Have Yourself A Rockin' Little Christmas

Here's one of the two CD mixes I put together in 2006 for all my friends. (Come back Sunday for the second one, Have Yourself A Mellow Little Christmas, and I'll also explain how Christmas music was my introduction to MP3 blogs.) Two years ago, I was celebrating having a computer and regular net access for the first time in literally years. Also, for the first time in ages, due to changes in my job, I was really digging on Christmas music, and the spirit of peace and love I hadn't gotten much of for years. This is a nice rocking comp, mostly composed of stuff I'd downloaded all December (though I did rip some stuff, less than I've done since then).

A few words on how I compiled these: I tried not to include things that I heard on the radio, unless I loved them beyond all reason. Even the 24-hour Christmas-format radio stations with the widest playlists would only play about three songs from this CD. Looking back on it, I would probably reorder the two mixes from '06, since I put them together in less than a day after deciding to do it, but they're presented here as I assembled them originally, due mostly to laziness on my part, and for continuity for any of my friends who may download.

Tracklist:

01. Run-DMC - Christmas In Hollis
02. The Beach Boys - Santa's Beard
03. They Might Be Giants - Santa's Beard
04. Darlene Love - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
05. The Brian Setzer Orchestra - 'Zat You, Santa Claus?
06. Erlend Oye - Last Christmas
07. The Ventures - Sleigh Ride
08. The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping
09. Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen / We Three Kings
10. Cotton Top Sanctified Singers - Christ Was Born On Christmas Morn
11. Jill Sobule - Jesus Was A Dreidel Spinner
12. The Royal Guardsmen - Snoopy's Christmas
13. Aimee Mann and Grant Lee Phillips - You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch
14. Jack Johnson - Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
15. The Trashmen - Real Live Teenage Doll
16. My First Keyboard - Christmas Is Only Good If You Are A Girl (Boy)
17. James Brown - Santa Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto
18. Kristoffer Ragnstam - Merry Christmas Baby
19. Better Than Ezra - Merry Christmas Eve
20. Velocity Girl - Merry Xmas I Love You
21. Middle Distance Runner - Xmas Party
22. Liz Phair - Winter Wonderland
23. Paul McCartney - Wonderful Christmastime (Rhythm Scholar Kringle Kut Remix)
24. The Polyphonic Spree - Happy Xmas (War Is Over)

Zip file

Disney Day 1: A few covers

So I spent two days at Disneyland (and California Adventure) last week. I'd never been to the California parks before, and I had a blast. Here are five covers of Disney songs, some from attractions, some from movies and TV shows.

The Supremes song is from their aborted 1967 album composed entirely of Disney songs (I have eight recordings from these sessions, some of which I don't like much at all.) The Jackson Five song is from their first album in 1969.

The next two songs, by Tim Curry and Etta James, are from the largely disappointing 1996 Disney compilation Music From The Park. (The best song from this album isn't in this post, because I'm saving it for tomorrow's Multiple Monday post of "Grim Grinning Ghosts.")

Finally, my favorite of these five songs, They Might Be Giants' version of "There's A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" (originally from the Carousel of Progress) is from last year's soundtrack to Meet The Robinsons.

Zip file link

Buy from Amazon -- Buy from Alibris
...or don't really. It's out of print, and you can download the whole disappointing thing lots of places.