Category Archives: world music

Christmas Countdown: 1000†

While we’re lighting up the holy days let’s honor the Son of a Gun with… well, candles. Heart’s “Here is Christmas” begins with a little ‘Bring a Torch’ but deftly girl-pops into a soaring paean of… someone visiting the Earth. Candles really dress up a place for deity.

Evie popularized “A Thousand Candles” about shining on Jesus, but I like it from The Ten Tenors. More power from the boys. Hymn-lite.

Gina Naomi Baez sets her “Christmas Candlelight” (her heart) against a thousand nights. Alt-gospel.

TobyMac (feat. Owl City) hard beats the pop in his rap “Light of Christmas.” This is the good of all of us, this light.
Then a thousand angels are singing out–so now it’s sound not light. I guess.

“A Thousand Cookies for Christmas” lures us in with complex bi-lingual rhythms and sweets, but Angel A. Alvarez settles with that friend of ours, Jesus. That’s the reason. NOT the cookies. Just to be clear. There are no cookies.

Christmas Countdown: 1842

Loreena McKennitt has taken the concept off “Dickens’ Dublin (The Palace)” as crafted us a new-age Celtic warbler about a poor waif freezing to death on the streets in 1842. Strangley, the homeless one narrates between verses with a rambling steam-of-consciousness. It’s all unsettling, haunting, moving.

Christmas Countdown: 1915

“Christmas 1915” is the famous trench truce (perhaps with football intermission), despite the widely-reported word-of-mouth bearing it has on history (really 1914, mere months after the commencement of hostilities). Celtic Thunder owns this over many versions. And this year includes that horrible O. Henry twist.

Christmas Countdown: 1943

“December 1943” is soft folk/country from John Michael Montgomery. Two wandering soldiers in the woods leave war behind for a night in the grace of a solitary cabin. Then the Nazis show up…. (C’mon, Christmas!)

Defeater’s “December 1943,” on the other bloody stump, is a different outcome for soldiers in the unholy conflict. Screaming metal.

Perhaps more uplifting comes paternal shore leave for a sailor for a “Christmas in Pittsburg, 1943.” Boston Blackthorne commences Celtic, so it’s a sad tale of doom to be ‘cross the sea (Normandy). Sobering folk.

Christmas Countdown: 2013

Another annoying family Christmas letter, The Holderness Family begins their “Xmas Jammies” music videos. Proud parents with lots of accomplishments for the whole group for this year. Ya gotsa be impressed.

Rap pain from OnCue, “After Life” is a letter to a loved one about loss and the motivation to achieve further. BLUE ALERT and two hanky recommendation.

For the realest BLUE ALERT KidCrusher’s “The Christmas Nightmare (Grinch Rap 2013)” swims in a sea of swears for no particular relief, just to do it. Exhausting.

So take me back to 2013 Christmas Eve jammin’ til’ d morning
Parangin’ door to door with Los Hombres Sexuales
That’s Christmas to me…

…to borrow a phrase. Sarah Seuky & Inzey poke through slow parang with their “December Dream,” more Chicago jazz than Trini beat. But, finally, an original Christmas song. Thanks.

Felice Avian: acceptation

After we’re used to Santa up above, we at times feel little about this miracle. Or perhaps angst for all that could wrong from on high.

The Withers embody a naughty child who don’t want “Reindeer” to fly, they’ll pass him by. Beatles parody. (Their “Reindeer of Castemere” is not as successful, but certainly a downer.)

“Santa was Seen Flying through Soviet Airspace” is The Philistines Jr. tribute to trouble. Russianistic experimental pop. In other words, –what?!

Domain and Rangifer: party animals

A rooftopful of antlered rascals on a holiday eve (DAY OFF tomorrow!)–time to cut loose!

James Brown chats us up about “Reindeer on the Roof” while some music plays in the background. Shenanigans result. It’s all soul.

Taking the cue off the reindeer names, many celebratory Xmas songs about the sleigh pullers include the terpsichorean arts. “Reindeer is a. Dancer” may not be what you expect, as S.N.A.P!’s experimental pop evokes Martha Graham moves.

More sock hop, Blue Aeris (feat. Kelly Moneymaker) shindig through “Reindeer Know How to Groove.” It’s got the beat.

“The Reindeer Shuffle” may be based on Cupid’s ’07 modest hit, and cashes in on its danceabilitiness.

Music with Mar. does the same with “The Reindeer Dance.” A kid counting song marching through the genres.

“The Reindeer Twist” is some kids’ assembly noise-magnet. You might need to sit this one out.

Compare that to “Das Sexy Reindeer Danz” by the awful Rascal Rockhog (feat. Cemetry Gator). Completely and electronically inappropriate.

“Reindeer Rockin’” from Isaac Stancill is a retro-rock breathy call out for the party that might lower the roof.

The Heebee-jeebees get all Celtic with the rousing “Reindeer Ceili” [ceili (cei·lidh/ˈkālē/noun): a social event at which there is Scottish or Irish folk music and singing, traditional dancing, and storytelling]. NOT a sea chanty, but nearly as good. Your feet may move without you realizing.

X-claim: hooray (pt. 2)

Hurray for the holly and the ivy. Cue the music.

Hidee ho and a diggidee doo seems to stand in for Hooray in “Hooray Hooray It’s a Holiday” from the so-called Mistletoe Singers. This kidsong smacks of Aussie-ness, but it’s fervent. Kids like that. Apologies to Boney M. who started this so-called song.

Then Mishelle Bradford-Jones twists it up with “Hooray Christmas Holiday” in which the poppy kidsong celebrates the school break. Hey! Hey!

What the hell might be the chorus for “Hooray for Christmas” from the Red Army Choir. Of the recordings I’ve uncovered, 3.5 minutes seems to be silence (encoded???).

Philip Gallen takes his rockin’ time developing “Hurray! For Christmas Day!” an earnest progressive piece of emotionality.

Derek Griffiths, Carole Boyd, Denise Bryer, Nigel Lambert, Steven Pacey, Claire Hamill, and Tom Newman are all credited for bringing “Hurray for Christmas” to life. The finale to the third Christmas Story Teller book from The Little Storyteller series it goes on and on in a rousing fashion.

The Irish Rovers raise the rafters (and their voices) with the antic “Hurray for Christmas Day.” Celtic reel. Woo hee.

Carol Told by an Idiot, 23

Can’t stop the Christmas music. Or the holiday from swinging back atcha again.

[A moment please, while Barnes and Barnes disarmingly soft pop “Kwanzaa’s Here Again.” Despite the sweetness and muppet growls, this is an existential cry of pain.]

Time for us to have some fun, purrs Rupaul when it’s the holidays again. Love returns in the electro-pop “You’re the Star (On My Christmas Tree).”

Peter deRoyce brings the music to bear when he compares Xmas to a drug in “Parang in Meh Vein.” Yes, the Caribbean serenade to wake you and make you party all night goes on and on. For 12/25. Again. Just go with it.