Ten Songs You Need to Hear: Crimbo Version

I’m on the record here as being deeply averse to most of the standard and stock “Christmas-season” music that’s blared and broadcast across our public spaces here in the United States of Commercia, from just before Hallowe’en-time until about the point when everyone has had the chance to return the gifts they didn’t want for store credit, to be applied to something that they’d actually selfishly prefer, in lieu of something that they were selflessly given. Oh Holy Night, indeed, the stars are brightly influencing, and it is the night of the dear Amazon’s sales!

Snark aside, I always make a Christmas playlist for our home consumption to avoid the usual musical dreck pushed our way at this time of the year. As a very early riser, I thought I’d share ten of this year’s very favorite Christmas songs before anybody else arises hereabouts. (Consider it a double whammy bonus entry of my “Five Songs You Need to Hear” series). I must note that “Christmas Songs” is somewhat loosely defined here, in that these tracks mean and speak something to me at this time of year, even if it’s not obvious as to why that’s the case. Music matters, with deep associations to be felt and experienced, outside of any defined normative rosters of that which we must hear and consume today, because Mammon says.

I’m sincerely thankful to each and every one of you who has read my piffle and tripe here over the past year, and I’m grateful for the little community we’ve built, especially in times where real world community is hard to come by. Here’s wishing you and yours a joyous seasonal celebration today and in the weeks to come, and if any of these ten songs brighten your day(s) just a little bit over that time, then I’ll consider my work here done for the day.

“Joy,” by Apollo 100