We joke a lot about not knowing anything regarding music on this here music podcast. This week, we take a request that has us analyzing another medium we’re not particularly qualified to talk about: TV! Hear what we had to say about “California Christmastime” performed by the cast of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and “That’s What Christmas is For” performed by the cast of Community, plus our unpopular opinions about some other beloved/not-beloved shows.
This week, we get back to requests and cover two very different songs about the haves and/or the have-nots – “No Christmas in Kentucky” by Phil Ochs and “Toy Jackpot” by Blackalicious. Thanks again to Benito for the request!
This week on HARK, we cover a pairing of songs that we’ve had in mind for one hundred episodes – cover versions of “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” and “Wonderful Christmastime” by two bands that make us talk about high school again, The Polyphonic Spree and The Shins.
After some travel mishaps and a busy holiday season, we finally sat down to record this week’s episode of HARK – with our family/friends, Emma Holliday & Ian Burnette! You may remember Emma and E from their fabulous parody episode of our show, “Hey You Over There” – in this episode, we talk with them about two satirical songs from “A Colbert Christmas”, and also the nature of comedy, and Christmas, and maybe capitalism? Thanks again to Emma and E for being on the show, and also for letting us record with their microphone in their apartment so that there could be a new episode sort-of kind-of on time this week!
As the Great Holiday Equinox of 2016 continues, we celebrate this rare overlap of winter festivities by introducing a new holiday to the list. It took us one hundred episodes to get there, but “Seven Principles” by Sweet Honey in the Rock marks our very first Kwanzaa song! We also hear a new jam from the band that produced one of our Hanukkah favorites – The Macaroons, who urge us to “Hurry Up and Light the Candles”.
You there, boy! What day is this? Why, it’s the day of the 100th episode of HARK! As per tradition, RJ and Ian introduce the 199th and 200th songs in the list by surprising each other with picks for the top and the bottom. RJ’s pick for the top comes from the heart – will they sell you on their favorite song, or is this the episode in which we expose ourselves as a couple of sentimental know-nothings? Meanwhile, Ian (with help from a listener!) submits a pick for the bottom that is so revolting, the incredible fact that literally every unsold copy of it was court-ordered to be destroyed is only a small comfort. Thanks for listening, and until the next 100 episodes, happy holidays.
Our 100th episode approaches – but first we attend to our first-ever appeal in this very special episode! Some new context enriches our listening experience of the #3 song on our list, “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” by Darlene Love. Will our top three get a shake-up just one week before the Great Holiday Equinox of 2016? Thanks to Chris for both the original submission and the appeal!
This week on HARK, we’re building up to episode 100 with two classic songs from two classic Christmas specials: “Christmastime is Here (Vocal)” from A Charlie Brown Christmas and “Welcome Christmas (Reprise)” from How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
This week we cover “The Christmas Song” and “All I Want For Christmas” — but not the songs you’re probably thinking of. Inspired by an anonymous request, we let The Raveonettes and The Yeah Yeah Yeahs gently rock us to the recent past.
It’s a good time to give. And to make fun of bad Christmas music. This week on HARK, we recognize Giving Tuesday by talking a bit about some organizations that might be worth supporting, and just like, totally taking the piss out of “Do They Know It’s Christmas” by Band Aid and fellow well-intentioned infuriatingly-poorly-executed supergroup carol “Snow Snow Snow” by the Band of Merrymakers.