Monday Music on a Wednesday? Well, it's the holidays. I could pretend I intentionally held this back for Christmas Eve, but really, the time just got away from me this week. Still, I couldn't forgo posting about some of my favorite holiday tunes:
Christmas- Blues Traveler
This track is definitely my favorite of the modern holiday tunes. For many, their time with Blues Traveler remains in 1994, but I find they've consistently delivered over their nearly three decade long career, both with clever lyricism (I still contend that Hook is one of the most brilliant pop songs ever written) and with the difficult merging of that blues jam sound with modern pop. Not to mention that John Popper plays a pretty mean harp.
Christmas delivers on both, with a message of peace and acceptance, avoiding becoming just another trite message by confronting the Christmas cynicism that can strike us all.
Christmas can mean anything, indeed.
Baby, It's Cold Outside- Leon Redbone and Zooey Deschanel
I usually loathe this song, but, for some reason, this version just pulls me in. Maybe it's the charms of Zooey Deschanel or that fact that I always associate Leon Redbone with the time he played our little, magical stage during the golden years of the Woodfire. It's also a track that was sent to me on a Christmas mix from my favorite mix CD buddy (other gems on that CD...Aimee Mann and Michael Penn with Christmastime and, with the most charming holiday cover ever, Fiona Apple performing Frosty The Snowman.)
My holiday playlist has the staples, of course: A Charlie Brown Christmas, Christmas Don't Be Late (don't hate on the Chipmunks), Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland.
I have some definite cheese as well, most particularly in the form of Alabama's Christmas. Yes, that Alabama. What can I say? I have unending childhood memories of playing the record on my mom's turntable. That one and Willie Nelson's Pretty Paper.
Trans-Siberian Orchestra is probably the most played for me this time of year. Attending their live holiday show has become something of a tradition with my parents & aunt and uncle. Sadly, we'll be unable to make it to the show this year, but I imagine we'll be back up there the next time TSO comes around. If you've somehow managed to come this far without seeing them play, I highly encourage it...the show has something for everyone; Christmas, story-telling, robotic lights, fire, and rock and roll.
So what's on your playlist during the holiday season? Comment here or tweet us with your favorites.
Whatever you may celebrate this time of year or even if you celebrate nothing at all, peace to you.
Here's to life!
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