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Tyler Clark presents: Local Mythologies writesTop 25 Christmas Songs: #7 - Sufjan Stevens, “Come On! Let’s Boogey to the Elf Dance!”

It's the holiday season, which means Christmas music. Lots and lots or Christmas music, most of which was written before the people listening to it were even alive. While "Jingle Bells" and "We Three Kings" are great, and resilient, we're devoting this year to finding the best Christmas song written since 1989. We continue today with #7, and one of many, many possible entries from Sufjan Stevens.

 



#7: Sufjan Stevens, "Come On! Let's Boogey to the Elf Dance!" (2003)

By my count, Sufjan Stevens has written, recorded, and released 37 original Christmas songs since 2001, making him far and away the most prolific holiday artist on this countdown. That's not even counting the the 63 other new arrangements and covers of other people's carols that populate his two (!) Christmas boxsets, 2006's Songs for Christmas and 2012's Silver & Gold. It's also not counting any he's written since 2012; those boxsets are, of course, compilations of annual Christmas records that Stevens first distributes among friends and family.

What Frank Zappa is to experimental music and Guided By Voices is to lo-fi indie rock, Sufjan Stevens is to modern holiday tunes.

Choosing one of his originals for this list obviously proved daunting. Hell, limiting myself to just one of his songs was equally hard. In the end, though, I gave my vote to "Come On! Let's Boogey to the Elf Dance!", which first appeared on 2003's Ding! Dong!: Songs for Christmas, Vol. III. For me, the song always stood out for its accurate portrayal of how I experienced Christmas as a kid.

The holiday is a sensory overload, with mundane changes (stores are closed! relatives are here!) getting jumbled up with massive metaphysical beliefs (it's the birthday of mankind's savior!). Stevens noticed that, too, and turned the jumble into a kinda-sweet, kinda-sad reflection on youthful existence. It's a powerful song, underneath its ramshackle poppiness, and articulates an idea that I've felt for years, but could never express.

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Categorized: Christmas Top 25

Shawn Campbell writesEasy Ways to Support CHIRP This Holiday Season

2014 has been great, and 2015 holds even more excitement as we celebrate the station's fifth birthday in January (and all year long), launch new and improved mobile apps in the spring, and begin broadcasting at 107.1FM sometime after the weather gets warm.  As we approach the end of the year, there are all sorts of easy ways you can help keep CHIRP strong moving into 2015. Here are a few:

  • Buy tickets to the Chicago Music Dinner on January 19 at Lula Cafe, an all-inclusive three-course meal with beer pairings by Half Acre. This event celebrates the 5th anniversary of CHIRPradio.org. It's just a single seating with very limited tickets, and makes a perfect gift for the local music lover/foodie in your life!
  • Shopping online? Use the link chirpradio.org/amazon and as much as 7% of your Amazon.com purchase price will benefit CHIRP! Bookmark it so you can use it year round, not just during the holiday season.
  • And when you buy music digitally, bookmark and use chirpradio.org/itunes and chirpradio.org/insound. A percentage of your purchase price will benefit CHIRP.
  • Shop in the CHIRP Store. We have some brand new items, and have discounted a few old favorites as well. Stock up on CHIRP gear!
  • Know someone who's considering getting rid of an old car or truck? Encourage them to donate it to CHIRP before December 31 to take advantage of 2014 tax savings.
  • And of course the end of the year is the perfect time for charitable gifts in general. All gifts to chirpradio.org/donatenow are tax deductible. And with the new broadcast operation to build, it's a great time to give!

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Categorized: CHIRP Radio News and Info.

Tyler Clark presents: Local Mythologies writesTop 25 Christmas Songs: #8 - Fountains of Wayne, “I Want an Alien for Christmas”

It's the holiday season, which means Christmas music. Lots and lots or Christmas music, most of which was written before the people listening to it were even alive. While "Jingle Bells" and "We Three Kings" are great, and resilient, we're devoting this year to finding the best Christmas song written since 1989. We continue today with #8, and a novelty Christmas song for the modern era from Fountains of Wayne.

 



#8: Fountains of Wayne, "I Want an Alien for Christmas" (1997)

Last Christmas, I had the honor of interviewing Fountains of Wayne's Chris Collingswood and Adam Schlesinger about their band's two entries into the Christmas music canon. While Chris was more forthcoming about the inspirations and reactions to his song (the also-excellent "Man in the Santa Suit"), Adam revealed the single most surprising detail: "I Want an Alien for Christmas" was supposed to be a Hanson song.

Had it appeared on 1997's Snowed In, it still might've made the list. The song captures everything there is to love about fantastical gifts, and the novelty songs they inspire: tough-but-earnest requests, imaginitive lists of potential usage, and the outsized expectations that only come from the minds of children gripped by Santa fever. It's also a great slice of '90s power-pop, which gives it the edge over older cuts like "I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas."

Retail programmers agree; unlike many songs on this list, "I Want an Alien for Christmas" has already made the jump onto more traditional holiday playlists. The next time you're at Target, keep one ear open, and one eye on the skies.

Share December 18, 2014 • https://chrp.at/4eus • Share on Facebook • Tweet This!

Categorized: Christmas Top 25

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