W♥M

Last Christmas

nobody@vox.com(W♥M) — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 09:29:03 -0600

12/26/2008 09:19:30 ♥ written by vu ()

Wham!

The Carpenters

"Last Christmas, I gave you my heart, but the very next day - you gave it away!"

That very next day, well that's today. In honor of the day after Christmas, Cover Lover presents: "Last Christmas"!

Wham!'s "Last Christmas" song is possibly one of the best Christmas pop song. Released in 1984, it dominated the charts and is still very popular even today (especially in Japan and Southeast Asia). Re-issues after re-issues, song is one of the best-selling single in UK chart history.

All that success lead the music publisher Dick James Music, to sue George Michael for plagiarism for the song "Can't Smile Without You". If you listen to the song by The Carpenters from their 1976 album, A Kind of Hush, it does bear a heavy resemblance - and eventually the matter was settled out of court.

Britt Nicole-Last Christmas

Twelve Girls Band - Last Christmas

I've previously already mentioned Britt Nicole and Twelve Girls Band's version, so be sure to check them out. I will comment that "12 Girls" is a misnomer, that there is actually 13 girls in the band. I have thought about it later and realized that the Chinese are very superstitious about luck and numbers. 12 is lucky, while 13 is not.

Anyway, here are some more covers:

CRAZY FROG www.jamba.de Crazy Frog - Last Christmas As much as I admire and love British culture, I could not understand their love for that Crazy Frog (Europe's love for the Crazy Frog sent him to #1 in the charts - simply by selling ring tones!) If you've never heard of Crazy Frog, it sounds to me that they just remix music by other people and through the brilliant marketing of an animated frog. Thankfully the craze never made it over to the States, and if it does, I'll bet you that Americans will complain about the Frog's penis. If you were wondering about the woman singing on Crazy Frog's housey "Last Christmas", it is by singer Nicole Bolley.	ASHLEY TISDALE ashleytisdale.com ♥ ashleymusic.com Ashley Tisdale-Last Christmas Like many other modern girl pop singers, Ashley Tisdale came out of the Disney school of music... or better known as High School Musical. Hate it or not, it's hard to ignore the impact of HSM on popular culture. In 2006, Tisdale decided to release her studio recording of "Last Christmas" for Warner Brothers Music. The song was eventually released only as a one-track radio promo, and only available as a digital download. However, if physical CD is your thing, you'll find the song as a B-Side on her He Said She Said EP. If you get a chance to listen to the sort-of-whiney version of "Last Christmas", it doesn't really add much to the song. It's definitely more modern and pop.
I'M SO LOOK YOU myspace.com ♥ imsolookyou.blogspot.com I'm So Look You-Last Christmas I'm So Look You is from Japan, I think mostly driven by DJ Muranao. I couldn't make any sense of her myspace or blogspot, as it's mostly written in Japanese, so I can't really tell you much about her. She seems like a young woman with a talent for mixing. Anyway, she recently remixed "Last Christmas", adding a little jingle bells, "Joy to the World", violas, synth, and techno beats to the original song. The vocals are modified enough that you might not recognize that it's George Michaels. She'll be DJing in the Nagoya area, check it out: 12/24/08 domina "パジャマ de オジャマ de KISS!!" 12/31/08 club buddha & R-base cafe "年越しパーティー☆" 01/10/09 GOLDEN CHILD CAFE 01/14/09 SARU 01/24/09 club EDITS "藤澤志保 Release Tour" 01/29/09 domina "HEIDI" 02/01/09 club EDITS "TRASH" 03/13/09 club buddha "LOVE LIFE MUSIC!!!"	HILARY DUFF hilaryduff.com ♥ myspace.com Hilary Duff - Last Christmas Hilary Duff is probably best known as Lizzie McGuire (yet another Disney child star). She ventured into music obviously, and from her first real studio album is actually a holiday album called Santa Claus Lane, released in 2002. The title is a fictional street, as originally referenced in the 1947 song "Here Comes Santa Claus" and probably inspired the poppy "Santa Claus Lane" song on the album. No surprise, but I don't think Duff wrote any of the songs on the album, they were either written for her or established songs. Some of the covers I did recognize is Paul McCarthy's "" and Wham's "Last Christmas". Incidentally, the "chicawah" sound effects on "Last Christmas" made Duff's version very cheesy. The quirky effects are also applied to other songs on her album. Someone should've stopped the mixer/producer from over doing it.
BILLIE billie-piper.net (unofficial) Billie - Last Christmas Billie Paul Piper or better known simply as "Billie" is a British singer and actress. Unlike her teen pop contemporaries, she's not of the Disney music school. However, they're all pretty much interchangeable, aren't they? She dabbled in music, but have only managed to released two albums (strangely securing a "Greatest Hits" album based on the two previous studio albums) and seems to have taken more into acting. Currently, she's better known for playing Rose Tyler next to the Doctor in the television series Doctor Who (2005 to 2006), where she's won numerous awards for "Best Actress" to GQ's "Woman of the Year".	DAM VINH HUNG damvinhhung.ws ♥ myspace.com Dam Vinh Hung-Last Christmas Dam Vinh Hung is a pop singer from Vietnam. It must be hard to be a singer or actor in Vietnam because the state of things in the region is that everything is bootlegged and you can forget about money and royalties from legitimate sales of your records or DVDs. It's gotten to a point that people prefer the bootlegs due to the attractive dirt cheap prices. Anyway, the cover song is sung entirely in Vietnamese and contain the opening dialogue. I'm probably mis-translating it, but he said something to the extent of: My love, do you remember me? I know you don't love me anymore.

Links: www.weheartmusic.com podcast.weheartmusic.com news.weheartmusic.com

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Christmas 2008, Part 2

nobody@vox.com(W♥M) — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 03:49:15 -0600

12/25/2008 03:35:28 ♥ written by vu ()

And so, it's Christmas already. What happened?

The Glasvegas article was supposed to be a short snippet in Part Two of my Christmas articles, but as I started listening to it and writing and realized this was a group that deserved to be in its own article... well you get the idea. So technically this is the second and possibly final Christmas post from me for this year. And if I don't say it, it's implied that you have a wonderful Christmas. Keep warm!

By the way, for those wondering about a "Top Ten" type list, that's being compiled for January 2009!

So below are some old and some new Christmas-type songs.

Would-Be-Goods-Christmas In Haiti

Would-Be-Goods

WOULD-BE-GOODS
connectedup.com/would-be-goods ♥ myspace.com
As you know, I am a huge Would-Be-Goods fan, particularly because I find Jessica Griffin's storytelling songs very compelling. Plus, I am a sucker for her oh-so-British accent.

They quietly released their latest album, Eventyr (which means fairytale), late October and I haven't really seen much promotion on it. I've placed my order on Matinee at a reasonably price of $10, so I am hoping to have reviewed in 2009 as I clear out what's left of 2008.

Well anyway! They have this wonderful, fun Christmas song on their 1993 album, Mondo, called "Christmas In Haiti". Listen to Griffin's dilemma as she describe to you a Christmas in the tropics, complete with voodoo chicken and a cockroach in her beer.

As I listen to other songs off Mondo, like my all-time-favorite "Black Pearls Of Polynesia", "Lisbon Beat" and "La Fonda Del Sol"... wow I can't wait to hear Eventyr.

Last November-Merry Christmas Little Match Girl

Last November

LAST NOVEMBER
lastnovember.com ♥ myspace.com
I previously mentioned Last November on W♥M last year, and since then I have their second album, Over the Top or Under the Weather. The album is pretty much alt-rock, so if you enjoy Story of the Year or the Midway State, you'll like this. They do utilize lots of reverb, strange loops, and echo effects, making it consisting interesting. Most of the song on the album is pretty upbeat.

My favorite song on the album is "Uppers, Downers, & All-Arounders", which is an all-out-sing-along stompering song.

Their Christmas song on the album is called "Merry Christmas Little Match Girl", a mellow and depressing song, one of the few. I should mention that toward the end, it does start to pick up a bit, giving a little hope.

Hey, guess what? They are doing a few dates:

Britt Nicole-Last Christmas

Britt Nicole

BRITT NICOLE
brittnicole.com ♥ myspace.com
Britt Nicole is a Christian singer, probably better known over in Europe, despite being from Nashville. Her songs even sport a weird-British-style singing, combined with hip-hoppy pop-rap. Check out tunes like "Holiday" and "Say It" from her 2007 album, Say It. Fans of Lily Allen should want to check her out.

Anyway, regarding Christmas, she covered George Michael's "Last Christmas" on the same album. Almost all the popstars have covered this song, and this version is pretty faithful with little deviation from the original song.

Well, it looks like Nicole is busy working on her next album, due out in 2009. She loves her fans, apparently you can just call her number 615-823-7325 to leave a message for her.

Links: www.weheartmusic.com podcast.weheartmusic.com news.weheartmusic.com

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I'll Stay 'Til After Christmas

nobody@vox.com(W♥M) — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 22:51:27 -0600

12/21/2008 22:47:46 ♥ written by lara ()

Le Loup-Shenandoah

Le Loup

I’ll Stay ‘Til After Christmas
Various Artists

Things that warm the insides:

- Love

- Puppies and kitties
- Whiskey
- Heartburn
- Giving

The holidays truly are a time to give, even when you have very little to offer. Don’t worry, ‘giving’ doesn’t have to mean writing out a check; you can give back by simply being a nicer person; or maybe you’re a chronic litterer and have decided to stop throwing your shit in the street. Good for you! This Christmas, set the whiskey aside and think about someone other than yourself. Times may be tough, money may be tight, Spam may be plentiful, but there’s always the possibility that everything could get worse. Remember that when you’re feeling blue.

We here at We Heart Music support giving (and not littering). And so it’s my pleasure to share with you, our philanthropic readers, a digital-only Christmas compilation from the elves at Force Field PR. Here’s the good news: all proceeds benefit Amnesty International. Here’s the better news: the music is actually good. It helps that Force Field bigwig, Daniel Gill and his wife have plenty of capable musician friends, otherwise this could have been a very sad gift (nothing is gloomier than terrible indie music).

Although cheerful this album is not. You won’t find any chestnuts roasting or drummers drumming; every song, even the classics, sound a little world weary and brooding. This is not to say that Gill and co. have compiled “Christmas: a Break-up Mix”; I’d feel encouraged to call it “Christmas: The Reality”—not entirely melodramatic, but certainly aware that for some, the holidays are a trying state of lapsed merriment, low funds, and estranged/strange relatives (yet, there’s always the hope of better things to come).

Christmas Time Is Here (Intrumental)

Au Revoir Simone opens the album with a soft, dreamy cover of Vince Guaraldi’s “Christmastime is Here” (from A Charlie Brown Christmas for all you classic holiday film heathens); other notable tracks include Le Loup’s sparse interpretation of “Shenandoah,” freaky Animal Collective devotees Au doing a freaky, nearly unintelligible “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” Blitzen Trapper’s yuletide ode to Steve McQueen, high school girls, Donkey Kong (just listen), and Man of Arms’ pertinent, if not cynical, “It’s Christmastime and Everything’s Wrong.”

Full track listing

1. Au Revoir Simone - Christmastime is Here
2. Le Loup - Shenandoah
3. Figurine - The Holidays Behind Us
4. Sally Shapiro - Anorak Christmas (Piano mix)
5. Arthur & Yu - My White Elephant
6. My Brightest Diamond - Nature Boy
7. Parenthetical Girls - Festive Friends (Forever)
8. No Kids - Another Winter in a Summer Town

9. Radar Bros. - Baby Jesus
10. Blitzen Trapper - Christmas is Coming Soon
11. Man of Arms - It's Christmastime and Everything's Wrong
12. Au - I'll Be Home for Christmas
13. The Papercuts - Go Tell it on the Mountain
14. Bosque Brown - Silent Night
15. Turk Dietrich of Belong - Blue Christmas

The album is available for purchase on iTunes. For more information, please visit Myspace.

Links: myspace.com/illstaytilafterchristmas

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Christmas 2008, Part 1: Jessie Baylin's "That's What I Want for Christmas"

nobody@vox.com(W♥M) — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 00:17:26 -0600

12/14/2008 00:10:42 ♥ written by vu ()

Jessie Baylin - See How I Run

Jessie Baylin

Tour Dates

01/09/09 Harrah’s Kansas City Kansas City, MO*
01/10/09 Toad Tavern Littleton, CO*
01/12/09 Depot Salt Lake City, Utah*
01/14/09 Belly up Solana Beach, CA*
01/15/09 House of Blues Anaheim, CA*
01/16/09 House of Blues Hollywood, CA*
01/17/09 Slim’s San Francisco, CA*
01/18/09 Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, NV*
01/20/09 Tower Theatre Bend, OR*
01/22/09 Alladin Theatre Portland, OR
01/23/09 Richards on Richards Vancouver, British Columbia*
01/24/09 Showbox at the Market Seattle, WA*
01/25/09 Knitting Factory Spokane Spokane, WA*
01/27/09 Knitting Factory Boise, ID*
01/28/09 Mangy Moose Saloon Tenton Village, Wyoming*
01/30/09 Aggie Theatre Ft. Collins, Colorado*
01/31/09 Belly Up Aspen Aspen, Colorado*
02/01/09 Fox Theatre Boulder Boulder, Colorado*
02/03/09 Cain’s 2nd Stage Tulsa, Oklahoma*
02/05/09 The State Theatre Starkville, Mississippi*
02/07/09 Harrah’s New Orleans New Orleans, Louisiana*
03/27/09 MayerCraft Cruise Los Angeles, The Sea, Cabo San Lucas, California+
03/28/09 MayerCraft Cruise Los Angeles, The Sea, Cabo San Lucas, California+
03/29/09 MayerCraft Cruise Los Angeles, The Sea, Cabo San Lucas, California+
03/30/09 MayerCraft Cruise Los Angeles, The Sea, Cabo San Lucas, California+

* w/ Marc Broussard and Josh Hoge + w/ John Mayer, Guster, OAR

Read More

W♥M

Last Christmas

Christmas 2008, Part 2

I'll Stay 'Til After Christmas

Christmas 2008, Part 1: Jessie Baylin's "That's What I Want for Christmas"

Stephen Colbert's A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift Of All

Christmas Songs, Part 5

Christmas Songs, Part 4: I Don't Intend to Spend Christmas Without You

Christmas Songs, Part 3

David Bowie - Diamond Dogs (30th Anniversary 2CD Edition)

Top 7: Comedy