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"Christmastime For The Jews" |
I’m not really into the holidays that much. The pressure of finding gifts for people, the guilt of not being able to go home for Christmas…again, and all the debt building consumerism kind of grosses me out. Thinking of the lonely and disenfranchised really bums me out.
Honestly, the only thing that really gets me into the holiday mood is when I start hearing the Christmas songs on the oldies radio stations when I’m driving in my car. Especially the Phil Spector stuff. As soon as I hear Darlene Love’s Winter Wonderland my spirits pick up like I’ve just had a shot of peppermint schnapps. Yeah Brenda Lee, you rock around that tree! Happy happy, joy joy.
What warms your black hearts this time of year? I’d love to hear your holiday Spin in the comments.
The Spin I'm In: The Riffs That Keep On Giving |
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Song |
Artist |
iTunes |
| Winter Wonderland | Darlene Love |
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| Sleigh Ride | The Ronettes |
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| Santa Claus Is Coming to Town | The Crystals |
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| Run Run Rudolph | Chuck Berry |
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| Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree | Brenda Lee |
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| White Christmas | Clyde McPhatter and The Drifters |
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| Santa Bring My Baby Back to Me | Elvis Presley |
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| Little Saint Nick | The Beach Boys |
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Jingle Bell Rock |
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Christmas Wrapping |
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A Holly Jolly Christmas |
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76 Comments
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Fitzmas!
Donita!
fitz!
angie!
?My most favoreet Navidad tune?
She ees The Pogues: Fairytale of New York.
Best Chreestmas song ever, no?
so.
Leisure Guy!
hi, twolf1!
Just arrived at my family’s home last night for the holidays and now have to compete with all the other folks for use of the internets!
LOL.
OT – First passenger plane just took off from Denver as they begin to resume flights
The song that epitomizes Christmas is The Christmas Song by Nat “King” Cole.
My christmas set is a bit less traditional:
http://empireofthesenseless.bl…..rties.html
But it does include A Patrick Swayze Christmas so that’s festive.
hmmm…listening to Burl sing “Holly Jolly” or waterboarding ?
tough choice but either way; I’ll tell you where the plans are…
angie @ 5
it used to be competing for the tv, now it’s the toobz.
angie @
5
Same thing for me at Thanksgiving.
I DID get my FDL fix.
Festivus For The Rest Of Us
R2–D2, We Wish You A Merry Christmas
-starring Bon Jovi
gak
Just read the Murray Waas post on Huffpo
…emphasis mine…
This is what transforming suffering into a positive and powerful force is about.
Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays, FDL.
Donita Sparks @ 11
Aired grievances on the previous thread. How do you propose we do the feats of strength on the tubes?
everyone knows I struggle between playing tennis on sunday and chillin with teh firedogs
when I do get to the courts, one of the people I play tennis with is the son of Harry Simeone, this is the man who co-wrote drummer boy…my all time fav christmans song.
remmber bing and bowie duet?…classic
I’m glad someone enjoys Christmas music. I…despise it. The drolling insipidness and grating major key joyfulness. Bah humbug. I also can’t help but imagine peppy Christmas music as the soundtrack for incredibly bloody homicides.
I hate this season.
The Pogues: Fairytale of New York
It was christmas eve babe
In the drunk tank
An old man said to me, wont see another one
And then he sang a song
The rare old mountain dew
I turned my face away
And dreamed about you
Got on a lucky one
Came in eighteen to one
Ive got a feeling
This years for me and you
So happy christmas
I love you baby
I can see a better time
When all our dreams come true
(Kirsty McColl sings)
Theyve got cars big as bars
Theyve got rivers of gold
But the wind goes right through you
Its no place for the old
When you first took my hand
On a cold christmas eve
You promised me
Broadway was waiting for me
(Both sing, alternating lines)
You were handsome
You were pretty
Queen of new york city
When the band finished playing
They howled out for more
Sinatra was swinging,
All the drunks they were singing
We kissed on a corner
Then danced through the night
The boys of the nypd choir
Were singing galway bay
And the bells were ringing out
For christmas day
Youre a bum
Youre a punk
Youre an old slut on junk
Lying there almost dead on a drip in that bed
You scumbag, you maggot
You cheap lousy faggot
Happy christmas your arse
I pray God its our last
I could have been someone
Well so could anyone
You took my dreams from me
When I first found you
I kept them with me babe
I put them with my own
Cant make it all alone
Ive built my dreams around you
(sigh, thees song, she ees enough to make joo go find some rum, for the eggy-nog.)
so.
I got to share my favorite new Xmas classics from Justin Timberlake last weekend on SNL:
Homelessville – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KS865kF3vo
A Special Christmas Box – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dmVU08zVpA
Santa Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto by James Brown
click above to listen for free :~}
Ah, apologies, posted in the wrong thread, should have put that post downstairs.
Fini, what was that Run DMC song from a couple of weeks ago.
Another youtube link please.
The greatest of all Darlene Love cuts is “Christmas Baby Please Come Home.”
Anybody got an MP3? Anyone? Bueller?
Donita Sparks @ 21
You mean Christmas in Hollis?
Jacob M @ 16
Ahhh, The Airing Of Grievences! Reign those blows baby. Ding a ling a ling a ding dong ding.
This is the time of the year I listen to artists and styles I normally never listen to. Like Kenny G.(My favorite xmas music tends to be instrumental) and Celine Dion (her Feliz Navidad is fun) I love celtic stuff which for the most part is a bit obscure for most people. My three favorites are: Imagine by John Lennon, Put a Little Love in Your Heart by Annie Lennox and Al Green and Grown Up Christmas List by just about everyone I’ve heard cover it. Now I know the first two aren’t considered Christmas carols per sey, but really the Holidays are all about what you make them and which traditions you initate and chose to carry forward through the years. I think more than anything this is a time of the year to count your blessings and make promises to yourself to keep shining your personal love light through the new year…
Peace and blessings Firepups!
David Ehrenstein @ 22
Here is a link to it on Napster Free, you can listen to it free 3 times before you have to buy it or subscribe.
I’m not really into Elvis, never have been. For some reason, I do have one of his CDs, a Christmas album. I think the Christmas carols sound good in his voice.
I hate to sound like Scrooge but do you think you could have listed ONE song that had SOMETHING to do with Christmas? ONE?
Great mix, Donita. I have to say, I’ve been listening to a lot of instrumentals this year — and a lot of acoustic ones at that. Suits my mood for some reason this year.
retirin’ in five @ 15
See who can stand to read a right wing blog the longest.
neurophius @ 30
“I’m out!” (Slams bet money on counter.)
I always pull out “Christmas Wrapping” by the Waitresses and Cyndi Lauper’s version of “Silent Night” is haunting!! Happy Holidays!!
techno @ 28
Here’s one for you.
Erroll @
7
I’ve got Mel Torme singing this great Christmas song – which Torme wrote – in two versions. But Nat King Cole owns that song.
techno @ 29
I’m confused. wha huh?
That last one is off a cool techno collection of Xmas tunes called Merry Mixmas. Very cool stuff.
Christy Hardin Smith @
30
I love the Fresh Aire instrumentals this time of year. I’ve also been listening to the Trans Siberian Orchestra Christmas album with Wizards of Winter on it.
Ed*ard Teller @ 35
Great song.
Donita Sparks @ 36
He was being fecetious, sarcasm doesn’t translate into text so well.
“Run, run Rudolph
Santa’s gotta make it to town
Try to make him hurry,
Tell him he can take the freeway down…”
Fini FiniTOOBZ! @ 37
I had a great instrumental Christmas cd by Los Straight Jackets (I think). Very surfy and cool. I couldn’t find it on I-Tunes though.
I really like a lot of Christmas songs, just so long as the renditions don’t get too maudlin. Then I want to get out the razor blades.
My favorite Christmas Song…which I’ve usually heard a couple of times by the time the actual holiday rolls around, but unfortunately, this year have not…is the following:
“I Believe in Father Christmas”
– Emerson, Lake and Palmer (Greg Lake/Peter Sinfield)
They said there’ll be snow at Christmas
They said there’ll be peace on earth
But instead it just kept on raining
A veil of tears for the virgin birth.
I remember one Christmas morning
A winter’s light and the distant choir
And the peal of a bell and that Christmas tree smell
Eyes full a tinsel and fire.
They sold me a dream of Christmas
They sold me a silent night
They told me a fairy story
Till I believed in the Israelite.
And I believed in Father Christmas
I looked to the sky with excited eyes
Than I woke with a yawn in the first light of dawn
And I saw him through his disguise.
I wish you a hopeful Christmas
I wish you a brave new year
All anguish, pain, and sadness
Leave your heart and let your road be clear.
They said there’d be snow at Christmas
They said there’d be peace on earth.
Hallelujah, Noel, Be it heaven or hell,
The Christmas we get we deserve.
If you are fortunate enough to find the video, this is obviously meant as an anti-war song. Still brings tears to my eyes.
I’m rather hyped, Los Straightjackets are coming to Indy and I might be going to the show! I love those guys!
does santa smoke a pipe?
something from a tech site I moderate
Donita and Fini, Y’all are the best!
Donita Sparks @
38
Here’s Mel Trome and Judy Garland singing it on the Judy Garland Show back in the 50s:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-zj23dP8X8
ps – might be best to just lsten. The sound isn’t good, but the video is atrocious. The clip is a precious historical vignette, though.
Some of the songs in the list, I’ve always liked hearing at Christmas, but I’m on the Nation Cruise in the Caribbean and I’ll bet I’ve heard Burl Ives HollyJollyChristmas 100 times not to mention all the rest relentlessly. The cruise ends tomorrow and it’s been great being here with Katrina, Laura Flanders, Joe Wilson, Scott Ritter and more, plus we Nation attendees amount to about a third of the 1800 on the cruise ship.
Better try sending this now; the Connection to the Internets is way, way slower than dial up and way more expensive!
Imminent thread.
Look, I spelled imminent right! Woo!
There’s an old Eddy Arnold Christmas song called “Will Santy Come to Shantytown” that I play every year. It includes the lines..
We had it on a 78 rpm record when I was a kid.
It must be from growing up in the Ike era, but I dearly love Gene Autry Christmas songs like Up on the Housetop.
Also like the Swingle Singers doing Christmas carols.
Tpres2000 @ 47
Oh my god, that is hilarious.
Murray Waas, quoted at 14 It is from the wellspring of our despair and the places that we are broken that we come to repair the world.
Works for me.
egregious @
48
I am definitely on an EPU roll LOL.
Tpres2000 @ 46
My left cruise?
Sounds fabulous in spite of the DJ.
Have yourself a very merry Christmas
Have yourself a good time
But remember the kids who got nothing
While you’re drinking down your wine
‘Father Christmas
Give us some money
We’ve got no time for your silly toys
We’ll beat you up if you don’t hand it over
We want your bread so don’t make us annoyed
Give all the toys to the little rich boys’
Ray Davies gets it.
I love holiday parties. Free food, free booze, what’s not to like? Happy Holidazzzze from a Christmas loving Jew.
Sid
Late to the party as usual
but my favorite is Darlene Love – Christmas, Baby Please Come Home
and don’t try to foist off those Bono or Boss retreads
Accept no substitutes
Miles Davis “Blue X-mas” with Bob Dorough.
“All I want for Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey.
“Little Saint Nick” is the one oldy Christmas tune that drives me insane because it has one of the most inane lines ever:
“Christmas comes this time each year.”
I can’t explain it — it just drives me over the edge… it’s like i’m expecting it to veer off into some pedantic little soliloquy, which would make it bad, but doesn’t, which makes it somehow worse.
and yet, i like “we didn’t start the fire.”… odd.
Mack @ 57
Here you go: Darlene on Letterman, 2005
PS: the 1995 version is my favorite, check it out too.
Mack sends Jacqrat a virtual shot of Christmas Cheer
Mack @ 61
Right back atcha, Mack!
Happy Holidays to all of us; each and every one!
Jacqrat
The best thing is that, unless I miss my guess I am going to see the 2006 edition tonight.
now upstairs to join the others
I never really had a home, I fucking
hate christmass carols!! This time of the
year SUCKS!!! and then I think about the
homeless and how some people are born
into privledge while other people are living on the streets
on one of the coldest days in LA and I get even
more angry!! SO FUCK CHRISTMASS!!! nothing
againts Jesus he was a cool hippie and the rock star
of his day
bluemary — I think you forget that we are supposed be celebrating the birthday of a dirty f(cking hippie, born homeless to people who couldn’t find anything more than a barn in which to sleep and give birth.
The same dirty f(cking hippie that said, Love one another as I have loved you. The same guy who never really had a home as an adult, drifting from gig to gig, but who nonetheless taught us that peacekeepers and the poor in spirit are blessed among us.
Merry Christmas, bluemary. Hope you’re more mary than blue in the coming year.
John Denver & the Muppets Christmas Album
I love it…..
Dig the Mariah Carey cover of this tune, too, as somebody else pointed out up thread. Feels so retro, like going back to the 60’s.
But when it gets too stressful and complicated, I prefer to unwind Hawaiian slack key guitar versions of the Christmas classics.
Mele kalikimaka, FirePups!
Eartha Kitt’s “Santa Baby” — classic!
Rayne @ 65
Merry Christmass to you as well rayne, The same avatar
also taught to help the least among us, and we have failed
as a society to do that, while the media Commercializes
Christmass in his name. I hope things change now that we
finally voted these idiots out of office, I’m more hopefull
for that believe me. Happy holiday and have a great
new year
From Wikipedia: “Ives cooperated with the House Unamerican Activities Committee, and named fellow folk singer Pete Seeger and others as possible Communists. His cooperation with the HUAC ended his blacklisting, allowing him to continue with his movie acting.”
Maybe we can find some folk singers or others who standup for the Constitution.
My favorite Christmas tune is Jackson Brown and the Cheiftan’s The Rebel Jesus. On the same CD, and when my heart is feeling black, I like to play the tune by Elvis Costello and The Chieftans called:
St Stephen’s Day Murders
I knew of two sisters whose name it was Christmas,
And one was named dawn of course, the other one was named eve.
I wonder if they grew up hating the season,
Of the good will that lasts til the feast of st. stephen
For that is the time to eat, drink, and be merry,
’til the beer is all spilled and the whiskey has flowed.
And the whole family tree you neglected to bury,
Are feeding their faces until they explode.
Chorus:
There’ll be laughter and tears over tia marias,
Mixed up with that drink made from girders.
cause it’s all we’ve got left as they draw their last breath,
And it’s nice for the kids, as you finally get rid of them,
In the st stephen’s day murders.
Uncle is garglin’ a heart-breaking air,
While the babe in his arms pulls out all that remains of his hair.
And we’re not drunk enough yet to dare criticize,
The great big kipper tie he’s about to baptize.
His gin-flavoured whiskers and kisses of sherry,
His best crimble shirt slung out over the shop.
While the lights from the christmas tree blow up the telly,
His face closes in like an old cold pork chop.
Alternate chorus:
And the carcass of the beast left over from the feast,
May still be found haunting the kitchen.
And there’s life in it yet, we may live to regret,
When the ones that we poisoned stop twitchin’.
Next year try to be even more hackneyed and dull in your choices, oh phantom of the ancien regime.
Happy festivus
If you’d like to take to take your Christmas music jones to the next level, check this out.
Lacy things, the wife is missin’
Didn’t ask, her permission
I’m wearin’ her clothes
Her silk pantyhose
Walkin’ ’round in women’s underwear
In the store, there’s a teddy
Little straps, like spaghetti
It holds me so tight
Like handcuffs at night
Walkin’ ’round in women’s underwear
In the office there’s a guy named Melvin,
He pretends that I am Murphy Brown
He’ll say, “Are you ready?” I’ll say, “Whoa Man!”
“Let’s wait until our wives are out of town!”
Later on, if you wanna
We can dress, like Madonna
Put on some eyeshade
And join the parade
Walkin’ ’round in women’s underwear
Lacy things- missin’
Didn’t ask- permission
Wearin’ her clothes
Her silk pantyhose
Walkin’ ’round in women’s underwear
Walkin’ ’round in women’s underwear
Walkin’ ’round in women’s underwear
a guy –
I see you got here late, just as I am too late to take active part in the discussion.
But your send-up of Winter Wonderland @ #74 was truly brilliant — and gave me a much-needed hearty laugh. It also scans perfectly.
Thanks for that!
DECK US ALL WITH BOSTON CHARLIE
Walt Kelly (c. 1961)
Deck us all with Boston Charlie,
Walla Walla, Wash., an’ Kalamazoo!
Nora’s freezin’ on the trolley,
Swaller dollar cauliflower alley-garoo!
Don’t we know archaic barrel,
Lullaby Lilla boy, Louisville Lou?
Trolley Molly don’t love Harold,
Boola boola Pensacoola hullabaloo!
Bark us all bow-wows of folly,
Polly wolly cracker n’ too-da-loo!
Hunky Dory’s pop is lolly gaggin’ on the wagon,
Willy, folly go through!
Donkey Bonny brays a carol,
Antelope Cantaloup, ‘lope with you!
Chollie’s collie barks at Barrow,
Harum scarum five alarum bung-a-loo!