Category: Music

18 hours of Christmas music

What does an NPR music critic do when he’s flooded with Christmas music every year? He traps his family in the car and plays each of the 21 CDs – 18 hours worth.

I’ve always enjoyed hearing new Christmas music, but there’s just so much of it. Every fall, I receive dozens of new holiday CDs — countless hours of music to sift through in the long, agonizing buildup to Christmas.
This year, shortly before Thanksgiving, I decided to save them all for one epic binge during a 1,000-mile road trip to see family — to be captivated by the holiday spirit while held literally captive.
Pulling out of the driveway, I started — as one does — with A Swingin’ Christmas, by Michael Bolton. And thus began 18 of the longest hours of my life. Bolton’s “swingin’ Christmas” was my “ploddin’ Christmas,” a tensely endured soundtrack for a holiday hellride through D.C. traffic.

Stephen Thompson reviews all 21 albums for your enjoyment online.

Or if you’re interested here are some of my Christmas favs…

  1. Kenny G: Miracles: The Holiday Album – I might get punched in the face for this one, but nothing says Christmas like Kenny G! The first Christmas wishes/bumpers I ever recorded for radio used this album for my music bed. “Merry Christmas KEOM listeners. I’m Jonathan Blundell, taking this moment to wish you and your’s a very Merry Christmas. One of my favorite memories of Christmas….”
  2. Arbuckle Indians: It’s an Arbuckle Indian Christmas – not a well known group or album, although they did have a run up the Christmas charts at Mp3.com a few years back. You might be able to track down a CD copy of the album if you know the right folks.
  3. Various: Happy Christmas – Tooth and Nail artists share their own rendition of new and old Christmas songs. The entire collection is great and only one step behind A Very Special Christmas
  4. Various: A Very Special Christmas – it’s Christmas time in Hollis Queens. Doesn’t get much better than that other than U2 singing a cover of Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).
  5. Bebo Norman, Allen Levi, Ed Cash: Joy – I can’t tell you where my original copy of this CD is, but the tracks I still have as Mp3 are worth a listen year round.
  6. Trans Siberian Orchestra: Christmas Eve and Other Stories – one of my favorites since it’s release in 1996. It doesn’t get much better than Christmas Eve Sarajevo. And who would have thought Laurie would have already started an annual tradition of seeing the band live every Christmas when they come to Dallas. Awesome.

What’s on your top list?

Answer to the Question

Loving this song today…

Answer to the Question
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I’m growing tired of a mouth shut tight
when all I want to do is tell the whole world
about the Man sitting at the right
hand of the One in Heaven
how could I sing about anything but Him

He is the answer to the question
He is the cure for the infection
He is all He says He is
He is the ultimate reflection
of holiness and true perfection
He is all He says He is

How can I not cry watching as the
world dies without a prayer
They look to their own construction
bound to the living God of Earth and Heaven
How could they sing about everything but Him, yeah, yeah

He is the answer to the question
He is the cure for the infection
He is all He says He is
He is the ultimate reflection
of holiness and true perfection
He is all He says He is

I’m so tired of a mouth shut tight
All I want to do is tell the whole world
about the man sitting at the right
hand of the One in Heaven
How could I sing about anything but Him

He is the answer to the question
He is the cure for the infection
He is all He says He is
He is the ultimate reflection
of holiness and true perfection
He is all He says He is

Happy Reformation Day

While there is another holiday going on today, today is also Reformation Day, the day that is traditionally believed to be when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Thesis to the doors of a church in Wittenberg, Germany in 1517.
In doing so, Martin Luther brought about the Protestant Reformation and current fracture in the church between the protestant and catholic church.

In honor of Luther and the changes he brought about, here is his hymn, A Mighty Fortress is Our God, translated by Frederic Hedge:

A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing;
Our helper He, amid the flood of mortal ills prevailing:
For still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe;
His craft and power are great, and, armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing:
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,
And He must win the battle.

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,
One little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.

I’m attempting to find a modern arrangement but I haven’t been able to find anything yet unless it sounds like 80’s bubble gum pop. Sigh. Let me know if you find anything.

There’s just something about His name

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus
There’s just something about that name
Master, Savior, Jesus
Like the fragrance after the rain
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus
Let all heaven and earth proclaim
Kings and kingdoms shall all pass away
But there’s something about that name.

Words by Bill Gaither

‘Pull your pants up’

In case you’ve seen them, or haven’t seen them yet, new billboards are going up around town to support Dallas Deputy Mayor Dwaine Caraway‘s fashion police initiative to encourage everyone to ‘Pull your pants up.’ Dallas rapper Dooney ‘Da Priest has even gotten involved and produced a song and video to help spread the message. Maybe I need to add that to the OrangeNoiseRadio rotation.

From NPR:

Dooney says that most of the boys and young men who are saggin’ don’t know where it really comes from. But another word for saggin’ is jailin’.
“They don’t know why their pants are low … They think it’s a fad, or it’s something to do or it’s cool. And I say, ‘Well, No … it come from behind the bars.'”
Clear Channel has agreed to donate billboard space around town and Dooney designed a billboard showing him with his arms crossed, standing in front of downtown Dallas.
Dallas is not the first city to confront saggin’. Shreveport, La., Atlanta and Stratford, Conn., have discussed passing laws. But Dallas is taking a different approach, trying for the hearts and minds of its young people.
Glad folks in Dallas have time to worry about such things.

Watch the news report from Fox 4 News:

And listen to the report and song by Rapper Dooney Da’ Priest from NPR/KERA.

5ives

I haven’t done one of these in a while so I figured I’d join several together.

5ive things that rock:

5. Having my own Wiki to write about whatever I please
4. Scrubs starts back this week
3. NPR
2. Friends that let me borrow their truck while mine is in the shop
1. Watching candles burn in our new fireplace while my wife and I sit on the couch talking about what color to paint each room of the house

5ive things that suck:

5. The Iraq war
4. Amy and now Neal on The Biggest Loser
3. The Office is only 30 minutes long this week
2. Having my truck in the shop
1. AT&T Internet/DSL service

5ive songs I wish I’d written:

5. Almighty – Wayne Watson
4. One of These Mornings – Moby
3. Everything Glorious – David Crowder
2. Walk On – U2
1. Grace – U2

5ive TV shows I’d love to guest star on:

5. My Name is Earl
4. The Simpsons
3. The West Wing (might be hard since its no longer on TV)
2. Scrubs
1. The Office

5ive things I’d like to do this weekend:

5. Maybe look for a new truck
4. Frisbee Golf
3. Sleep in
2. BBQ with friends
1. Geocache somewhere new

5ive people I’m tagging to follow up with their own version of this list…

5. Thomas
4. Brandi
3. Dollye
2. Delaina
1. Eric