IT'S A DIGITAL CHRISTMAS, BABY!

Three days after the twins were born and already suffering from a lack of sleep, my first trip out for diapers included a pit stop at the local record shop to pick up a half a dozen CDs. I can still recall what I bought that day (Neko Case, Kelly Willis, Peter Bruntnell, The Band, Miles Davis, Dock Boggs). Ah - the good old days. I fought the temptation for years, and then succumbed fully - I became a subscriber to emusic.com shortly after Mary was born, realizing that it just made good sense to download songs for a fraction of what a CD still costs. Do I miss the brick and mortar stores? Sure. Will I still buy some physical CDs? Of course. But I'm in the full throes of the digital revolution now, even if I still refuse to buy any of that junk that iTunes offers up as respectable sound files. The majority of selections found on this mix (one of my favorites) were compiled in the span of a few hours bouncing around emusic.com one cold December night in 2006.

Deilig Er Jorden - Kings of Convenience
Doing The Santa Claus - Huey "Piano" Smith
Two-Step 'Round The Christmas Tree - Suzy Bogguss
Christmas Swing - Django Reinhardt & Stephane Grapelli
Christmas Present Blues - Jimmy Reed
Meet Me Under The Mistletoe - Dick Robertson
Feliz Navidad - Pete Escovedo & Ray Obiedo
Midnight Clearance Sale/ The Three Dories - Ashley MacIsaac
Daddy's Drinking Up Our Christmas - John Guliak
Christmas Island - Guy Lombardo & The Andrew Sisters
Winter Wonderland - Chet Baker
Christmas Time In My Hometown - Bobby Helms
Santa Claus Got Stuck In My Chimney - Ella Fitzgerald
Christmastime - Aimee Mann
Hark The Herald Angels Sing - The Peasall Sisters
Christmas Lights - Triangle Park
Santa Claus Likes Rich Kids Better - Young and Sexy
Ipod X-mas - Hello Saferide
Christmas Time In Texas - Dale Watson
Santa Clause Blues - Champion Jack Dupree
If We Make It Through December - Merle Haggard
Let's Make Everyday Like Christmas - Charles Brown
Merry Christmas, Baby - Booker T. & The MG's
Merry Christmas Everybody - Slade
Let There Be Peace On Earth - Papa Don Vappie
Happy New Years Baby - Johnny Otis

Download this mix here, or stream the songs from the player below: