mariah carey

The Dunce Cap: Week of Dec. 5, 2012

in: heavy rotation

The Dunce Cap, Vol. 50: Look so nice, standing by yourself. I don’t want to be with anybody else. (click on link to listen to mix via 8tracks or play above)

1. “Kate” – Ben Folds Five
2. “It’s Nice to Be Alive” – Ball Park Music
3. “The Concept” – Teenage Fanclub
4. “Teenage Queen” – Snowglobe
5. “Let the Distance Keep Us Together” – Bright Eyes (ft. Britt Daniel)
6. “Blue Ice” – Shout Out Louds
7. “Sex” – The 1975
8. “Kiss Me on the Bus” – The Replacements
9. “Hey Sandy” – Polaris
10. “Song for You” – Alexi Murdoch
11. “All I Want for Christmas is You” – Jimmy Fallon, Mariah Carey & The Roots

I realize I made this mix last month – last year, if we’re being technical – and simply forgot to blog about it. So, mostly, I’m just postin’ it here without much explanation. This is simply a collection of tunes I adore, including an awesome version of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” live from “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” and featuring a kids’ chorus. Truly festive.

As always, happy listening.

P.S. 8-bit Dikembe Mutombo? Genius.

A.V. Club: Happy Life Day, Y’all

in: viewing room

I must confess: I love Christmas.

I love hot chocolate and snowmen and giant marshmallows and gaudy light displays and crackling fires and hysterically overwrought (and often heartwarming) TV specials and Leslie Knope’s giftgiving. And I love the smell of a fresh-cut fir and the comfort of a cableknit sweater. And, most of all, I love this:

This guy, the storied (and oft-shat upon) Star Wars Holiday Special, has it all. From Chewbacca’s family (with my main man, Lumpy) and a Bea Arthur sing-along to the introduction of Boba Fett and a pseudo-psychadelic Jefferson Starship performance, this 1978 television special is a total gem from start to finish; Harrison Ford has long evaded questions about it, which is no surprise considering his tearjerking performance (“You’re…like family to me!”). Enjoy.

I was gearing up to write a post about the joy of modern Christmas music, but, let’s face it – come tomorrow, you’ll all be sick and tired of it all. Below, though, you’ll find my two favorite Christmas songs.


Jimmy Eat World, “Last Christmas”
From the O.C.’s “A Very Merry Chrismukkah” album (and the Wham! original)


Mariah Carey, “All I Want For Christmas is You”
(and, one of these days, I’ll tell you all why I like Mariah so damn much)

Maybe someday soon I’ll get a Christmas like this.
Because, I should admit, these are the window dressings I’ve always wanted.

For now, the happiest of holidays to you and yours. Merry Christmas, if that’s what you’re into, Happy Life Day to the wookies, Happy (halfway through) Hanukkah, et. al. See you all soon enough.