Wrapping presents in the dark.

[urgencytobleed]

It's still a month until Christmas but seeing as it is already completely white and miserably cold outside, this seems to be the perfect time to bust out the Christmas tunes anyway! Now, I don't know about you, but most Christmas music annoys me, so aside from a few traditional songs (though performed fantastically, of course) I've tried to mostly include ones that can be easily enjoyed all year 'round. Some are explicitly about Christmas while others are more vaguely winter-y or contain a fleeting mention of Christmas but are just so awesome that it's enough to count. Hopefully, this mix will bring you more enjoyment over the holidays than whatever crappy radio station playing those generic cheesy Christmas songs. As always, below the cut, you can find the tracklisting with links to each individual song or download the entire thing in a ZIP file.

• Rilo Kiley - Xmas Cake

When I take off my make-up, I look old and defeated; I'm not so dangerous. Cry into my Christmas cake, staring holes into me all night. You should just give up 'cause our love's become selling secrets to the Russians they don't need - the cold war is on between you and me.

• St. Vincent - Jesus Saves, I Spend

While Jesus is saving, I'm spending all my days in backgrounds and landscapes with the languages of saints. While people are spinning like toys on Christmas day, I'm inside a still life with the other absentee.

• Eisley - The Winter Song

Walking home, with the snow, it is falling down. Passing by lit windows, the people inside, they wave from the glow. Chimney smoke billowing, snowflakes on my eyelashes. Oh, starry night, I was walking and singing this song.

• Dar Williams - The Christians and the Pagans

The food was great, the tree plugged in, the meal had gone without a hitch 'til Timmy turned to Amber and said, "Is it true that you're a witch?" His mom jumped up and said, "The pies are burning," and she hit the kitchen and it was Jane who spoke: she said, "It's true, your cousin's not a Christian, but we love trees, we love the snow, the friends we have, the world we share, and you find magic from your God, and we find magic everywhere."

• The Elected - Fireflies in a Steel Mill

The landlord's at the door, saying, "Your check's signed in disappearing ink." Your gold has broken all my teeth and this past Christmas, the air was too dry, it set fire to the wreath, but we were warm and dry beneath.

• Fiona Apple - Frosty the Snowman

Frosty the Snowman was a jolly happy soul, with a corncob pipe and a button nose and two eyes made out of coal. Oh, Frosty the Snowman is a fairytale, they say; he was made of snow, but the children know how he came to life one day.

• Ingrid Michaelson - December Baby

The colored lights, they brightly shine, unlike your eyes, avoiding mine. The snow is folding, sheet upon sheet, our hands not holding as we cross the street. You have had your fill, your fill of me.

• Rasputina - The New Zero

He's agreed to take me to the ice hotel from the magazine. What we will need is a gleaming key, made of ice as well, by the finest ice machine... I really don't care, neither does he, if this hotel melts into the sea. Polished and so rare, this way that we see. The coldness helps - it's our favorite remedy.

• Pretty Balanced - The Christmas Song

I count the seconds 'til department stores glitter. Friendly snowmen, oh, my heart's all a-twitter. Scarves and mittens, shoot this season like coke. Addictive Christmas, can't you give me a toke? There's sugar toddies, melt your troubles away. Fuck August sunsets, fuck September and May.

• Bright Eyes - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

In Bethlehem, in Israel, this blessed Babe was born and laid within a manger upon this blessed morn, the which His Mother Mary did nothing take in scorn. O tidings of comfort and joy, comfort and joy. O tidings of comfort and joy.

• Eux Autres - Another Christmas at Home

Touch down in fields of freshly powdered snow, the streets are bathed in the anemic glow of plastic snowmen. No, man, we're not tuckered out; we'll meet you anyway, where the champagne's on tap, another Christmas at home.

• Arrah and the Ferns - Bundle Up

Wrap that big old scarf around your pretty little neck. Put on your boots and don't forget, watch out for that ice hiding in the cracks of pavement. Hey, baby, bundle up tight! 'Tis the season to catch a cold and die.

• Over the Rhine - Here It Is

I cried when I wrote this; I’ll always remember the worst kind of lonely is alone in December. The act of forgiveness is always a mystery, the melting of ice and the future of history.

• Kate Bush - December Will Be Magic Again

Ooh, dropping down in my parachute; the white city, she is so beautiful, upon the black-soot icicled roofs, ooh, and see how I fall. See how I fall like the snow.

• Sarah Slean - What Child is This

What Child is this who, laid to rest on Mary's lap is sleeping? Whom angels greet with anthems sweet, while shepherds watch are keeping? This, this is Christ the King, whom shepherds guard and angels sing. Haste, haste, to bring Him laud, the Babe, the Son of Mary.

• The Bird and the Bee - Carol of the Bells

Hark! how the bells, sweet silver bells, all seem to say, "Throw cares away." Christmas is here, bringing good cheer to young and old, meek and the bold.

• The Weepies - All That I Want

When the cold wind's blowing snow drifts through the pine trees, in houses lights are glowing, likewise in your eyes that find me here with all that I want. Out in the harbor, the ships come in - it's Christmastime.

• Leona Naess - Christmas

Words are falling from your lips, like Christmas to my hips. So dangerous, the strangest feeling of being. I want willow trees and melodies and flowers counting hours 'til he's breathing, leaving the rest behind.

• Tori Amos - Purple People (Christmas in Space)

I watch me be this other thing and never know if I'm marooned or where the purple people go. Then lily white matricide from vicious words - it doesn't leave a scratch, so therefore, no one's hurt. Thunder wishes it could be the snow, wishes it could be as loved as she can be. These gifts are here for her, for you, for me.

• S - Another X-Mas Without You

Maybe it's the rain, maybe it's not sad, it's all upside down, it's all turned around, it's all inside out, and I'm going down but of course I'll be there, watching you want them, wanting to tell them, tell them you're nothing.

• Stars - Fairytale of New York

You're a bum, you're a punk. "You're an old slut on junk, lying there almost dead on a drip in that bed." You scumbag, you maggot, you cheap lousy faggot, happy Christmas your ass - I pray God it's our last.

Download entire mix (72 MB)

Comments

Thanks

[(Anonymous)]

This is a great mix! Lovely selections...the zip file link is not working though. :) Thanks again...betty
www.bunchofbettys.blogspot.com

Re: Thanks

[urgencytobleed.livejournal.com]

The link works (for me anyway); you just have to change the hxxp to http. Oh, and I've been to your blog before and it's awesome. Thanks for the comment! :)

[uk-nostalgia.livejournal.com]

I really, really love the music you post! I listen to primarily girl music too and love your mixes.

[urgencytobleed.livejournal.com]

Thank you! :) And, yes, I have a serious obsession with female vocals. Even when I try to be more varied, I usually fail, haha.