For World Space Week, RJ and Ian take on a request for “Christmas Tree”, a sexy beep-boop song by Lady Gaga and Space Cowboy. We then cleanse our ear-palates with the infectiously upbeat “Space Christmas” by Shonen Knife. Thank you to Dylan for requesting “Christmas Tree”. I guess. (We love you Dylan.) The War Rocket Ajax episode that we mention can be found here: http://www.warrocketajax.com/2013/12/23/episode-187-the-2013-yuletide-solstice-podmass-podcast-podbash-blast-bash-cast-jax-fmatt-fraction-and-maggie-serota/ As we’ve mentioned before, the WRA dudes have been a big inspiration to HARK, so definitely go give them a listen!
For “Maple Leaf Day”, an obscure Canadian cousin of Arbor Day, we’re celebrating trees. But expect the unexpected – sorry, no Tannenbaums. Instead, we review “Hanukkah Tree” by The Klezmatics, a Klezmer tune with lyrics penned by a famous goy, and a version of “Rockin Around the Christmas Tree” with a poorly-executed plot twist performed by Canadian sensations Michael Bublé and Carly Rae Jepsen.
The Muppets’ return to TV may be in the news, but we’re keeping it old school. In honor of Jim Henson’s birthday, we discuss and rank two songs from the greatest Christmas specials of all time: John Denver and The Muppets: A Christmas Together, and RJ’s own personal Citizen Kane, A Muppet Family Christmas. In case you were wondering what quote made RJ cry, it was: “My hope still is to leave the world a bit better than when I got here.”
Bite tongue. Deep breaths. Count to ten. Put in headphones. Listen to this podcast instead of having awkward interactions with family members. This week, we cover two songs about the misery of holiday togetherness: “Home For the Holidays” by Gentleman Auction House and “Just For Now” by Imogen Heap. Also: we experience a Christmas Miracle in September. Thank you to our #1 Fan Time Machine for requesting this week’s songs! Check out Time Machine’s podcast, “I’ll Show You”, at jessandjoshshowyou.squarespace.com!
Hey, you know what’s cool? Everything. It’s true – or at least, it will be – in this week’s selections: “Everything’s Gonna Be Cool This Christmas” by Eels and “Everything is Cool” by John Prine.
In an attempt to populate the list with some underrepresented decades, Ian and RJ look to the pleasant, predictable Christmas classics of the 1940s and the abrasive holiday hits of the 1980s. Listen to us pontificate on the cultural status of Rudolph and puzzle over the inexplicable popularity of Max Headroom. Seriously, what was that dude’s deal?
Having reviewed so many songs from the 21st century, this week we reach back in time to the early days of recorded music. The radio-play-esque “The Fairy On the Christmas Tree” and Fats Waller’s “Swingin’ Them Jingle Bells” transport us to the 1930s, and we enjoy our stay.
This week, we look at two more Christmas comedy songs born on YouTube. First up is the criminally under-watched “Fuck You If You Don’t Like Christmas” by Crudbump, which might be our most explicit song ever. Then we peel back the layers of one Froggy Fresh, a riddle wrapped in an enigma wrapped in John Cena pajamas, and his simply titled song, “Christmas”. Meet @drewtoothpaste on twitter in X mins if u want an ass kicking: https://twitter.com/drewtoothpaste/media
It may be a hot and humid outside, but it’s always sweater weather in our hearts. This week, listener Jenny points us toward an ode to Christmas gear from a highly unusual source – “Holiday Sweater” by the San Jose Sharks. We also consider a song about alternative festive threads – “Christmas Sweatz” by Rhett and Link.
Our theme quickly goes off the rails this week as we cover another Bing Crosby classic (but one we hate) and a recent pop original by Colbie Callait (also bad). Corrections to some of our statements in this episode: Hawai’i was invaded in 1893, not 1898 – it was annexed in 1898. The Hawai’ian language is considered vulnerable, but not dying. Heroin, like alcohol, does not cause hallucinations. We hope this has been an informative preview of the episode.