Relax, I'm not going to take you through four weeks of Christmas stuff. It's just that I went to the Christmas symphony concert last night and I'm feeling full of Christmas cheer, despite the rain. This week's post will be Christmas-themed, but then I'll just a pepper a few items here and there for the rest of the month.
Film: White Christmas
Yes, yes, I have no doubt most of you want me to put either A Christmas Story or National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation in here. Well, tough! Neither are my favorite. I prefer to go old school with a little Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, and Rosemary Clooney. If you don't like, start your own pop culture blog. This movie is a yearly event for me. If it's on tv, I'm glued to the set. I love the songs, the dance, and the actors. Although this isn't Bing's premier of the song "White Christmas" - that happened 12 years earlier in Holiday Inn - it's my favorite. I don't even mind the cheesy sound-stage ending. This film just puts me in a holiday spirit I can't deny. Plus, the film will leave you humming "Sisters" for the next few days.
Television: How the Grinch Stole Christmas
No, I do not mean that live-action thing with Jim Carey. Go to the original in this case, people! It's not Christmas until I've seen the Ginch on television. Bonus: Boris Karloff is the narrator (although he does not sing "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch.") Remember, Christmas can come without boxes and bows.
Story: The Gift of the Magi
O. Henry's short story is sappy and wonderful, just like the entire Christmas season. Despite how heartbreaking this story is - and I will not write more because I can't give plot without giving away the ending - I still read it every year. (And I happily ignore the fact that O. Henry inspired a treacly-sweet episdoe of Seventh Heaven.)
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Good choices. Though I am shocked and amazed that you don't have Fear's "F--- Christmas" or The Pogues' "Christmas in New York" on the ipod. Also, somewhere in cyberspace I am sure that one could find the Whirling Dervishes' (an underground band from Jersey that has become legendary in the garden state but couldn't get arrested outside of the tri-state area) version of "You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch". It's pretty sweet.
When it comes to Bing Crosby I was always more of a Bells of St. Mary's man myself. Also, I think the cover of Crosby's "White Christmas" album where his disimbodied head is floating over an all white background is an essential part of my memories of Christmas and I suspect it also lives in the memoires of many kids who grew up in the age when their parents owned vinyl.
But when Bells of St. Mary's was on last weekend we were watching a falcon eat a live pigeon in our neighbor's yard. And for some reason this reminded my of the stories about the person Crosby was, especially towards his sons, and it made me wonder if its possible to divorce the performer from the peformance, especially when the performance is supposed to be wholesome and nice and the performer is anything but?
So, your top ten Christmas songs has inspired me to finally start downloading Christmas music onto Ruckus (plus it is a great way for me to procrastinate writing this paper that is due tomorrow morning). I am, however, a little dissapointed that Adam Sandler's "Hanukkah" song did not make it onto the list after we just heard it last week.
If I recall correctly, the gentleman who sings "You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch" is actually the same man who voices Tony the Tiger/Frosted Flakes.
P.S. I Alison going to start blogging?? T wants to know if she has a myspace or facebook, too
As far as Christmas music on the MP3, I like to kick it old school: Christmas in Hollis by Run DMC, Santa Baby by Madonna, Dominic the Italian Christmas Donkey, OY! by No Doubt and my all time personal favorite is Wreck the Malls. I also enjoy Adam Sandler's Hannukah Song.
Christmas in Hollis...sweet...
Dominic the Italian Christmas Donkey...sweeter!
I did a little research on The Whirling Dirvishes which resulted in me purchasing a used copy of their Xmas EP entitled "Grinch" from Amazon. Their version is a little more rocking and sarcastic than the movie version. They also have a song on their called "Skating and Sinning" so who knows.
I love all those Bing Crosby/Andrews Sisters Christmas songs. Meli Kaleki Maka (however one spells it) is awesome.
But I can't stand the Italian Christmas Donkey song. Maybe it's my over-exposure to it growing up in northern NJ.
Snoopy vs. the Red Baron would be on my list.
I'm familiar with the Whirling Dervishes' "Grinch!" Back when we used to have an alt rock station in Philly, they played 24 hours of Christmas music on Christmas Eve and Christmas day, and while they did have traditional stuff, they played a lot of alt Christmas stuff too. The Dervishes were on a lot! Also that Pogues song is the BEST too. It's actually called "Fairytale of New York."
Christmas in Hollis is good stuff, definitely.
I also love the Grinch-inspired song that Ben Folds wrote for the live-action Grinch movie. It's called "Lonely Christmas Eve."
Other good lesser-known ones that I like:
Ron Sexsmith-Maybe This Christmas
Neil Finn-Sweet Secret Peace
Barenaked Ladies/S. McLachlan-God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Guster-Donde Esta Santa Claus?
Badly Drawn Boy-Donna and Blitzen
Dido-Christmas Day
Joni Mitchell-River
Emerson, Lake, and Palmer-I Believe in Father Christmas
Waitresses-Christmas Wrapping (also, Save Ferris does a Jewish version)
Thanks for Christmas-XTC
Merry Christmas Eve-Better Than Ezra
Father Christmas-Kinks
And last but not least, there is a whole CD of South Park Christmas songs!
I love it! I have so many more songs to add to the iPod! Like Alison, I am inspired to start downloading this afternoon.
I have Bing Crosby's album, Matt. The floating, smiling head makes me laugh. I think I am capable of distancing myself. I think it's easier if you just don't care about their lives. That said, I can't help but think of Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracey's long-time love affair while watching their awesome, awesome movies. Likewise, knowing personal actor info is vital to some films like Kevin Smith's work (especially "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" and "Clerks 2").
I can't believe I forgot Snoopy and the Red Baron! As for Adam Sandler, it was number 11. The Barenaked Ladies was also in the cut. While I don't like all their songs, I do like "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemn." Some things just have to go when you're doing a "top whatever" list.
Moxiecat: many kudos for bringing XTC into play!
regarding Krista's comment about Dominic the Italian Christmas Donkey: I grew up just north of Manhattan and it wasn't Christmas until that song came on! Now, living in the deep, deep, deep south, we NEVER hear it. These folks don't know what an "Eye-talian" is let alone a donkey. Anyway, when I download it each year, it makes me think of snow, shopping in the city, and all of my Italian friends. ha! ha!
All of this Dominic talk is going to cost me a day in the used record store. Yes, I am sure I can get it on the net, but that's the kind of song that needs to be heard on scratchy vinyl.
Well, the inevitable has occured. I was having lunch yesterday in a quiet Chinese resturant around the corner from work when the owners decided, for the first time ever in the three years I have been eating there, to turn on the radio. The first few songs were okay, but eventually it happened. They played John Cougar Mellencamp's version of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause." That did it...I am officially sick of Christmas.
I haven't gotten enough yet. Of course, that could be because I usually just listen to NPR and they have yet to play Christmas music. Sometimes at work I'll tune in the Christmas Jazz station on Radio 360, but that is a pretty cool station so it's not mainstream enough to irritate me. I didn't even mind the Christmas elevator music at the mall yesterday. Of course, I was so absorbed in getting the things on my list that I didn't really pay much attention. I say bring on the holiday cheer! Tomorrow I'll watch "It's a Wonderful Life" and wrap presents. Should be a good time, especially with a spaz-kitten playing with ribbon and bows. I don't know what the deal is with Porthos but when he wants to play he tears through this house. It's insane! But then he curls up in my lap or on my shoulders and purrs so I can't get cranky with his spazziness.
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