It's December, that time of year when all sorts of traditional favorites make appearances, and I decided a three-part series was in order. Last week's Food and Drink Favorites started us off, I'll continue today with Favorite Music, and bring us home next week with Favorite Activities. Come wassailing with us below the fold!
December means resyncing my iPod to add in all the holiday music I leave off the rest of the year. Like old friends who don't see each other as often as they'd like, these songs fill me with cheer. There are far more than I can fit here, but these are the ones that come to mind first. Here's my list:
- The First Noel Crash Test Dummies My absolute favorite version of this song ever. Bass voice lovers, this is your version. Plus lush harmony as a bonus!
- Twas The Night Before Christmas Henry Rollins This is a love it or hate it version. Mr. Brillig and I love it. Others... don't. You decide.
- O Holy Night Apocalyptica This cello-only (of course!) version stuns me with its simple eloquence.
- Silver Bells Venus Hum Not a traditional cover, but with that silver-toned voice she has!
- Gabriel's Message Sting Old Basque folk carol, this is Mr. Brillig's favorite carol ever.
- I Saw Three Ships Sting Yes, a Sting two-fer. Both of these are gorgeous, I only wish the carols were themselves longer.
- O Come O Come Emmanuel Enya Angel singing, indeed.
- Silent Night Sinead O'Connor Every year at church we sing this with the lights off and candles lit. It's my favorite part of the service. This version is gorgeous.
- Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Bruce Springsteen Has become the Traditional Favorite Version in our house!
- C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S Ames Brothers This is my dearest holiday song, and I cannot make a list without it. Unfortunately I can't find it anywhere on the intertubes sung by grownups, so the link goes to a version sung by schoolkids. Painful, but there are lyrics, and you get the idea :-). There's a player piano version that's fun and you can read the lyrics scrolling by! You can hear a brief clip here.
= = = = =
It's on to Top Comments! For those new to this daily series:
Here at Top Comments we round up some of the site's best, funniest, most mojo'd and most informative commentary. We depend on your help with talent spotting. If you see a comment that deserves recognition, please send it to topcomments at gmail by 9:45pm Eastern. Please please please include a few words about why you sent it in as well as your user name (even if you think we know it already :-)), so we can credit you with the find!
My thanks to those who send in the following nominations:
From indiemcemopants:
This comment by commonmass is hysterical - it was in my diary about Gen. Amos' comments today that gays will cause deaths and loss of arms and legs of soldiers in combat.
From fou:
Also from indiemcemopants's diary comes this one by jfromga.
From Eddie C:
In a Sea of Reality there was one good laugh by House of Gin, another by TJ and cdreid's unrated comment that you just don't hear enough of.
From hazey:
I'm sure there have been funnier or smarter or more thought provoking comments on dKos today. But for some reason, this comment by tardis10 in rexymeteorite's diary On being poor just cut me to the bone.
From Yours Truly, brillig:
This lengthy comment by YucatanMan is well-written and the best thing I read all day.
I saw Lt. Choi in Vegas this past summer, and am saddened to hear he's in hospital. However, this thread begun by Colorado is the Shiznit and ended by Sara R made me smile. Get well soon!
Top Mojo is always seasonally appropriate! Thanks to the magic methods of cskendrick and sardonyx it's even easy!
Top 30 Comments excluding tip jars, first comments and stuff:
1) The Poor Are Invisible to Many Americans by JekyllnHyde — 264
2) You Are Correct by JekyllnHyde — 171
3) Good work, Michael by nyceve — 165
4) Richard Holbrooke's last words . . . by nyceve — 139
5) Invisible? by Leap Year — 108
6) Your statistics on homelessness are by blue jersey mom — 106
7) Glad someone has the by axel000 — 103
8) This Is Why I Oppose The Tax "Deal" by RainbowGirl — 101
9) unfortunately I don't have a blockage around me by ladypockt — 97
10) Little Big Man by JekyllnHyde — 90
11) I've been poor my whole life by LeftHandedMan — 88
12) This is more than just a "slant" on stories by Siri — 86
13) America can't handle the truth by JohnB47 — 84
14) Putting your money where your mouth is. Way to by temptxan — 82
15) Reaganomics for Dummies by Dallasdoc — 82
16) that's a good analogy by mightymouse — 81
17) It's clear you've never been poor, even as that by gustynpip — 80
18) Sometimes I forget by gjohnsit — 75
19) I wish you well rexymeteorite, I agree, the by MinistryOfLove — 74
20) Those who condemn Wikileaks and Assange... by tbetz — 73
21) Actions like yours is what gives me by blueoasis — 72
22) Wham Bam, you might want to take by blue jersey mom — 72
23) WikiLeaks Simplified by JekyllnHyde — 71
24) Centrists can't handle the truth. by Words In Action — 71
25) I you knew any history, you would by blue jersey mom — 71
26) I think the main point... by Meteor Blades — 69
27) Blessings, warm thoughts, prayers* by bleeding heart — 68
28) You and I have the right to privacy by cdreid — 67
29) And obviously invisible people don't get a by MackInTheBox — 65
30) problem is, dude by Miep — 64
Top 30 Comments with no exclusions, aka the Tip Jar & Pooties list :-):
1) Tip Jar by Michael Moore — 671
2) This Christmas, I have a request. by rexymeteorite — 508
3) Tip Jar by TomP — 350
4) Tip Jar by Patriot Daily News Clearinghouse — 340
5) The Poor Are Invisible to Many Americans by JekyllnHyde — 264
6) Tip Jar by Wendell Potter — 227
7) Alms (tips) by Muskegon Critic — 185
8) You Are Correct by JekyllnHyde — 171
9) Tip Jar by amybdean — 168
10) Good work, Michael by nyceve — 165
11) Tip Jar by indiemcemopants — 161
12) Tip Jar by bleeding heart — 158
13) Tip Jar by gjohnsit — 148
14) The point of wikileaks is simple: by 8ackgr0und N015e — 147
15) Tips/Call your Senators by Clarknt67 — 146
16) Tips for Lt. Dan Choi Jar by Angie in WA State — 145
17) Tip Jar by twigg — 141
18) Ya r'ly: by Pluto — 140
19) Richard Holbrooke's last words . . . by nyceve — 139
20) Invisible? by Leap Year — 108
21) Your statistics on homelessness are by blue jersey mom — 106
22) Glad someone has the by axel000 — 103
23) This Is Why I Oppose The Tax "Deal" by RainbowGirl — 101
24) Tip Jar by bluesheep — 101
25) unfortunately I don't have a blockage around me by ladypockt — 97
26) Tip Jar by teacherken — 96
27) Little Big Man by JekyllnHyde — 90
28) I've been poor my whole life by LeftHandedMan — 88
29) Welcome to the porch by Black Kos — 88
30) This is more than just a "slant" on stories by Siri — 86