For the records

Down to the wire

I'm cutting it close but I have one more present to purchase, and possibly some wrapping paper. Then x'mas shopping is done! The news story recently that men leave their x'mas shopping to the last minute is exactly true. If I weren't working tomorrow, I would have possibly done most of my shopping tomorrow. However, I only have one more present to buy so I'll try to go on my lunch or something.

I finally completed my Christmas mix CD. I've given it the title "Cool X'mas Tunes 2003"[I cringe everytime I read that title but I already print out the CD insert and I'm too lazy to do it over ;-) ]. The tracklisting is as follows:

1. Coldplay- Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (live on KROQ's Almost Acoustic Christmas 2002)*
2. U2 - Merry Christmas(Baby Please Come Home) *
3. Mary Margaret O'Hara- Blue Christmas*
4. The Ventures - Sleigh Ride*
5. Sixpence None the Richer - Christmas Time Is Here*
6. Belle and Sebastian - O Come, O Come, Emmanuel*
7. Goldfinger - White Christmas* -> streaming
8. Fiona Apple - Frosty The Snowman*
9. FabFour - The Christmas Song*
10. Rubber Band- Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
11. The Swing Cats - Jingle Bell Rock* -> info
12. The Bomboras - Little Drummer Boy*
13. Brian Setzer Orchestra - Jingle Bells*
14. Grandaddy - Alan Parsons in a Winter Wonderland*
15. Luscious Jackson - Let It Snow*
16. Grenadine - J.I.N.G.L.E. Bells
17. PAS/CAL- Jingle Bell Rock* -> mp3
18. Man...Or Astroman- Frosty The Snowman*
19. Paul McCartney - Wonderful Christmas Time*
20. Jimmy Eat World- Last Christmas* -> streaming
21. Yo La Tengo - It's Christmas Time* -> link
22. The Wedding Present - Step Into Christmas
23. R.E.M. - Silver Bells*
24. No Doubt - Oi to the World*
25. The Mopeds - Silent Night / The Battle of the Latin Worlds*
26. The Ramones - Merry Christmas(I Don't Want to Fight Tonight)*
27. Tori Amos - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas*

Source
* mp3
[all other songs are from CD's I own]


Comments
This was a fun mix to put together. I don't think the flow of the CD was quite right but I was in a hurry to burn the CD because I wanted to have a chance to listen to the songs before Christmas. For the most part, the songs are familiar and hence Christmas-y sounding. There are exceptions to that rule such as the No Doubt, The Ramones and The Wedding Present songs which don't sound Christmas-y at all but at least the lyrics are sung clearly enough that you know the song is related to Christmas; also those songs kick some major ass! I've chose to bookend the CD with renditions of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" done by Coldplay and Tori Amos respectively: I never realized how beautiful this song really was until I heard these versions!

As I expressed above: one more present to purchase and I'm done.

Happy Eve before Christmas Eve!

ps. Only tomorrow is separating me from 11 days of pure and total relaxation, because I'd return to work on January 5, 2004! I hope I'm able to leave early tomorrow, as our managers usually only leave a skeletal staff to work until closing. [Stupid me had to volunteer to stay late on Christmas Eve; I hope I can get someone to switch with me.(usually if you work late on Christmas Eve, you are allowed to leave work earlier on a day in the future)]