Touchline clues us in to “A South African Christmas” during the pandemic, in which a citizen might apply for a grant of 350 rand per month (around 20 bucks). He doesn’t mean to break our hearts, but wish us ‘Merry Christmas’; yet rap being what it is, even in occasional Zulu, downer.
Big Nic gets a “Ticket” for Christmas, from himself to himself. The plane goes 350 miles per hour! But, then in the Caribbean he’s looking for BLUE ALERT connections he won’t find at home. Casual sex rap.
Waylan St. Palan & The Magic Elves spell out the family feast (including Pre heat the oven to 350) in the catchy folk rock “(Doin’ the) Dishes for Christmas.” Check their list: double boiler, candy thermometer, slotted spoon, spatula… but guess what they wish for Christmas (so they won’t have to Do Those Dishes anymore)?! This one’s magic, kids.
Let’s slow the whole love thang down and work up to it poetic-like. Courtin’ style!
LeLe wants to hold you and sing a thousand songs to you, since he loves you so much in “Christmas Night with You,” a vaguely Eurocentric soft pop. Such a charmer!
Doggomuzik also. wants to sing “A Thousand Christmas Carols” to you as a sign of love. It’s a musician thing, i reckon. Pop garage.
Also into holding, but now with dancing, laughing, matching socks, and sharing stories told a thousand times–Kat McDowell (feat. Kaoru Miyazaki) bounces pop frothier with “Feel Like It’s Christmas.” This is a real connection; they get each other’s jokes!
“A Thousand Lifetimes” by Nieve Malandra from the Karen Carpenter school of lounge paints a picture of a holiday worth a thousand lifetimes–just me and you. Sultry jazz.
Ashton Edminster lays the innocence on just right for me. No innuendo, no taking-for-granted, but shy liking under a “1,000 Christmas Lights.” Just talking, just getting to know you (better), just good friends. That’s how love begins. Gentle, unplugged girl alt-folk.
About 200 inches of snow during “Winter in Eastport” Maine, right on the corner of the Atlantic next to Canada. But the 1300 population who brave the winters there get quite the tribute from Flooded Cellar’s chatty folk ballad. Top that, Bismarck!
‘A Mighty Wind’ was another of those Christopher Guest mockumentaries that squandered talented actors on loser characters. The folk singing duo Mitch and Mickey (Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara) include their Civil War Romeo and Juliet tale “The Ballad of Bobby and June.” Their stars are crossed by the draft, though the poor Reb makes it home for Xmas with a hole in his chest. Gratuitous holidayism, but we’ll allow it. [Included is a church-set cover by Brandon Boring with Kayla Cardenas–see, this is what i’m: the satire is so serious no one gets it.]
Hungry for Music kicks off our Civil War Christmas remembrances with “Christmas 1864 (II).” This kicky folk strummer gets footnote-y betwixt the suffering and the angst. You knew this, right?
John Denver (with or without the Muppets) is a pretty way to get existential. In “Noel: Christmas Eve, 1913” his persona time travels in his mind to the beginning of Christmas. Now whether or not it’s FROM 1913 or somehow 1913 is the New Nativity… i cannot say. ‘Stoo pretty to parlay the petty problems.
“A Silent Night 1914” by Jerry Lynch is the MacConnell ‘1915’ song sung correctly. Haunting Irish music hall.
Even more Celtic, Pvt. Angus Turnbull introduces and narrates “Christmas 1914.” Catherine Rushton brings a women’s sensibility to the folk sung drama that approaches allegory. (Spoiler alert: Angus doesn’t make it.)
Next is Francis Tolliver who also Gaelic was there for “Christmas in the Trenches.” All brothers regardless of accent.
George Marinich sings about a single soldier as well, his grandfather, in “Christmas 1914.” Slightly upbeat folk pop.
Way united, “1914: the Carol of Christmas” by Military Voices raises and sings like it was angels and devils together.
Slipping in the Deutsch, Sieben’s industrial folk pop “Christmas 1914” makes the temporary peace a cabaret.
Experimental jazz rock from Sean Crimmins makes his “Christmas 1914” about the infernal war/peace machine.
Keegan McInroe bring a Yankee lilt to his folk “Christmas 1914.” Well, shucks.
Almost cowboy, George Ensle’s country folk “Christmas Truce of 1914” marches to the beat. But they don’t rearm.
Almost Bob Dylanesque, The Celtic Social Club gets rockin’ raucous with their “Christmas 1914.” Hey now.
Antipsychotic Cocktail bang that guitar whilst warbling their sorrowful folk “Christmas 1914.” Doom’s next.
Perhaps bluegrass… Annie Clifford’s “Christmas 1914” is a whining choice between shooting or smelling them.
Or–hillbilly country from A.J.H. Gillis & the Delusions of Grandeur. “Christmas in Leuven 1914” muses folksily.
Just country (with a Johnny Cash intro!!) comes Colin Raye’s “It Could Happen Again.” What, momentary goodness?
Country pop from Garth Brooks, “Belleau Wood” is the prettiness of peace, the warble of war. Ugh.
Indie pop then; “Merry Christmas (1914)” by Our History swings and sways almost inappropriately.
Just pop!! The Farm brings the sides “All Together Now” with dance rhythms! Kudos for the video’s elder sync. The Oppressed do this one too, but PUNK!
Paul Gillis reduces Irish “Christmas 1916” to desperate hardscrabble worn out joy. Folk tragedy. Learn from it. I guess.
Janne has penned a nine-minute three-part German folk opera in 2015 known as “Christmas 1916.” Fairly rocks. It’s The Great War, natch, but late at night (near Xmas) one soldier lights his cigarette, on t’other side of the trenches another takes the shot, then there’s a dreamy walk down a sunny lane and thoughtful humming. Not exactly Wagner. But that can be a good thing.
Future Clouds and Radar sorely wants us to take a trip back to Auntie Amanda’s troubles in “Christmas Day 1923.” This string-sobbing folk rock ballad rises and rises to a sad crescendo. Sorry for your loss.
Carolyn Arends goes for the three-hanky with the reverential “My First Christmas,” a folk song about a great grandparent, born in ’23, saved in ’44, passed recently. Each time was like her first time with the angels and the baby king. Take it from me, it works.
