The Friday Five: December 16, 2011
Friday Five : ‘frī-(,)dā,-dē ‘fīv : On the sixth day of every week, I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes, then share the first five tracks and thought for each track. Sometimes there is a playlist involved, occasionally we’ll have a guest, but most of the time it’s just me. The rest is up to you, our friends and readers! Fire up your media player of choice and share the first five random track of your shuffle in the comments.
The Five:
“I’ll Be Home for Christmas (If Only in My Dreams)” by Frank Sinatra (from Christmas With the Rat Pack, 2002)
This is a perennial favorite. The (somewhat) ironic thing is: this was not part of the music that I grew up with. Sinatra was, in the words of my parents, “old people music.”
“Winter Wonderland” by The Andrews Sisters (from The Time-Life Treasury of Christmas, Volume 2, 1987)
Without Bing, I don’t know that I care much for The Andrews Sisters.
“Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” by Michael Bublé (from Christmas, 2011)
Damn you, Michael Bublé. Damn you straight to hell.
“Baby, It’s Cold Outside” by Leon Redbone & Zooey Deschanel (from Elf, 2003)
Wait up, Bublé; make room for Ms. Deschanel. Okay, to be fair, I love this version. Despite a deep, burning—not unlike the time Dave Lifton’s mom gave me the clap—dislike for Will Farrell, I love the film it comes from. For more unbridled scorn of Zooey head over to Popdose for today’s installment of Jeff Giles’ & Jason Hare’s Mellowmas.
“The Little Drummer Boy” by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band (from A Very Special Christmas, 1990)
I take no issue with Bob Seger’s overwrought, overproduced version of the holiday classic. Listen to those swelling synth pads and gospel choir vocals! This is what Christmas is about, y’all.
What’s on your shuffle today?
14 Comments
David_E
“Warm Beer And Cold Women” — Tom Waits — Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Carney.
“’65 Love Affair” — Paul Davis — Fa la la la la, doo wop diddy wop diddy wop doo
“Treacherous Ways” — Pseudosix — Twee the night before Christmas …
“I Almost Forgot” — Matthew Sweet — He’s makin’ a list, checkin’ it twice
“You Win Again” — The Bee Gees — All I got was a rock.
Michael Parr
“… tell us about the boy from New York City” Oh, wait, wrong song!
dslifton
ME!
Michael Parr
You?
dslifton
Well, my name, even if you were talking about my mom.
dslifton
But enough about me, here’s my Friday Five:
“Anything Can Happen” – The Finn Brothers. Living and dying in 5/4 time.
“My Dark Life” – Elvis Costello. A collaboration with Eno for “The X-Files.” Eno. X-Files. Someone tell me why this is still on my iPod? Oh, right. Costello.
“Meher Baba M4 (Signal Box)” – Pete Townshend. Instrumental from the Lifehouse sessions dug up for the Psychoderelict album.
“I Missed The Point” – Neko Case. One of the few country-tinged tracks from the album where she started to remove the twang. Love how it switches from a country two-step to a waltz about a quarter of the way through.
“Mess Around” – Redd Kross. For some reason I never got into them during my power pop fixation in the mid-90s, but I like this song.
EightE1
Bangles, “Circles in the Sky.” Underwhelming.
John Mellencamp, “This Time.” Cougarific.
Pixies, “U-Mass.” Oh, yeah.
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds,”Dream On.” Oasis reunion. Please.
Bon Iver, “Beth/Rest.” Lovely.
Phil
The tree is up, the lights are on, the shopping is (mostly) done, and I’m finally in the mood for an all-Christmas Friday Five shuffle. Enjoy!
Bing Crosby – “Do You Hear What I Hear?” (I Wish You a Merry Christmas, 1962 rereleased in 2006 as Bing Crosby Christmas Classics)
Few others do Christmas as well as Bing. ‘Nuff said.
Sixpence None the Richer – “Angels We Have Heard On High” (The Dawn of Grace, 2008)
We go from a crooner to the sweet, wispy voice of Leigh Nash (although her vocal style can take a bit of getting used to). Sixpence reunited after a four-year hiatus to release this set of Christmas songs.
Elvis Presley – “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” (Elvis’ Christmas Album, 1957)
I almost wish this one had been “Blue Christmas,” “Here Comes Santa Claus,” or “Santa Claus Is Back in Town” from the same album. Elvis definitely injected his own style into anything he did.
Phillips, Craig & Dean – “Go Tell It on the Mountain/Amen” (Repeat the Sounding Joy, 1996)
Upbeat, blue-eyed soul version of this old gospel spiritual by a CCM trio of pastors-turned-musicians.
Frank Sinatra – “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” (A Jolly Christmas from Frank Sinatra, 1957)
Ol’ Blue Eyes’ take on this Christmas standard popularized by Bing Crosby is quite a bit different than the King’s interpretation, starting off like “Silent Night” before taking a left turn into the classic we all know and (should) love.
Ian Lozada
OK, I can go off the Christmas playlist, too.
1. Binky Griptite & the Dee-Kays, “World of Love”. Straight outta 1962. Awesome.
2. Irish Tenors, “Hark! The Herald”. If you’re looking for traditional all the way, I guess. Oh look, it’s from a collection called “Timeless Christmas”.
3. Chanticleer, “Ding Dong! Merrily on High”. Mmmm, Ding-dongs. (I actually quite like this one.)
4. Sarah McLachlan, “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”. Has a welcoming, warm feel. Not what I expect from her, really.
5. Silver & Gold Singers, “Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town”. From a disc of cheesy renditions of all the Rankin Bass Christmas special songs. It’s like a Remedial Musical Theater Singing class.
Anonymous
1. “Driving Home For Christmas” – Chris Rea – The Very Best Of Chris Rea
2. “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” – Zooey Deschanel & Leon Redbone- Elf Soundtrack
3. “Christmas In Prison” – John Prine – A John Prine Christmas
4. “Please Come Home For Christmas” – Charles Brown – Greatest Christmas Hits
5. “Christmas Bells” – John Gorka – A Putumayo Christmas
Tammy Greynolds
1. Ella Fitzgerald’s “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” – Ella’s Swinging Christmas album might be my favorite one. Ever.
2. Vince Guaraldi Trio’s “Skating” – Holiday piano magic.
3. She & Him “Silver Bells” – I don’t care what anyone else says. Zooey Deschanel is my idol. Her role in Tin Man solidified that for me.
4. Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” – Classic. ‘nough said.
5. Pomplamoose’s “Deck the Halls” – Forgive my inner hipster, but I loved these guys before they were in car commercials.
Michael Parr
I have had Tin Man in my Netflix queue for almost a year now.
Dennis Corrigan
Doing a second-straight holiday themed Friday Five is now the most Christmas-y ting I’ve done so far:
1. “I’ve Got My Love To Keep Me Warm” by Dean Martin from Ultra Lounge – Christmas Cocktails Vol. 1. OK, I think you get the idea that I like the more retro sounding Christmas music.
2. “O Come All Ye Faithful” by the Chieftans from The Bells of Dublin. I usually put this CD on for Christmas Eve
3. “Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep” by DIana Krall from Christmas Songs. This one usually plays during Christmas dinner.
4. “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” by Dean Martin from Christmas with Dino. More retro! More Dino! I’m half Italian! I like martinis!
5. “Santa Baby” by Madonna from A Very Special Christmas. I never understood why if they wanted a Cyndi Lauper sounding take on this song, they didn’t just get Cyndi Lauper to do it.
Hope you hear something great, or at least not on the Mellowmas list, while you’re out shopping this weekend.
p.s. Congrats again to Michael and his lovely wife!
Anonymous
1) Nanci Griffith — “These Days In An Open Book” (Flyer, 1994)
2) Indigo Girls — “Watershed” (Nomads Indians Saints, 1990)
3) Patty Griffin — “Stay On The Ride” (Children Running Through, 2007)
4) Nanci Griffith — “Going Back To Georgia” (Flyer, 1994)
5) Neil Young & Crazy Horse — “Safeway Cart” (Sleeps With Angels, 1994)