Regifted

Apparently 'tis the season again. Ask anyone who knows me and they will tell you that Christmas is not my favorite holiday. Not by a long shot. For me it's just another year flown by and I'm forced to listen to (mostly terrible) Christmas music all day at work. Maybe it was listening to Jessica Simpson X-mas bullshit at least 3 times per day that compelled to put together my own mix of a few of my very favorite holiday songs. Ones that don't make me wanna blow out my own eardrums. It started off quite small and somehow snowballed (no, that wasn't a pun!) into a full blown playlist as I scoured my iTunes and found gem after seasonal gem.

There are a few standards, if not obvious choices on the list. The Drifters' "White Christmas" always makes me think of Home Alone (or was it Home Alone 2? They're both great so who cares) and while there are tons of covers of "Last Christmas" I find the original Wham! version is perfection. And it wouldn't be Christmas without Brenda Lee's incomparable "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree." My mother played her Christmas album every year on a loop and it has remained my favorite ever since.

I also threw in some newer stuff like the incredibly fun Rosie Thomas original "Why Can't It Be Christmastime All Year" (thank you Daniel), a fabulous remix of Kay Starr's "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" and a bouncy holiday 'fuck you' from one of my favorite new discoveries Hello Saferide. The one track I cannot seem to get enough of is the last one in the set. Originally from the movie "Toys," The Closing of the Year" has been humming around in my head for days now and always leaves me with a cheerful grin on my face and a childlike optimism for the season and the year to come.

Enjoy.


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White Elephant

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Full Track List

1. Martina Sorbara - It's The Most Wonderful Time of Year

2. The Raveonettes - The Christmas Song

3. Rosie Thomas - Why Can't It Be Christmastime All Year

4. Brenda Lee - Rock' Around the Christmas Tree

5. The Drifters - White Christmas

6. Allison Sattinger - Santa Baby

7. Zooey Deschanel and Leon Redbone - Baby, It's Cold Outside

8. Kay Starr - I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm (Stuhr Remix)

9. London Festival Orchestra - Carol of the Bells (Starchild Excalibur Drumadelic Remix)

10. Paul McCartney - Wonderful Christmas Time

11. The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping

12. Hello Saferide - iPod Xmas

13. Wham! - Last Christmas

14. Sixpence None The Richer - It Came Upon A Midnight Clear

15. Sufjan Stevens - Joy to the World

16. The Weepies - All I Want

17. The Winston Jazz Routine - Through the Snow

18. Hem - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

19. Joni Mitchell - River

20. Tracy Chapman - O Holy Night

21. Wendy & Lisa - The Closing of the Year (Feat. Seal)

Hold The Black Eyed Peas, Please.

I have been listening to a lot of guilty pleasure pop bullshit lately and as a result I feel it's time to get back to some music of a little more substance. I cannot tell you how much I adore the song "Where is the Love" by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway (no it isn't that same song by Fergie and the gang) and I've been listening to it a lot lately. Recently I discovered that John Legend sang it at a concert in Philadelphia with guest vocalist Corinne Bailey Rae. Now at least I can cycle between the two versions when I need my fix. Enjoy.



Where is the Love? - John Legend Feat. Corinne Bailey Rae. (MediaFire)

Check out the original version in this video




Purchase More Roberta Flack HERE

Please Stop Acting Like You're Not Impressed

I found some free time and an overwhelming need to share this with anyone who will listen! A lot of people think the SNL has been sub par for the past few seasons, but I strongly disagree. I think it's generally on point and I watch it religiously. Last night was no exception. And thank the lord or I might have missed the digital short by The Lonely Island, a comedy trio composed of SNL cast member Andy Samberg and Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone both of whom are SNL writers. It's a little diddy straight out of the 80's, with a serious Pet Shop Boys sound. Oh, and it's effing hilarious! With cameos by Molly Sims, Justin Timberlake and Jamie Lynn Sigler.

Naturally I have provided the video to watch copy of the song for all of you who, like myself, want to take it on the go. I give you "Jizz in My Pants" Enjoy.




Download the song (after the jump) at MediaFire

Watch more SNL over at HULU

and

Check out more on The Lonely Island at their Official Website.