For our money, "The Little Drummer Boy" is the worst Christmas song ever written. If we never hear it again it's still going to take decades to get that 'pa rum pum pum pum' thing out of our head. And, let's face it, you can grow tired even of favorite carols. Here's our 12 days of Christmas iTunes alt-playlist:
1) "This Christmas" by Patti Austin (Austin's voice is the warmest bath around)
2) "Christmas Reindeer" by The Knife (creepily subversive)
3) "My First X-mas (As a Woman)" by the Vandals (punk rockers weigh in with a new perspective)
4) "Get Behind Me Santa" by Sufjan Stevens (the indie wonder both mocks and celebrates)
5) "Christmas Wrapping by The Waitresses" (an infectious rap with a happy ending, thanks to cranberries)
6) "Sleigh Ride" by Los Straitjackets (surf-rock instrumental version)
7) "Last Christmas" by Jimmy Eat World (emo rock put to good use)
8) "Hard Candy Christmas" by Leigh Nash (Where Broadway/country/and Sixpence None the Richer meet)
9) "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" by Etta James (because it's Etta James)
10) "Christmas Day" by Joy Zipper (fuzzy '60s pop, freshly minted)
11) "Merry Christmas, I Love You" by James Brown (You, too, James Brown)
12) "Bugler's Holiday" (Irresistible retro swirly violins and poppy trumpets)
written on Saturday Dec 23, 2006
tannenbaum,
James Brown,
playlist.
