Faith and Common Ground: A Non-Traditional Christmas Mix
I promised Sar that I would post my holiday music mix, although in my brain I'd been holding out because - I'm going to be there! Right in her house! VERY SOON. And in my brain this equals, 'I will bring the mix to them!' Except, duh, I will be there post-Christmas, although Sar promises we can extend the holiday shenanigans through New Year's.
Now, this is an incredibly non-traditional Christmas mix, despite including some deeply earnest (and very, very good) covers of traditional, ultra-religious music. This is a mix for a mixed-faith family (or group of friends!) who don't mind covers, mash-ups, politics in their religion, religion in their politics, and instrumental music. This is all music that I love, as always, and this is music that everyone I've ever played it for has loved. Last year my brother's SO asked me to burn her a copy so that she could play it at her mixed-faith family's Christmas get-together.
The mix is about an hour long, and exactly the right amount of time to start playing before you open presents. It cycles through various combinations of upbeat, traditional, serious, nontraditional, and mellow. It ends with mellow instrumentals.
Those of you who work in retail may want to take a pass on this, because no matter how great this music is it will probably still make you want to club yourself over the head. If you do download, though, I'd love to hear what you think about it. (And, of course, support the artists!)
Faith and Common Ground: A Holiday Mix
(64MB, zip)
DJ BC - You Shook Me All Noel
"Can't anybody tell me what Christmas is all about?"
The Dandy Warhols - Little Drummer Boy
I am a poor boy too,
I have no gift to bring
That's fit to give our King
Shall I play for you
On my drum
Barenaked Ladies - I Saw Three Ships
I saw three ships come sailing in
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;
I saw three ships come sailing in
On Christmas Day in the morning
Chris Hatfield - Born Again Pagan
It started as a Pagan holiday
Every winter they would celebrate away
To commemorate the lengthening of the days
And for several centuries it was okay
Dar Williams - The Christians and the Pagans
So the Christians and the Pagans sat together at the table
Finding faith and common ground the best that they were able
And just before the meal was served, hands were held and prayers were said
Sending hope for peace on earth to all their gods and goddesses
Ron Sexsmith - Maybe This Christmas
Maybe this Christmas will mean something more
Maybe this year love will appear
Deeper than ever before
And maybe forgiveness will ask us to call
Someone we love
Someone we’ve lost
For reasons we can’t quite recall
Sufjan Stevens - Joy to the World
Joy to the world, the Lord is come
Let Earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing
Zach Curd - Deck the Halls
Deck the halls with boughs of holly
Fa la la la la, la la la la
Tis the season to be jolly
Fa la la la la, la la la la
John Lennon - Happy X-Mas (War is Over)
And so this is Christmas (War is over)
For weak and for strong (If you want it)
For rich and the poor ones (War is over)
The road is so long (Now)
The Bird and the Bee - Carol of the Bells
Hark, how the bells
Sweet silver bells
All seem to say
Throw cares away
Daphne Loves Derby - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Let your heart be light
From now on, our troubles will be out of sight
Alec Jensen - Silent Night
(Instrumental)
Jeff Buckley - Amazing Grace
(Instrumental)
Chris Bathgate - Auld Land Syne
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And never brought to mind
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And days o' auld lang syne
Tori Amos - Little Drummer Boy
I am a poor boy too
I have no gift to bring
That's fit to give our King
Shall I play for you
On my drum
ProvoHowl - A Song From Last Year
(Instrumental)
Jeremy Vallender - Christmas on Twelve Worlds
(Instrumental)
Now, this is an incredibly non-traditional Christmas mix, despite including some deeply earnest (and very, very good) covers of traditional, ultra-religious music. This is a mix for a mixed-faith family (or group of friends!) who don't mind covers, mash-ups, politics in their religion, religion in their politics, and instrumental music. This is all music that I love, as always, and this is music that everyone I've ever played it for has loved. Last year my brother's SO asked me to burn her a copy so that she could play it at her mixed-faith family's Christmas get-together.
The mix is about an hour long, and exactly the right amount of time to start playing before you open presents. It cycles through various combinations of upbeat, traditional, serious, nontraditional, and mellow. It ends with mellow instrumentals.
Those of you who work in retail may want to take a pass on this, because no matter how great this music is it will probably still make you want to club yourself over the head. If you do download, though, I'd love to hear what you think about it. (And, of course, support the artists!)
Faith and Common Ground: A Holiday Mix
(64MB, zip)
DJ BC - You Shook Me All Noel
"Can't anybody tell me what Christmas is all about?"
The Dandy Warhols - Little Drummer Boy
I am a poor boy too,
I have no gift to bring
That's fit to give our King
Shall I play for you
On my drum
Barenaked Ladies - I Saw Three Ships
I saw three ships come sailing in
On Christmas Day, on Christmas Day;
I saw three ships come sailing in
On Christmas Day in the morning
Chris Hatfield - Born Again Pagan
It started as a Pagan holiday
Every winter they would celebrate away
To commemorate the lengthening of the days
And for several centuries it was okay
Dar Williams - The Christians and the Pagans
So the Christians and the Pagans sat together at the table
Finding faith and common ground the best that they were able
And just before the meal was served, hands were held and prayers were said
Sending hope for peace on earth to all their gods and goddesses
Ron Sexsmith - Maybe This Christmas
Maybe this Christmas will mean something more
Maybe this year love will appear
Deeper than ever before
And maybe forgiveness will ask us to call
Someone we love
Someone we’ve lost
For reasons we can’t quite recall
Sufjan Stevens - Joy to the World
Joy to the world, the Lord is come
Let Earth receive her King
Let every heart prepare Him room
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing
Zach Curd - Deck the Halls
Deck the halls with boughs of holly
Fa la la la la, la la la la
Tis the season to be jolly
Fa la la la la, la la la la
John Lennon - Happy X-Mas (War is Over)
And so this is Christmas (War is over)
For weak and for strong (If you want it)
For rich and the poor ones (War is over)
The road is so long (Now)
The Bird and the Bee - Carol of the Bells
Hark, how the bells
Sweet silver bells
All seem to say
Throw cares away
Daphne Loves Derby - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
Have yourself a merry little Christmas
Let your heart be light
From now on, our troubles will be out of sight
Alec Jensen - Silent Night
(Instrumental)
Jeff Buckley - Amazing Grace
(Instrumental)
Chris Bathgate - Auld Land Syne
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And never brought to mind
Should auld acquaintance be forgot
And days o' auld lang syne
Tori Amos - Little Drummer Boy
I am a poor boy too
I have no gift to bring
That's fit to give our King
Shall I play for you
On my drum
ProvoHowl - A Song From Last Year
(Instrumental)
Jeremy Vallender - Christmas on Twelve Worlds
(Instrumental)