Observing Kwanzaa entails ritual to the point of grand festival as well.
P-train’s “P-bar Kwanzaa Special” goes BLUE ALERT for no particular reason, just homophobic slurring. But the AI of electronic rap battling needs some work.
More traditionally, the children in the cast of ‘Christmas in our Town’ holla out “Kwanzaa Celebration” with all the percussive backbeat you can handle. All principles are listed.
The adult Voices Raised LA Vocal Collective For Social & Environmental Justice bring those “Seven Principles” to the forefront with heavenly harmonizing. That’s a show.
You know who knows how to throw a festival in December for God???
The Minus Five party retro rock for their “Festival of Lights.” Man that’s got me dancing.
As a lounge number “The Festival Of Lights” by Barlow & Smith comes in as a tango. Seductive, even if poorly recorded.
Holographic Crew tries a BLUE ALERT electronic rap for another “Festival of Lights.” This might be a sacred number. If it’s anything.
Narrow Frequency uses AI to culturally appropriate their “Festival of Lights” as a watery metal celebration of Christ. Still not sure what i’m hearing here….
Ted Pearce returns us to traditional Hebrew traditions with a folksy “Festival of Lights.” It’s bi-lingual, oddly upbeat, and ultimately rocking.
Are listening WITH another, FOR another, MISSING another? What song will you ask for in their honor?
Play of Curves is so in love that, when it’s “Just You And Me This Year” for Xmas, you’re my drink, my song on the radio, my present. Figuratively. Lite rock.
Choirs singing soft and low/On my old red radio are part of the easy listening country “Christmas Memories” of Jim Witter. This time, it’s personal.
With a mantra of Bring the snow, turn on the radio, Joel X Martin (feat. Shaugnah) asks you to “Bring the Snow” with an R+B panache. Catchy (repetitive).
“This Isn’t Christmas” has Dana Cain (feat. Cameron Sprenger) bereft despite all the trimmings and the radio/Keeps playing Christmas songs. Have a cookie! New age folk pop.
Fighting the isolation, Denny Love asks to Turn up the Christmas carols on the radio in “Santa, Don’t Let Me Down.” It’s pop, and R+B. Turn those tears into cookies, man.
Miley Cyrus goes BLUE ALERT with folk pop in “My Sad Christmas Song.” Beers, bongs, radio, and bingewatching all do not fill the void. Lovelorn stuff.
Troubadour Dan Sullivan scratches out the folk complaint “It Doesn’t Feel Like Christmas This Year” despite all those songs on the radio. May i suggest this blog instead? Oh, it’s a heartbreak thing–
The “New Tradition” of The National Parks is crying over falling snow, Christmas songs on the radio, and Hallmark movies. ‘Cuz, you guessed it, loneliness. Near miss alt rock.
Samu Haber’s special move is to offer comfort to the jilted with his “That Time Of Year.” Then he reacts for that dial, because There’s Christmas songs on the radio/Creeping in like Radiohead. Strangely foreign country pop.
Actually tired of songs on the radio, Kelly Clarkson begs that “Christmas Come Early” so she can get all romantically in her special Kelly Clarkson diva jazz way.
Also so alone that despair reigns And the radio still plays all the classic sοngs “This Christmas Day.” Amy MacDonald slyly alludes to other songs here, but her orchestrated pop overwhelms their charity.
So in love that Christmas barely matters, even When the radiostops playing those holiday songs Dugger Band keeps those “Christmas Lights On.” Country ballad.
Kensie Mann slings indie country like butter when “(Dancing)Underneath The Mistletoe” to the Christmas songs on the radio. That’s a slow dance!
Punk response? “Christmas, Christmas” by Kayde & Katrina overflowing with cookies, mistletoe, presents, Christmas music/Playing on the radio. Could be upbeat, but it’s punk. Wacky.
A cappella? Straight No Chaser, with a diamond ring in pocket, has got music on my radio. Figurative or not, “Home by Christmas Day” is a harmonic winner.
Disco time. “Christmas for Me” has Rick De Hey, Marc V, Jacy Janice razzling and dazzling as The radio plays those vibrant songs,/Melodies that keep me moving on. Staying alert, staying alert.
Light garage from Roses Are Black supplies “Roses For Christmas.” Kids are running, radio is playing, stars and balls are aligned. Like that.
Boogie woogie spills the news “Santa´s on His Way,” but the clues had been there, like A choir singing christmas carols/On the radio. Kingen brings it.
Jazzy cool from Collin Derrick swings the pop for “Holiday Hallelujah.” He hears Christmas music on the radio everywhere he goes. And i don’t think he’s half trying.
Soft rock indie from Philip Labes wishes “happy hanukkah (will we still be friends?)” as opposites attract. We meet at a lot off of I95/We aimlessly drive, Christmas radio. Pretty Semiticly sweet.
Fun Yunz pull the amateurish boys in the basement amusing themselves schtick with “Sleepy Time.” Ostensibly a folk strummer of Xmas anticipation, but it’s just a sophomoric crackup.
Maple Leaf Learning’s “Ho Ho Ho Intro” points out how late it is (nine o’clock!). It’s only a spoken intro, but the lesson is timeless (well, figuratively).
Speaking of spoken “We’ve Got A Lotta Latkes” from The Jewish Wedding Band begins with food, but leads to bedtime. Consult your doctor if this kidsong persists more than four minutes. (It’s about time our good friend Hanukkah required sleep.)
As we wind down the month, i must admit to locating many musicals that have no published soundtracks. I had no intention of invoking their specters. But, for the Hanukkah special i had to reference with what little was at hand.
For example, ‘Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins’ piques our interest with its title. It’s a children’s picture book that got adapted by Z Puppets Rosenschnoz. Check out the advert. And a home movie of a production in which the trickster fools the monsters with overcomplicated religious practices. “There is Something Wrong Here” makes a nice somber intro. “O Hershel, Beware of Goblins” is a fine pep talk for the wandering jester figure. “We Hate Hanukkah” is fairly cute for the Goblin chorus kick line.
Now Adam Sandler doesn’t get a pass in my house. He has to earn titles like ‘funnyman.’ So, i rewatch Eight Crazy Nights and i tip the hat. “Davey’s Song” is such a blend of jolly tune and self loathing, it gets me every time. What i dig the most is the casual plot turns put into song, like in “Long Ago” and “Bum Biddy.” Good stuff. There’s even a catchy tune in there: “Technical Foul.” Earworm!
A Hanukkah Carol, or GELT TRIP! The Musical is the (finally) cultural cross-over of Dickens and The Chosen people. Narcissistic influencer Chava Kanipshin overdoses on pot (Marley reference) and envisions her life through a humanistic lens. Can’t get a full soundtrack here either, but the “Trailer” is fun. The message song “A Light in the Night” has a nice beat, but the schmaltz is too slippery. “The Present is a Gift” is much more clever. I’d see it.
Overspending and spending 7 shitty hours on a bus to my hometown, Girlfriend Material whines altrock about “Xmas Specials.” All this joy sucks. I mean, is that all there is?
Chris McParland has only “Seven Days to Christmas.” Two problems for this ukulele pop serenade: the wife’s list is interminable, and he’s too drunk to shop. Maybe he’ll take her to the pub and buy her drinks….
Happy Accident has got the existential blues, but in the garage pop of “The Days” we take it back to When Christmas evening it took 7 days. Those were the days.
The Chosen Girls (feat. Madisynn) enjoy “Spending Christmas With My Baby” because with Only seven days to Christmas My baby he with me, Spending quality time treating me like a queen. Then there’s six, then five, four, etc. And he’s still a treat. Hypnotic soul.
When you’re WITHOUT that baby, however, you count differently: It’s only seven days ’til Christmas, Six more ’til New Year’s Day; It’s not a good time to feel this way. Hurts sings “All I Want for Christmas is New Year’s Day” with boy band slickness.
“In Time for Christmas” measures the 7 days since he saw you. But Find Me continues the boy band flavor for a second helping of cheesy pop.
More happy slave music from Harry Connick Jr. See “The Happy Elf” says, Seven days a week, Ev’ry week of the month, And ev’ry month of the year, He’s got us making presents; And I’m happy! Big band showtune from ‘Harry for the Holidays’ perpetuates the stereotype of the made-for-labor Santa’s helper.
A lovely personal scene from Blackaby about “Last Year’s Christmas Tree.” Everyone’s there. Caroline’s special Gin, But Terry’s not joining in this year–Dry for seven days. Smooth single malt pop.
Even more personal is Leek Mali’s “Christmas Lockup.” In his 6 by 8 he’s rapping alone. No one else is there. In fact I hit Ms. Lela, she ain’t smoked a jay in seven days. So, not as merry. But only a minute and a half.
The Listies mock ’12 Days’ with their “7 Days of Christmas.” Australian gross kid humor is lost in translation for me. Hope you cope.
The Press help out with actual rocking involving nights. “Seven Nights of Chanukah” starts arguments over which food, games, calendaring, and the actual number of nights are appropriate. It’s a boss happening mystery.
I’m leaving you today “Christmas Morning 1991” gushes Guts Crew Records with ukulele abandon in an attempt to garage band the breakup. Works for me.
Zach Sherwin jew-raps “Pop Music” judging his fatherless musical upbringing and exposure (BLUE ALERT excerpt from Naughty by Nature–which was a Hanukkah 1991 gift). It culminates in a rap battle much later. Regular Disney underdawg that boy.
Christmas may be largely reverent. No exclamations are countenanced at Midnight Mass. But Hanukkah… well, let’s see.
“Hey! It’s Hanukkah!” is the Jewish Wedding Band’s klezmer party anthem that will get you shouting.
“Hey, Little Dreidel” from Brave Combo also whirligig old world music into funzapoppin’ times.
Geeta Brothers hail us in Punjabi with “Hey Hanukkah” as well. Uh oh, that’s not enough.
Well, well, uhh, Pajamarama kid bops “Hey Ho Hey Holiday” for the non-denominational. Uhm, erm….
The surprising funk of the uncredited “Hey Now” from ‘Hanna Barbera’s Christmas Sing-a-long’ HARDLY mentions Mr. Christ’s Big Day. So, we’ll include that.
Let’s end where we knew we would, full-on Xmas mode. “Hey Now (Merry Christmas)” rocks hard and merely repeats the title on occasion. Since the C-word is parenthetical (and since Watch Out for Rockets is so cool) we’ll end this day’s offering thusly.
It’s not a contest, but Hanukkah started using lights first to celebrate late December. Maybe not the most songs about it, though.
Eli Goldstein rocks the pop with “Night of Light.” It’s heavy, regardless of the rap solo, because you know ritual, reverence, history.
More Jewish rap? “Light Your Lights” by T-Chai (feat. Rihanniwitz) relies on a backdrop of Oy-vey-ee-yay-ee-yay. More for the youth group than the elders.
The ’05 cast of ‘Wicked’ gets into the candlecraft with “The Chanukah Song (We are Lights).” A traditional celebration orchestrated for the whole stage. Wotta production.
Hasidic breakdown from 8th Day in their boy band jumper “Miracle of Light.” Huh?
Ari Goldberg leans into the bouncy pop of “Hanukkah Light.” It’s uplifting, which just seems weird for that holiday.
