And, the obligatory:
Tidings of comfort and joy.
UPDATE. That Big Star song is one of the few Christmas songs I can stand anymore. I must say this is a pretty good version of "Carol of the Bells" though:
Too bad he couldn't wait to come in at the falsetto part. Maybe with some practice?
UPDATE 2. Not a bad time to re-up my old Village Voice holiday compendium of "The Five Most Miserable Christmas Songs."
UPDATE. That Big Star song is one of the few Christmas songs I can stand anymore. I must say this is a pretty good version of "Carol of the Bells" though:
Too bad he couldn't wait to come in at the falsetto part. Maybe with some practice?
UPDATE 2. Not a bad time to re-up my old Village Voice holiday compendium of "The Five Most Miserable Christmas Songs."
Unironically? Merry Christmas, Christmukha, Saturnalia, Solstice and Channukah to you, too, Roy and Kia. Thanks for keeping the bar open and setting the bar so high, too.
ReplyDeleteMore southern pop.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Obfwy6H-MOc
We just need more a couple more Durhams and Chapel Hills.
Happy holidays to all of the Alicurati! This is, without a doubt, the wittiest, most literate, most perceptive community on the intertubes. A year-round gift of sanity!
ReplyDeleteMy thanks to you all, and my hope that everyone has a fantastic 2015!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Molotov, everyone!
ReplyDeleteThere's a lot of good Christmas music out there, it's just that you have to actively look for it.
ReplyDelete(And what are the chances that I didn't screw up one or more of those links, or that even if I didn't, that this comment doesn't get caught in moderation for having too many of them? Oh well! Such is life! Merry Christmas to all the cool people here!)
Merry merry!
ReplyDeleteThanks Roy, lets hope for a less horrible new year!
ReplyDeleteA bit off topic but John Fry died last week which pretty much leaves Jody Stephens as the last person involved with Big Star alive - those drummers are indestructible (sometimes). http://www.commercialappeal.com/go-memphis/ardent-studios-founder-big-star-producer-john-fry-dies_32954890
Amen to that! And may I add my wishes that you all experience peace and joy throughout whatever holiday season you celebrate or don't celebrate.
ReplyDeleteAlso, too, best wishes to Roy and Kia, and thanks to Roy for this sanity saving forum and community.
Merry Christmas all!
ReplyDeleteGreat minds, Roy! An old gag of mine...
ReplyDeleteWhat Derelict said, since at this hour my eloquence is still snoozing. Have a wonderful Christmas or whatever!
ReplyDeleteAnd a happy holiday everyone!
ReplyDeleteI like the old carols still, but the stores will only play the holly jolly 20th century dreck. At least where I am.
ReplyDeleteEh, I like Xmas tunes. This one came up on XM this morning.
ReplyDeletehttp://youtu.be/jj-Vff5HPhc
Merry Christmas, all! Oh, wait, wasn't I supposed to say Happy Holidays? Does that mean I get a demerit?
ReplyDeleteAnd a very Merry Christmas to you, Roy, and God bless you little commenters, every one. (But for the record, the Lieutenant Kije Suite is all that, and Father Christmas seemed to hit all the right notes when I was a disillusioned young misanthrope.)
ReplyDeleteMerry etc. to the best buncha guys 'n' gals on the so-called Internet. I keep telling people at dinner parties to come to this site, and I send them email reminders, and they never do, so fuck them. Thanks to Roy, for making me miserable when I come here on any given morning and don't find something new.
ReplyDeleteIf I'm working this right, there will be a link to a beloved holiday classic here. Play it loud, bitchez.
https://soundcloud.com/ellis-w-1/sleigh-rough
A personal favourite.
ReplyDeleteHappy Hols, everyone, and thanks, Roy, for keeping the lights on. Illumination is the best weapon against gloom.
Somehow Fairy Tales of New York seems appropriate this year. Again. As usual.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9jbdgZidu8
That's such a sweet take on it. Thanks for posting it.
ReplyDeleteCan't add to that - Happy whatever to you too
ReplyDeleteSnark too. Also.
ReplyDeletePertinent:
ReplyDeletehttp://youtu.be/qiF8wKobF68
It's no big secret that "holidays" is merely a modern pronunciation/contraction of "holy days", and that there are only two of these right about now that anyone is much interested in, one Christian and one Jewish."Happy holidays" is thus an inclusive holiday greeting meant for members of both majority religions (and also a bit of a lazy-ass shortcut, but whatever). I can't help but think this "War on Xmas" bullshit is more than just the Christiansts' standard persecution fetish, but also an attempt to kick the Jews out of the Holiday season, because when the Christianists aren't busy feeling persecuted*, they're busy acting like the King of the hill, of which there can be only one.
ReplyDelete*Which if course, is never...
And a merry Bah, humbug! to all...
ReplyDeleteNo, a cookie.
ReplyDeleteHey, Santa, pass us that bottle, will you?
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Auc23qz6QhE
Happy Solstice All!
Happy Festivannukahmas!
ReplyDeleteMerrry Happppy!
ReplyDeletehttp://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hAXe73UcDIU/VJudqjsc-lI/AAAAAAAAPYU/gZVZrMlBChY/s1600/December%2B2014%2Bd%2B057.jpg
~
Beauty.
ReplyDeleteDies Natalis Solos Invicti
ReplyDelete(birth day of Sol Invictus)
Ooooh, excellent taste. I did the same, but w/ alt. take overkill.
ReplyDeleteOur new $mas tradition is reading "The Stupidest Angel" aloud.
ReplyDeleteCorporate Santa (C'est moi in a previous life.) wishes y'all all the best for the New Yr.
ReplyDeleteHa ha ha!
God bless us every one!
ReplyDelete*coughs, waves crutch feebly*
I like "Christmas" by Florence Dore, but that's OK cuz Christmas means little to me
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwzaKsVTSk0
Here it comes: The Unconquered Sun.
ReplyDeleteGlad tidings to you too, Roy. You are a voice crying out in the wilderness for our benefit and it is greatly appreciated.
ReplyDeleteThanks...I have been playing The Carol Album for 20+ years (even at times of year other than Christmas) and never knew 'til now that there was a Volume II out there.
ReplyDeleteThe other day, I submitted that as a "write-in" on the local classical station's "nominate your favorite holiday song for our playlist" page, but so far, no soap.
ReplyDeleteI stole this and posted it on my facebook. Larry Christmas everyone.
ReplyDelete'She goes into the shop and buys the girl the doll, a rash act clearly prompted by her own childhood trauma.'
ReplyDeleteThe girl, mindful of all the 'stranger danger' talks she'd heard, ran and reported Marion Worth to the nearest police officer. Worth was sentenced to 7 years in prison for attempted sexual abduction of a minor, and placed on the sex offenders list. The girl was never the same and is currently serving time for fire-bombing a doll factory.
Christmas songs are such putrid, sentimental shlock that I've spent many years cultivating listenable tunes for the holiday season. This year, I was able to put together most of the songs I like, plus a few new ones, on a Spotify list which you guys are welcome to listen to - http://tinyurl.com/merrychrisvmas
ReplyDeleteThere's lots of punk, plus indie, rap, metal, and a few vintage tracks as well (Victoria Spivey from the 1920s may be the oldest).
You hippies and Kirk Cameron are forgetting what it's really about-- the Baby Jesus!
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlNt-uQ_GRI
Some worthwhile down-home Xmas music here.
ReplyDeleteMy children were in the Christmas Revels years ago and there was tons of good music that came out of that. Just google "John Longstaff" and Christmas Revels at amazon and you will find some truly great wassail.
ReplyDeleteHappy War on Christmas, Comrade!
ReplyDeleteThe Big Star song certainly does brighten the mood. And that dog has the most roosterish bark I've ever heard. That family raises versatile pets, I reckon.
ReplyDeleteAnd I say, it's all right.
ReplyDeleteA sheynem dank, Aimai. (Which I confess I just looked up.)
ReplyDeleteGneiss!
ReplyDeleteYes! I could easily have filled up that entire list with just Christmas Revels albums, but Tough Choices™ had to be made.
ReplyDeleteHad not heard of them, but that looks like all kinds of fun. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteDon't forget, Christians love the Jews now, since, well, Christians murdered so many of them back in the 40s. Let's try and give them credit for atoning for 2,000 years of persecution, although exchanging one scapegoat (Jews) for another (Palestinians) doesn't seem to me to be the right way to go about it. But what the fuck do I know?
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas anyway!
Seriously, what is the "reason for the season"?
ReplyDeleteThe Boston Camerata Christmas stuff is always good, too, on CD and live.
ReplyDeleteWatched the 1938 version of A Christmas Carol yesterday and noticed that Jesus was not mentioned once during the whole thing. Yeah, he's "the reason for the season" and all that (given that humans have been celebrating the winter solstice for millennia), but after you get the whole Birth of Christ thing out of the way, Christmas still gets down to "peace on Earth, good will to men." And women, of course.
ReplyDeleteLate again, but thanks to The Management for giving us this space, and best wishes for the holidays.
ReplyDelete