indie rock cafe

Hey everyone: trying something completely different; setting music to the classic Christmas poem, 'Twas The Night Before Christmas.' The songs that accompany each stanza are not meant to be literal, and not necessarily related to Christmas or the holidays.

This is merely an experimentation in free form tape mixing. The end goal is - as always - to share great music with the tens of thousands of people from all around the world who visit IRC each week. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.

We have a lot of great music, profiles, special playlists, new bands and more to come for the last week of 2009 and all throughout 2010 - which is already looking promising for alternative and indie rock music.

Twas the night before Christmas
"Christmas Eve" - The Sugarcubes

And all through the house
"Our House" - Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young

Not a creature was stirring
"Creature of the Night" - Arthur Dodge & The Horsefeathers

Not even a Mouse
"Quiet as a Mouse" - Margot & The Nuclear So Sos

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
"Hanging Up My Stockings" - Squirrel Nut Zippers

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
"Little Saint Nick" - The Beach Boys

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
"Children" - The Delta Spirit

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
"Put Some Sugar On It" - Half Japanese

And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
"Feather in Your Cap" - Beck

Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,
"I Go To Sleep" - The Kinks

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
"Come On Let's Boogie to the Elf Dance" - Sufjan Stevens

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
"We Awoke" - Between The Pine

Away to the window I flew like a flash,
"At My Window" - Lessons in Time

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
"Shutter" - City & The Horse

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
"Fallen Snow" - Au Revoir Simone

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,

"Shine A Light" - Wolf Parade

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

"Eyes" - Rouge Wave

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

"Reindeer Ride" - Roger Lavern & The Microns

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

"Drive On, Driver" - The Magnetic Fields

I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

"Donde Esta Santa Claus" - Guster

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

"The Reindeer" - The Headcoats

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Look at the Reindeer Rock" - Jimmy Boyd

"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!

"The Happy Reindeer" - Dancer, Prancer and Nervous

On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!

"Donna and Blitzen" - Badly Drawn Boy

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!

"Wonderwall" - Oasis

Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

"Dash After Dash" - Matt and Kim

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

"Maple Leaves" - Jens Lekman

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,

"Fly" - Nick Drake

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

"The Roof" - New Bomb Turks

With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

"Santa Claus is Coming To Town" - Bruce Springsteen

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
,
"On The Roof" - The Feelies

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

"The Hoofs" - Why?

As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,

"Cold Hands" - The Sun

Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

"Father Christmas" - The Kinks

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

"Fur Soft As Fur" - The Boy Least Likely To

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;

"Ashes to Ashes" - David Bowie

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
"All The Best Wooden Toys Come From Germany" - BSS

And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
"Jump Into This Sack" - Daniel Paquette

His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
"In the Twinkle of an Eye" - Eerie

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
"Rosy Cheeks" - Her Majesty's Orchestra

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
"Close Your Mouth It's Christmas" - The Free Design

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
"Santa Claus" - Belle and Sebastian

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
"The Pipe" - Vulture Whale

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
"Cinder and Smoke" - Iron and Wine

He had a broad face and a little round belly,
"Belly" - Swanton Bombs

That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
"Jelly Belly" - The Smashing Pumpkins

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
"Jolly Jolly Ego" - Dirty Projectors

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
"If I Laugh" - Cat Stevens

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
"One Wink at a Time" - The Replacements

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
"Darlin Do Not Fear" - Brett Dennen

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
"Did You See The Words" - Animal Collective

And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
"Santa Left a Booger in My Stocking" - Aqua Teen Hunger Force (w/Neko Case)

And laying his finger aside of his nose,
"Nose" - Mailbox

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
"Jingle Hell (Stuck in the Chimney" - Soundtrack of Our Lives

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
"Sleigh Ride" - Reliant K

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
"Milk Thistle" - Conor Oberst

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
Look at the Sky" - Ulrich Schnauss

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."
"Happy Christmas (War is Over)" - John Lennon
"Good Night" - The Beatles

(Still waiting for Peace on Earth)



eMusic's FREE Daily Download!

   December 22, 2009   

4 Comments:

At 10:07 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

this is the best playlist EVER

 
At 7:48 AM , Blogger EvHartstein said...

That's quite a list! Thanks IRC!!

 
At 1:14 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

wow - this is so freaking cool - thanks! a lots of great music. i agree with other comments

 
At 8:08 PM , Anonymous Fairfax said...

This is such a unique playlist and definitely experimental, but full of an eclectic mix of really good and interesting songs. I can't imagine how long it took to assemble this but your blog is consistently enjoyable and always full of exposing impressive music that isn't quite so well represented on any other music blog I know of. That's why it keeps me coming back all of the time, can't wait to follow u guys/gals in 2010 - even though Im still going thru many of the playlists from 2009 - and filling up my ipod :)

 

Post a Comment

Links to this post:

Create a Link

<< Home

Older Posts
twitter indierockcafe
indirockfacebook
indie rock myspace
youtube indie rock
indie rock lastfm
indie rock itunes podcast

Download 25 FREE songs at eMusic.com!

Indie Rock Cafe on Facebook



blog advertising is good for you

Current and upcoming releases (US dates)

12/7/09 Ólafur Arnalds - Dyad 1909
1/12/10 Vampire Weekend - Contra
1/19/10 Cold War Kids - Behave Yourself EP
1/19/10 Spoon - Transference
1/26/10 Beach House - Teen Dream
1/26/10 Basia Bulat - Heart Of My Own
2/1/10 Los Campesinos! - Romance Is Boring
2/2/10 Midlake - The Courage of Others
2/9/10 Yeasayer - Odd Blood
2/23/10 Shout Out Louds - Work
2/23/20 Shearwater - The Golden Archipelago
3/2/10 Rogue Wave - Permalight
3/2/10 The Whigs - In The Dark
3/9/10 Frightened Rabbit - The Winter of Mixed Drinks
3/9/10 Ted Leo & the Pharmacists - The Brutalist Bricks
3/16/10 Drive-By Truckers - The Big To-Do
3/16/10 The Whigs - In The Dark
3/22/10 Jónsi - Go
3/23/10 She & Him - Volume 2
5/4/10 The New Pornographers - Together

Get NCAA Tournament Tickets at StubHub!
IRC Popular Playlists & Mixes
Hundreds of songs, artists and bands.

 - 2009 Indie Rock Songs
 - 2008 Indie Rock Songs
 - 2007 Indie Rock Songs
 - Ears To The Music
 - State of Music
 - Best Rarely Heard Indie Songs
 - Summer Indie Rock Mixes
 - Songs of Winter
 - Songs of Spring
 - Songs About The Moon
 - Halloween Indie Rock Songs
 - Indie Christmas Songs Compilation
 - Valentine and Love Mixes
 - Songs About New York City
 - Dream Playlist
 - Songs for Mom
 - The Great Unknowns
 -  Quickies

Regular Features
 - Best New Releases
 - Band of the Week
 - Singer-Songwriter Spotlight Series
 - Bands to Watch
 - In Dee Mail
 - One Man Bands

Dig The Music Archives




Indie Record Labels


See Sold-Out Shows! Tickets Available on StubHub.com