This is the compilation that gave this blog its name. It's filled with gems. Honestly, I'm surprised that this is still available. I'd grab one while you can. (Of course, as soon as you do, it will probably become available digitally.) Thank God It's Christmas - Queen Please Come Home For Christmas- Pat Benatar 2000 Miles - The Pretenders December Will Be Magic Again - Kate Bush Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy - Bing Crosby & David Bowie Winter Wonderland - Cocteau Twins Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer - The Smithereens Run Run Rudolph - Dave Edmunds Christmas Is Coming - The Payolas Fairytale Of New York - The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight) - The Ramones Christmas Wrapping - Waitresses |
It's Finally Christmas
This one's really off the beaten path and a lot of the tracks are very rough around the edges and that's a big part of what makes it so damn fun. I myself could not resist picking up a Christmas compilation that featured a track from Poison Idea. If you pick this up from Amazon these days, you're basically only paying for the shipping. Merry Christmas To Me - Swoon 23 Gloria In Excelsis Deo - Pond Little Drummer Boy - The Dandy Warhols Christmas Rush - Dead Moon Christmas Time Is Here - Meg Hentges Santa Claus Is Back In Town - Poison Idea Christmas In The City - The Oblivion Seekers The Grinch - Caveman Shoestore Little Drummer Boy - Hitting Birth I'm Mad At The Fatman - Ray & Clover Christmas Dressed In Blue - Iceburg Slim Hey Santa - Flaps Down I Wonder As I Wander - Svelt Hannakuh Song - Calamity Jane Ave Maria - Sugarboom Happy Holiday - Smegma Rebel Jesus - The Violets Shoplifting You Something For Christmas - New Bad Things The Grinch - The Whirlees |
Just Can't Get Enough - New Wave Christmas
Another fun and solid entry into the realm of holiday music that doesn't suck. This one's definitely out of print these days and so it costs a few extra pennies to have your own copy. If I started a list of tracks that I considered highlights, I'd be listing most of the songs here. It'd be easier to list the weak tracks instead. But, that seems a bit pointless. Thanks For Christmas - The Three Wise Men (Aka XTC) Christmas Day - Squeeze Fairytale Of New York - The Pogues Featuring Kirsty MacColl Rudolph The Manic Reindeer - Los Lobos 2000 Miles - The Pretenders Santa Claus - Throwing Muses Little Drummer Boy - Miracle Legion Xmas At K-Mart - Root Boy Slim & The Sex Change Band (With The Rootettes) Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy - Bing Crosby & David Bowie One Christmas Catalogue - Captain Sensible All I Want For Christmas - Timbuk 3 Shouldn't Have Given Him A Gun For Christmas - Wall Of Voodoo Santa's Beard - They Might Be Giants Christmas - Buzz Of Delight(Featuring Matthew Sweet) Christmas Time - Chris Stamey Group Mary Xmess - Sun 60 Careless Santa - Mono Puff |
Kevin and Bean's Last Christmas
This one's very irreverent and twisted. Also, it's very juvenile. Makes for a lot of good holiday spirit and cheer. It's got as many comedy sketches on it as it does xmas tunes. The Al Gore, Karl Malone, and Charlton Heston bits are hilarious. I think Karl Malone is probably a really decent person, so I actually feel a bit guilty and how much I enjoy their parody of him singing a botched xmas medly. Charlton Heston, on the other hand get's the send up he's deserved for years. My kids are totally amused by it. Merry Christmas From Sam Weiser - Sam Weiser Please Come Home For Christmas - Unwritten Law Christmas Blues (Are Getting Me Down) - Boss Listen To The Angels - Linda Polley (Channeling John Lennon) & Moby A Very Heston Christmas - Charlton Heston Christmas Wrapping - Save Ferris "Al Gore's" Christmas Message - Kevin & Bean Christmas Song - Korn You're A Fat One Mr. Tad - Kevin & Bean Christmas In Space - Tori Amos Puff Daddy's Disclaimer - Kevin & Bean Christmas At Ground Zero - Weird Al Yankovic Christmas Song - Dave Matthews Band That's Somethin' Else - Bob Hope "Larry Flynt's" Christmas Message - Kevin & Bean Christmas In Hell - Pennywise Sing Along With Santa Karl - Karl Malone Kevin's Christmas Bathroom Interviews - Kevin & Bean I Saw Mommy Jockin' Santa Claus - Long Beach Dub Allstars Blorge's Christmas Message - Kevin & Bean Watts Up? - Kevin & Bean I Won't Be Home For Xmas - Blink 182 Don't Blame Santa - Armenian Comedian Snow Blind - Lit Santa's In A Wheelchair - The Kids Of Widney High Kevin & Bean Family Wishes - Kevin & Bean |
O Come All Ye Faithful: Rock for Choice
There's so many reason to love this one. Where to start? Henry Rollins reading "'Twas The Night Before Christmas" with the sound of machine gun fire in the background. A somewhat intoxicated sounding Gavin Rossdale completely butchering "Good King Wenceslas" to the point that they decided just to name the track "Good King Somethingorother" instead. "I Did It For The Toys" by Dance Hall Crashers is also perfectly warped and decadent while also highlighting the plight of our Jewish friends in this Christmas obsessed culture we're trapped in. I also like the Sponge track, particularly because it is not Christmas-ey in any way. Oh, and did I mention that this was a Christmas compilation whose proceeds went to help preserve a woman's right to choose? Take that Christian fundies. Oh, and at the time of this writing, if you buy it from Amazon, you're really only paying for the shipping as the "Best Price" is $0.34. 'Twas The Night Before Christmas - Henry Rollins I Did It For The Toys - Dance Hall Crashers Christmas Day - Sponge Make It Home - Juliana Hatfield Al Hanisim - Shudder To Think Xmas It's Christmas - Wool Good King Somethingorother - Bush Queen Of Bliss - Luscious Jackson The Little Drummer Boys - Mike Wall And The Crew Of The Flying Saucer Christmas Piglet - Presidents Of The United States Happy Xmas (War Is Over) - Cranes Blue Christmas - Face To Face Nemene - Deep Forest and Wes Madiko |
You Sleigh Me!
One of the best Christmas compilations ever produced. Forgetting for a minute that it opens with Hootie & The Blowfish (although it's one of their most tolerable moments), the Victoria Williams, Tori Amos, Everything But The Girl, Jill Sobule, and Juliana Hatfield tracks are superb. This compilation and some good Scotch will make spending time with your relatives much, much more tolerable this and every holiday season. The Christmas Song - Hootie & The Blowfish Run Run Rudolf - Mary Karlzen Let It Snow - Billy Pilgrim Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Victoria Williams White Christmas - Melissa Ferrick Little Drummer Boy - Tori Amos 25th December - Everything But The Girl Xmas Song - Jill Sobule Make It Home - Juliana Hatfield |