THIS IS something completely different, and even unconventional. A playlist like no other . Many of the tracks we chose are not available on streaming networks so we linked all of the tracks below.
The concept is simple: match as close as possible great indie, alt. rock and some classic rock songs with the famous stanzas 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 in many instances. Nor is this playlist meant to be religiously-slanted or centric – just all about sharing music and goodwill.
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Twas the night before Christmas
“Merry Christmas I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight“
And all through the house,
“Quiet Houses“ – Quiet Houses – Fleet Foxes
Not a creature was stirring
“Creature Fear“ – Creature Fear – Bon Iver
Not even a Mouse
“Mice Eat Cheese“ – Mice Eat Cheese – Modest Mouse
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care
“Blue Stockings“ – Blue Stockings – Sea Wolf
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there
“Little Saint Nick“ (Beach Boys) – Little Saint Nick – The Very Most
The children were nestled, all snug in their beds
“Let Me Sleep Christmas Time“ – Let Me Sleep It’s Christmastime – Pearl Jam
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
“Candy Cane Children” – Candy Cane Children – The White Stripes
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
“Feather in Your Cap“ – Feather in Your Cap – Beck
Had just settled down for a long winter’s nap
“Silent Night” – Silent Night- The National, Sufjan Stevens and Richard Parry
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
“Come On Let’s Boogie to the Elf Dance“ – Come On Let’s Boogie to the Elf Dance – Sufjan Stevens
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter,
“I Wish It Was Christmas Today” – I Wish It Was Christmas Today – Julian Casablancas
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
“Winter Windows“ – Winter Windows – Sea Wolf
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash,
“Shutters“ – Shutters – Hayden Calnin
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
“Winter Wonderland” – Winter Wonderland – John Blaze
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
“Now We Lustre“ – Now We Lustre – Tones on Tail
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
“Wandering Eyes“ – Wandering Eyes – Kopecky Family Band
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
“The Rabbit The Bat and The Reindeer“ – The Rabbit The Bat and The Raindeer – Dr. Dog
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
“Drive On Driver“ – Drive on Driver – The Magnetic Fields
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
“Donde Esta Santa Claus“ – Donde Esta Santa Claus – Guster
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
“Reindeer Are Wild“ – Raindeer Are Wild – The Headcoats
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
“Name For You“ – Name For You – The Shins
“Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
“Dasher Prancer Donner & Blitzen“ – Dasher Prancer Donner & Blitzen – Mice Parade
On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
“Donna and Blitzen“–Donna and Blitzen – Badly Drawn Boy
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
“Walls“ – Walls – The Lumineers
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!“
“Going The Distance“ – Going The Distance – Cake
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
“Dead Leaves and The Dirty Ground“ – Dead Leaves and The Dirty Ground – The White Stripes
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
“Fly“ – Fly – Nick Drake
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
“Breaking The Ice“ –Breaking The Ice – Mojave 3
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too
“Come On Santa“ – Come On Santa – The Raveonettes
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof,
“Crooked Roof“ – Crooked Roof – J. Tillman and Emily Loizeau
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof
“The Hoofs“ – The Hoofs – Why?
As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,
“Cold Hands“– Cold Hands – Black Lips
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound
“Father Christmas“ – Father Christmas – The Kinks
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
“Fur Soft As Fur“ – Fur Soft As Fur – The Boy Least Likely To
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
“Ashes to Ashes“ – Ashes to Ashes – Warpaint
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
“All The Best Wooden Toys Come From Germany“ –All The Best Wooden Toys Come From Germany – Broken Social Scene
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
“Take Back The Toys“ – Take Back The Toys – The Hives
His eyes, how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
“Santa Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto“ (James Brown) – Santa Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto – Belle and Sebastian
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
“Color in Your Cheeks“ – Color In Your Cheeks – The Mountain Goats
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
“Mouth Wooed Her“ – Animal Collective
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
“Santa’s Beard“ – They Might Be Giants
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,
“Starving in the Belly of The Whale“ – Tom Waits
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,
“Silent Night“ – Low
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,
“Watching You Paint Your Nose“ – Dada Trash Collage
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
“In This Home on Ice“ – Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
“Sleigh Bells“ – The Late Greats
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,
“White Sky“ – Vampire Weekend
‘Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night.’
“Happy Christmas (War is Over)“
(Still waiting for Peace on Earth)
