All I Want For Christmas Is Good Music

I'm not a big fan of Christmas at all. I think it's all of the religious and consumerism bull shit that I just don't care for, that and the terrible Christmas themed songs and carols. This Christmas my parents have gone away and I am left all alone, an orphan on Christmas day. There is no Christmas tree and no gifts underneath it, but I don't mind.

Christmas isn't all bad though, not when there's people making wonderful Christmas music (as opposed to your regular cringe-worthy Christmas music that makes you want to stab yourself in the ears with a letter opener and/or any other sharp objects you can quickly find in a close vicinity).

All I Want For Christmas by Yeah Yeah Yeahs (who are one of my favourite bands in the world and are incredible live) is just so beautiful. It's so sweet and lovely and poignant without trying too hard, unlike another Christmas song with a very similar title by a certain Mariah Carey (just kidding, that song's pretty great too). I believe every word coming out of Karen O's mouth, and I feel I can relate too, ha.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - All I Want For Christmas


Of course another favourite artist of mine is Kate Bush, who makes December magic again with December Will Be Magic Again. This woman makes every month magic for me. I feel like I've learnt most of my dance moves from watching her videos on youtube, and seriously, just watch her wriggle and groove around in that sexy red jumpsuit on that silky red chair. I want to join her while sprinkling fake snow all over the place. It's just magic! She's magic! And now December is magic (again)! Magic!

Kate Bush - December Will Be Magic Again


An obvious classic choice of fantastic Christmas songs is Eartha Kitt's brazen 1953 hit Santa Baby. I don't really know what attracts me to this song, but it's obviously attracted a lot of other people too judging by the countless cover versions that have been done. I don't know, maybe it's just that Eartha is seductively convincing Santa Claus into giving her expensive gifts, and well, I don't know, maybe she's willing to do some sexual favours in return? Who knows? It does sound a bit like that to me though.

Eartha Kitt - Santa Baby


The Ramones remind us of what Christmas is supposed to be about with Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight). Joey reminds us that "Christmas ain't the time for breaking each other's heart" and I suppose he's right, but a lot of people seem to forget about that and they just focus on drama (and very often which presents to get for who). This song reminds me of Christmas when I was fourteen years old, but not for any reason other than because I was fully into punk music at that time.

The Ramones - Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight)


These songs are what makes Christmas good again. These are the songs I want to hear by candlelight, or when I'm innocently walking through a shopping centre during the month of December. Not fucking Silent Night or Rudolf The Red Nosed Reindeer, those are not songs that I want invading my ears.

Whatever, happy birthday baby Jesus.

 (These pictures have pretty much nothing to do with music but I just can't not post some Christmas trashiness from Edith Massey and Divine).

Unlike The Story It Was Written To Be

When I first heard Joanna Newsom I think I was attracted to that slightly Kate Bush feel of her music, but after I listened more I put my Kate Bush comparisons away (although I still occasionally hear a hint of that genius woman in Joanna's music) and fully embraced her shrill 'cat getting strangled and drowned at the same time' vocals and her wonderful harp (and quite often piano) music.

 
That description of her voice sounds bad, but I truly don't mean for it to. Come to think of it, sometimes she sounds like a little girl. That is not a bad thing either and I think such a distinctive voice singing such beautiful songs deserves praise. Plus the fact that she started learning piano and harp from the age of four, and harp was her instrument of choice from that age. All of the words coming from her mouth are so enchanting and poetic, so magical. I wish I could string words together half as beautifully as she does, and she does it so effortlessly. The effects are simply mesmerising. The following lyrics are from Sawdust and Diamonds...

Though my wrists and my waist seemed so easy to break,
Still, my dear, I would have walked you to the very edge of the water,
And they will recognise all the lines of your face,
In the face of the daughter of the daughter of my daughter.

Joanna Newsom is going to be here in Australia next year for Golden Plains Festival and I'm hoping she does a side show and I'm hoping I have enough money to go to the side show. I haven't been into her music for very long but I think it would be pretty great to hear her and see her right in front of me, plucking away marvelously at her harp and singing at the very top of her spectacular voice.

Oh, and her most recent album cover for Have One On Me is pretty fantastic.

Joanna Newsom - Peach, Plum, Pear