eventseekr Shuffle: The Holiday Shuffle
Music at any given moment and at any given time can strike a very magnetic hold on people, magic even. Moreover, if Will Farrell in Elf has taught me anything, it’s that the best way to spread Christmas, and holiday cheer in general, is to sing loud for all to hear. We are just past mid-December, with Chanukah beginning tonight, and Kwanzaa and Christmas less than a week away. So if you’ve just been too wrapped up in work, school or what-have-you, and haven’t yet gotten yourself into the holiday spirit, let this special holiday edition of the eventseekr shuffle set you right.
Brian Thomas of the eventseekr team doing a little decorating and getting into the Christmas spirit.
Whether old or new, there is an abundance of bands, artists and crooners who have some sort of catalog of holiday songs, so for me, compiling this little mix is something akin to being a kid in a candy store. Included are classic versions of songs by Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Otis Redding, Ella Fitzgerald, Andy Williams, Dean Martin, and of course, Bing Crosby. No holiday mix like this is anywhere near complete without a little Bing Crosby. In addition to these old school crooners and music legends, you’ll find some modern holiday classics and cuts by some of today’s contemporary musicians.
The first track out of the gate absolutely had to be Run-DMC‘s “Christmas in Hollis.” To steal a line from Die-Hard, “this is Christmas music!” Mariah Carey‘s “All I Want For Christmas” just couldn’t be left off, and neither could Zooey Deschanel (of She & Him) & Leon Redbone‘s duet of “Baby it’s Cold Outside” from the Elf soundtrack. Much like many holiday songs, Wham‘s “Last Christmas” has been covered many times over, but I think my favorite may be by Jimmy Eat World.
You can’t have a mix like this without Adam Sandler’s “Chanukah Song,” and thrown in for good measure is a nice uptempo-house remix of Sinatra singing “Mistletoe and Holly” done by Kaskade. To finish it all out is “Merry Christmas Baby” by Redding. It’s smooth. So smooth.
Then there’s something not on the actual grooveshark player, but still absolutely essential: John Lennon’s “Happy Christmas (War is Over).” Spread this little playlist around with your own additions or subtractions, and share the holiday spirit!
TRACKLIST
1. Run-DMC- “Christmas in Hollis”
2. Zooey Deschanel & Leon Redbone- “Baby, It’s Cold Outside”
3. Bing Crosby- “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”
4. Adam Sandler- “Chanukah Song”
5. Jimmy Eat World- “Last Christmas”
6. Frank Sinatra- “Mistletoe & Holly” (Kaskade remix)
7. Mariah Carey- “All I Want For Christmas is You”
8. Ella Fitzgerald and the Frank DeVol Orchestra- “Sleigh Ride”
9. Elvis Presley- “Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane)”
10. Andy Williams- “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”
11. Bing Crosby- “Let It Snow! Let It Snow!”
12. Dean Martin- “”White Christmas”
13. Frank Sinatra- “Little Drummer Boy”
14. Otis Redding- “Merry Christmas Baby”
Previous eventseekr Shuffles
The Golden Age of the Prog Rock “Epic”
The Best Forgotten Songs of the ’90s
Punch It or Hug It? A Playlist of Lovely Assault
Tags: bing crosby, christmas music, eventseekr shuffle, holidays
Tue, Dec 20, 2011 By Joey Pangilinan
Music, Seasonal