Belle & Sebastian - O Little Town of Bethlehem, Low - Blue Christmas

Belle & Sebastian - O Little Town of Bethlehem

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Low - Blue Christmas (such a gorgeous rendition!!)

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The Long Winters - Christmas With You is the Best. The Long Blondes - Christmas is Canceled

The Long Winters - Christmas With You is the Best

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"We both hate the holidays
Our parents act crazy
And the mall is insane
Let's skip it all
And have a non-traditional non-denominational celebration

Christmas with you is the best
We'll have no turkey or guest
Sleeping late but before we get dressed
I want to give you a present

It was fun when I was a kid
And then it started getting strange
I got too old for toys and games
And now i have you
And I think we should choose
A non-traditional non-denominational celebration

Christmas with you is the best
We'll have no turkey or guest
Sleeping late but before we get dressed
I want to give you a present

We both hate the holidays
Our parents act crazy
Let's have non-traditional non-denominational celebration

Christmas with you is the best
We'll have no turkey or guest
Sleeping late but before we get dressed
I want to give you a present
I want to give you a present
I want to give you a present
I want to give you a present"

The Long Blondes - Christmas is Canceled

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"Came back from late night shopping
Saw your shadow on the curtain
I presumed you let your self in
with the key you'd yet to return
You asked me how I'd been
And if I'd seen much snow
Skilfully avoiding things that happened here a year ago

So she's turned you out has she
well I cant say I'm surprised
After last years festive past
I find it hard to sing goodbyes

I slipped through slush on Boxing Day
the shops were shut no films were on
You swanned around to hers and left a note to say you'd gone

Stood by the fire place
You look ridiculous
You cant just come and stay here
like you did last Christmas
You know what you did wrong
and Christmas well Christmas is canceled this year

The last thing I expected
was to come and find you knocking
at my door waiting for a treat in Christmas stockings ( how shocking)
Don't take you jacket off this is not you home
Just raise you glass to two more people spending Christmas day alone

Stood by the fire place
You look ridiculous
You cant just come and stay here like you did last Christmas
You know what you did wrong
and Christmas and Christmas well Christmas is canceled this year

No mum don't worry about me il just have fish and chips for tea
I'll watch the queen and go to sleep
I'll watch the queen and go to sleep

Stood by the fire place
You look ridiculous
You can't just come and stay here like you did last Christmas
You know what you did wrong
and Christmas and Christmas well Christmas is canceled this year
You know what you did wrong
and Christmas and Christmas well Christmas is canceled this year

No mum, don't worry about me, just have a happy Christmas x 2
Christmas is cancelled this year"

Low - Just Like Christmas, Daniel Johnston - Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree

Low - Just Like Christmas
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"On our way from Stockholm
Started to snow
And you said it was like Christmas
But you were wrong
It wasn't like Christmas at all

By the time we got to Oslo
Snow was gone
And we got lost
The beds were small
But we felt so young
It was just like Christmas"

Daniel Johnston - Rock Around the Christmas Tree
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"Rock n' Roll 'round the Christmas tree
Everything is you and me
Rockin' the night away
Rockin' the night away

Gonna rock the Christmas tree
Everything is you and me
Rockin' the night away
Rockin' the night away

da da da da da da da da da daaaaah

Rock n' Roll 'round the Christmas tree
Everything is you and me
Rockin' the night away
Rockin' the night away

Gonna rock the Christmas tree
Everything is you and me
Rockin' the night away
Rockin' the night away

da da da da da da da da da daaaaah"

Flaming Lips - Christmas at the Zoo, A Change at Christmas (Say it Isn't So)

I love the Lips so much. I've already covered their (unfortunately rather lackluster) version of "White Christmas," but today here's two originals that fare off much better. "Christmas at the Zoo" is one of the highlights of off their underrated 1996 record Clouds Taste Metallic. It's about going to the zoo and freeing the animals on Christmas eve, but the animals don't wish to leave, yet are flattered that you thought about them enough to do so. Very nice.

The second song, "A Change at Christmas," comes from 2003's Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell EP and comments on how everyone is so much nicer to each other during the Holiday season and how much better the world would be if this period never ended. Very true. However, what would become of Christmas season then? Would we have to be even more pleasant?

The Flaming Lips - Christmas at the Zoo
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"There wasn't any snow on Christmas Eve
And I knew what I should do
I thought I'd free the animals
All locked up at the zoo

I opened up the fence where the peacocks were
The lamas were unleashed
The snakes and seals could all get out
But they refused to leave

All of the animals agreed
They're not happy at the zoos
But they preferred to save themselves
They seemed to think they could

The elephants, orangutans
All the birds and kangaroos all said
"Thanks but no thanks, man
But to be concerned is good"

It started to snow on Christmas Eve
In the middle of the night
Walking through the state park zoo
And everything is white"

Promo-video


The Flaming Lips - A Change at Christmas (Say it Isn't So)
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"I know everything changes
Yeah, it's strange how time marches on
Maybe there'll be some time in the future
Oh, tell me I'm not wrong

Oh, if I could stop time
It would be a frozen moment just around Christmas
When all of mankind reveals its truest potential
And there is sympathy for the suffering
Yes, there is sympathy for those who are suffering

And the world embraces peace and love and mercy
Instead of power and fear
And as sure as I'm standing here
I swear it really does appear that a change comes over us
Yes, some kind of change comes over us

And it's glimpsed for one shining moment
And this change feels like a change that's real
But then it passes along with the season
And then we just go back to the way we were
Yes, we just go back to the way we were

Say it isn't so
Tell me I'm not just a dreamer
I'm talking with a friend and he knows how it ends
He says it's easier, that's just the way we are
That's human nature and that's just the way we are
Oh, say it isn't so!"

The Flaming Lips official website

The Sugarcubes feat. the Jesus and Mary Chain - Christmas Eve

The Sugarcubes feat. the Jesus and Mary Chain - Christmas Eve
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Yo La Tengo - It's Christmas Time, Luna - Egg Nog

Yo La Tengo -It's Christmas Time
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Luna - Egg Nog
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The YLT track comes from their 2002 Merry Christmas from Yo La Tengo EP, and the Luna one is from a 1992 special promo 7" on green and red colored vinyl.

Yo La Tengo online
Luna online

Ladybug Transistor - Christmas Extravaganza, of Montreal - My Favorite Christmas (In a Hundred Words or Less)

An Elephant Sixmas! Wow. First there's Ladybug Transistor's "Christmas Extravaganza," which sounds like listening to an amazing holiday party. I picture a group of good friends who can't decide what carol to sing, so instead they sing a handful of them, meshing them together to form a single song. It really is a Christmas extravaganza. The song originally comes from the long out of print Kindercore records compilation Christmas Two.

Ladybug Transistor - Christmas Extravaganza
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The next song is also from an out of print Kindercore compilation, Christmas in Stereo. The album has in interesting concept: gathering bands from the label together and giving each of them 2 weeks to write and record a Christmas song. Here's of Montreal's offering, a memoir of the perfect Christmas.

of Montreal - My Favorite Christmas (In a Hundred Words or Less)
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"Do you remember that one Christmas
When we didn't think we'd be together?
We were almost separated by the weather
But I ran through the snow
Right up to your window and smiled
Because I was so absolutely happy to be with you

All our relatives were too afraid
To drive through the snow
We got to spend the day alone
I swear it was the most beautiful day I know

We sat by the fire and opened the presents
That we'd gotten for each other
Then after you telephoned your mother
We cuddled on the couch
Drank cocoa by the tree
And you smiled
Because you were so absolutely happy to be with me

The day went by so fast
And as night approached we laughed at our luck
The snow had let up
After the roads were cleared
All our relatives suddenly appeared
So we blew out the candles and replaced
Frank Sinatra with Phil Spector's Christmas record
Our grandparents filed in all plaid and checkered
With their arms filled with gifts
And delicious desserts and we smiled
Because we were so absolutely happy
So very, very happy to be together"

The Ladybug Transistor official website
of Montreal official website

Beat Happening - Christmas, Cap'n Jazz- Winter Wonderland

Lo-fi, lo-musicianship, lo-suckage. Hi-awesome.

Beat Happening - Christmas
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"I had sex on Chrismas
I had sex three times today
Three different women taught be how to be bored in their own separate, sweet, little ways

I feel like hell on Christmas
And I feel like hell today
I feel like Hell
When I wake-up, I can tell that I'm never gonna make you stay

Okay, here it goes

I didn't get no presents on Christmas
And I sure didn't get none today
Learned my lesson
Life is one long session of disappointment, heartache, pain

Disappointment
Heartache
Pain

...and despair"

Cap'n Jazz - Winter Wonderland
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(lyrics just because I don't have a long write-up today and otherwise this picture fits funny)

"sleigh bells ring, are you listening? in the lane, snow is glistening.
a beautiful sight, we're happy tonight. walking in a winter wonderland.
gone away is the bluebird. here to stay is a new bird. he sings a love song
as we go along, walking in a winter wonderland
in the meadow we can build a snowman. then pretend that he is parson brown
he'll say: are you married? we'll say: no man, but you can do the job when you're in town.
later on we'll conspire, as we dream by the fire.
to face unafraid the plans that we've made walking in a winter wonderland
in the meadow we can build a snowman, and pretend that he's a circus clown
we'll have lots of fun with mister snowman. until the alligators knock him down
when it snows ain't it thrilling? though your nose gets a chilling.
we'll frolic and play, the eskimo way. walking in a winter wonderland"

Beat Happening - Beat Happening @Amazon.com

Cap'n Jazz- Analphabetapolothology @Amazon.com

Feist - Lo, How a Rose E're Blooming, The Dismemberment Plan - This Christmas

Today's entry is going to be a brilliant one. First we have Feist's rendition of the 16th century traditional piece "Lo, How a Rose E're Blooming." The song is from German origin, its original title being "Est ist en Ros entsprungen." No one knows who the original author of the lyrics was, but German composer Michael Praetorius is responsible for the tune as we know it today. It's incredibly beautiful. This is along the lines of the the type of Christmas songs I like best- the classy, traditional ones... those associated with Christmas rather than penned for the occasion.

Feist - Lo, How a Rose E're Blooming
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"This Christmas" could not be anymore opposite than "Lo, How a Rose E're Blooming." It was written in 1970 by Donny Hathaway and today is frequently performed by a multitude of lame artists such as the Cheetah Girls, Ruben Studdard, Chris Brown, Elliott Yamin and Dru Hill to name a few. Frankly, it's crap. So the Dismemberment Plan doing a cover of this...how could they transform this sentimental fluffball of a song into something completely awesome? I don't know, but you will be rocking out hard to "This Christmas." You'll then realize what you're rocking out to, stop for a second, shrug, and then rock even harder. Now this is a cover!

The Dismemberment Plan - This Christmas
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Feist - Let it Die @Amazon.com
The Dismemberment Plan - Emergency & I @Amazon.com