Debris
«chaque notaire porte en soi les débris d’un poète.»Archive for holidays
Classical Glass!
If anyone wanted to get me a really special present (Hanukkah is just around the corner), they wouldn’t go wrong with one of these. The 7-foot 3-weight model would be perfect for Blue Ridge & Smoky Mountain trout streams.
Eartha Kitt
How sad, but somehow apt, that Eartha Kitt, whose many gifts to the world included one of the few Christmas songs I truly love, should die on Christmas.
This is a song about America
Michael Hall — America
Wilco — Ashes of American Flags
Pogues — Body of an American
The Clash — I’m So Bored With the U.S.A.
Graham Parker — I Discovered America
Elliott Smith — Independence Day
Joe Patek’s Orchestra — Krasna Amerika
Phil Ochs — The Power & The Glory
MC5 — American Ruse
Bruce Springsteen — 4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)
Elvis Costello — American Without Tears
Woody Guthrie — This Land is Your Land
Neko Case — Thrice All American
Billy Bragg — Help Save the Youth of America
With mistletoe and candle green
As a stalwart Christmas resister, I would normally be gearing up about now to write my annual “bah-humbug” post. Yet, somehow, I don’t feel motivated. It’s not that my conscientious objection has waned; it’s just that this year I haven’t encountered as much relentless obligatory Christmas cheer as in the past. I haven’t been getting out much, and have particularly been avoiding stores of all kinds, so I’ve not been exposed to the seasonal soundtrack of annoying cloying holiday music. Two weeks from now I’ll probably be ready to snap at the mere mention of the word “merry”. But, while I’m still in the mood, here are some Christmas-themed songs (plus one story) I actually enjoy. There are more than I’d have guessed, and only some are sardonic (though they are distinctly non-merry).
All I Want for Christmas is a Dukla Prague Away Kit — Half Man Half Biscuit
At the Christmas Ball — Bessie Smith
Blue Christmas — Bright Eyes
Blue Christmas Lights — Buck Owens
Child’s Christmas in Wales — John Cale
Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis — Tom Waits
Christmas in Jail — The Youngsters
Christmas in Jail (Ain’t That a Pain) — Leroy Carr
Christmas in Prison — John Prine
Christmas Morning — Lyle Lovett
Fairytale of New York — The Pogues
I Want an Alien for Christmas — Fountains of Wayne
It’s Christmas Time — Mojo Nixon
Merry Christmas (I Don’t Wanna Fight) — The Ramones
Merry Christmas From the Family
Put the Loot in the Boot, Santa — Mae West
Santa Claus Blues — Champion Jack Dupree
Santa Claus, Go Straight to the Ghetto — James Brown
This Holiday Season — Porn Orchard
White Christmas — Stiff Little Fingers
Video Bonus (not a song, but a heartwarming story):
