Another random playlist of Christmas songs that either didn't fit on previous lists, or I found them too late to include them.
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Friday, December 21, 2012
It's a Kid's Christmas, Charlie Brown
I love kids.
I used to be absolutely terrified of them before I had my own. Friends and relatives would hand me their newly born babies and I would just freeze up, thinking, "Oh, jeeze, what if I drop it? What if I break it? How much does it cost to replace one of these things?" I used to think of them as tiny, fragile little things that I, being about as delicate as a bull in a china shop on a good day, would grip too tightly. And if I were careful enough and didn't hurt it, what if it didn't like me and started screaming and wouldn't stop... ever? What if it pooped on me? Would I have to clean it up? How in the hell would I do that?
But having my own showed me that for the most part, kids are pretty good natured about things. At least mine is.
And they tend to bounce pretty good. At least mine does.
No, I haven't dropped him. He tends to throw himself off of things, hit the floor and giggle like mad, then get up to do it again. He's all boy, that one. He scares the crap out of me, but now it's in a "Oh, god, can I throw myself under him in time to break his fall?" kind of way.
Anyway, I've discovered that I have the remarkable ability to tune out any and all repetitive (read: annoyingly chipper and sickeningly sweet) children's songs. Those toys that make noise? I don't hear them at all anymore. Ever. But the back of my brain notices when they're not playing, and I get suspicious and go check on the little monkey to find him scaling a bookshelf in the office after somehow getting the door open. Or sitting on top of the coffee table, playing with his cars and wondering if he can make the jump from the table to the couch.
Yes, it's a gift to be able to tune out music and sounds like that.... wait, where was I?
Here ya go -- some of our favorite Christmas tunes this year, from my Little Monkey to yours.
Track listing:
I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas - (as it appeared on) Dr. Demento Presents
The Chipmunk Song - Alvin & the Chipmunks
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus - The Ronnettes
O Christmas Tree - Vince Guaraldi
All I Want for Christmas - The Count
I used to be absolutely terrified of them before I had my own. Friends and relatives would hand me their newly born babies and I would just freeze up, thinking, "Oh, jeeze, what if I drop it? What if I break it? How much does it cost to replace one of these things?" I used to think of them as tiny, fragile little things that I, being about as delicate as a bull in a china shop on a good day, would grip too tightly. And if I were careful enough and didn't hurt it, what if it didn't like me and started screaming and wouldn't stop... ever? What if it pooped on me? Would I have to clean it up? How in the hell would I do that?
But having my own showed me that for the most part, kids are pretty good natured about things. At least mine is.
And they tend to bounce pretty good. At least mine does.
No, I haven't dropped him. He tends to throw himself off of things, hit the floor and giggle like mad, then get up to do it again. He's all boy, that one. He scares the crap out of me, but now it's in a "Oh, god, can I throw myself under him in time to break his fall?" kind of way.
Anyway, I've discovered that I have the remarkable ability to tune out any and all repetitive (read: annoyingly chipper and sickeningly sweet) children's songs. Those toys that make noise? I don't hear them at all anymore. Ever. But the back of my brain notices when they're not playing, and I get suspicious and go check on the little monkey to find him scaling a bookshelf in the office after somehow getting the door open. Or sitting on top of the coffee table, playing with his cars and wondering if he can make the jump from the table to the couch.
Yes, it's a gift to be able to tune out music and sounds like that.... wait, where was I?
Here ya go -- some of our favorite Christmas tunes this year, from my Little Monkey to yours.
Track listing:
I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas - (as it appeared on) Dr. Demento Presents
The Chipmunk Song - Alvin & the Chipmunks
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus - The Ronnettes
O Christmas Tree - Vince Guaraldi
All I Want for Christmas - The Count
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Dogs & Cats, Singing Together, Mass Hysteria
Remember how annoying all those singing animal carols were? They still are. They were cute the first time you heard a song, but after that, it's like "Can we debark these dogs?"
Also, do you know how hard it is to find animals barking/meowing songs these days? You would think in the age of auto-tuning and vocaloids, there would be a lot more. But no. Slim pickings. So almost all of today's songs are from the same two albums.
Track listing:
Silent Night - The Jingle Cats
Jingle Bells - Singing Dogs
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer - The Jingle Cats
White Christmas - The Jingle Cats
Jingle Cats Melody - The Jingle Cats
Also, do you know how hard it is to find animals barking/meowing songs these days? You would think in the age of auto-tuning and vocaloids, there would be a lot more. But no. Slim pickings. So almost all of today's songs are from the same two albums.
Track listing:
Silent Night - The Jingle Cats
Jingle Bells - Singing Dogs
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer - The Jingle Cats
White Christmas - The Jingle Cats
Jingle Cats Melody - The Jingle Cats
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Christmas in the Movies
Track listing:
Sally's Song -- Fiona Apple (from Nightmare Before Christmas)
What's This? - Danny Elfman (from Nightmare Before Christmas)
Christmas is All Around - Bill Nighy (from Love Actually)
Put a Little Love in Your Heart - Annie Lennox and Al Green (from Scrooged)
Believe - Josh Groban (from Polar Express)
Christmas in Hollis - Run D.M.C. (from Die Hard)
The Gremlins Main Theme - Jerry Goldsmith (from Gremlins)
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Monday, December 17, 2012
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Weekend Holiday Samplers
Since it is Christmas, I do have some obligations. Making presents, making food, entertaining friends, chasing my 1-year-old around to wrest from his hands whatever object he has suddenly stolen from the kitchen. That sorta thing.
In case you can't tell, he has climbed up on the coffee table (which has mysteriously been pushed up in front of the entertainment center) and was caught before he could actually touch the new TV. Which somehow also mysteriously came on, I'm guessing all by itself, because I couldn't find the remote for 2 hours. It turned up later inside his toy box. Hrrmmmmm....
He's an imp, that one. I wish I had snapped a picture of him when he scaled one of the bookcases and got about halfway up before I could get to him.
To make things a bit easier on the playlist front, I'm posting random mixes for this weekend and next. I won't post individual songs on Twitter on those days, but I will Tweet the links to the full playlists each afternoon.
Here's today's playlist. Enjoy!
He's an imp, that one. I wish I had snapped a picture of him when he scaled one of the bookcases and got about halfway up before I could get to him.
To make things a bit easier on the playlist front, I'm posting random mixes for this weekend and next. I won't post individual songs on Twitter on those days, but I will Tweet the links to the full playlists each afternoon.
Here's today's playlist. Enjoy!
Friday, December 14, 2012
Folkish and Bright
Today's events have left me feeling particularly not festive today, so this entry is just the playlist.
For all those in Sandy Hook, CT, my heart is with you.
Track listing:
Sleigh Ride - Los Straitjackets
Snow - Loreena McKennitt
O Holy Night - Allison Crowe
Song for a Winter's Night - Quartet
Silent Night - Johnny Cash
Frosty the Snowman - Willie Nelson
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Do You Hear What I Hear?
Remember all those funny Christmas songs that you thought were HI-larious when you were younger, but now they're annoying?
Get ready to be annoyed.
There are a few gems in there, modern and vintage alike. Tom Lehrer's take on the commercialism of the holidays came way before the golden age of eBay, Walmart and all those stupid jewelry store commercials (ones that should simply say, "What other way can you make four months of your measly salary last a lifetime?"). And Stephen Colbert's 'Another Christmas Song' gets played simply because it's Stephen Colbert. He makes everything funny.
And who hasn't gotten that present where they don't really know what it is or they don't really like it? Then you get that weird half-grin on your face and say, "Oh! You shouldn't have!" and you're thinking "No, really... I wish you hadn't!" Garfunkle & Oates' 'Present Face' is a perfect reminder to us all to perfect our present face.
Monty Python's 'Christmas in Heaven' really plays better as a video, but I run a Twitter playlist blog, not a Twitter video feed. But the song is still amusing -- it is Monty Python, after all.
Click here for Grooveshark playlist goodness.
Track listing:
Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer - Dr. Demento
The Twelve Pains of Christmas - Bob Rivers
Another Christmas Song - Stephen Colbert
Present Face - Garfunkle & Oates
The Hanukkah Song - Adam Sandler
A Christmas Carol - Tom Lehrer
The Restroom Door Said Gentlemen - Bob Rivers
Christmas in Heaven - Monty Python
Get ready to be annoyed.
There are a few gems in there, modern and vintage alike. Tom Lehrer's take on the commercialism of the holidays came way before the golden age of eBay, Walmart and all those stupid jewelry store commercials (ones that should simply say, "What other way can you make four months of your measly salary last a lifetime?"). And Stephen Colbert's 'Another Christmas Song' gets played simply because it's Stephen Colbert. He makes everything funny.
And who hasn't gotten that present where they don't really know what it is or they don't really like it? Then you get that weird half-grin on your face and say, "Oh! You shouldn't have!" and you're thinking "No, really... I wish you hadn't!" Garfunkle & Oates' 'Present Face' is a perfect reminder to us all to perfect our present face.
Monty Python's 'Christmas in Heaven' really plays better as a video, but I run a Twitter playlist blog, not a Twitter video feed. But the song is still amusing -- it is Monty Python, after all.
Click here for Grooveshark playlist goodness.
Track listing:
Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer - Dr. Demento
The Twelve Pains of Christmas - Bob Rivers
Another Christmas Song - Stephen Colbert
Present Face - Garfunkle & Oates
The Hanukkah Song - Adam Sandler
A Christmas Carol - Tom Lehrer
The Restroom Door Said Gentlemen - Bob Rivers
Christmas in Heaven - Monty Python
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
It's beginning to look a Goth like Christmas
Did the world end?
Probably not.
Are you following me on Twitter yet?
Probably not.
Do I care?
Well, actually, yes. So get on it.
Today's playlist is nice darkwave/goth set. Goths like Christmas too. Just remember they like black eyeliner, torn fishnet stockings and a few packs clove cigarettes* under the tree, and they'll love you forever.
Just kidding. Goths don't love anyone.**
Click here for full Grooveshark playlist goodness.
Happy Christmas -- the Cruxshadows
We Three Kings -- Rhea's Obsession
What Child is This -- Julia Kent
Nerotai Hazarurim -- Sofia, Run
Stille Nacht -- Autopsia
*I think clove cigarettes are no more. But Djarum still makes clove "mini cigars" that look exactly like their old clove cigarettes.
**(before any goth-children out there send me hate mail, I used to be goth-ish back before it was cool. I was the only goth kid in my school. It was not fun most days. So go complain about my sense of humor and ribbing to your goth friends, because I'm pretty sure you have some. Me? I had a collection of darkwave music and a bunch of cats. And look how I turned out. Be thankful you have goth friends you bitch to about how ignorant of goth ways I really am.)
Probably not.
Are you following me on Twitter yet?
Probably not.
Do I care?
Well, actually, yes. So get on it.
Today's playlist is nice darkwave/goth set. Goths like Christmas too. Just remember they like black eyeliner, torn fishnet stockings and a few packs clove cigarettes* under the tree, and they'll love you forever.
Just kidding. Goths don't love anyone.**
Click here for full Grooveshark playlist goodness.
Happy Christmas -- the Cruxshadows
We Three Kings -- Rhea's Obsession
What Child is This -- Julia Kent
Nerotai Hazarurim -- Sofia, Run
Stille Nacht -- Autopsia
*I think clove cigarettes are no more. But Djarum still makes clove "mini cigars" that look exactly like their old clove cigarettes.
**(before any goth-children out there send me hate mail, I used to be goth-ish back before it was cool. I was the only goth kid in my school. It was not fun most days. So go complain about my sense of humor and ribbing to your goth friends, because I'm pretty sure you have some. Me? I had a collection of darkwave music and a bunch of cats. And look how I turned out. Be thankful you have goth friends you bitch to about how ignorant of goth ways I really am.)
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Holiday Sampler Vol. 2
Another random mix of Christmas music to make you happy! And maybe distract you from the world (not) ending tomorrow. This was a matter of typing the word 'Christmas' into my iTunes library search feature and then swearing at Apple for messing with a good thing. iTunes was fine before they updated it, now it's just gawd awful.
Seriously, for Christmas, do not update your version of iTunes, if you haven't already. If you have, my condolences. But look at it this way -- you have one more reason to want the world to end, if just so you don't have to use the new horrible iTunes.
Click here for full playlist goodness.
My First Xmas (As a Woman) -- The Vandals
Last Christmas -- Wham!
The Fairy Tale of New York -- The Pogues
Snoopy's Christmas -- The Royal Guardsmen
The Angels Cried -- Alan Jackson
Seriously, for Christmas, do not update your version of iTunes, if you haven't already. If you have, my condolences. But look at it this way -- you have one more reason to want the world to end, if just so you don't have to use the new horrible iTunes.
Click here for full playlist goodness.
My First Xmas (As a Woman) -- The Vandals
Last Christmas -- Wham!
The Fairy Tale of New York -- The Pogues
Snoopy's Christmas -- The Royal Guardsmen
The Angels Cried -- Alan Jackson
Monday, December 10, 2012
On the first day of Christmas...
So it's a little early to begin a countdown to Christmas, right?
Wrong.
There are so many Christmas songs, and variations of all those songs, I could probably compile playlists for two months or more. You're lucky I kept it to 15 days.
Today was a little sampler, from a folkish-country-ish cover from Slaid Cleaves to an 8-bit gamer tune that brings back fond memories of unwrapping that Nintendo Entertainment System and being only a tiny bit disappointed that this version came with Duck Hunt but not the blaster gun. WTF, Nintendo?!
For a hint as to what to expect, check out the Playlists tab at the top. Links go live for each day, but at least this way you can see whether you really want to click on those links.
Click here for full Grooveshark playlist goodness.
Track listing:
'You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch' by Slaid Cleaves
'Snow Miser Won' by Limpopo
'Atheist Christmas Carol' by Vienna Teng
'Christmas at Ground Zero' by Weird Al Yankovich
'O Holy Night' by Rush Coil
Wrong.
There are so many Christmas songs, and variations of all those songs, I could probably compile playlists for two months or more. You're lucky I kept it to 15 days.
Today was a little sampler, from a folkish-country-ish cover from Slaid Cleaves to an 8-bit gamer tune that brings back fond memories of unwrapping that Nintendo Entertainment System and being only a tiny bit disappointed that this version came with Duck Hunt but not the blaster gun. WTF, Nintendo?!
For a hint as to what to expect, check out the Playlists tab at the top. Links go live for each day, but at least this way you can see whether you really want to click on those links.
Click here for full Grooveshark playlist goodness.
Track listing:
'You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch' by Slaid Cleaves
'Snow Miser Won' by Limpopo
'Atheist Christmas Carol' by Vienna Teng
'Christmas at Ground Zero' by Weird Al Yankovich
'O Holy Night' by Rush Coil
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Totally Random v3.0
The last non-Christmas music playlist for at least the next 15 days. Get ready for the onslaught of merry music, folks.
Again, today is a random mix spit out by iTunes on shuffle because I'm still trying to find a few more Christmas songs that I can tolerate.
You'd be surprised how many songs are overplayed out in public to the point where if I hear them one more time, I might go into an angry-screechy-monkey rage and rip speakers out of the ceilings in whatever office I happen to be in at the time.
Anyhow...
I should get back to that search.
Click here for Grooveshark playlist goodness.
Track listing:
'Rhythm is a Dancer' by Snap
'Oyster Mud' by Chuck Carrier
'Doctor Who Closing (Scream of the Shakla)'
'Dance With Me' by Orleans
'Danza Del Ventre' by Amr Diab, Khaled & Cheb Mami
Again, today is a random mix spit out by iTunes on shuffle because I'm still trying to find a few more Christmas songs that I can tolerate.
You'd be surprised how many songs are overplayed out in public to the point where if I hear them one more time, I might go into an angry-screechy-monkey rage and rip speakers out of the ceilings in whatever office I happen to be in at the time.
Anyhow...
I should get back to that search.
Click here for Grooveshark playlist goodness.
Track listing:
'Rhythm is a Dancer' by Snap
'Oyster Mud' by Chuck Carrier
'Doctor Who Closing (Scream of the Shakla)'
'Dance With Me' by Orleans
'Danza Del Ventre' by Amr Diab, Khaled & Cheb Mami
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Totally Random v2.0
I liked the nice (read: weird) mix of music iTunes threw back at me when I hit random for yesterday's playlist, so I did it again for today. I'll do it again for tomorrow's playlist too. I'm not lazy -- I have to find 75 Christmas songs that don't make me want to vomit from hearing them 1,000,000,002 times.
Yes, that's right.
Christmas music.
Starting December 10th, it will be daily Christmas music playlists. I'm thinking it will break down into themes, like goth, country, opera, traditional, Broadway, things like that.
Click here for Grooveshark playlist goodness.
Track listing:
'Have I the Right' by the Honeycombs
'Color Him Father' by the Winstons
'Where in the Hell Did You Go (With My Toothbrush)' by Rev. Horton Heat
'Twister' by Sam Sharp
'Nothing's Impossible' by Depeche Mode
Yes, that's right.
Christmas music.
Starting December 10th, it will be daily Christmas music playlists. I'm thinking it will break down into themes, like goth, country, opera, traditional, Broadway, things like that.
Click here for Grooveshark playlist goodness.
Track listing:
'Have I the Right' by the Honeycombs
'Color Him Father' by the Winstons
'Where in the Hell Did You Go (With My Toothbrush)' by Rev. Horton Heat
'Twister' by Sam Sharp
'Nothing's Impossible' by Depeche Mode
Friday, December 7, 2012
Totally Random
Today's playlist involves the shuffle/random button. I hit shuffle and put together the first five songs that came up, no skipping, no cheating.
Click here for full Grooveshark playlist goodness.
Track listing:
1. Prelude & Fuhgetta in F, BWV 90 by J.S. Bach
2. Law (Earthling on Fire) by David Bowie
3. Satori by Rodrigo y Gabriela
4. Enough (Al Jourgensen remix) by Gravity Kills
5. Clones (We're All) by Smashing Pumpkins
Click here for full Grooveshark playlist goodness.
Track listing:
1. Prelude & Fuhgetta in F, BWV 90 by J.S. Bach
2. Law (Earthling on Fire) by David Bowie
3. Satori by Rodrigo y Gabriela
4. Enough (Al Jourgensen remix) by Gravity Kills
5. Clones (We're All) by Smashing Pumpkins
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Today's random phrase is...
I like to type a random word or phrase into Pandora and let it feed me music. Today's playlist is a smattering of the results.
Phrase: "Ghost of a River" (I was looking for anything similar to the song from Calexico's new album, Algiers)
Click here for entire playlist goodness.
(opens in Grooveshark)
Track listing:
My Dog Jesus by Kurt Fortmeyer
Red River Tombstone Hustle by Beware the Dangers of a Ghost Scorpion
Gypsy's Curse by Calexico
Maggie by Colin Hay
Live and Die by the Avett Brothers
Phrase: "Ghost of a River" (I was looking for anything similar to the song from Calexico's new album, Algiers)
Click here for entire playlist goodness.
(opens in Grooveshark)
Track listing:
My Dog Jesus by Kurt Fortmeyer
Red River Tombstone Hustle by Beware the Dangers of a Ghost Scorpion
Gypsy's Curse by Calexico
Maggie by Colin Hay
Live and Die by the Avett Brothers
Friday, November 16, 2012
11/16 -- Stargazer Shoegazer
You're lucky.
I thought about diving into the Christmas music early.
My friend @Mr_McQwertyconvinced me otherwise.
Very well, then. I shall save the Christmas joy until the day after Thanksgiving, just like all those wonderful big-box stores where we like to trample one another in order to buy more stuff we don't really need.
Instead, I drew inspiration from the late, great Jack Horkheimer, host of the 'Stargazer' series that used to air on PBS at midnight just before they went off the air. He was such a nerd, and we all know I <3 nerds. Because of him, I know (almost) all the names of the stars in the night sky.
Click here for the full Grooveshark playlist goodness.
Arabesque No. 1 by Isao Tomita (the theme for 'Stargazer')
Orbiting Jupiter by Cheryl Wheeler
Celestial Soda Pop by Ray Lynch
Starmanby Nosferatu (David Bowie cover)
Starsby Roxette
Resurrectionby PPK
Different Stars by Trespassers William
I thought about diving into the Christmas music early.
My friend @Mr_McQwertyconvinced me otherwise.
Very well, then. I shall save the Christmas joy until the day after Thanksgiving, just like all those wonderful big-box stores where we like to trample one another in order to buy more stuff we don't really need.
Instead, I drew inspiration from the late, great Jack Horkheimer, host of the 'Stargazer' series that used to air on PBS at midnight just before they went off the air. He was such a nerd, and we all know I <3 nerds. Because of him, I know (almost) all the names of the stars in the night sky.
Click here for the full Grooveshark playlist goodness.
Arabesque No. 1 by Isao Tomita (the theme for 'Stargazer')
Orbiting Jupiter by Cheryl Wheeler
Celestial Soda Pop by Ray Lynch
Starmanby Nosferatu (David Bowie cover)
Starsby Roxette
Resurrectionby PPK
Different Stars by Trespassers William
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