THURSDAY MORNING MIX
December 24, 2009
Scott Foley (and friends)

My 3 children joined me in the studio for a Christmas Eve Episode of TMM. Like last year, I requested that they bring one favorite holiday song of their choosing to play on air. Madeleine contributed the Bing-n-Bowie tune, while Gabe requested the Bela Fleck-ed "Linus and Lucy." Logan threw in a new Three Doors Down song, which prompted at least one caller to remark at his taste in music, asking why I didn't play more music like that ...

My life is peopled by folks who tend to dislike Christmas music. In general, we music snobs tend to poo-poo it as frivolous, apocryphal. Sure, there's a ton of really bad holiday stuff. One of my favorite bands, Marah, recorded a couple years back an almost unlistenable pile of goo. Still, some of my seasonal favorites aren't just good Christmas tunes, they're truly great music. Kirsty MacColl and the Pogues still slay me with "Fairytale of New York," (made all the more poignant by the fact that MacColl passed away so prematurely, and that Shane MacGowan is remarkably still among us). "I Believe In Father Christmas" by Emerson Lake and Palmer speaks volumes ("Hallelujah noel / Be it Heaven or Hell / the Christmas we get / We deserve").

Over the Rhine “White Horse” from Snow Angels (2007) on Great Speckled Dog

Bill Kelly “Here Comes Christmas” from (internet single) (2008) on self

Bob Dylan “Christmas Island” from Christmas In The Heart (2009) on Columbia Records

Steve Earle & Allison Moorer “Nothing But a Child” from To Kate: a Benefit (2005) on Western Beat

Christmas Jug Band “Oh St Nick” from On the Holiday Highway (2009) on Globe

Bela Fleck & the Flecktones “Linus & Lucy” from Jingle All the Way (2008) on Warner Brothers

Rosie Thomas “Why Can't It Be Christmas All Year” from Why Can't It Be Christmas All Year (2008) on self

Hayes Carll “Grateful For Xmas” from Grateful For Xmas (2008) on self

Los Straitjackets “Jingle Bells” from Yuletide Beat (2009) on Yep Roc

Ray Charles “Spirit Of Christmas” from Spirit Of Christmas (1985) on Rhino

The Reverend Horton Heat “Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy” from We Three Kings (2005) on Yep Roc

Three Doors Down “Where My Christmas Is” from Where My Christmas Is (2009) on Universal

Charlie Daniels “O Come All Ye Faithful” from Joy To the World (2009) on Koch

Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison “Oklahoma Christmas” from Happy Holidays (2006) on Ryko

Audrey Auld Mezera “Santa Spend Christmas With Me” from Reckless Records Garage Sale (2002) on Reckless

The Be Good Tanyas “Rudy” from Winter's Night (2004) on Nettwerk

Merle Haggard “Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town” from If We Make It Through December (1974) on Capitol

John Evans “Christmas In Texas” from Lollygaggin' (2009) on Smith

Mary Chapin Carpenter “Hot Buttered Rum” from Come Darkness, Come Light (2008) on Zoe

Bing Crosby “Peace On Earth / Little Drummer Boy” from Peace On Earth / Little Drummer Boy (1977) on RCA

Jerry Douglas “Beautiful Star of Bethlehem” from Jerry Christmas (2009) on Koch

Emmylou Harris “Angel Eyes” from Light Of the Stable (1992) on Rhino

Gretchen Peters “Song For a Winter's Night” from Northern Lights (2008) on Scarlet Letter

Mike Farris “Little Drummer Boy” from Little Drummer Boy (2009) on self