This edition of Sonic Sunday will be a two-parter, to be continued next week. For now, enjoy Volume I of my Chris-Mixx.
(Click any link to download the song. Mp3s are available for a limited time, so get 'em while they're hot!)
1. "Christmas Is the Time to Say I Love You," Billy Squier - This is my favorite Christmas song of all-time, despite Billy's weird enunciation. (year=yeeeeee-ahr, cheer=cheeeeee-ahr, etc.)
2. "O Holy Night," Sufjan Stevens - Now, this one is my favorite religious Christmas song. I've always liked Celine Dion's version, but I realize that not many of you dig zee greatest singer in zee world. I found Sufjan's version online recently and was surprised by how much I really liked it. Love the banjo.
3. "Happy Holidays/The Holiday Season," Andy Williams - Andy is the King of Christmas, and this is one swingin' tune. Probably the only Christmas song that includes the phrase "whoop-dee-do."
4. "White Christmas," The Drifters - This is THE best version of "White Christmas," period.
5. "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)," U2 - A lot of people prefer the Darlene Love original, which I also love, but I really dig U2's cover. Maybe it reminds me of a time when U2 were a great rock band and not the complacent cash cows that they are now. (Start the crazy U2 fan backlash now!)
6. "Step Into Christmas," Elton John - Wonderful song, if not a bit inaccurate. I mean, "Step into Christmas, the admission's free?" Please. I'll probably be spending about $400 this year. Hopefully not more.
7. "Sleigh Ride," Harry Connick, Jr. - Much like The Drifters' "White Christmas," this version of "Sleigh Ride" is the best one I've ever heard. More horns...more horns!!
8. "Someday at Christmas," Pearl Jam - A cover of the Stevie Wonder classic, this one was recently introduced to me by Beth. I can't believe that this song has been in existence for 3 years and I hadn't heard of it before. That's what I get for endlessly procrastinating about joining the Pearl Jam fan club. I love this version of course, and Eddie Vedder's vocals are just lovely. It's helping to fuel my usual holiday fantasy of waking up on Christmas morning and finding Eddie under my tree.
9. "What Christmas Means to Me," Paul Young - Another song popularized by Stevie Wonder, wonderfully covered by Paul Young. I had a few pictures of Paul on my wall back in my teen years. Yeah, there were a few spaces that weren't filled by Duran Duran or John Travolta.
10. "Christmas Day," Squeeze - This is - surprise! - a Squeeze song that actually took quite a while to grow on me, but I love it now. It's kind of a funny, new wave-y look at Mary and Joseph's saga set in modern times. It's also about how Christmas wouldn't be the same without important stuff like aftershave.
11. "2000 Miles," The Pretenders - This is one of those songs that isn't always thought of specifically as a Christmas song, but it's a lovely tune for this time of year.
12. "(Christmas) Bells Of St. Ignatius," Wormburner - This is a local NYC band that I've gotten to know over the years, since we share some mutual musical friends. The lead singer, Hank, is one of the nicest guys you'd ever hope to meet. And after Barbara introduced me to The Weakerthans, I noticed some simliarities between John Samson's voice and Hank's.
13. "Jingle Bell Jamboree," Keb' Mo' - An awesome blues singer that my brother, J-Fred, introduced me to a while back. I only discovered this song recently and I immediately loved it.
14. "All That I Want," The Weepies - You may recognize this song from the newest JC Penney commercial. Every time I saw that commercial, I had to comment on how cute that song was so I finally found it online.
15. "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree," Brenda Lee - A classic that's been covered a million times, but nothing beats Brenda Lee's original.
Bonus: "The Chanukah Song," Adam Sandler - In case anyone feels like being a PC complainer, here's a song for all of our Jewish friends. Since it's a live recording, you can hear the throngs of stoner college kids going wild when Sandler tells them to "smoke their marijuanika." Duuuuude!!!
1. "Christmas Is the Time to Say I Love You," Billy Squier - This is my favorite Christmas song of all-time, despite Billy's weird enunciation. (year=yeeeeee-ahr, cheer=cheeeeee-ahr, etc.)
2. "O Holy Night," Sufjan Stevens - Now, this one is my favorite religious Christmas song. I've always liked Celine Dion's version, but I realize that not many of you dig zee greatest singer in zee world. I found Sufjan's version online recently and was surprised by how much I really liked it. Love the banjo.
3. "Happy Holidays/The Holiday Season," Andy Williams - Andy is the King of Christmas, and this is one swingin' tune. Probably the only Christmas song that includes the phrase "whoop-dee-do."
4. "White Christmas," The Drifters - This is THE best version of "White Christmas," period.
5. "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)," U2 - A lot of people prefer the Darlene Love original, which I also love, but I really dig U2's cover. Maybe it reminds me of a time when U2 were a great rock band and not the complacent cash cows that they are now. (Start the crazy U2 fan backlash now!)
6. "Step Into Christmas," Elton John - Wonderful song, if not a bit inaccurate. I mean, "Step into Christmas, the admission's free?" Please. I'll probably be spending about $400 this year. Hopefully not more.
7. "Sleigh Ride," Harry Connick, Jr. - Much like The Drifters' "White Christmas," this version of "Sleigh Ride" is the best one I've ever heard. More horns...more horns!!
8. "Someday at Christmas," Pearl Jam - A cover of the Stevie Wonder classic, this one was recently introduced to me by Beth. I can't believe that this song has been in existence for 3 years and I hadn't heard of it before. That's what I get for endlessly procrastinating about joining the Pearl Jam fan club. I love this version of course, and Eddie Vedder's vocals are just lovely. It's helping to fuel my usual holiday fantasy of waking up on Christmas morning and finding Eddie under my tree.
9. "What Christmas Means to Me," Paul Young - Another song popularized by Stevie Wonder, wonderfully covered by Paul Young. I had a few pictures of Paul on my wall back in my teen years. Yeah, there were a few spaces that weren't filled by Duran Duran or John Travolta.
10. "Christmas Day," Squeeze - This is - surprise! - a Squeeze song that actually took quite a while to grow on me, but I love it now. It's kind of a funny, new wave-y look at Mary and Joseph's saga set in modern times. It's also about how Christmas wouldn't be the same without important stuff like aftershave.
11. "2000 Miles," The Pretenders - This is one of those songs that isn't always thought of specifically as a Christmas song, but it's a lovely tune for this time of year.
12. "(Christmas) Bells Of St. Ignatius," Wormburner - This is a local NYC band that I've gotten to know over the years, since we share some mutual musical friends. The lead singer, Hank, is one of the nicest guys you'd ever hope to meet. And after Barbara introduced me to The Weakerthans, I noticed some simliarities between John Samson's voice and Hank's.
13. "Jingle Bell Jamboree," Keb' Mo' - An awesome blues singer that my brother, J-Fred, introduced me to a while back. I only discovered this song recently and I immediately loved it.
14. "All That I Want," The Weepies - You may recognize this song from the newest JC Penney commercial. Every time I saw that commercial, I had to comment on how cute that song was so I finally found it online.
15. "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree," Brenda Lee - A classic that's been covered a million times, but nothing beats Brenda Lee's original.
Bonus: "The Chanukah Song," Adam Sandler - In case anyone feels like being a PC complainer, here's a song for all of our Jewish friends. Since it's a live recording, you can hear the throngs of stoner college kids going wild when Sandler tells them to "smoke their marijuanika." Duuuuude!!!
Comments
And I was thrilled beyond measure to see Andy Williams on there because I HEART ANDY WILLIAMS. This is my granddad's fault for babysitting me as a small child and subjecting me to hours of Andy Williams and Perry Como (I never did get Perry though...). My fave Andy Williams Xmas song is his version of "Let it Snow". LOVE IT!
I also have a secret (though not anymore I feel) affection for Slade's "Merry Christmas Everyone" because OMG that song was rammed down my throat MY WHOLE LIFE every year by radio, TV, Top of the Pops and shops. It is impossible to have grown up in the UK in the 70s (when it originated I was a tiny child), 80s or 90s without knowing that damn, mofo of a song.
I like John Lennon's "War is Over" but that annoys me after about two bars.
I'm pretty sure that Billy Squier stole that pronunciation from Colin Meloy, who in turn stole it from Jeff Mangum. It's the gift that keeps giving.
I remember you playing Wormburner a few months ago, and thinking they were pretty awesome. And naturally, anyone who channels the Weakerthans is godlike.
Is Fairy Tale of New York considered a cool listen in this vein. That has to be my alltime fave Christmas tune.
I'm here through Suzel, and I'm tagging you for 7 random things. I hope you don't mind!
Doing a week long Tutelage
COME ON OVER TO THE COUCH AND VOTE EVERY DAY THIS WEEK.
Everytime you go away
You take a piece of meat with you
Guv'ner - I do rule. But not harder than Squeeze. From what I've heard, they thought that "Christmas Day" would be a huge hit like Slade's, but it wasn't to be. I don't think I've ever heard the Slade song, so I'll have to look it up. Maybe I can get it for Volume II!
Barbara - You haven't seen me dragging my ass around Manhattan, fighting the crowds. Not that fabulous!
Gifted Typist - It's definitely on tap for Volume II.
CDP - Thanks for stopping by. I won't even put a lump of coal in your stocking for tagging me.
Bond - I always wondered what the apostrophes were for. Is his full name Kebenezer Mobleezledoor? I would abbreviate that too.
Molie - Best Christmas song ever. You might even say it's wicked awesome.
Skylers Dad - It's a beautiful song, isn't it?
Artful Dodger - If I could find a Kwaanza song, I would post it!
WP - I thought he was quite a sweet piece of British meat when I was a young gal.