Easter and Passover are fast approaching, so as is HARK tradition, we listen to two more traditional, religious songs – one for Christmas, and one for Hanukkah. Except this year, we kind of blew it? You could call these songs religious, and they’re both of a tradition, but we’re going more folk festival than liturgical this year. “I Saw Three Ships” as performed by Sting offers us some whimsy from his weird phase (~1990-Present). Then, marking the second recontextualized Leonard Cohen song on our list (and thankfully, this time for Hanukkah), HAIM delivers a beautiful, haunting rendition of “If It Be Your Will”.
The ranking music in this episode is “Sad Trombone” by Sting and Shaggy.
By request, we’re taking our first look at the Christmas tunes of music legend Neil Diamond! “You Make It Feel Like Christmas” is nothing if not very, very Neil, while his rendition of “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” is a dozen other things he was apparently trying out.
The ranking music in this episode is (what else) “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond.
Thank you to Nearly Nearly Neil for these requests!
Just in time for Pi Day, we’re covering two versions of the greatest Christmas song ever written about having some FUCKING PIE!!!
The ranking music in this episode is “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee.
By listener request, we’ve got two covers of cartoon-related Christmas classics! “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)” as performed by JP Maurice says a polite no-thank-you to skits, while Khruangbin’s version of “Christmastime is Here” is a whole vibe.
The ranking music in this episode is “Skating” by the Vince Guaraldi Trio.
Thank you to Dave and Dan for these requests!
Valentine’s Day is approaching, and we’re celebrating with two tracks from one of our favorite (bad) holiday romcoms, Christmas in the City (2013). “You’re My Christmas” by Juliet Lyons may have been stuck in our heads for years now, but there’s still something a little off about it. After revisiting it, “Christmas Love” by Ashanti feels like a breath of fresh air.
The ranking music in this episode is “White Wedding” as performed by Juliet Lyons.
If you want to hear Jam experience more (bad) holiday romance, check out Book Club For Masochists new episode on February 7th!
New year, new requester! As suggested by a first-time requester, we listen to two songs off of an intriguing album by a new-to-us artist. “Listen the Snow is Falling” makes its third apperance on the show, this time as hauntingly performed by Thea Gilmore. Then we shoot the shit with Gilmore’s “That’ll Be Christmas”, which is, you know, pretty good!
The ranking music in this episode is “Christmas Unicorn” by Sufjan Stevens.
Thank you to Dusty for these requests!
For our first episode of 2023, we’re reflecting on the Christmas songs we heard in the wild during the recent holiday season! First up is the best of Kelly Clarkson’s several attempts to craft an heir to the All I Want For Christmas Is You crown, “Underneath the Tree”. Then – and you are going to have to trust us on the fact that we heard this song at a major retail chain – “Date With Santa” by Andreas Weise, which doesn’t pose a question as much as provide the answer to a question no one was asking. That question being, “What if Michael Buble wrote a song about Santa being a hot lady?”
The ranking music in this episode is “Stay a Little Longer Santa” by Shamekia Copeland.
We’re finally here, at that year-end vortex of holiday delights, and as always, we’ve got a new milestone episode to celebrate it! Ian is charged with finding the best song, and submits a mysterious tune that rides on vibes. Jam is in charge of finding the worst and, after whittling away some very terrible runners-up, presents a slurry mix of cynical shock-comedy and manipulative parasocial-relationship-baiting internet celebrity. Content warning: there is a prominent line in the second song about CSA.
The ranking music this week is “Maybe This Christmas” by Ron Sexsmith!
Hanukkah is almost here, and to celebrate, we’ve got two- wait a sec, our producers are saying something. They say that we didn’t do enough CanCon this year. Well, shoot, I guess we gotta scrap the songs that we were- what’s that? A producer is now telling me the two Hanukkah songs we’re listening to this episode ARE Canadian! Phew, that’s pretty convenient! “Happy Hanukkah” by Walk Off the Earth featuring Scott Helman and “Chanukah Christmas” by Shelley Posen bring us two different flavors of Canadian Chankuah celebrations in this- sorry, one moment. Uh huh, yup – a producer is letting me know that we also did this bit in the episode, and so doing it in the description doesn’t make chronological sense. Well, that’s unfotun- huh? What? “Happy Hanukkah” is originally a Matisyahu song but we didn’t realize that while recording because Walk Off the Earth doesn’t mention that in their video at all? Wow, thanks for the important correction, producers!
The ranking music in this episode is “The Journey Starts Today” by Walk Off the Earth.
It’s that thanking-time holiday in the United States, and so we’re expressing our gratitude for our long-time listeners – by covering a repeat requester’s request! Long-time listener Liam brings us two UK Christmas #1s from the 1980s, the somewhat perplexing “Mistletoe and Wine” by Cliff Richard and the more straightforwardly fun “Merry Christmas Everyone” by Shakin’ Stevens.
The ranking music in this episode is “Burn the Witch” by Radiohead, for reasons.
Thank you to Liam for these requests!