All I Want For Christmas Is You.

Last Christmas, I finally conceded that Mariah's "All I Want For Christmas Is You" had become a holiday standard, and (banal lyrics aside) a fairly decent one as holiday standards go.

Here are two of my favorite versions by two Scandinavian bands, who strip the song to its core without all the bombast.

The Figurines (from Denmark)

The Genuine Fakes (from Sweden)

Christmas Sun

Reposted from last year.
If Badfinger had recorded a Christmas song in 1971, it would've sounded like this..


The song is titled "Christmas' Sun", but I think the apostrophe is unnecessary.

(There's No War On Christmas) If Christmas Is In Your Heart

A new holiday song by The Mockers.

Greatest Time of Year

or how I stopped worrying and learned to love Disney holiday music.
I've been sitting on this song for a few years, and it almost made the cut for this year's holiday mix. Maybe 2013?

Kay Thompson's Jingle Bells

Happy Birthday Andy Williams.

Here are the Williams Brothers doing a holiday medley with the Osmond Brothers
(in what may be the whitest Christmas ever).

After Andy Williams passed on earlier this year, I wanted to pay tribute by starting off my 2012 Christmas mix with one of his songs. I grew up with the 1963 Andy Williams Christmas album, which has become omnipresent over the past 50 years.

You can't enter a store during the month of December without hearing "It's the Holiday Season" or "It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year" at least a dozen times, but my favorite songs off the record were always "A Song For The Christmas Tree" (his version of "12 Days Of Christmas") and "Kay Thompson's Jingle Bells" (which should be called "Andy Williams' Jingle Bells").

Mixtape For Christmas

Happy December..  I'm checking to make sure this blog still works!   Here is my 2012 Christmas mix, such as it is.   I've stopped worrying about fitting my compilations on to 80 minute CDRs, but this one is designed to fit on a 90 minute cassette, divided into two ~45minute sides..

MIXTAPE FOR CHRISTMAS

SIDE A: Chestnuts Pop (http://bit.ly/UUa9u9)
01. Kay Thompson's Jingle Bells - Andy Williams
02. Merry Christmas - The Automatics
03. I Want You For Christmas - Cheap Trick
04. Christmas Sun - Cirrone
05. Merry Christmas, Baby - Crocodiles & Dum Dum Girls
06. All I Want For Christmas Is You - The 88
07. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - The Fall
08. All I Want for Christmas Is You - Figurines
09. For The Holidays - The Grip Weeds
10. Mixtape For Christmas - Hey Monday
11. It's Christmas Time - The Incredible Casuals
12. What Am I Gonna Get? - Jamie & Steve
13. Girl Of My Dreams - Jonas Brothers
14. All I Want Is You for Christmas - Kimberley Rew
15. Bernie's 3rd Christmas - Lisa Mychols

SIDE B: The Smile of Rachael Ray (http://bit.ly/U9PB01)
16. Christmastime In the City - Maple Mars
17. The Smile Of Rachael Ray - David Mead
18. Tinsel & String - Neil Innes
19. Here It Is Christmas Time - Old 97's
20. All Hopped Up On Jingle Bells - Punchline
21. Christmas - Rogue Wave
22. Wonderful Christmastime - The Shins
23. Do You Hear What I Hear? - Spiraling
24. Mr. Frosty Man - Sufjan Stevens
25. Tinsel and Lights - Tracey Thorn
26. It Doesn't Feel Like Christmas - Toad the Wet Sprocket
27. Lagavulin For Christmas - Vegas With Randolph
28. Wombling Merry Christmas - The Very Most
29. Warm Lovin' Christmastime - Wilson Phillips
30. Cold Turkey For Christmas - The JAC


Also on Spotify @ playlist Mixtape For Christmas.

Happy Holiday season!  I'm hoping to come out of blogging hibernation this month to post a few Christmas songs for my enjoyment (and your enjoyment if you're still here).