Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?

I’ve been tearing up over this scene for fortysomething years:



But Christmas is also about dancing:



Better sign off; I hear hooves dancing on the roof. Merry Christmas, kids. I’ll be back to non-YouTube posts in a day or two.

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Mix Tape Holiday: Happy Xmas (Tapes Are Over)

Well, the Christmas mix tapes, anyway. I’ll be back to the regularly scheduled mix tape this Friday.

Today’s tape includes some interesting alt covers of popular Christmas tunes — everything from R.E.M. and Pearl Jam to The Pipettes and The Spice Girls. I just stumbled upon The Spice Girls’ track last week, and I’m rather tickled about it.

Download. Dance and unwrap. Trap a cutie under the mistletoe.

R.E.M. :: Good King Wenceslas

Marshall Crenshaw :: Feliz Navidad

Dave Edmunds :: Run Rudolph Run

U2 :: Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)

The Spice Girls :: Christmas Wrapping

Everclear :: Santa Baby

The Polyphonic Spree :: Happy Xmas (War Is Over)

Wedding Present :: Step into Christmas

Swipe! feat. Gwenno :: Last Christmas

Sufjan Stevens :: Holy, Holy, Holy

Sam Phillips :: It Came upon a Midnight Clear

Tom Waits :: Silent Night

Pedro the Lion :: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Lisa Loeb :: Jingle Bells

Pete Yorn :: Do They Know It’s Christmas?

The Pipettes :: White Christmas

R.E.M. :: Merry Xmas Everyone

Bright Eyes :: Blue Christmas

Ivy : Christmas Time Is Here

Hem :: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Clem Snide :: Joy to the World

Syd Straw + Rickie Lee Jones :: O Holy Night

Alexi Murdoch :: Silent Night

Neko Case :: Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis

Labrea Stompers :: You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch

Pearl Jam :: Don’t Believe in Christmas

Flat Duo Jets :: Jingle Bells

Seersucker :: Santa Claus, Go Straight to the Ghetto

Joan Jett :: Little Drummer Boy

Phantom Planet :: Winter Wonderland

My Chemical Romance :: All I Want for Christmas Is You

Henry Rollins :: Twas the Night Before Christmas

The R.E.M. cover of Slade’s (and later, Oasis’) “Merry Xmas Everybody” is brand-spanking new, having arrived in my mailbox with my Christmas fan club package last week. That’s Mike Mills singing lead.

It’s tough for me to skip The Pretenders’ “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” — but, damn, Hem’s version is just beautiful. Be sure to listen.

I despise “Little Drummer Boy” — except for two versions: Bing and Bowie’s classic and Joan Jett’s. Joan makes the song cool, so pa rum pum pum pum with her.

Happy Christmas, my e-beloveds! I hope Santa brings you everything you asked for. I’ve been a very good girl, so it looks like I’m getting what I’ve been asking for all year.

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Mix Tape Holiday: My Christmas Classics

Today we’re listening to my classic Christmas tape. Many of these have been on my holiday playlist since I was a wee music freak. Several come from my all-time favorite Christmas record: Capitol Records’ Merry Christmas to You! My mother got the album when she was a teen, and it was the album we put on the stereo when decorating the tree. You just can’t go holiday wrong with Frank and Dino, a mambo and a fat man coming.

Uploading the full zip file seems to be eating up the bandwidth quickly, so today I’m linking just the individual tracks. Using your right-click finger will be a good opening-prezzies workout for you.

But not all of today's tunes are oldies. Some are radio staples between Thanksgiving and Christmas (including the only Mariah song I like), some I just got this month. Right-click, grab a ‘nog, and sing along.

Johnny Mercer :: Santa Claus Is Coming to Town

Frank Sinatra :: Jingle Bells

Mariah Carey :: All I Want for Christmas Is You

Donny Hathaway :: This Christmas

Dwight Yoakum :: Santa Claus Is Back in Town

Les Baxter :: Santa Claus’ Party

Tom Jones feat. Cerys Matthews :: Baby, It’s Cold Outside

Tony Bennett :: I’ll Be Home for Christmas (“The Jon Stewart Show”)

Eartha Kitt with Henri Rene & His Orchestra :: Santa Baby

Diana Krall :: The Man With the Bag

Charles Brown + Bonnie Raitt :: Merry Christmas Baby

Sheryl Crow :: Blue Christmas

Dean Martin :: The Christmas Blues

Frank Sinatra :: The Christmas Waltz

Coldplay :: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

Death Cab for Cutie :: Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)

R.E.M. :: Christmas Time Is Here

The Carpenters :: Merry Christmas Darling

The Thrills :: I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus

Andy Williams :: It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Capitol Studio Orchestra :: Cha-Cha All the Way

Arthur Fiedler & The Boston Pops :: Sleigh Ride

Billy May :: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Mambo

Chuck Berry :: Run Rudolph Run

R.E.M. :: Ghost Reindeers in the Sky

How the Grinch Stole Christmas OST :: Trim up the Tree

Burl Ives :: A Holly Jolly Christmas

Vince Guaraldi :: Christmas Is Coming

David Bowie + Bing Crosby :: Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth

Nat “King” Cole :: O Tannenbaum

Michael Wolff feat. Warren Zevon :: The Christmas Song

Lyle Lovett :: Christmas Morning

Ron Sexsmith :: Maybe This Christmas

Sufjan Stevens :: Away in a Manger

Elvis Presley :: Christmas Message from Elvis/Silent Night

Dean Martin’s “The Christmas Blues” is traditionally the first Christmas song I play every year. It’s cool. It’s sexy. It’s Dino, dammit. I had a rough day last week, so my favorite boy (December 2007 version) sent me the video to cheer me up. He's going to have a very good Christmas.

One or two more Christmas mix tapes to come this week, kiddies. Next up: Christmas covers. Any special requests?

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Mix Tape Holiday: Christmas Wishes

Aren’t Christmas songs grand? Some of you listed your favorites in Friday’s comments box, or e-mailed me, or called me with requests. ‘Tis the season of giving — so I'm giving you every one of those holiday tunes. Your present is ready to be unwrapped under the MyDataBus tree.

The Pogues : Fairytale of New York (Christmas in the Drunk Tank)

My Morning Jacket : Santa Claus Is Back in Town

Bruce Springsteen : Merry Christmas Baby

The Ronettes : Sleigh Ride

Lindsay Buckingham : Holiday Road

Stevie Wonder + India.Arie : The Christmas Song

Billy Idol : Run Rudolph Run

Elton John : Step into Christmas

Paul McCartney : Wonderful Christmastime

Wham! : Last Christmas

The Pretenders : 2000 Miles

The Eagles : Please Come Home for Christmas

Kenny Loggins : Celebrate Me Home

Ella Fitzgerald : Santa Claus Got Stuck in My Chimney

Ryan Adams : Hey Parker, It’s Christmas

Marvin Gaye : Purple Snowflakes

The Plastic Ono Band : Happy Xmas (War Is Over)

James Brown : Santa Claus, Go Straight to the Ghetto

Eurythmics : Winter Wonderland

Olivia Olson : All I Want for Christmas Is You

RuPaul : Santa Baby

R.E.M. : Deck the Halls

The Kinks : Father Christmas

Material Issue : Merry Christmas Will Do

Fear : F**k Christmas

The Temptations : Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer

Kurtis Blow : Christmas Rappin’

Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters : White Christmas

Vince Guaraldi : Linus and Lucy

The Raveonettes : The Christmas Song

Shoes : This Christmas

Thank y’all for programming this special edition of Mix Tape Not-Friday. Some of these were planned for later this week, but I thought it would be more fun to Casey Kasam this playlist. There will be one or two more Christmas-themed mix tapes before The Big Day, so we may crash MyDataB*tch.

Happy Christmas!

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Mix Tape Friday: Merry Christmas, Baby!

I love Christmas. Tinseling tinsel, twinkling lights, brightly colored balls, Santas everywhere. The decorations and the feeling of the season make me so very happy in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Nightmares of scary monsters are replaced with visions of sugar plums dancing through my head. Yep, I’m a seasonal dork.

So of course I love Christmas music — even the Singing Dogs barking “Jingle Bells,” even that song by Alvin & The Chipmunks. I’ve never cataloged all the albums, CDs (one or two 8 tracks), and MP3s, but I have more than a thousand seasonal tunes within easy reach. And you lucky kids get to reap the bennies of my obsession. I have such a massive collection, I may do several mix tape posts in the days leading to Christmas.

Since my bandwidth tends to get eaten up quickly, we’re going to try something different. I’ve uploaded just Santa’s bag o’ zipped file; no individual track links on this post. If you need just one or two songs to complete your fabulous Christmas mix and don’t feel like downloading the zipped file, drop me an e-mail.

Today we’re rawkin’ out — Santa style. Some classics you’ve heard on your local station for years, some not-so-classics that should be played in place of Bob Seger’s “Little Drumer Boy” (gawd, I hate “Little Drummer Boy”). Some of these are local groups off early-1990s Flagpole Christmas albums, so give ‘em a listen. The late Deacon Lunchbox kicks off the set.

Deacon Lunchbox : Introduction

R.E.M. : Christmas Griping

Hüsker Dü : We Wish You a Merry Christmas

Keith Richards : Run Rudolph Run

Darlene Love : Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)

Bruce Springsteen : Santa Claus Is Coming to Town

The Ramones : Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight Tonight)

Young Fresh Fellows : O Little Town of Bethlehem

Pearl Jam : Someday at Christmas

Yo La Tengo : It’s Christmas Time

The Flaming Lips : White Christmas

Oasis : Merry Xmas Everybody

The Beatles : Christmas Time Is Here Again

Graham Parker + Nona Hendryx : Soul Christmas

Clarence Carter : Back Door Santa

The Sonics : Don’t Believe in Christmas

OK Go : Father Christmas

Kelly Hogan : Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree

Robert Earl Keen : Merry Christmas from the Family

Dread Zeppelin : All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth

Simple Plan : My Christmas List

The Waitresses : Christmas Wrapping

Billy Squier : Christmas Is the Time to Say I Love You

The Woggles : Santa Claus

Pee-Wee Herman : Christmas Medley

Run-DMC : Christmas in Hollis

R.E.M. : Parade of the Wooden Soldiers

Radiohead : Winter Wonderland

Squeeze : Christmas Day

Sufjan Stevens : Hey Guys! It’s Christmas Time!

Band Aid : Do They Know It’s Christmas?

King Missile : Jesus Was Way Cool

Keith Richards’ cover of Chuck Berry’s “Run Rudolph Run” is the best, in my opinion. I like Dave Edmunds, too, but I’m a Keef girl.

There is one song I’ve been trying to find for years (lost my CD in a breakup a decade and a half ago): The Coolies’ “Feliz Navidad.” If you have it, would you share it?

What are your favorite Christmas tracks? Maybe they’ll make an appearance in coming days. Don’t worry — Sinatra and Dino, Andy Williams and Johnny Mathis are hitting the Cup next week.

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Christmas Time Is Here

That moment I wait for every Christmas season … the reason I eagerly rush to my mailbox each evening, with the excited glow of a kid approaching Santa’s lap … finally came last night: my R.E.M. fan club Christmas package.

It was late arriving this year, so there was a bit of nervous nailbiting this week. Had they forgotten me? Did they not love me anymore? No, the boys in Athens were just as late as I was in getting out their Christmas packages.


The 2007 calendar is fab, but I was hoping for a rarity on the CD. It’s still quite good: two live performances — “So. Central Rain” and “Begin the Begin” from the 40 Watt show just before the Georgia Music Hall of Fame show — and two Athens bands covering R.E.M. tunes.

Happy Christmas. My boys still love me.

Today’s Christmas Playlist

R.E.M.: Parade of the Wooden Soldiers
Guster: Donde Esta Santa Claus?
R.E.M.: Ghost Reindeers in the Sky
My Morning Jacket: Santa Claus Is Back in Town
R.E.M.: Silver Bells
Labrea Stompers: You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
R.E.M.: Christmas Time Is Here
eels: Christmas Is Going to the Dogs
R.E.M.: Toyland
Flaming Lips: White Christmas

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I hope you had a lovely weekend, whether or not you’re celebrating the Christmas season. I had a joyous, family-filled weekend.

I spent Friday evening with my mother. We went to the historic Marietta square (home of Joanne Woodward and Bugsy’s Virginia Hill), where we wandered through the shops and enjoyed an Italian dinner. The weather hovered in the low seventies, so it was nice to stroll along the square, white lights luminating our way.

The rest of the weekend was spent with my sister. We left her husband at home to go out for a Mexican dinner and margarita pitchers, then shopped at a nice outdoor, upscale shopping center near her place. The place was filled with white lights and Christmas songs, and we spent and sang and sashayed our holiday spirit up and down The Avenue. When we got back, we had a great spend-the-night party, curling up on the bed with the dog and cat to watch a movie. And the best part: She always gets up to make me breakfast the next morning.

I don’t write about my sister much on the blog, and that’s just plain wrong. She’s one of my very favorite people in the world. For some reason, when I’m with her I’m more the person I wish I were all the time — kinder, laid back, relaxed, funny. Don’t get me wrong — I’m still snarky and sarcastic and catty when we’re together, just in a kinder, gentler way. But when we argue … well, it ain’t pretty.

We’re just eighteen months apart, so we’re as much friends as we are sisters. We’re nothing alike and we’re very much alike. She loves sports and yardwork, I love concerts and hitting the town. We're both funny and outgoing and loud and full of energy. She’s the most fun person to spend time with, and I’m glad I spent the weekend with her.

Today’s Christmas Playlist

Ella Fitzgerald: Santa Claus Got Caught in My Chimney
Waitresses: Christmas Wrapping
The Pretenders: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Rilo Kiley: Xmas Cake
Sheryl Crow: Blue Christmas
Mariah Carey: All I Want for Christmas Is You
The Ronettes: Sleigh Ride
Kelly Hogan: Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
Whitney Houston: Do You Hear What I Hear?
Aimee Mann: You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
Michael Stipe: We’re Not so Bad

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Count Your Blessings

Monday's whine was a bit boring. Actually, things aren't all that bad. In fact, I've had several Christmas blessings in the last few days.

Christmas Blessing #1
We had our department Christmas dinner on Friday, which is always a grand time. I work with very cool, creative, groovy folks, so a gathering is always fun. The dinner was scrumptious. But my boss made it even better with my Christmas gift: the Amy Sedaris entertaining book! Does he know me or what?

Christmas Blessing #2
Cat Power’s Chan Marshall’s cover of Cat Stevens’ “How Can I Tell You” in this year’s DeBeers’ “A Diamond is Forever” commercial. I stop and watch the commercial every time, just to hear her voice. And that necklace is to die for!

Christmas Blessing #3
I awoke Saturday drained of all energy and personality. It was cold outside, so I curled up with the cats on the sofa and watched Christmas in Connecticut (Barbara Stanwick is so damn cool) — then stumbled across a That Girl marathon! I love and identify with Ann Marie … and her wardrobe. In fact, a lot of my love for my single life can be traced back to That Girl.

Christmas Blessing #4
If you’re lazing away an afternoon watching chick TV, you need a brownie. Believe it or not, I found a forgotten brownie — a bakery brownie, with thick fudge frosting — in my freezer. Santa loves me.

Christmas Blessing #5
How the Grinch Stole Christmas was on last night. And I watched it for the fortieth straight year. Recited large chunks of narration and sang all the songs. Loudly and happily and full of spirit, my beloved M be damned.

Welcome Christmas, as we stand, heart to heart and hand in hand.

Today’s Christmas Playlist

Clarence Carter: Back Door Santa
Ru Paul: Santa Baby
Mel Tormé: The Christmas Song
Dean Martin: The Christmas Blues
R.E.M.: Deck the Halls
Young Fresh Fellows: O Little Town of Bethlehem
Darlene Love: Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home), live on Letterman, 2004
Carpenters: Merry Christmas Darling
Alabama: Christmas in Dixie
Arthur Fiedler: Sleigh Ride

Capitol Records: Merry Christmas to You!

I love the Christmas season —the excitement and anticipation, the lights and sounds swirling around you, that feeling of pure joy. I’ve been a nut about Christmas all my life; I'm quite the geek, actually. But how could I not be in love with this magical season, with this imagination? My mother loves Christmas, too, so Christmas spirit filled our house from Thanksgiving evening through Christmas night. She made Santa come alive, and I believed as long as I could.

How did I find out about Santa? My third grade teacher asked those of us who believed in Santa to raise our hands. Four of us did. She then told us we were old enough to know the truth and spilled the evil beans. Broke my heart. Coal-hearted b*tch.

Putting up the Christmas tree kicked off the season. Mama, my sister and brother, and I would gather in the living room to decorate the tree — a rare treat, as the living room was off-limits unless company came over — and Mama would put on this Christmas album, her favorite holiday hits from her teens. We’d sing and hang ornaments and talk about what Santa might bring. When we finished, OM would come in to give the tree his blessing. Yes, it sounds hokey and wholesome, as if Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed were playing our parents … but that’s the way it went at the Coffey house.

And those memories are why Capitol’s Merry Christmas to You! (released around 1955) is my favorite Christmas album. And as it says on the cover, it’s a high fidelity recording.

The collection of songs is awesome. Okay, some are silly and a bit Dr. Demento — but they’re fabulous when you’re a kid. This album introduced me to Nat King Cole’s “A Christmas Song,” still one of the most sublime holiday songs ever recorded.

It has taken me years, more than a decade, to track down most of the songs on CD — an Eddie Bauer collection here, a Christmas cocktails album there — but I got the last of my favorites two seasons ago, thanks to the Elf soundtrack.

So here, dear readers, are my Capitol Christmas classics:

Upload music at Bolt.

Dean Martin: “Christmas Blues”
Dino at his Dinoest. This is one of the first five Christmas songs I listen to when I pull out the collection Thanksgiving night. Those brightly packaged, tinsel-covered Christmas blues. I wanna grab a martini glass and swirl and swig in front of a fireplace with every listen.

Frank Sinatra: “The Christmas Waltz”
The best Frank holiday song evah. I listen to this right after the first “Christmas Blues” spin. It’s that time of year when the world falls in love / Every song you hear seems to say / Merry Christmas, may your New dreams come true / And this song of mine, in three-quarter time / Wishes you and yours the same thing, too.

Johnny Mercer: “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town”
Nobody has ever bested my fellow Georgian on making “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town” swing better — no, not even Bruce Springsteen, so don’t even go there with me. Just listen. And swing.

Billy May & His Orchestra: “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer Mambo”
Speaking of swinging, did you know that Rudolph is better with a little mambo thrown in? ‘Tis so. Get up and dance around your desk right now, and get that party started.

Les Baxter: “Santa Claus’ Party”
I love the movie Elf, and the soundtrack is fab — plus, it includes this song, the one I’ve been missing since I packed up my turntable for another day. It’s goofy, it’s happy — just the kind of song a freckled-faced, bespectacled kid wanted to hear while putting her favorite Uncle Bob decorations on the branches. A Christmas tree so high / It pokes right through the sky / And Santa will be there to call / Merry Christmas to you all!

Track Listing

Side One:
1. Frank Sinatra: White Christmas
2. Les Paul & Mary Ford: Jingle Bells
3. Frank Sinatra: The Christmas Waltz
4. Yogi Yorgesson: I Yust Go Nuts at Christmas
5. Margaret Whiting & Jimmy Wakely: Silver Bells
6. Mel Blanc: Christmas Tree
7. Johnny Mercer: Winter Wonderland
8. Les Baxter: Santa Claus’ Party

Side Two:
1. Nat “King” Cole: The Christmas Song
2. Billy May: Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer Mambo
3. Les Paul & Mary Ford: Silent Night
4. Louis Castellucci: Sleigh Ride
5. Dean Martin: The Christmas Blues
6. Johnny Mercer: Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town
7. Margaret Whiting: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
8. Nat “King” Cole: (All I Want for Christmas Is) My Two Front Teeth

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Christmas Griping

I adore the Christmas season. I listen to Christmas music all month long, and I have a collection of Christmas albums and CDs beyond compare. I chirp “merry Christmas!” everywhere I go … watch the classic holiday cartoons without fail … get out in the shops the few days before Christmas just to absorb more holiday cheer. Yep, I’m one of those delirious December dorks.

But.

The Christmas season runs from Thanksgiving Day through Christmas Day. Not one day sooner. Why aren’t folks following the freakin’ rules?

One of our local radio stations went all-Christmas on weekends two weeks ago — the first damn weekend in November. Who wants to sing along with Bruce to “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” when you’re still munching on that bowl of leftover Halloween Snickers?

Dan called me Sunday to let me know that TBS was playing “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” — my favorite animated show of all time. November 12, and we’re already Grinching? Nuh-uh; I refused to watch. I have principles, dammit, even when it comes to the Grinch.

Our sixth grade class performed “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” in our school’s Christmas program. Renae was Little Cindy Lou Who (who was not more than two) and Holly was Max the Dog. Me? Just a Who down in Whoville, singing along to “Joy to the World” and “Deck the Halls.” The play rocked; wish we had video cameras back in those days.

Why rush it? We’ll be sick of “Joy to the World” and “A Charlie Brown Christmas” with this premature exaltation. Do not encourage them, folks, or we’ll be listening to Andy Williams and Johnny Mathis carols next August.

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