2010's Sounds of the Season

Every year, as detailed last year, I put together a mix of holiday songs by rock bands. Let's face it, most holiday music lacks. If I'm going to have some holiday music in my home, I want it to be music I would invite in and offer a drink. But any scan of the usual holiday selections doesn't fit the bill.

As a household that heartily celebrates Chrismukkah, I always try to mix it up. Christmas songs are easy to find. I try to supplement that with some general winter songs (not hard) and some Hanukkah songs. That is becoming a challenge.

First of all, the idea here is to find bands people have heard of for the mix. There are plenty of Hanukkah rock songs, but many are by bands who no one knows. Also, and I'm allowed to say this because I'm Jewish... one would think with all the Levines and Schwartzs running around record label offices, we might have a decent new Hanukkah song every now and then. One would be wrong.

But I digress...

Anyhow, after trolling iTunes and other venues, here are this year's selections:

1) Weezer - We Wish You a Merry Christmas
2) Jet - Back Door Santa
3) The Killers - Happy Birthday Guadalupe
4) Huffamoose - Hanukkah and Christmas Hand in Hand
5) U2 - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
6) Sarah McLachlan - Happy Xmas (War is Over)
7) Pete Yorn - Do They Know It's Christmas
8) Collective Soul - Blue Christmas
9) Julian Casablancas - I Wish It Was Christmas Today
10) Band of Horses - The First Song
11) Jack Johnson - Someday at Christmas
12) R.E.M. - Merry Xmas Everybody
13) Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Christmas All Over Again
14) Belle and Sebastian - O Come, O Come Emmanuel
15) Tori Amos - Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
16) Billy Mack (aka Bill Nighy) - Christmas is All Around

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