.
Give me good suggestions, and ask nicely enough, I might even send you one.
all is calm
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Yay! Krissa’s back! Glad you’re ok. I don’t have any specific Xmas tune recommendations, but there’s nothing like a little Ella Fitzgerald action to take one back to a forgotten, more magical time (at least that’s how I perceive it). Cheers!
T.
Here are some of my favs:
1. Deck the Halls- Nat King Cole (just heard this version for the first time, and it makes me wanna tap dance).
2. Must be Santa Claus- Harry Connick, Jr.
3. Oy to the World – No Doubt
I really like Cool Yule, off the new Bette Midler CD. Available through iTunes and kind of retro-swingy and fun.
“Santa Baby”…you can never go wrong with Santa Baby
And Ditto on Cool Yule, but prefer the Louis Armstrong version.
If you can find it, “The Hat I Got For Christmas” is just a really fun song.
Hey! You’re back! I was beginning to wonder if you got trapped under a stack of books in your apartment during Project Catalogue. Good to know that’s not the case.
In regards to non-Jesus Christmas songs, I do need to second Tristan’s vote of Ella. Her Jingle Bells is well cool. A real toe-tapper in fact.
I had a dream about you–well, your blog, actually. I discovered that the reason I wasn’t seeing any updates was because my “refresh” button wasn’t working. I was so relieved when I figured that out. That said, glad you’re around again.
Here are some tunes that rock:
“Merry Christmas (I Don’t Wanna Fight Tonight)” by the Ramones
“Sock It to Me, Santa” by Bob Seger
“Rock & Roll Christmas” by George Thorogood et al.
“Silent Night” by Elvin Bishop
“Christmas Wrapping” by the Waitresses
“Christmas Is the Time to Say I Love You” by Billy Squier
“Hot Christmas” by the Squirrel Nut Zippers
Okay, this is getting long; just go out and get thee the albums “A Rock ‘n’ Roll Christmas,” “Christmas Caravan,” “Funky Little Christmas,” and “Punk Rock Christmas.” (You might say I’m a collecter…)
Leah, Christmas Wrapping was on vol. 1 and you’d better believe it’s going on vol. 2, too. Some songs are so nice, they get to go twice.
Hip Heavy Lip (a local Atlanta band) does a rockin’ version of “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch”. I have it on a local Atlanta radio station Christmas CD from a few years back and it’s always the radio station’s most requested song at the holidays. It truly is awesome!
I actually found the track listing from that CD I referenced. While some of them are knocked out by the aforementioned rule #1, it’s still a great CD. Check some of them out…
Would help if I posted the list (sorry for so many comments in a row):
1. Soup “We Three Kings”
2. Left Front Tire “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight)”
3. Kevn Kinney “The Christmas Song”
4. Tentilfour “Christmas in Hollis”
5. Lithp “Santa Clause is Coming to Town”
6. Ph Balance “Do You Hear What I Hear?”
7. Injected “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)”
8. Speech “Ode to Bells”
9. Drums & Effects “Little Drummer Boy”
10. Hip Heavy Lip “You’re A Mean One Mr. Grinch”
11. Emily Saliers (Indigo Girls) “River”
12. Lotustarr “Happy Christmas (War is Over)”
13. Angie Aparo “Silent Night”
14. Aerial “Oh Holy Night”
15. Another Man Down “The Dreydl Song”
16. John Thomas Griffith “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen”
17. Shawn Mullins “Lonely Ole Christmas”
18. Collective Soul “Blue Christmas”
19. Treephort “Christmas Time is Here”
I think Band-Aid’s “Do they know is Christmas?” is a classic.
Wonderful Christmastime – Paul McCartney
The Christmas song – the chipmunks
Oi to the World – No Doubt
Welcome back!
I pretty much hate Christmas.. and the only Christmas song I’ve liked in the last several years is Mr. Garrison: Merry Fuckin’ Christmas. It’s a must.
PS. Also glad you’re back.
I knew you were alive and well of course, and yes, blog for canoodling!
I do not have any Christmas song suggestions except to say that I saw Boney M live a few years ago and the little tiny hairy-chested man was on FIRE with his own supreme hotness confidence and I almost melted into a pool of admiration of his skinny excellent when he sang Mary’s Boy Child.
Whew! I was getting worried about you, too!
Anything that’s not a carol on the Sufjan Stevens Christmas set. I reccomend “Come On! Let’s Boogey to the Elf Dance!” Hey, even the French seem to like it (this is a proven fact- I’ve played it for several of my friends here in Lyon and they all liked it, and it got good review).
gina
I don’t really have any recs, my favorites are the slow sappy ones.
– frustrating)
Welcome back! Everyone keeps talking about that BNL song, I must check it out.
I didn’t know No Doubt had a Christmas song either. I’m learning a lot today, and off to iTunes I go..
(It keeps saying I can’t post because I have questionable content.
She’s back! And nothing like a question about music to get me writing in the comments box (something I don’t do often enough, I’m sorry).
I don’t have a lot of Christmas songs in my collection, but two I’d suggest are:
1) Saint Etienne’s “I was born on Christmas day”
2) Monty Python’s “Christmas in heaven” (I think the only “holy word” in the song is the heaven in the title, so hopefully it still meets your criteria.
Just shout if you want a copy. Looking forward to hearing what the final line-up is
fairytale of new york – the pogues
2000 miles – the pretenders
winter – tori amos
song for a winter’s night – as covered by sarah mclachlan (gorden lightfoot, original)
asleep – the smiths
new york snow – looper
i’m sure you’ve already thought to include death cab’s “christmas (baby please come home)”…though they lack the sheer yowling angst of the original, it’s a pretty nice cover.
Dar Williams – The Christians and The Pagans
Guster – Donde Esta Santa Claus?
The Guster track is from one of the Christmas albums that Netwerk Records put out – Maybe This Christmas, M.T.C. Too, and M.T.C. Tree.
shivvy, I love that cover, so it was on the vol. 1 album!
I know it isn’t exactly “rock” but it is definitely rockin’. I cannot get enough of Ella Fitzgerald’s Ella Wishes You a Swingin’ Christmas. Love. Seriously. I’m not even 100 years old and this gets me to tap my toes and snap my fingers like no other Christmas music.
Also…
May I please have a copy?
p.s. And the Waitresses song whatever it’s called – that one always gets me in the mood – ahem – the holiday mood.
You know, as pathetic as it is, “Funky, Funky Christmas” by NKOTB makes me laugh just for existing (although I think it may get annoying after the first 30 seconds).
There’s also a funny version on a Broadway compilation from last year called “Christmas in My Mobile Home” (From The Great American Trailer Park Musical)
And, for a guilty pleasure, Janice Dickinson’s train-wreck version of “12 Days of Christmas” is just too horrific not to watch!
Billy Idol’s “Yelling at the Christmas Tree”
and please can I get a copy?
Ella & Louie Armstrong singing “Baby It’s Cold Outside.” All-time favorite.
Also, on the VERY cheesy end of things, I have a a weird fondness for that George Michael song “Last Christmas.” Shut up, I know.
Original Marilyn Monroe ‘Santa Baby’ is a classic. Lots of good choices here, please post the lineup!
my goodness… a christmas cd with the beloved beagle on the front. yes, i snuck a peak.
i love snoopy more than a lot of things… i still rock out to a cd you made a few years ago…. i’d love to be a festive heathen with my beloved beagle… have any spare cd’s to hook one up with? pretty please?!
1. The Christians and the Pagans – Dar Williams
2. Christmas – Blues Traveler
3. Please Daddy don’t get Drunk this Christmas – John Denver
A few of my faves!
~m