HARK! – Page 25 – The Holiday Music Podcast

Episode 142: Real Music by Fake People

harkpodcast October 18, 2017 No Comments

This week, Ian and RJ are covering two real songs by fake brothers – The Geeta Brothers. What started as a comedy video by Punjabi-Canadian comedians JusReign and Babbulicious and turned into two* real albums of Punjabi Christmas music and a touring live Christmas spectacular for the whole family. “Frost the Snowman” and “Grinch” both turn out to be polished tunes with layers of jokes – including some that we are totally not the audience for, which really, is for the best!

*We recorded the episode thinking there was only one album. We’re sorry. There’s a jingle horse track we missed. We’re so sorry.

Episode 141: Hark! Ho! Let’s Go!

harkpodcast October 11, 2017 No Comments

We’re tying up some loose ends on our request list, putting the unused pairs for last week’s pick together – and it’s always better when we’re together, right? Jack Johnson’s rendition of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and The Ramones’ “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight Tonight)” may not seem like they have much in common at first glance, but they both make feeling bad sound pretty good. Thanks again to Alan and Matt for the requests!

Episode 140: Taxonomy of Santa Sex

harkpodcast October 4, 2017 No Comments

This week, by popular demand, we return to the nigh-inexhaustible subject of music about sex and Santa Claus. Fortunately, “Back Door Santa” by Clarence Carter is far from the worst song in this sub-genre we’ve covered, and we pair it with another tune that sounds better in execution than in concept, the sultry but sweet “Hanukkah Lovin'” by Michelle Citrin. Thanks to Matt, Alan, and anonymous for the requests!

Episode 139: Latkes and Line-Dancing

harkpodcast September 27, 2017 No Comments

This week we get back into some Hanukkah songs! Grab your partner, do-si-do, and tune in to hear our thoughts on “Happy Joyous Hanukkah” by the Indigo Girls and “Hanukkah Dance” by Woody Guthrie!

Episode 138: New Year’s Hopes and Prayers

harkpodcast September 20, 2017 No Comments

In honor of three big calendar-changing holidays this week – Rosh Hashanah, the Islamic New Year, and the Autumnal Equinox – we’re listening to two New Year songs! The lively tune of “Gonna Make It Through This Year” by Great Lake Swimmers disguises some darker lyrics, while the complexities of “New Year’s Prayer” by Jeff Buckley are full of light.

Episode 137: I’m Gonna Text Message Santa

harkpodcast September 13, 2017 No Comments

HARK: hey
HARK: this ep has 2 songs abt texting
HARK: we listened to “Text Me Merry Christmas” by Straight No Chaser featuring Kristen Bell and “Merry Xmas (Says Your Text Message)” by Dragonette
HARK: lol
HARK: pls forgive me

Thank you to John for the request!

Episode 136: Actually

harkpodcast September 6, 2017 No Comments

This week we’re covering a request to talk about the two musical highlights of the British Christmas rom-com that you may love to hate, hate to love, or in our case, calmly accept how much more you love it than it deserves. From Love Actually, we discuss “All I Want for Christmas is You” as performed by Olivia Olson and “Christmas is All Around” as performed by fictional character Billy Mack. Thank you to Tom and John for the requests!

Episode 135: Jingle Horse 3: A Jingle Dot Horse Carol

harkpodcast August 30, 2017 No Comments

We received a few requests for a song from “A Christmas Carol” (1951) and made the rare ruling that it is not Holiday Enough (or a complete enough performance) for us to rank. But in the spirit (get it) of those requests, we listen to two Dickens-related songs, “A Christmas Carol” by Tom Lehrer and “Ebeneezer” by The Wizards of Winter! Thanks to Douglas for requesting “A Christmas Carol” and to captain-mcgloo and anonymous for requesting “Barbara Allen”!

Episode 134: The Friendly Beasts and Where to Find Them

harkpodcast August 23, 2017 No Comments

This week we tackle two songs about animal friends – but for once, none of them are pulling a sleigh. By request, we listen to the cheerful Nativity song “El Burrito De Belén” performed by La Rondallita and pair it with the surprisingly somber “The Friendly Beasts” as performed by Art Garfunkel and Amy Grant. Thank you to officialcomemierda for the request!

Episode 133: Silver & Gold & Blackmail

harkpodcast August 16, 2017 No Comments

This week in the Yukon is Discovery Day, which celebrates(?) the Klondike Gold Rush – so we listen to two Christmas songs that have that gold fever! “Silver & Gold” by Burl Ives is a delightful classic, but a little unclear in its values — while Kelly Clarkson’s Santa-Baby-meets-surf-pop tune “4 Carats” knows exactly what it is about.