Smart Music Mondays, Holiday Edition.
What's up, folks? Yeah, I know it's been a minute but blame it on the tryp-tryp-tryptophan. I'm back now though and I'm full of holiday cheer, wonderment and stale egg-nog.
I love this time of year because it brings people together for all the right reasons: namely in my eyes,
I remember the traditions at my house that signaled the start of the holidays:
1) The unboxing of the tree (don't hate on the plastics).
2) The stabbing of my fingers from decorating said tree.
3) The first purchase of eggnog and rumcake.
4) The first run to the bathroom from above-mentioned combination.
5) Lecture about not looking for gifts cuz only naughty kids do that.
6) Looking for said gifts anyway.
7) Hearing Donny Hathaway on the radio warbling about the fireside blazin' bright...
You already know you were singing along with him...
'Shake a hand/shake a hand'
Sorry, Donny - can't do that nowadays (no Moo & Oink*) but still, times like those made me feel the holidays were live and well. Just for a second, I close my eyes and I can see it all again and that's why I'm giving you guys a gift: my Holidaze mixtape!
ALBUM OF THE WEEK
Smart Sounds Presents Holidaze.
TRACKLISTING
The Jackson 5 Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town
Luther Vandross Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
James Brown Santa Claus Goes Straight to The Ghetto
The Emotions What Do The Lonely Do at Christmas?
The Jackson 5 Give Love On Christmas Day
Nat King Cole Christmas Song
Stevie Wonder Someday at Christmas
The Temptations Silent Night
Donny Hathaway This Christmas
The Temptations Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
Kurtis Blow Christmas Rappin'
Boyz II Men Let It Snow
Mariah Carey All I Want for Christmas Is You
The O'Jays Christmas Ain't Christmas (Without The One You Love)
Download Here.
Listen to it & enjoy...
This Christmas - Donny Hathaway
That's my time. Hit me up with some of your holiday memories/traditions or let me know if I've left some classics off of this mixtape.
*Moo & Oink (i.e. H1N1/Swine Flu), also owners of the funniest commercial from my Chicago childhood.