Holiday Delousing

Every year, I make my non-traditional, somewhat depressing, anti-Christmas album. 

This is it this year:

1. Macy's Day Parade by Green Day

• The disillusionment of the holiday, a reference to Christmas as the Night of the Living Dead.

2. Christmas with Jesus by Josh Rouse

• As I understand it, this song is about a husband who cannot relate to his wife's religion, and Christmas becomes a symbol of that.

3. Riu Chiu by the Monkees

• An old Spanish carol. I have no idea what it means.

4. Yule Shoot Your Eye Out by Fall Out Boy

• An unusually angry sentiment for a Christmas song. 

5. The Night Santa Went Crazy by Weird Al Yankovic

• Less goofy than a lot of his songs, this one is extremely violent. I think the chorus should be replaced with the chorus of Santa Claus is Coming to Town.  Anti-Santa.

6. Millie Pulled a Pistol on Santa by De La Soul

• A very depressing song about girl abused by her father. Bad things happen at Christmas, too, folks. Disillusionment. Anti-Santa.

7. If We Make it Through December by Merle Haggard

• I like this song because there's no Christmas miracles. 

8. California Dreamin' by the Mamas and the Papas

• This song continues the theme of #7. I also appreciate the verse about going to church for warmth and nothing else. Loneliness of the holiday.

9. Winter Wonderland by Phantom Planet

• This song is a control song of sorts. Other than snow, there is nothing about this song to suggest it is about Christmas, yet it's a Christmas classic. So why can't California Dreamin' be a Christmas classic? 

10. Fuck Christmas by Fear

• This song speaks for itself. 

11. I Won't Be Home for Christmas by Blink 182

• Not a blink fan, but I like the line "You people scare me." 

12. Lonely Christmas Eve by Ben Folds

• It characterizes Christmas as a weapon. Loneliness of the holiday. 

13. Back 2 Good by matchbox twenty

• A song about loneliness that has always reminded me of Christmas. Not the intention of the song, but hopefully, in the context of the mix, its inclusion makes sense.  Loneliness of the holiday.

14. Christmas Sucks by Tom Waits and Peter Murphy

• Self-explanatory. My favorite line, "The stripper in my bed is ugly and fat." Loneliness of the holiday.

15. Santa Can't Stay by Dwight Yoakam

• A song about domestic violence. It's all upbeat and bellsy, but the subject matter is depressing as hell. Anti-Santa.

16. I Saw Daddy Kissing Santa Claus by Stand Still

• A subversive take on an irritating classic. Anti-Santa.

17. Fairytale of New York by the Pogues

• A song about the disenfranchised on Christmas. 

18. Bizarre Christmas Incident by Ben Folds

• A song about the death of Santa. There are cussy words in this one. Anti-Santa. 

19.  It Doesn't Have to Be This Way by Jim Croce

• Another loneliness classic. Heightened by the holiday.

20. I Heard the Bells on CHristmas Day by David Bazan

• I do like the peace on Earth sentiments of Christmas, even if no one believes it. Peace on Earth.

21. Shouldn't Have Given Him  A Gun for Christmas by Wall of Voodoo

• A song about Christmas violence. A very catchy.

22. Belleau Wood by Garth Brooks

• The most sentimental song on here. About soldiers in World War I temporarily suspending the fight. And even though I know this wasn't the intention, I love the atheist sentiment at the end. Peace on Earth.

23. Christmas Night of Zombies by Mxpx

• It's zombies, dude. A follow-up to #1.

24. St. Stephen's Day Murders by Elvis Costello

• A song about killing your family on the day after Christmas.

25. A Long December by the Counting Crows.

• The loneliness of the holiday. 

26. Forget December by Something Corporate

• Disillusionment of the holiday. 

27. Silent Night / Seven O'Clock News by Simon and Garfunkel

• And excellent way to subvert a classic and end the mix.