This week, by request, we’re covering two more of The Killers’ many, many holiday releases! As you may remember from Episode 113, Ian has a very special, very hateful relationship towards their non-holiday oeuvre. Yet we find ourselves in an unlikely disagreement about the surprisingly serious “Joseph, Better You Than Me”, featuring Neil Tennant and Elton John, and in a sort of reluctant harmony about predictably silly “The Cowboys’ Christmas Ball”.
This Sunday is Mother’s Day, and we’ve got two Christmas songs about moms… well, at least, two songs that acknowledge motherhood as a concept. “The Christmas Song” as performed by Fantasia just barely qualifies but we wanted to talk about it so there, while “A Mother’s Christmas Wish” by Olivia Newton-John is basically a floral-patterned Hallmark card of a holiday song.
It’s International Workers’ Day and we’re celebrating with some holiday songs for solidarity! “We’re Following the Wrong Star” by Billy Bragg is an evocative Christmas anthem for the working class, while “Stop the Cavalry” by Jona Lewie is a weird and almost whimsical holiday song about the horrors of war.
Thank you to Liam for the requests! Here’s a link to the article that we mentioned in this episode.
Ok, we got the giggles out of our systems last week, and we’re ready to talk about music like a couple of proper grown-ups. This week we reflect on Passover and Easter and listen to two more traditional holiday songs – “Mi Yimalel” as performed by Neal Katz, and “O Holy Night” as performed by David Phelps. It’s serious stuff this week, y’all. Also: RJ performs a wee robot song.
Thank you to Andrew for requesting “O Holy Night”!
You may be celebrating Passover or Easter this week, but here on HARK as per tradition, we’re celebrating April the 20th. Join us as we try to invigorate our 4/20 spirit with two Christmas songs about the dank herb – “Santa Claus is Smoking Reefer” by Squirrel Nut Zippers and “Christmas Trees” by Major Lazer.
This week by request, we’re looking at some old-school carols that are new to the list! “God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman/We Three Kings” by Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan brings us comfort and joy, while “Good King Wenceslaus” by The Roches comes to us bearing charm, wine, and life lessons.
Thank you to lettinggoisthehardestpart and Thom for the requests!
What is the sound of snow falling? Is it like one hand clapping, or is it like, a person playing with a big pile of buttons? We investigate this and other ethereal mysteries as we review “Listen, the Snow is Falling” by Galaxie 500 and its predecessor “Listen, the Snow is Falling” by Yoko Ono.
This week it’s all elves, all the time! By request, we cover two songs about elf OCs. “An Elf Named Moe” by Carl Stuck is an earnest ode to a North Pole middle-manager, while “Barry the Elf” by Bucko & Champs cheerfully tells the tale of a rude, lewd, and crude layabout.
Spring is nearly here! Whether you’re desperate for sunshine or already wistfully missing those snowflakes, the two songs we cover this week – “White Winter Hymnal” by Fleet Foxes and “Strawberry Snow” by Brenda Lee – will hopefully have some comfort to offer you through this seasonal change.
We’re celebrating St. Joseph’s Day with two Italian Christmas songs! Well, Christmas songs in Italian, at least. Weeell… Christmas songs in Italian, or about Italy, or at least, sort of Italy-adjacent. We did our best. “Bianco Natale” by legendary Italian musician Mina transports us to the Italy of the 1960s, while “Buon Natale” by Nat King Cole transports us to, I dunno, some kind of weird fantasy Italy where phones never got invented?
