SeedSing Classic: Advent Calendar of Awesome Holiday Music: Day 5 - I Wish it was Christmas Today

ed note: This article was originally published on December 5th, 2015

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we are looking back at the great holiday music, movies, television episodes, and food of this great season. Enjoy

Day 5: "I Wish it Was Christmas Today" by Julian Casablancas

Opened Doors: One, Two, Three, Four

The conventional wisdom tells us that the winter holiday shopping season peaks on Black Friday. Once the day after Thanksgiving doorbusters are exhausted, the general public falls into a slower holiday shopping pattern. I disagree with this theory. Black Friday does have a large mob of people looking to score off brand electronics for ultra low prices, but the majority of sane people save their holiday shopping for after the mayhem. The first weekend of December is when the holiday shopping season really kicks into high gear. This is when the Christmas spirit starts its full invasion into our culture.

"I Wish it Was Christmas Today" started out as a simple SNL sketch featuring Horatio Sanz seemingly playing a novelty guitar and singing, Chris Kattan head turning and holding a very large keyboard, Jimmy Fallon providing backing vocals and very rarely playing the keyboard, and lastly Tracy Morgan awesomely dancing in place. Every few years the quartet would add a few lyrics, but the singing and dancing remained the same. Tracy Morgan is great in nearly everything he does, but I do think this is the funniest skit that Sanz, Fallon, and Kattan have ever done. Every year I would look forward to hearing "I Wish it Was Christmas Today" on SNL. The simple tune immediately put me into the holiday spirit.

In 2009 The Strokes lead singer Julian Casablancas released a cover of "I Wish it Was Christmas Today". The simplicity of the SNL version was replaced by a hyper kinetic ultra joyful new song to celebrate the holiday season. Casablancas version of the song starts at the top and never relents. For just under 4 minutes, the holiday season gets the positive excitement it so truly deserves.

Both the SNL and Casablancas versions of "I Wish it Was Christmas Today" celebrate the happiness of Christmastime. There are endless stories on the news of people complaining about the length and commercialism Christmas. Fox News invented the moronic War On Christmas to continue their agenda of splitting the country and feeding the idea of white christian victim-hood. "I Wish it Was Christmas Today" leaves all the negativity behind and says that Christmas kicks ass.

Today I will be out starting my holiday shopping. My house is decorated. my spirit is getting into high gear, and "I Wish it Was Christmas Today" will be on my playlist. The crowds at the stores, the idiots at Fox News, and all the naysayers will not dampen my holiday spirit. I love the awesomeness of the holiday season.  I do't care what anybody says, I wish it was Christmas today.

RD Kulik

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing. He is hungry right now and really wishes it was Thanksgiving today. Tell us about your favorite time of year by writing for SeedSing.

SeedSing Classic: Advent Calendar of Awesome Holiday Music: Day 1 - Linus and Lucy

ed note: This article was originally published on December 1st, 2015

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we are looking back at the great holiday music, movies, television episodes, and food of this great season. Enjoy

Day 1: Linus and Lucy By The Vince Guaraldi Trio 

Every year my wife and I throw a big winter holiday party. One of my duties is to create the background music. In the first few years we held the party I purchased a few sets of generic Christmas music cd sets. Many of the pieces were from the public domain, and almost all of the songs were jazz. I really dislike jazz. 

A few years back I decided to create a custom playlist from the holiday songs I loved. I wanted the music to reflect the whole season, and I wanted to use songs not widely available. The one song I salvaged from those awful jazz standards was "Linus and Lucy" by the Vince Guaraldi Trio. This was the one and only jazz song I needed for my holiday spirit. This was the song that kicked off my carefully curated holiday playlist. "Linus and Lucy" is the best way to start the season.

"Linus and Lucy" is not exactly a Christmas song. It was originally released by the Vince Guaraldi Trio on the 1964 album Jazz Impressions of a Boy Named Charlie Brown. The upbeat guitar and drums represent the excitement of the holiday season. There is pure joy and excitement throughout "Linus and Lucy". Once December 1st hits, the holiday season starts moving at a hectic pace. Crowded roads, overpopulated shopping centers, and disorganized homes filled with unwrapped gifts. "Linus and Lucy" embrace this chaos, and makes it joyful. 

The Christmas popularity for "Linus and Lucy" started when A Charlie Brown Christmas debuted in December of 1965. The upbeat tune was used as the music for the greatest dancing scene in television history. Many people will automatically think of the Charlie Brown Christmas pageant dancing when they hear "Linus and Lucy". This scene was shot in 1965 and we have voguing, the zombie, the twin girls doing the same dance, and a variety of incredible dance moves. When I hear "Linus and Lucy" I immediately break out into Linus's thrust movement, even if I am out in public (that does get awkward at times).

Since the debut of A Charlie Brown Christmas "Linus and Lucy" has become the unofficial Peanuts anthem. Most of the Peanuts cartoon specials have used the song, including the 2015 film The Peanuts Movie. The song receives the large majority of its airplay during the holiday season. The popularity of A Charlie Brown Christmas has programmed our culture to associate "Linus and Lucy" with the holidays. The song kicks off It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, yet "Linus and Lucy" makes our mind think of the December holiday extravaganza.

"Linus and Lucy" is the perfect first door to open on our Awesome Holiday Music Advent Calendar. This is the tune that will get your holiday spirit ready. It is chaotic, joyful, and demands to be danced to. If you start your day with "Linus and Lucy" your holiday spirit will never dim.

RD Kulik

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing. His wife has asked him to stop the Linus out in public, the Shermie is ok though. Tell us all about your favorite holiday tune - write for SeedSing.

SeedSing Classic: Advent Calendar of Awesome Holiday Music: Day 5 - I Wish it was Christmas Today

ed note: This article was originally published on December 5th, 2015

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we are looking back at the great holiday music, movies, television episodes, and food of this great season. Enjoy

Day 5: "I Wish it Was Christmas Today" by Julian Casablancas

Opened Doors: One, Two, Three, Four

The conventional wisdom tells us that the winter holiday shopping season peaks on Black Friday. Once the day after Thanksgiving doorbusters are exhausted, the general public falls into a slower holiday shopping pattern. I disagree with this theory. Black Friday does have a large mob of people looking to score off brand electronics for ultra low prices, but the majority of sane people save their holiday shopping for after the mayhem. The first weekend of December is when the holiday shopping season really kicks into high gear. This is when the Christmas spirit starts its full invasion into our culture.

"I Wish it Was Christmas Today" started out as a simple SNL sketch featuring Horatio Sanz seemingly playing a novelty guitar and singing, Chris Kattan head turning and holding a very large keyboard, Jimmy Fallon providing backing vocals and very rarely playing the keyboard, and lastly Tracy Morgan awesomely dancing in place. Every few years the quartet would add a few lyrics, but the singing and dancing remained the same. Tracy Morgan is great in nearly everything he does, but I do think this is the funniest skit that Sanz, Fallon, and Kattan have ever done. Every year I would look forward to hearing "I Wish it Was Christmas Today" on SNL. The simple tune immediately put me into the holiday spirit.

In 2009 The Strokes lead singer Julian Casablancas released a cover of "I Wish it Was Christmas Today". The simplicity of the SNL version was replaced by a hyper kinetic ultra joyful new song to celebrate the holiday season. Casablancas version of the song starts at the top and never relents. For just under 4 minutes, the holiday season gets the positive excitement it so truly deserves.

Both the SNL and Casablancas versions of "I Wish it Was Christmas Today" celebrate the happiness of Christmastime. There are endless stories on the news of people complaining about the length and commercialism Christmas. Fox News invented the moronic War On Christmas to continue their agenda of splitting the country and feeding the idea of white christian victim-hood. "I Wish it Was Christmas Today" leaves all the negativity behind and says that Christmas kicks ass.

Today I will be out starting my holiday shopping. My house is decorated. my spirit is getting into high gear, and "I Wish it Was Christmas Today" will be on my playlist. The crowds at the stores, the idiots at Fox News, and all the naysayers will not dampen my holiday spirit. I love the awesomeness of the holiday season.  I do't care what anybody says, I wish it was Christmas today.

RD Kulik

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing. He is hungry right now and really wishes it was Thanksgiving today. Tell us about your favorite time of year by writing for SeedSing.

SeedSing Classic: Advent Calendar of Awesome Holiday Music: Day 1 - Linus and Lucy

ed note: This article was originally published on December 1st, 2015

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we are looking back at the great holiday music, movies, television episodes, and food of this great season. Enjoy

Day 1: Linus and Lucy By The Vince Guaraldi Trio 

Every year my wife and I throw a big winter holiday party. One of my duties is to create the background music. In the first few years we held the party I purchased a few sets of generic Christmas music cd sets. Many of the pieces were from the public domain, and almost all of the songs were jazz. I really dislike jazz. 

A few years back I decided to create a custom playlist from the holiday songs I loved. I wanted the music to reflect the whole season, and I wanted to use songs not widely available. The one song I salvaged from those awful jazz standards was "Linus and Lucy" by the Vince Guaraldi Trio. This was the one and only jazz song I needed for my holiday spirit. This was the song that kicked off my carefully curated holiday playlist. "Linus and Lucy" is the best way to start the season.

"Linus and Lucy" is not exactly a Christmas song. It was originally released by the Vince Guaraldi Trio on the 1964 album Jazz Impressions of a Boy Named Charlie Brown. The upbeat guitar and drums represent the excitement of the holiday season. There is pure joy and excitement throughout "Linus and Lucy". Once December 1st hits, the holiday season starts moving at a hectic pace. Crowded roads, overpopulated shopping centers, and disorganized homes filled with unwrapped gifts. "Linus and Lucy" embrace this chaos, and makes it joyful. 

The Christmas popularity for "Linus and Lucy" started when A Charlie Brown Christmas debuted in December of 1965. The upbeat tune was used as the music for the greatest dancing scene in television history. Many people will automatically think of the Charlie Brown Christmas pageant dancing when they hear "Linus and Lucy". This scene was shot in 1965 and we have voguing, the zombie, the twin girls doing the same dance, and a variety of incredible dance moves. When I hear "Linus and Lucy" I immediately break out into Linus's thrust movement, even if I am out in public (that does get awkward at times).

Since the debut of A Charlie Brown Christmas "Linus and Lucy" has become the unofficial Peanuts anthem. Most of the Peanuts cartoon specials have used the song, including the 2015 film The Peanuts Movie. The song receives the large majority of its airplay during the holiday season. The popularity of A Charlie Brown Christmas has programmed our culture to associate "Linus and Lucy" with the holidays. The song kicks off It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, yet "Linus and Lucy" makes our mind think of the December holiday extravaganza.

"Linus and Lucy" is the perfect first door to open on our Awesome Holiday Music Advent Calendar. This is the tune that will get your holiday spirit ready. It is chaotic, joyful, and demands to be danced to. If you start your day with "Linus and Lucy" your holiday spirit will never dim.

RD Kulik

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing. His wife has asked him to stop the Linus out in public, the Shermie is ok though. Tell us all about your favorite holiday tune - write for SeedSing.

SeedSing's Advent Calendar of Awesome Holiday Music: Day 7 - The Man in the Santa Suit

ed note: This article was originally published on December 7th, 2015

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we will present a new awesome holiday song for every day of Advent. This is the greatest music of the season. Enjoy.

Day 7: The Man in the Santa Suit by Fountains of Wayne

Opened Doors: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six

I am embarrassed to know how much actual money Santa makes, and that real beard Santa makes the most money (nothing celebrates the season by shamelessly ripping off the great film Snowpiercer). I have this knowledge because my first professional job was to book performers for parties, including Santa. Many the performers I worked with were semi-normal, professional people. In the sea of clowns, magicians, and Elvis impersonators, the Santas were not quite as normal.  There was an air of desperation and sadness to the group. I paid Santa well, but money does not always buy jolliness. My theory was that these men could only make really good money a few weeks out of the year. To make this extra income these men had to endure a grueling gauntlet of uncooperative kids, demanding parents, and childless adult idiots that wanted themselves (and their dogs) to sit on Santa's lap. I paid Santa well because he had a tough and thankless job.

Fountains of Wayne, one of the Greatest American Bands, included "The Man in the Santa Suit" on their 2005 B-sides double album Out of State Plates. The tune perfectly captures the sad inner life of a mall Santa. Starting with the acknowledgment of "Santa" being a union laborer with a significant other who works at the hair salon. Mr. and Mrs. Claus seemingly live paycheck to paycheck. There is no holiday spirit to uplift Fountains of Wayne's protagonist, he just needs the money. What follows is a list of troubles Santa always has during the Christmas season. There are snot nosed kids who make fun of Santa's appearance (if that Jerry Garcia beard is real, Santa is making double this year), younger kids are throwing up on Jolly Old Saint Mall Nick, and all the older kids are commenting on Santa's beer for breakfast. Being  Santa is not as joyous as popular culture may have led us to believe. 

Santa's troubles are not just with the kids. The fellows at the local tavern also get on Santa's case. After a day of dealing with kids, barf, and attitude, Santa gets called names by the grownups. The world is filled with superficial jerks, and Santa is not immune to their attacks. Being overweight and harry in December may pay some bills, but it does not get one away from ridicule. The cruelty of people does not take a holiday during Christmastime.

"The Man in the Santa Suit" is on point for why any grown man would go through these troubles, it is all about the money. The name calling, the kids, the indignity of it all is worth the money. Fountains of Wayne's protagonist is zen about his current place in the world. He is getting paid for his looks. That is the hairy fat man's victory. He needs the money, and he has an opportunity to enhance his bank account. The bills will be paid up in Santa and Loretta's house this December. Merry Christmas to them.

On your way to the mall give "The Man in the Santa Suit" a listen. Understand what Jolly Old Saint Mall Nick is going through. Be nice to Santa. Every man who puts on the red suit this year will deal with more trouble than any one person deserves. In November my office used to be a revolving door of chubby hairy men looking for work. In January I was being sent a lot of small gifts as thanks. I paid Santa, and Santa needed the money. Santa deserved the money.

RD Kulik

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing. He is chubby enough to be Santa, but his jolliness needs some work. Any Santas out their that want to give us a gift - Support SeedSing.

SeedSing's Advent Calendar of Awesome Holiday Music: Day 6 - (When Is) Hanukkah This Year?

ed note: This article was originally published on December 3rd, 2015

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we will present a new awesome holiday song for every day of Advent. This is the greatest music of the season. Enjoy.

Day 6: (When Is) Hanukkah This Year? by Melee

Opened Doors: One, Two, Three, Four, Five

When I was in college I decided to find religion. I was raised a catholic boy, yet the experimentation of my college years led me into looking for a new religion. I went to a mosque, Hindu temple, a variety of the Protestant churches, and a Jewish temple. On the particular day I decided to attend temple was in early December, and much to my delight they were celebrating the third day of Hanukkah. I had no idea it was Hanukkah time when I entered the temple. It was awesome.

The Jewish Festival of Lights has always been overshadowed by the large presence of Christmas. Nearly every person in the Western World is aware that Hanukkah is around Christmas time, yet almost no one knows when the holiday actually starts. I had such a great time at temple during Hanukkah that I wanted to come back every year. The problem is the next year I completely forgot to check when Hanukkah was being celebrated and I missed out on the festivities. The same date from last year was after Hanukkah of the past year. Oh well, I know that Christmas will always be on the 25th.

In 2009 Orange County based band Melee released "(When Is) Hanukkah This Year?". Melee used the biggest question Jewish people get during the holiday season, and made it rock. Very few people want to know what Hanukkah is about, we just want to know what day the celebration is held. Forget for a moment that Hanukkah lasts for eight days, we need to know the one day to associate for the holiday. We are comfortable with the idea of Christmas owning the same day every year. All the holidays that own a single day every year get way more attention. Some may say that Easter gets plenty of attention, and it is a holiday that does not own a day. The mostly christian religious community does put forth a big celebratory effort for Easter, but the secular community does not care that much. Everyone knows about "It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown" and "A Charlie Brown Christmas", but not many are familiar with "It's the Easter Beagle Charlie Brown". The holidays that own a day, own the full public interest. The holidays where we have to question what day it is on, will always have an uphill battle. Melee embraces this idea with their great tune.

The boys of Melee use "(When Is) Hanukkah This Year?" to inform the listener of what a typical American Jewish boy goes through during those eight days and nights. Reading from the Torah, lighting the Menorah, Manischewitz, golden coins, kugel, worried mothers and grandmothers, and many days of presents. The song is a rocking tour of the Hanukkah season. Once the dialogue of the first minute ends, Melee builds until the song ends in an incredibly rocking way. The only song people hear this time of year in relation to the Festival of Light is Adam Sandler's "The Hanukkah Song". There is nothing appreciative about the holiday in Sandler's tune. You learn about many fine people with Jewish heritage, but there is no information about the eight days and nights of Hanukkah. There was the animated movie by Adam Sandler Eight Crazy Nights, but the less said about the film, the better. Melee uses "(When Is) Hanukkah this Year?" to actual share the joy of Hanukkah. It is a song that made this gentile remember that great night at the temple.

To answer Melee's question, Hanukkah starts on December 6th this year. Enjoy the beginning of this joyous time of year. Light some candles, have some great Jewish food and drink, call your mother. Make these eight days and nights rock. By the way next year Hanukkah will start on December 24th, mark it in your calendars. Please do not ask your Jewish friend in 2016, hey, when is Hanukkah this year.

RD Kulik

RD is the Head Editor of SeedSing. He does not really recommend Manischewitz, but a good kugel is awesome. During these eight days of gift giving, keep SeedSing on your mind.   

SeedSing's Advent Calendar of Awesome Holiday Music: Day 5 - I Wish it was Christmas Today

ed note: This article was originally published on December 3rd, 2015

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we will present a new awesome holiday song for every day of Advent. This is the greatest music of the season. Enjoy.

Day 5: "I Wish it Was Christmas Today" by Julian Casablancas

Opened Doors: One, Two, Three, Four

The conventional wisdom tells us that the winter holiday shopping season peaks on Black Friday. Once the day after Thanksgiving doorbusters are exhausted, the general public falls into a slower holiday shopping pattern. I disagree with this theory. Black Friday does have a large mob of people looking to score off brand electronics for ultra low prices, but the majority of sane people save their holiday shopping for after the mayhem. The first weekend of December is when the holiday shopping season really kicks into high gear. This is when the Christmas spirit starts its full invasion into our culture.

"I Wish it Was Christmas Today" started out as a simple SNL sketch featuring Horatio Sanz seemingly playing a novelty guitar and singing, Chris Kattan head turning and holding a very large keyboard, Jimmy Fallon providing backing vocals and very rarely playing the keyboard, and lastly Tracy Morgan awesomely dancing in place. Every few years the quartet would add a few lyrics, but the singing and dancing remained the same. Tracy Morgan is great in nearly everything he does, but I do think this is the funniest skit that Sanz, Fallon, and Kattan have ever done. Every year I would look forward to hearing "I Wish it Was Christmas Today" on SNL. The simple tune immediately put me into the holiday spirit.

In 2009 The Strokes lead singer Julian Casablancas released a cover of "I Wish it Was Christmas Today". The simplicity of the SNL version was replaced by a hyper kinetic ultra joyful new song to celebrate the holiday season. Casablancas version of the song starts at the top and never relents. For just under 4 minutes, the holiday season gets the positive excitement it so truly deserves.

Both the SNL and Casablancas versions of "I Wish it Was Christmas Today" celebrate the happiness of Christmastime. There are endless stories on the news of people complaining about the length and commercialism Christmas. Fox News invented the moronic War On Christmas to continue their agenda of splitting the country and feeding the idea of white christian victim-hood. "I Wish it Was Christmas Today" leaves all the negativity behind and says that Christmas kicks ass.

Today I will be out starting my holiday shopping. My house is decorated. my spirit is getting into high gear, and "I Wish it Was Christmas Today" will be on my playlist. The crowds at the stores, the idiots at Fox News, and all the naysayers will not dampen my holiday spirit. I love the awesomeness of the holiday season.  I do't care what anybody says, I wish it was Christmas today.

RD Kulik

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing. He is hungry right now and really wishes it was Thanksgiving today. Tell us about your favorite time of year by writing for SeedSing.

SeedSing's Advent Calendar of Awesome Holiday Music: Day 4: Don't Shoot Me Santa

ed note: This article was originally published on December 3rd, 2015

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we will present a new awesome holiday song for every day of Advent. This is the greatest music of the season. Enjoy.

Day 4: Don't Shoot Me Santa by The Killers

Opened Doors: One, Two, Three

I used to live in an urban neighborhood just north of Downtown Cincinnati. Urban living introduces you to wide variety of personalities not always found in the suburbs. I was part of the yuppie community trying to "rebuild" the city. We had some extremely rich people living a few blocks away in their estates overlooking the Ohio river. A few blocks the other way we had a lot of low income people living in government assisted housing. Every single stoplight in our area was populated by panhandlers. Many of these beggars were drug addicts and con artists. Some times we would see college age kids end their "shift" by getting in a car and a new person would take up the empty corner. The started to internally identifying the regular panhandlers with descriptive names. There was one down on his luck guy who always wore a filthy shirt and nice jeans. He was named Clean Jeans. Professor Shakey was a talkative man who never outright asked for money, oh and he was very jittery. One particular panhandler had a bushy white beard and a jolly old face, this man was to be named Hobo Claus.

Since 2006 Las Vegas based band The Killers have been releasing a new original holiday song with part of the proceeds benefitting Product RED . Of the ten offerings, "Don't Shoot Me Santa" is far and away the most surreal. The song is a two character play backed by the rock stylings of The Killers. Singer Brandon Flowers is a naughty boy who has been killing people who tease him, and Santa is coming to deliver justice. Not many holiday songs discuss how Santa deals with the naughty kids. Popular culture has attributed the lump of coal as the go to gift for the naughty. The Killers decided to go a little bit farther. Flowers spends the majority of the song pleading, and Santa is not having any of it. At one point Santa points out that he was a troubled kid, unfortunately that will not be enough to save Flowers. As one last gift Santa does allow Flowers to indulge in the great memory of being young and tasting some sweet Mojave rain.

Outside of the strangeness in the dialogue of the two character play that is "Don't Shoot Me Santa", the song has the great music one expects from The Killers. The band has established itself as one of the greatest pure rock bands of the current generation (Greatest American Band Debate feature?). "Don't Shoot me Santa" has The Killers signature sound, but there is a nice mix of Mariachi like desert music mixed in. Every time I hear "Don't Shoot Me Santa" I image it as a signature tune for Walter White on "Breaking Bad".

Hobo Claus is the placeholder for Kris Kringle whenever I hear "Don't Shoot Me Santa". The naughty kids should not be visited by a jolly old Saint Nick, their Father Christmas should be dirty, smelly, and generally uncomfortable to be around. The video for "Don't Shoot Me Santa" seems to agree with me on the unkempt image. This holiday season pray for a jolly, nice smelling Santa. If you have been naughty, watch out, because Santa may be coming for you.

Ed Note: These Holiday music article are meant to be fun. Having said that, this is the most important time of the year to help the homeless in your city. Your time and money is needed to assist your local homeless charities. Contact the United Way to find a charity in your city.

RD Kulik

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing. He is trying to be really good this year. He hopes Santa can see the goodness through the small bits of naughtiness. Come bask in our goodness by liking us on Facebook.

SeedSing's Advent Calendar of Awesome Holiday Music: Day 3 - Last Christmas

ed note: This article was originally published on December 3rd, 2015

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we will present a new awesome holiday song for every day of Advent. This is the greatest music of the season. Enjoy.

Day 3: "Last Christmas"

Opened Doors: One, Two

Christmas is filled with memories. We remember the great gifts of years past. We never forget he food and drink that highlight the season. We also remember the our loved ones that we spend the holidays with. Sometimes the pressure of the holiday season takes a toll on couples, people separate, and we take Christmastime as a chance to move on. Christmas may be filled with memories of holidays past, but the season also represents hopefulness in creating new lasting memories.

"Last Christmas" released in 1984 by Wham (Andrew Ridgeley and his singing partner) is not a romantic song. The singer (George something) had his heartbroken last year on Christmas. He spends most of the song letting this heartbreaker know that he was in love, and the feeling was not mutual. Christmas Day is often filled with romance, and Wham acknowledge as much in "Last Christmas". The receiver of George's heart seemed to let the romance of Christmas take hold, it was not until the next day was George's heart given away. This betrayal has left a large scar on George's mind, he alludes to the fact that he was bitten by love, but is now twice as shy. He tries to stay away, but will steal a glance from afar. It pains that his love affair from a year ago might not recognize him. He feels foolish for giving his love, but he is confident if his past lover kissed him right now, he would be fooled to love them again.

With all the heartbreak, there is some hopefulness in "Last Christmas". George does not understand how his love can be given away by this person, but this Christmas he is determined to find that someone special. George's problem is that last Christmas he was a bit to hasty in giving away his heart. This year he is determined to find that special person who will give him something in return. Last year's Christmas was a learning experience for George.

Like all great holiday songs, "Last Christmas has been covered by many people. Taylor Swift just yell sings through her tone deaf money grab version. Jimmy Eat World does their Jimmy Eat World like version. Florence + The Machine once did a slow acoustic version for BBC Radio 1. "Last Christmas" has been well covered, but the original recording by Wham! still has no equal.

The first week of December is the time most people put out their holiday decorations. As we hang lights and trim the tree we are filled with memories of previous Christmas times. The strongest memories stem from the lovers lost, and gained, during the winter holidays. As you start to dress your home up for the festive year, give "Last Christmas" a listen. The bad times of Christmas past may come to mind, but the hopeful ideals of this Christmas will carry through the season. Last Christmas is over, find something special to remember this Christmas. 

RD Kulik

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing. Next Christmas he is looking forward to all the great posts on SeedSing from this Christmas. Are you someone special? Write for us.

SeedSing's Advent Calendar of Awesome Holiday Music: Day 1 - Linus and Lucy

ed note: This article was originally published on December 1st, 2015

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we will present a new awesome holiday song for every day of Advent. This is the greatest music of the season. Enjoy.

Day 1: Linus and Lucy By The Vince Guaraldi Trio 

Every year my wife and I throw a big winter holiday party. One of my duties is to create the background music. In the first few years we held the party I purchased a few sets of generic Christmas music cd sets. Many of the pieces were from the public domain, and almost all of the songs were jazz. I really dislike jazz. 

A few years back I decided to create a custom playlist from the holiday songs I loved. I wanted the music to reflect the whole season, and I wanted to use songs not widely available. The one song I salvaged from those awful jazz standards was "Linus and Lucy" by the Vince Guaraldi Trio. This was the one and only jazz song I needed for my holiday spirit. This was the song that kicked off my carefully curated holiday playlist. "Linus and Lucy" is the best way to start the season.

"Linus and Lucy" is not exactly a Christmas song. It was originally released by the Vince Guaraldi Trio on the 1964 album Jazz Impressions of a Boy Named Charlie Brown. The upbeat guitar and drums represent the excitement of the holiday season. There is pure joy and excitement throughout "Linus and Lucy". Once December 1st hits, the holiday season starts moving at a hectic pace. Crowded roads, overpopulated shopping centers, and disorganized homes filled with unwrapped gifts. "Linus and Lucy" embrace this chaos, and makes it joyful. 

The Christmas popularity for "Linus and Lucy" started when A Charlie Brown Christmas debuted in December of 1965. The upbeat tune was used as the music for the greatest dancing scene in television history. Many people will automatically think of the Charlie Brown Christmas pageant dancing when they hear "Linus and Lucy". This scene was shot in 1965 and we have voguing, the zombie, the twin girls doing the same dance, and a variety of incredible dance moves. When I hear "Linus and Lucy" I immediately break out into Linus's thrust movement, even if I am out in public (that does get awkward at times).

Since the debut of A Charlie Brown Christmas "Linus and Lucy" has become the unofficial Peanuts anthem. Most of the Peanuts cartoon specials have used the song, including the 2015 film The Peanuts Movie. The song receives the large majority of its airplay during the holiday season. The popularity of A Charlie Brown Christmas has programmed our culture to associate "Linus and Lucy" with the holidays. The song kicks off It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, yet "Linus and Lucy" makes our mind think of the December holiday extravaganza.

"Linus and Lucy" is the perfect first door to open on our Awesome Holiday Music Advent Calendar. This is the tune that will get your holiday spirit ready. It is chaotic, joyful, and demands to be danced to. If you start your day with "Linus and Lucy" your holiday spirit will never dim.

RD Kulik

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing. His wife has asked him to stop the Linus out in public, the Shermie is ok though. Tell us all about your favorite holiday tune - write for SeedSing.