So I'm helping run our office holiday party next week (low key, during work hours, food and drink, yankee swap, yada yada) and have set myself the challenge of coming up with a holiday playlist that is a little bit different and at the same time as tolerable as possible to the audience (lots of twenty somethings, some thirtysomethings, two fortysomethings, and a couple of very hip 50-plus). I'll be going light on the classics and focusing more on indie and world music, as well as different versions of the classics and perhaps some instrumental tracks. Steering away from the most religious songs, also steering away from the R rated and/or blasphemous songs (it is a work party after all).
I have already found a bunch of good picks but would still love to hear suggestions. Christmas is already well represented and I've found some New Year and Kwanzaa-themed possibilities... but I am having trouble finding ANY Hannukah songs that meet my criteria (don't bother mentioning Adam Sandler, the songs are funny but overplayed).
Any slightly-off-the-beaten-path holiday music ideas? As always, any thoughts are much appreciated!
16 comments:
My Morning Jacket - Christmas Curtain
The Flaming Lips - A Change at X-Mas
Raveonettes - X-Mas Song
Death Cab For Cutie - X-Mas Baby Please Come Home
De La Soul - Millie Pulle a Pistol on Santa
Good luck! I'd like a copy when you're done please!
I always think of the grossly inappropriate Elliott Smith song King's Crossing.
"It's Christmas time and the needles on the tree
A skinny Santa is bringing something to me
His voice is overwhelming, his speech is slurred,
and I only understand every other word!"
and then he drops the sledgehammer...
"Open your parachute and grab your gun
Falling down like an omen, a setting sun
Read the part and return at five
It's a hell of a role if you can keep it alive"
God I love that f'in song...
Actually the entire song is worthy of attention. Keep in mind that it was one of the very last songs he recorded before his tragic death...
The king's crossing was the main attraction
Dominoes falling in a chain reaction
A scraping subject ruled by fear
Told me whiskey works better than beer
The judge is on vinyl, decisions are final
And nobody gets a reprieve
And every wave is tidal - if you hang around
You're going to get wet
I can't prepare for death any more than I already have
All you can do now is watch the shells
The game looks easy, that's why it sells
Frustrated fireworks inside your head
Are going to stand and deliver talk instead
The method acting that pays my bills
Keeps a fat man feeding in Beverly Hills
I got a heavy metal mouth that hurls obscenity
And I get my check from the trash treasury
Because I took my own insides out
It don't matter 'cos I have no sex life
And all I want to do now is inject my ex-wife
I've seen the movie and I know what happens
It's Christmas time, and the needles on the tree
A skinny Santa is bringing something to me
His voice is overwhelming, but his speech is slurred
And I only understand every other word
Open your parachute and grab your gun
Falling down like an omen, a setting sun
Read the part and return at five
It's a hell of a role if you can keep it alive
But I don't care if I fuck up
I'm going on a date with a rich white lady
Ain't life great?
Give me one good reason not to do it
(Because I love you)
So do it
This is the place where time reverses
Dead men talk to all the pretty nurses
Instruments shine on a silver tray
Don't let me get carried away
Don't let me get carried away
Don't let me be carried away
Hmmm. I admit I am kind of a sucker for the standards. I know you said Christmas was well-represented...but can I throw a few of my "hipper" requests out there?
Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses
Snoopy vs the Red Baron - The Royal Guardsmen
Even though this is "religious" I really love the version of "God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen" by Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan.
Clearly, I'm not as hip as JSP over there.
There's a great Squirrel Nut Zippers one called Santa Claus is Smoking Reefer but the problem is that it's a secret song so you have to go through another entire song and a few minutes of silence before getting to it.
I hate secret songs!
Secret songs do suck. I love Squirrel Nut Zippers, though!
The Dandy Warhol's "Little Drummer Boy"
Love love this topic. These are the ones that strike me first...I'm sure I'm overlooking some good ones though.
No Doubt - Oi to the World
Sufjan Stevens - It's Christmas Let's Be Glad
Dido - Christmas Day
The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping (classic New Wave xmas song from 80s)
And of course the best Christmas song of all time:
The Pogues - Fairytale of NY
I'm listening to The Waitresses' song RIGHT NOW! :)
"Just Like Christmas" by the band Low is a must-have for any hip, different X-mas mix. Good beat and poigantly beautiful like any good X-mas song. I also recommend:
Santa Baby by Ertha Kitt
Santa Claus is Comin' to Town by Bruce Springsteen
I second JPX's recommend for the Dandys' Drummer Boy, and...
yes, for real...
Do They Know It's Christmas by Band Aid. Unlike the imitator We Are The Whatever, it's a great song.
I dunno Octopunk.. Do They Know It’s Christmas? Really?
Zia gave me a vinyl copy of the Little Drummer Boy single at a show at TT’s in 2000. It’s one of my most prized possessions.
For anyone who’s interested I still haven’t gotten my f$%king Aliens CD. The guy swore he sent it and said he’d refund my credit card and send me a copy of it if I didn’t get it by next week. I ended up ordering another copy from someone else and I should get it tomorrow, goddamn it.
AC, seriously I want a copy and preferably before X-mas! (Nothing worse than Christmas music in January, right?)
This Christmas - Yutaka
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Chick Corea Elektric Band
I Saw Three Ships - Sting
Hopeful - Michael Manring
Crystal Palace - Oystein Sevâg
Winter Bourne - Paul McCandless
Dona Nobis Pacem - Michael Manring
Just Before Dawn - William Ackerman
We Three Kings - Barbara Higbie
Angels We Have Heard On High - Darol Anger & Mike Marshall
Sheep May Safely Graze - Modern Mandolin Quartet
South by Winterwest - Billy McLaughlin
wow, great responses! thanks so much everyone. if other ideas roll in feel free to add them... i'll probably be working on this right up until the 18th.
johnny- much as i respect your musical taste, i will not be including any holiday songs with guns, sex, death, or swear words in the title or lyrics (if i catch them). remember this is an office party. if you still want a copy despite the G-rating rule, email me your address and i'll put the cd in the mail as soon as it's done.
your casual comment about zia makes me jealous on so many levels.
at present i have over 4 hours of good tracks... even a couple of ok hannukah songs! now to whittle down to a measly old hour.
Yes I saw Johnny's song and thought... what kind of office is he working in? lol
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