The OFFICIAL Unofficial Achewood Message Board
Trivial Pursuits => History => Topic started by: pmcd9 on December 12, 2013, 10:17:01 pm
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This isn't really a war on Christmas thread unless you want it to be. No, this is just a regular old Christmas thread with a provocative title. Just call me the anti Upworthy.
So I thought I would kick things off with a Christmas song that even people who hate Christmas music usually like. It's the classic Fairy Tale of New York (http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/video/iron-and-wine-and-calexico-fairytale-of-new-york/n44238/) done by Calexico and Iron and Wine on Jimmy Fallon's show last night. The only thing not good about it is NBC felt the need to bleep Faggot from the lyrics. Oh brother.
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Saw that this morning, it's fantastic. I'm no fan of derogatory gay terms, but in that case it's just what the song lyric is and I think we should live with it. (Acknowledged, though, that as a straight person I'm in no position to tell gay people what they should or should not be offended by, but it's just my opinion.)
The War on Christmas is such a frickin' straw man. I have yet to hear of one actual verifiable instance in which someone actually said "You shouldn't say 'Merry Christmas.'"
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Thanks for sharing that, Paul. My favorite Christmas song hands down, and I love Hansard, Beam and Calexico. That was just about perfect. You'll find at least one tiny can in your stocking this year.
REVISED TO ADD: Played this for my wife last night and she liked it so much she cried a little. She said it's funny how much better you can understand how happy and hopeful the song is, when not performed by Slurrin' Shane MacGowan.
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A very Brazilian Christmas: Saw an ad on a bus today: "Put some lingerie on your Christmas."
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So I thought I would kick things off with a Christmas song that even people who hate Christmas music usually like. It's the classic Fairy Tale of New York (http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/video/iron-and-wine-and-calexico-fairytale-of-new-york/n44238/) done by Calexico and Iron and Wine on Jimmy Fallon's show last night. The only thing not good about it is NBC felt the need to bleep Faggot from the lyrics. Oh brother.
I almost didn't click on this because I was sure anyone else doing this song had to be a disappointment. But while that woman is no Kirsty McColl, it was really pretty good.
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ALSO: I never knew my favourite xMas tune (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgIwLeASnkw) had a location connection (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elmo_Shropshire) to the EggMan.
I did not know this. Know who else was from Lexington? This guy. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOHMHHcvdPs)
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Dammit, Mayor, you wouldn't friggin' believe where I had to go to drag this out to you (http://nationalreport.net/9-year-old-suspended-saying-merry-christmas-teacher/).
[i think it's a hoax]
You'd be right about the hoax part. Wikipedia on National Report: "National Report (nationalreport.net) is a satirical website devoted to often subtle parodies of real news which convince the unwary. It is published by Allen Montgomery.[1]"
The story is repeated verbatim on a couple of "genuine" news sites, but nowhere reputable. The story claims the student talked to CNN, but nothing about the story there. There is no Argon Elementary in SF; there is an Argonne Elementary, but the principal is not Paul Horner.
Fake fake fake-ity fake.
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I have one FB friend (my wife's cousin) who regularly posts shit like that, that reinforces his beliefs but is easily refutable. If there's a rebuttal on Snopes or something else easily attainable like that, I'll post it as a comment to his post.
He did have something recently about NSA shenanigans that did sound possibly genuine and distressing. But my thought was "If everything else he posts is bullshit, why should I believe this?" Probably should have alerted him to that fact, I guess.
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I did not know this. Know who else was from Lexington? This guy. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOHMHHcvdPs)
That guy was the pitchman for... something, I can't remember now, a company in Houston anyway, for years. I thought he was local until he started making his corny ass movies.
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That early Jim Varney stuff was oddly compelling. He endorsed a different product in every market, but made sure none of them were in direct competition with each other. I remember him shilling for Green's Ice Cream.
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Can someone please direct me to that custom artist thing someone (cort?) posted on our last gift exchange?
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Project Dispatch!
http://www.projectdispatch.biz/ (http://www.projectdispatch.biz/)
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Thanks for that.
Also, this is the only correct way to watch this movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=swZYMIdWMa4
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An actual skirmish: (although its from the other side of the debate) (http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/12/16/salvation-army-bell-ringer-punched-for-saying-happy-holidays-instead-of-merry-christmas/)
The War on Christmas is such a frickin' straw man. I have yet to hear of one actual verifiable instance in which someone actually said "You shouldn't say 'Merry Christmas.'"
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(http://25.media.tumblr.com/211965632322b8ef36cf6e14eb796807/tumblr_mxt7pcROiK1qaaicoo1_500.jpg)
(http://24.media.tumblr.com/4a1bdb2efa107504f97fba21baa7c73d/tumblr_mvwg61AVe21qeablwo1_500.jpg)
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I've seen both of those a few times. The second one cracks me up everytime.
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If a war there be, the Man Himself is ready to return fire
(http://i.celebs.com/lt/000/055/320/55320.gif)
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An actual skirmish: (although its from the other side of the debate) (http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/12/16/salvation-army-bell-ringer-punched-for-saying-happy-holidays-instead-of-merry-christmas/)
I live in Salt Lake, and the majority of my colleagues are Mormon. I'll often hear complaints about the war on Christmas and stuff like that. But the majority of them are in sales, and ALL of them, unless they are talking to an established client, say happy holidays instead of merry Christmas. Funny how "PC" people are willing to be when it may have an impact on their bonus.
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Being that I live in the Bible Belt, Christmas has been as prevalent as it always has. However, one fellow employee insists on lamenting it's apparent destruction. I do my best to refrain from mentioning my status as an atheist.
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How stoic.
To bring things out of godless heathen territory, you people got any recommendations for non-terrible Christmas music? If I'm feelin' sappy I'll give Bruce (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zC8AhRZ7rPk&list=PLuR_YXyX4QelZqGlg_BCP2fFAyPdBeoSR) a go, and the Vince Guaraldi peanuts stuff is nostalgia in a CD case, but is there any other good non-ironic Christmas music out there that isn't 'fairytale of new york'?
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As far as I'm concerned "Fairytale of New York" is the reason for the season.
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esquivel made a phenomenal album of space-age bachelor pad christmas covers. it was retro-cool a while ago, so it'll be retro-retro-cool in another few years
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How stoic.
To bring things out of godless heathen territory, you people got any recommendations for non-terrible Christmas music? If I'm feelin' sappy I'll give Bruce (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zC8AhRZ7rPk&list=PLuR_YXyX4QelZqGlg_BCP2fFAyPdBeoSR) a go, and the Vince Guaraldi peanuts stuff is nostalgia in a CD case, but is there any other good non-ironic Christmas music out there that isn't 'fairytale of new york'?
Stanley Jordan's work always sounds like Christmas music, even when it isn't.
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To bring things out of godless heathen territory, you people got any recommendations for non-terrible Christmas music? If I'm feelin' sappy I'll give Bruce (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zC8AhRZ7rPk&list=PLuR_YXyX4QelZqGlg_BCP2fFAyPdBeoSR) a go, and the Vince Guaraldi peanuts stuff is nostalgia in a CD case, but is there any other good non-ironic Christmas music out there that isn't 'fairytale of new york'?
I can't help you man, I love Christmas music so I don't know how to listen to it ironically.v
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How stoic.
To bring things out of godless heathen territory, you people got any recommendations for non-terrible Christmas music? If I'm feelin' sappy I'll give Bruce (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zC8AhRZ7rPk&list=PLuR_YXyX4QelZqGlg_BCP2fFAyPdBeoSR) a go, and the Vince Guaraldi peanuts stuff is nostalgia in a CD case, but is there any other good non-ironic Christmas music out there that isn't 'fairytale of new york'?
I'm on a steady diet of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCabI3MdV9g) and Bad Religion (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1KCjHbKM_s&feature=kp) these days. Also, if you like hip-hop even a little bit, Run DMC's "Christmas in Hollis (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWcTaMw0gE8)" might be the single greatest Christmas song of the modern age.
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How stoic.
To bring things out of godless heathen territory, you people got any recommendations for non-terrible Christmas music? If I'm feelin' sappy I'll give Bruce (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zC8AhRZ7rPk&list=PLuR_YXyX4QelZqGlg_BCP2fFAyPdBeoSR) a go, and the Vince Guaraldi peanuts stuff is nostalgia in a CD case, but is there any other good non-ironic Christmas music out there that isn't 'fairytale of new york'?
Father Christmas (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni04_SF-HRQ) by The Kinks is the best Christmas song.
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As far as I'm concerned "Fairytale of New York" is the reason for the season.
Someone give that lady a thousand cans.
It's the best one, and usually the only Christmas song I can stand aside from a few older standards sung by Nat Cole and a couple other dudes.
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I love Christmas music
Okay, let me rephrase that. I love Christmas music, but there's a lot of really bad Christmas music.
I'm on a steady diet of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCabI3MdV9g)
Trans-Siberian Orchestra are terrible. They are the music to an action movie starring Vin Diesel and The Rock who have to save the day when renegade mercenaries kidnap Santa. They've strapped a loose nuke to his sleigh and are attempting to fly it into Rockefeller Center.
Father Christmas (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni04_SF-HRQ) by The Kinks is the best Christmas song.
That song, along with Christmas Song (http://youtu.be/BdalBvgNAxI) by Jethro Tull and I Believe in Father Christmas (http://youtu.be/Ib8alo0Pxfk) form a triumvirate I like to call The Worst Christmas songs of all time.
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Don't get me wrong, 'fairytale' is great, and that iron and wine version paul posted awhile back gave me some seasonal chokes, but it's pretty much the go-to recommendation. Gotta soft spot for ol religious carols and stuff too.
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Gotta soft spot for ol religious carols and stuff too.
I like the traditional stuff also. I like a lot of offbeat stuff too, but Christmastime is Here (http://youtu.be/GPG3zSgm_Qo) is my favorite.
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How about The New Pornographers' Joseph, Who Understood. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nOm81MqeCI)
I also like giraffebone's It's a Wonderful Life (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOhxEyPSEoY) and Slick Nick, You Devil You (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQSYJPASsEQ).
Death Cab's version of Christmas Baby Please Come Home (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Hzq3gLEYAc) is pretty good.
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This Post Secret item made me laugh out loud at my desk just now.
http://postsecretdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/shhh.jpg
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I listened to that New Pornopgraphers song and it confirmed that I am so over the New Pornopgraphers.
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I listened to that New Pornopgraphers song and it confirmed that I am so over the New Pornopgraphers.
Dammit, first Cort with the Doritos thing and now this. I thought you people were cool.
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I don't agree with all of it, but here's (http://deadspin.com/the-best-version-of-every-important-christmas-song-1476324669) an interesting list.
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So I guess Vince Guaraldi's drummer on the Charlie Brown album is from my neck of the woods (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/charlie-brown-s-christmas-drummer-returns-after-48-years-1.2457045)! Well, broadly speaking——poor ol' New Brunswick just can't catch a break.
The CBC also had an interesting radio piece where they interviewed him about the album's creation, but I can't find it anywhere.
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So they turned Hallelujah into a Christian Christmas song about baby Jesus (http://liftbump.com/2013/12/7262-can-literally-feel-christmas-moving-performance-hallelujah/) proving that this is an amazing song even when sung with trite new lyrics.
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I don't agree with all of it, but here's (http://deadspin.com/the-best-version-of-every-important-christmas-song-1476324669) an interesting list.
"Raining Blood" is a Christmas song?!?
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"Raining Blood" is a Christmas song?!?
Who knew?
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Trapped in purgatory
A lifeless object, alive
Awaiting reprisal
Death will be their acquisition
The sky is turning red
Return to power draws near
Fall into me, the sky's crimson tears
Abolish the rules made of stone
Pierced from below, souls of my treacherous past
Betrayed by many, now ornaments dripping above
Awaiting the hour of reprisal
Your time slips away
Raining blood
From a lacerated sky
Bleeding its horror
Creating my structure
Now I shall reign in blood!
Sounds like a pretty pious holiday jam to me, if not a necessarily Christmassy one. Sounds more Easter than anything: A God descending to earth to be voluntarily dismembered in a grizzly fashion, and travelling to hell and returning to atone for humanity's horrific consumptive greed!
Christianity is metal as fuck.
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Christian Christmas song about baby Jesus (http://liftbump.com/2013/12/7262-can-literally-feel-christmas-moving-performance-hallelujah/)
Oh man. Oh god damn. The existence of 'Liftbump' made me die a little, but in a funny way. But the death those revised lyrics caused, less so. The performance of the song was really nice though.
Also, the video's title claims that in watching it I will 'Literally Feel Christmas.' I suppose this invites all sorts of questions about the phenomenology of 'feeling' something in a literal sense, given the prevalence of sensory metaphor in speech n' all... I know, I know——we're all big grown up anti-prescriptivists 'round these parts, but the increasingly mainstream usage of 'literally' for purposes of emphasis still just gets my goat.
I'll get over it.
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Here you go (http://youtu.be/hc6vlBpbk5g) you jaded fucks.
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It's Christmastime in the Mountains (http://youtu.be/D4LlS1inTWw)
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Two (http://youtu.be/PLvU-eSbFD0) songs (http://youtu.be/TqjFHmpy8CI) from Houston's greatest musical treasure Sam Lightnin' Hopkins.
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Hey, merry Xmas. It's not my bag but I hope youse have a good time.
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The war is over. We finally won. Christmas at my house has been reduced to vulgar jokes and restaging traditional photos for the 20th time and getting presents we picked out ourselves.
OH NO, BREAKFAST BURRITOS APPEAR. CHRISTMAS SPIRIT IS RALLYING. Wine has appeared. It's a Christmas miracle.
We need the small cousins to come. Without them around we are all too cynical.
Merry Christmas, thou internets.
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The war is over. We finally won. Christmas at my house has been reduced to vulgar jokes and restaging traditional photos for the 20th time and getting presents we picked out ourselves.
OH NO, BREAKFAST BURRITOS APPEAR. CHRISTMAS SPIRIT IS RALLYING. Wine has appeared. It's a Christmas miracle.
We need the small cousins to come. Without them around we are all too cynical.
Merry Christmas, thou internets.
(http://i.imgur.com/Fjw3OxD.jpg)
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Sled Zeppelin (http://youtu.be/QIKXkZWgmC0)
Ruuuuuuuuuuuuuudolf!
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(...)we're all big grown up anti-prescriptivists...
I certainly amn't, and I literally feel your pain.