(no subject)

[dewinged]

Okay, I like this time of year. Because when you get closer to December 25th, people tend to be nicer to each other all over. Most of the time. But I see it; they're just a bit more considerate of others. Of course, the trick is to get them to be like that all year 'round. We're gonna need more work.

Anyways, one of my favorite things about this year is the music. I have a distinct weakness for Christmas music. Mostly the newer stuff. And one of the locak soft music radio stations has gone all X-mas already, but they play mostly stuff that was done before 1960. Like, the same five songs every two hours.

One of the ones I heard today, even if I know it was getting airplay last year, was Baby It's Cold OUtside. This time by Rod Stewart and Dolly Parton. Not the weirdest duet I've ever heard of, though I'm usually very antipathetic towards Stewart. Parton always had a nice voice. You ever hear her version of Collective Soul's Shine? Trippy bluegrass stuff.

But let's get back to Baby It's Cold OUtside for a sec. See, the 'plot' of the song is basic. It's cold outside, and the lady wants to go home, and the guy whose home she is visiting wishes for her to stay. And she stays at the end. It's pretty basic. But there's one exchange in this...

Dolly: Oh, the neighbors might think...
Rod: But baby, it's bad out there
Dolly: Say...what's in this drink?
Rod: No cabs to be had out there..

Wait. A. Frelling. Second. Did she just say What's in this drink?

Uh. Um. Okay, then. Apparently, nothing embodies the Christmas spirit and the feeling of togetherness than The Christmas Roofie Song. Perhaps they'll follow it up with more Christmas Classics like 'Spike the Halls,' 'Feliz Spanish Fly,' and 'Jolly Old St. Mickey.' Or perhaps they'll skip the skullduggery and just go straight for the hard stuff.

But. BUT, the song is still Miles ahead of 'The Christmas Shoes.' Man, that song is a guilt trip wrapped in tinny Christmas background music. It even outdoes 'Do They Know It's Christmas' for mood-spiking. Sheesh.

As for other Christmas music? One simple rule: When it comes to Christmas Eve Sarajevo 12/24 there is no, absosmurfly NO, volume setting for this that can be 'too loud.' If your speakers aren't bleeding tinsel and kickass while it's playing, you're not playing it loud enough.

Comments

[orikes13.livejournal.com]

Heh. I think you're overanalyzing the song. :) I always took that line to refer to the strength of the alochol and nothing else. It's a really old song too. Like 1950's old. There's a musical with Esther Williams and Ricardo Montelban singing it together that I remember seeing it in(except it wasn't really being treated as a Christmas song and they were in Florida, so it was kinda silly, but... well.. I'll stop talking now).

I'm with you on loving Christmas music, though. It's some of my favorite stuff.

[tnp.livejournal.com]

Download this: http://download.yousendit.com/779275C929FC8BED

It's the best version of Bay It's Cold Outside that I know of. It's a duet between Ray Charles and Betty Carter.

[ironhand.livejournal.com]

Trans Siberian Orchestra is awesome, period. I wish to hell I'd picked up the CD of all their Christmas tunes when it was easily available. I'm sure if I look hard enough I could find it in a store - or, gasp, eBay.

[lightbearer.livejournal.com]

TSO's Christmas CDs (including Christmas Trilogy, last time I checked) are all readily available pretty much any mainstream place you can find music, especially this time of year. Not that I listen to them too much or anything. :)

[ironhand.livejournal.com]

Oh, also, I've been playing that link in the background on repeat for a while now. It's been too long...

[lightbearer.livejournal.com]

Yay, Christmas music! And yeah, I think it's supposed to be a remark on how much alcohol is in the drink, but ... yeah, it's a bit creepy anyway. I happily ignore that line. And Stewart's rough, generally half-drunken voice.

I've had Christmas music in the car since the week of Thanksgiving. TSO, Sarah McLachlan, Jane Monheit, Reverend Horton Heat, with Mannheim Steamroller (earlier stuff) and the Atlanta Symphony & Chorus in repertory. One of these things is not like the others, but the rockabilly approach is honestly a lot of great fun.

And yay, Dolly & "Shine". Little Sparrow is still one of my favorite albums, but I have a weakness for good bluegrass. Thanks for spreading that particular catchy addiction. :)

[bentarc.livejournal.com]

It's not even really a christmas song, more of a seasonal thing. I have a rendition sung by Louis Armstrong and a woman I can't place... if it's sung right, the female singer's hardly pure as the driven snow, if you know what I mean. The gist of the song is more "Talk me into it, daddy!"