FANTASTIC SUPERFOGEYS FAN ART BY T.L. COLLINS

How great is that?  Big thanks to T.L. for this amazing piece of work.  This is exactly the sort of thing you might have seen on the stands in 1963 in the Fogey universe!  Be sure and check out T.L’s great comic Bullfinch when you get a chance.  You won’t be disappointed!

Top Christmas Songs

I take my Christmas songs very seriously.  Every year I hunt for new ones and pull out my old ones and decide which ones are worth another go.  From those two lists I put a mix together than cannot be reasoned or argued with.  They’re simply the best Christmas songs currently available.  If you think I’m wrong then, like Dr. Rocket above, YOUR soul is in danger.  Bow before my superior skills in Christmas song appreciation.

And with that I present to you my top 10 picks (in no particular order) for Christmas songs I’m digging this year.  All are available on iTunes, should you feel so inclined.

1. Don’t Shoot Me Santa – The Killers

My wife HATES this song, which tells you a lot more about her than it does this song.  Where is her Christmas spirit?  Who wouldn’t want to listen to a Christmas song about a Santa Claus that doesn’t just give out coal to the naughty boys and girls, but also hot lead bullets?  Worth it for the mexicali mojave interlude.  Must be heard to be believed.

2. Joy to the World – Brian Wilson

Light, airy and atomospheric–which are not adjectives normally associated with Brian Wilson’s music.  But the harmonies…oh, man.  By far my favorite version of this song.  Very subdued but very powerful.

3. Sleigh Ride – The Late Greats

Dang.  I had no idea this song was this cool until I heard this version.  Love the arrangement and the enthusiasm in their voices.  What else have these guys done?

4. Skating – Vince Guaraldi

This is off of the Charlie Brown Christmas Soundtrack.  Not a track that immediately says Christmas, but darn it if it’s not winter in sound form.

5. We Wish You a Merry Christmas – Weezer

Dude, it’s Weezer wishing you a Merry Christmas.  Very much Blue Album-era Weezer, but it just came out today! (Along with 5 other songs–good stuff!)

6. Elf’s Lament – Barenaked Ladies

Another one my wife hates, but I friggin’ love it.  Who knew elves had labor issues?  Well, our friends in America’s hat did and they made an awesome song about AND they got Michael Buble to sing on it.  Yeah, it’s like that.

7. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day – Jars of Clay

This one starts out simply and just builds and builds, until the music just soars over the “despair” line.  It’s an odd choice, but it really works.  I just really love this arrangement.

8. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas – Judy Garland

I can’t help it.  Something about the way Ms. Garland sings this gets me kind of choked up.  A classic, but a perennial winner in my book.

9. Silent Night – House of Heroes

Don’t know who these guys are, but this a great version of Silent Night.  Just try not to sing along when everybody joins in at the end. 

10. Auld Lang Syne – Barenaked Ladies

Just watched “It’s a Wonderful Life” the other night.  Again.  Sorry, that’s a great movie I don’t care how many times you’ve seen it or how entrenched it is in the culture.  This version of the closing song is a good one.  Really captures the spirit.  Although I still have no idea what “auld lang syne” means.