The last year I did my annual Christmas Mixtape was 2005. I'm not sure why I fell off for two years but I'm bringing it back for the 2k8.
In the past I would have mostly songs I dug from the year interspersed with a few Christmas songs and the mixtape served as a kind of "songs of the year" collection for me.
This year is the opposite. I put almost all Christmas music on this year's mixtape with just a couple (3) songs that I was feeling this year. I could have done more but what I found was that most of the music I was listening to on repeat this year just didn't fit the holiday mood and made for an akward mixtape (although this one is akward enough).
Download it here: http://www.mediafire.com/sharekey=5de61321bd9d595ad2db6fb9a8902bda
Here's your tracklist for 2008:
1. Silent Night by Meg White
This is a cute and short intro to the mixtape. Basically Meg White singing acapella.
2. This Time of Year by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
The seminal ska band of the 1990s, the Bosstones were a standard in my high school soundtrack. On this track they growl about the holidays over two tone guitar and horns.
3. Bizzare Christmas Incident by Ben Folds Five
I'm probably showing my age with so much music from the 90s on here but hiding the fact that I've entered my thirties is less important than including a christmas song this cool.
4. I Choose You by Outkast featuring UGK
This isn't really Christmas music but I listened to this song a lot this year. Plus I'm getting married in a few months so it has a particular relevance to this season.
5. Christmas Blues by Willie Nelson
Since Willie loves dirty jokes I'll tell a dirty Christmas joke. What do the female reindeer do when Santa takes the males out on Christmas Eve? They go in to town and blow a few bucks.
6. Christmas in Washington by Steve Earle
Like Steve says at the beginning of this track, this song isn't about Christmas or about Washington. In this track Steve praises some unlikely heroes of his like Republican Governor George Ryan of Illinois. And some likely ones like Joan Baez and Abbie Hoffman.
7. Fuck Christmas, I Got the Blues by The Legendary Tiger Man
This might be a downer for those of you looking for merriment and cheer but you have to give this Portugese blues singer a listen because he's a lot of fun and he can lay it down.
8. Christmastime in the Mountains by Palace
I love everything by Will Oldham. This song is no exception and it happens to be about Christmas so its a wonder it hasn't made it on a mixtape before now.
9. Merry Christmas, I Don't Want to Fight by The Ramones
This song has double duty because while it is a Christmas song, The Ramones would definetly make it on to any 2008 retrospective for me. Not because of anything that came out this year, just because for some reason I found myself listening to a lot of Ramones on my headphones this year.
10. You by Atmosphere
When Life Hands You Lemons, Turn That Shit Gold has my vote for best record of 2008. I wore this record out listening to it over and over. It was like my soundtrack for 2008 and this song is the most upbeat and happy song on the album. Imagine how excited I was after this record came out and I heard they would be performing at the SEIU march against the Republican Convention.
11. Oh Come All Ye Faithful by Twisted Sister
Did you know that TS did a Christmas Album? Well they did.
12. Soulful Christmas by James Brown
I know you knew James Brown did a Christmas album. I seem to put a James Brown Christmas track on these mixtapes every year. Many of them are unlistenable but this one is pretty funky.
13. Whatever You Like by T.I.
This was the jam of the year. It has a bit of a Christmas vibe to it, too. I mean it's the season of giving and all of that.
14. If Anybody Asks You by Odetta
I had to put some Odetta on here in tribute and I was pleased to learn that she actually recorded a Christmas album of old holiday spirituals. I downloaded it from Soulseek and this was my favorite track. Rest in peace, sister.
15. New Year's Eve by Matthew Bradley
No need to explain why this track wraps it all up. Matt Bradley is a good friend of mine from back home and he recorded this song back in 2004.
Hope you enjoy this. Download it, put it on repeat, drink some egg nog and have a nice holiday.
xoxo
Dave
