Inspired by the upcoming World Goth Day, we find a dark jewel in “Things Fall Apart” by Cristina. And then we kinda wander away from World Goth Day, with Ian instead leading RJ down a seemingly circuitous but actually quite straightforward route to arrive at “Christmas Time in the Motor City” by Was (Not Was).
This week’s ranking music is “Christmas Wrapping” by The Waitresses!
We said we were going to do it, and we did it. It’s an Arbor Day episode. But, you know, minus the dang trees. Maybe it’s a belated Earth Day episode? Anyway, we discuss “The Holly and the Ivy” by Los Campesinos! and “Christmas Cactus” by Juliana Hatfield, and argue about the merits of medieval Jesus metaphors and extremely literal plant care tips.
The ranking music in this episode is “Palmcorder Yajna” by the Mountain Goats.
The ranking music in this episode is “Palmcorder Yajna” by the Mountain Goats.
Easter and Passover are all well and good, but this week we’re celebrating the more traditional HARK holiday: 4/20, baby. We take another look at Snoop Dogg Presents Christmas in the Dogghouse and discover “Christmas in the Hood” by Daz Dillinger featuring Deacon and “Xmas Trees” by Kurupt. Weed on earth and good weed to men, y’all.
Our ranking music in this episode is “When Was Jesus Born” by Lil Gee.
Our ranking music in this episode is “When Was Jesus Born” by Lil Gee.
There’s a diversity of springtime holidays on the horizon, and we’re covering some songs about holiday inclusivity (and lack thereof)! By request, we take a listen to “The Christians and the Pagans”, a 1990s Christmas/Solstice classic by Dar Williams, followed by “The War on Christmas”, a YouTube-era satire by Hot Dad.
Our ranking music in this episode is “The Ocean” by Dar Williams featuring John Prine.
Thank you to Peter for these requests!
Our ranking music in this episode is “The Ocean” by Dar Williams featuring John Prine.
Thank you to Peter for these requests!
It started out with “Don’t Shoot Me Santa”. How did it end up like this? It was only “I Feel It In My Bones”; it was only “Dirt Sledding”.
Thank you to Phil the Killers Boy for these requests!
Our ranking music in this episode is “All These Things That I’ve Done” by The Killers.
Thank you to Phil the Killers Boy for these requests!
Our ranking music in this episode is “All These Things That I’ve Done” by The Killers.
This week we’re looking at a request from many moons ago and revisiting one of RJ’s favorite topics – muppets! Or at least, Jim Henson Company critters. “There’s a Promise” from the Fraggle Rock holiday special and “Legend of the Winter Berry” from Bear in the Big Blue House both give us those warm, fuzzy feelings.
This episode’s ranking song is “Goodbye Song” from Bear in the Big Blue House.
Thank you to paulsebert for suggesting “There’s a Promise!” Thank you to Muppet Mindset for highlighting “Legend of the Winter Berry”!
This episode’s ranking song is “Goodbye Song” from Bear in the Big Blue House.
Thank you to paulsebert for suggesting “There’s a Promise!” Thank you to Muppet Mindset for highlighting “Legend of the Winter Berry”!
In celebration of – or, well, tangetially related to – Presidents’ Day, we’ve got two Christmas songs from musical groups with appropriate names! The Presidents of the United States of America offer us “Christmas Piglet”, while Mr. President re-gifts their mid-90s eurodance hit in “Coco Jamboo (Christmas Version)”.
Our ranking music in this episode is “Peaches” by The Presidents of the United States of America.
Our ranking music in this episode is “Peaches” by The Presidents of the United States of America.
Valentine’s Day is approaching – the horniest holiday of the year! Well, maybe the second horniest. Ehhhh, at least top five. Anyway, we’re talking about two horny winter holiday songs: “Holiday Freak Shit” by Mila J and “I’ve Got Some Presents for Santa” by Sarah Taylor & Bill Mumy!
This week’s ranking music is “Fish Heads” by Barnes & Barnes. There’s a lot of curveballs in this one, folks.
This week’s ranking music is “Fish Heads” by Barnes & Barnes. There’s a lot of curveballs in this one, folks.
In honor or Burns Night, we’re discussing some holiday music by Scottish artists! First up, we’re delighted to find a potential 21st century Christmas classic in “Santa Will Find You” by Phil Cunningham’s Christmas Songbook Band. Then we enjoy the nostalgia for incredibly recent times induced by “New Year’s Resolution” by Camera Obscura! RJ says “New Year Resolutions” instead of “New Year’s Resolution” the whole episode, so listen: we know.
Our ranking music this episode is “Piazza New York Catcher” by Belle & Sebastian.
Thank you to David from Bristol for requesting “Santa Will Find You”!
Our ranking music this episode is “Piazza New York Catcher” by Belle & Sebastian.
Thank you to David from Bristol for requesting “Santa Will Find You”!
A new year has begun, but we’re starting with a throwback – we address our oldest remaining requests from back in the tumblr days of the podcast! “Christmas Eve Eve” by Paul and Storm extolls the virtues of a liminal-space-esque not-holiday with cheerful charm, while “Calling on Mary” by Aimee Mann offers mystery, melancholy, metaphor maybe, and surely other words beginning with m.
The ranking music in this episode is “Christmas is Interesting” by Jonathan Coulton.
Thank you to our anonymous listener (probably Julius Caesar) for these requests!