blathering nonsense (about) lyrics

Feeling festive? Wanna get a jump on The Holidays this year? Have no fear, BNL is here. Or rather, I'm here doing my weekly just-for-me fandom post, and the next album up just happens to be Barenaked for the Holidays. (If I had had more forethought, I would have charted out the weeks and coordinated this to the actual holidays... but, well, that's life, and as it is, I believe I've already gone out of chronological order with last week's entry.) I'm running into the situation again where I've already highlighted my hands-down favorite from this CD, when last December I shared the video for Elf's Lament, so we'll be counting down to number 2, I guess, which is still a pretty good song, of course.

There are some classic holiday songs on here, both Christmas and Hanukkah related, as well as some fantastic BNL originals. One of those originals is called Footprints, and it's a gentle and thoughtful song, with Ed's voice singing softly. Another original is written and sung by Jim Creegan, the incredible double bass player, whose instrumental work always gives BNL's stuff such a unique sound-- Christmas Pics is funny, endearing and very familiar-sounding when it comes to holiday gatherings. And one of those classics is Auld Lang Syne, which is presented with Steve's strong voice carrying it, making it the song I want to play first each and every New Year's. All three of those album recordings can be heard here, if you're so inclined. You can't get a more traditional holiday song than Jingle Bells, and BNL's version is the favorite in our house. I happen to love the calmness and serenity of the first minute and a half, and JAM and Red (and I guess Pudge will follow suit this year) all wait for the 1:45 mark. The jazzy section is a blast as well. It's basically a multiple-personality holiday tune. Fun, fun times. (And how about another Ed song as a bonus extra top pick? Snowman may sound too sad on first listen, but it's just too beautiful, and this short excerpt doesn't do the whole song justice, but alas, it was all I could find.)

Time for the top banana, or in this case, the 2nd runner up banana.

Album: Barenaked for the Holidays
Year of Release: 2004
Song: Green Christmas
Words & Music by Steven Page and Ed Robertson

The streets are filled with Christmas cheer
At least it's only once a year
Perfect parcels tied with perfect bows,
And carols ringing in my ear

Bundled up against the cold
Lines wherever gifts are sold
Each shop window displays a Christmas scene
For everybody young and old

Icicles on eavesdrops and tinsel on the tree,
But it's a green Christmas for me

Couples skating on the pond [couples skating the pond]
Making angels on the lawn [makin' angels on the lawn]
Five red mittens drying on the rad
And needles shedding tannenbaum

Red bows on the railings and snowflakes on the ground,
But it's a green Christmas in this town

Green, cause of everything I miss
All this mistletoe, no kiss
And with every Christmas wish
There would be no greater gift
Than to have this envy lift

Carolers are at my door [Fa la la la etc..]
Don't wanna hear them anymore
Stockings on the mantle
The snow's here everyday
But it's a green Christmas anyway

Red nose on the reindeer and tinsel on the tree
But it's a green Christmas for me

While I've never seen the newer movie, this song is supposedly on the soundtrack for How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and isn't it just perfect? Oh, the grinchiness at Christmas time, such perfect fodder for a BNL-style song that's funny with the lyrics and musically just so enjoyable. It's fun to stomp to the door slam, and I think this is another great example of Ed and Steve's combined strengths in songwriting and performing.

Okay, a MAJOR jump on the holidays, but it was certainly fun listening to these songs off-season as it were. Now, you have a couple months to buy the CD in time for the celebrations.


Singing Christmas songs for days,