EX-Mas, not dealing with it

That inbetween space ‘twixt light and dark contains the brokenhearted. During dark times (solstice, frinstance) the mopey becomes the dweller in the cellar for as long as–say a song.

Bobby Vee’s 1962 swingin’, swayin’ “A Not So Very Merry Christmas” blues-rocks the woes melodically with long-drawn out chorus notes. Can you dig it?

Luther Vandross makes an annual fool of himself with the R+B complaint “Every Year, Every Christmas.” He won’t give you up, no matter he can’t find you. You had to be there.

Mariah Carey is all over the octave plaintively crying out “Miss You Most (At Christmas Time)“! Pop ear burster.

Taylor Swift shows the talent you’d expect with “Christmasses When You were Mine,” a gentle trembling country piece of poetry about living in the past.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBFByXDggaE

EX-Mas, messed up BLUE ALERT

Up. Down. Over it. Hating it. What was I saying? The breakup? You? Xmas?

“The Worst Christmas Song Ever” features Johnny Polygon’s mantra to deal with the heartlessness you done him. Those words are a BLUE ALERT, but they don’t work anyway.

EX-Mas, wallowing

It’s over. You’re alone. Christmas day. Look around. Whaddya got? SELF-PITY!!

Banging on the toy piano Mind’s Eye circles the drain with “This Christmas Sucks,” but it’s worth the wailing guitar solo. Angry over lost love!

Steve Lukather & Friends hammer rock into the blues with “Broken Heart for Christmas.” Is that a happy ending after all, or are you so deluded with sorrow you imagined it?

EX-Mas, down the road

Okay, he/she didn’t really leave, just physically unavailable at the moment that counts. So there’s songs for that separateness.

Hadn’t, couldn’t, don’t–Katharine McPhee is having contractions without you. “It’s Not Christmas Without You” is a pop diva directed diatribe of non-situations, soaring yet wallowing. The official video shows him just down the road until the surprise happy ending.

Lena Anderssen is going through the Christmas motions but “It ain’t Christmas ’til You’re Home.” Miss you, miss you is the issue with this twinkling soft pop.

The Lonely Hearts Elvis swing the blues with “Christmas Without You.” Breathy, probably because they’re phone-sexing.

EX-Mas, refusal

Given the options, I simply will not entertain the holidays without you by my side. Can’t. Won’t. Not a possibility.

There won’t be a “Christmas Without You” croons Xscape with a spoonful of soul. Miss you so much, the calendar just stopped.

*NSync spell it out with interwoven boy band harmonies in “I Don’t Wanna Spend One More Christmas Without You.” Now you know. (The Ready Set punk this one up just a smidge. You might not have known that if i hadn’t warned ya.)

EX-Mas, eternally

At the bottom of the well you can see stars… That is to say, the heartache of heartbreak compounded by the universal union of Christ + candy canes causes a song or two to think the world is over, all over, not just at home.

It was s’posed to be ever-after, but Jay Brannan is in a doom spiral with “Christmas Really Sucks.” I’ve played this before, but, well, really listen this time to this beatup poet’s machinations.

Sylver gets cosmic with “Lonely X-mas,” slithering pop poetry that pairs flirty vulnerability with pouty passion. Coo.

EX-Mas, empty home

It’s not just me, it’s the whole household you’ve abandoned! On Christmas! Only Virgin Mary would do that! (Well her parents, but you see whaddeye mean…).

The Growlers extend loneliness to the whole household with “Lonely This Christmas,” a swingin’ Elvis-stylin’ (karate chop!) bluesy rock crowd pleaser. Alan Williams fronts the Rubettes with this as well. Perhaps a dollop more pathos. K.T. Tunstall also warbles through this. More quietly = more endearingly.

The kids! What bout the li’l ones?! George Jones AND Tammy Wynette separately belabor the ordeal with “Lonely Christmas Call,” corning the pone slowly. So, who left whom? Let’s clear the Ol’ Opry stage, however, for offspring Georgette Jones and her lugubrious own offering.