My First Mixtape: Christmas

Hi, I’m the new guy. Since I’m doing my first mixtape I feel an introduction is in order. I’m a 13-year veteran of radio having worked at an award-winning college radio station and two commercial alternative stations, one in Phoenix and another here in Salt Lake City. I have my own blog at grantruby.com that you may want to check out (had to do a little self-promotion there). I have what I consider fairly eclectic tastes, though I tend to eschew mainstream music in favor of more independent artists, but there is a lot of great music that moves units, too.

I was never much of a mixtaper when I was younger. Sure, I made mixtapes from my own music collection, or taping songs off the radio and making tapes for myself, but I wasn’t consumed by making tapes. I was more interested in just finding more music and learning every nuance of the music I loved. I’ve made mixtapes for myself, for girls, and for best friends just to introduce them to great music. And now I’m going to do that for you.

Because there seem to be so many end of the year lists on so many blogs, and even here, I decided to be seasonal with my first mix. I submit for you some of my favorite Christmas songs. These are all songs that mean something to me by artists that likely mean something to you. They aren’t presented in a countdown; this is how I sequenced them for myself to get a good flow. I think you’ll enjoy it.

1. Super Deluxe “All I Wanted Was a Skateboard” – Having grown up in the greater Seattle area, this was an important band local band in the mid-90s. As grunge began to fade there were many bands building on that foundation and adding melody to a scene that sorely lacked it in some corners. This was one such band. When they released Electric Holiday in 1995 this song was an instant hit in Seattle. It is a staple of my Christmas season. So many times growing up I received a gift I didn’t want, or simply didn’t get that one thing that I really did want. This song speaks to those Yule time disappointments with such accuracy it is as if the band was writing about me. Alas, I had my skateboard, I got it for a birthday, but there were so many things I didn’t get that my tween and teen heart was so set on having that there was no way Santa could possibly not deliver. “All I got was this stupid sweater” is perhaps the best Christmas line ever. And it’s in a song you probably have never heard.

2. The Pretenders “2000 Miles” – I was only six years old when this song was released in 1984, and didn’t become familiar with it until I was out of high school, but it is so well written and full of such sorrow that, if not for the references to snow, the song could play in the other eleven months just as well as it does in December. This is a nice melancholy, fireside kind of song, and one to play when with that special someone and cuddling up on a cold winter eve.

3. Jimmy Eat World “Last Christmas” – This is a cover of Wham!’s popular 1984 Christmas single. The original is a decidedly dark Christmas song of loss and heartbreak, but the J.E.W. version is surprisingly up beat for the lyrical content. The contrast is two-fold: The intentionally melancholy vocals of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley highlight the loss in the song while the music of Jimmy Eat World is a much more up-tempo attempt at the song that was performed in a lower key by the original group. Also, I just like Jim Atkins voice a lot better than Michael’s and Ridgeley’s.

4. The Smashing Pumpkins “Christmastime” – This song saw its original release on the A Very Special Christmas 3 compilation in 1997 and has been a December staple on Modern Rock radio ever since. Also released on the Pumpkins jaw-dropping B-Sides and Rarities collection, the song continues to find life every year between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This is the most Christmas-sounding song in this mix with the bells, strings and other accouterments, and harkens back to a day when Billy Corgan had hair and we all knew the other members of the Smashing Pumpkins.

5. The Waitresses “Christmas Wrapping” – This song was originally released in 1981 and saw a resurrection, of sorts, in the mid-90s as Alternative radio stations searched to fill their Christmas quotas. This is, perhaps, my favorite Christmas song of all-time. I remember purchasing the Waitresses’ best of CD just to have this song. It has been my ringback-tone for the last several years, as well. If you ever need a dose of “Christmas Wrapping,” just give me a jingle.

6. Run-DMC “Christmas In Hollis” – There aren’t a lot of rap and hip hop Christmas songs, which is only part of the reason why this song stands out. The rest is because it is a really good song. The duo originally released “Christmas In Hollis” in 1987 as part of the original A Very Special Christmas compilation as well as the Christmas Rap compilation. The video for the song is a hoot, and helps to keep it an annual hit every Christmas.

7. Death Cab For Cutie “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” – This song was originally recorded by Darlene Love in 1963 for her Christmas album; it was written by Phil Spector, which explains why it continues to be re-recorded often by modern artists. R.E.M., U2, Joey Ramone and many others have recorded versions of this song, but DCFC’s 2004 version is my favorite. Like several other songs in this mix it is a sad Christmas song and makes for a good soundtrack for crying in your eggnog.

8. No Doubt “Oi To the World” – Another song that was released in the A Very Special Christmas series, this punk tune from 1997 is one of the sillier Christmas songs ever recorded (the silliest is further down this mix). Written and originally recorded by the Vandals, the song tells the story of Haji, a turban wearing punker that fights with a skin-head by the name of Trevor. Haji stabs Trevor but then feels the Christmas spirit and saves Trevor’s life. The two then go drink together. It’s a funny song that fits the season for any fan of punk rock.

9. The Kinks “Father Christmas” – The Kinks were one of those bands that turned out to be more influential than they were successful, and they were fairly successful. This song is about a group of hooligans that hold up a department store Santa for money and is told from the perspective of the man playing Santa. At one point the kid holding up the fake Santa asks if the Santa could give the hooligan’s father a job and then implores that if the Santa should have a machine gun that it would serve as ample substitute. It is both comedic and telling, especially in an economy like we have today.

10. Joey Ramone “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight)” – The Ramones were never known for having the deepest of lyrics, but they always rocked. This song is no exception. Though the song doesn’t go into detail about why he would be fighting with his baby, it is no less a great Christmas song. The standard three-chord punk and 4/4 rhythms make for a fun listen, even if Joey does ramble about where Santa is and what is dancing in the sleeping kids’ heads.

11. Pearl Jam “Let Me Sleep (Christmas Time)” – Fans of Pearl Jam are likely aware of the band’s yearly holiday single. A reward to their fanclub members that have included some really great songs, most of which aren’t actually Christmas songs (“Last Kiss,” as one example). This is from the band’s very first such holiday single in 1991. It has the same feel as some of Pearl Jam’s b-sides from that time period (“Footsteps,” “Yellow Leadbetter”) and wallows in its minimalism. The song is comprised of just Eddie Vedder’s voice, a slight guitar riff and a djembe or some other hand drum with Vedder reminiscing about how magical Christmas was when he was a child.

12. The Human Lard Dog & the Band of Shy “The Stupendous Holiday Finksten” – Though not technically a Christmas song, this is a must for any Christmas collection. The silliest holiday song ever recorded by a man that has never had notoriety of any kind. I was introduced to this song while in college radio. The staff stumbled upon this gem and I’ve been in love with it ever since. Using a comedic style not unlike Adam Sandler, the lyrics of this song dig into one’s head like a scene out of Wrath of Kahn and get stuck for hours. The stupendous holiday Finksten is always two weeks away, which makes it difficult to celebrate I imagine. We always need more faux-holidays this time of year, because Festivus just isn’t enough.

There you have it, my first mixtape for Multitracking. I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed putting it together. Next time I’ll introduce you to some great new music. Promise.

Download this mix.