Music for Surviving the Holidays

Since our regular posting day falls on Christmas this year and we, like most people are busy handling the insanity of the holidays, we're going to take it easy this week. But! That somehow means you get EXTRA songs this week! Periodically, Rob has put together a Christmas album for his family. Some of the songs were more successful than others. Apparently some people react violently to "Wonderful Christmastime." Who knew? The upshot is that you now get his greatest hits as a special, double-length playlist. Enjoy, and happy holidays! (Note: my family likes cussin'.)

The Christmas Can-Can - Straight No Chaser
Santa Claus is Comin' to Town - Bruce Springsteen (I'm from Jersey, it's the law)
Deck Us All With Boston Charlie - Lambert, Hendricks, & Ross
Twas the Night Before Christmas - Art Carney
Zat You Santa Claus - Louis Armstrong
Fuck Christmas - Eric Idle
It's So Chic to Be Pregnant at Christmas - Nancy White
Twelve Pains of Christmas - Bob Rivers
I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas - Gayle Peevey
Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt
Nuttin For Christmas - Stan Freberg
Chipmunks Roasting On an Open Fire - Bob Rivers
The Chimney Song - Bob Rivers
Snow Miser / Heat Miser - Rich Chambers
Walkin' Round In Women's Underwear - Bob Rivers
You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch - Thurl Ravenscroft
Give the Jew Girl Toys - Sarah Silverman
The Night Santa Went Crazy - Weird Al Yankovic
Kidnap the Sandy Claws - Catherine O'Hara, Danny Elfman, and Paul Reubens
Chiron Beta Prime - Jonathan Coulton
Batman Smells (A Rebuttal) - John Anealio
Dominick the Donkey - Lou Monte
Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses
Snoopy's Christmas - The Royal Guardsmen
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer - Jack Johnson
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen / We Three Kings - Barenaked Ladies with Sarah McLachlan
Hanukkah Blessings - Barenaked Ladies
The Atheist Christmas Carol - Vienna Teng
White Wine In the Sun - Tim Minchin
Happy Xmas - John Lennon

Like it? You want it? Listen to it:

Music for Hurling Thunderbolts From Olympus

AKA - THE GREEK GODS PLAYLIST

Holocaust of Giants - Rasputina
Cartoon Heroes - Aqua
King of the Mountain - KISS
Killer Queen - Queen
At the Bottom Of the Sea - The Thermals
Cross the River - Zephyr
Call the Doctor - The Moffatts
War - Edwin Starr
Heartbreaker - Pat Benatar
Little Volcano - The Dead Milkmen
Sun King - The Cult
The Huntress - The Echoing Green
Days Of Wine and Roses - Marcia Rutledge
Little Bit Of Me - Melanie Safka
Constellation - They Might Be Giants

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Music to Double Cross By

 

AKA- THE FILM NOIR PLAYLIST

Dark City Sky- Fatboy

Ruby Red Lips- Judith Owen

Nine Lives- The Gas House Gorillas

Smoking Gun- Duke Danger

One Hundred Cigarettes- Molly Johnson

Hit By a Brick- The Atomic Fireballs

Chinatown- Asylum Street Spankers

Framed- The Sensational Alex Harvey Band

Bad Man's World- Jenny Lewis

Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap- Lesley Gore

Silhouettes- The Nylons

Streetwalking Queen- The Pietasters

I Will Survive- The Puppini Sisters

Blackmail- The Runaways

Why Don't You Do Right- (The one and only) Jessica Rabbit

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Turkey Break!

Sorry cats and kittens, we're too full of turkey and pie to have you usual Sunday morning playlist ready for you (and chances are, you all are sleeping through the day anyway!) We'll be back next week with another killer list for you. In the meantime, finish off those leftovers!

Music for Painting the Cover of the Saturday Evening Post

 
AKA - THE NORMAN ROCKWELL PLAYLIST

Small Town - John Anderson
The Fishin' Hole - Mollie O'Brien
County Fair - The Elms
Easy In the Summertime - Allison Moorer
Right Field - Peter, Paul, & Mary
Going Camping - John Denver & The Muppets
Sweetheart - Jill Sobule
Old Doc Brown - Norma Jean
I'll Be Seeing You - Frank Sinatra
You're In the Army Now - The Jesters
Rosie the Riveter - Suzy Bogguss
Letters From Home - John Michael Montgomery
Changing Times - Chris Rea
Good Old Days - Owsley
It Don't Have to Change - John Legend (featuring the Stephens Family)

Like it? You want it? Listen to it:

Music To Have a Nice Trip (See You Next Fall)

AKA- THE AUTUMN LIST

The End of Summer- Dar Williams
Petey's Song (The Fantastic Mr. Fox)- Jarvis Crocker
Turn, Turn, Turn- The Birds
Wake Me Up When September Ends- Green Day
The Times, They Are A'Changin'- Peter, Paul and Mary
Falling Leaves- Rosabella Gregory
School Day- Chuck Berry
Clementines- Bishop Allen
Long Night Moon- Catie Curtis
Hail To the Redskins!- Sammy Schreiber
Harvest Queen- Seth Bernard
Tiny Apple Trees- Vicci Martinez
Let's Turkey Trot- Jan & Dean
Great Pumpkin Waltz- Vince Guaraldi
American Pie- Don McLean

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Music for Uncovering the Truth, Man

AKA - THE CONSPIRACY THEORY PLAYLIST

The X-Files - Mark Snow
I Know There's Something Going On - Frida
In The Shadows - The Rasmus
We Do (The Stonecutters Song) - The Simpsons
MK Ultra - Muse
Jesus Was an Alien - Tabitha's Secret
Spaceman - The Killers
Men In Black - Will Smith
Unmarked Helicopters - Soul Coughing
Our Lips Are Sealed - The Go-Go's
Cover Up - Trevor Rabin
Brain of J - Pearl Jam
I'm a Mason Now - Johnathan Coulton
Paranoia - Green Day
Zombie - The Cranberries

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Music to Waltz (or Wax) Solid Gold Floors By

AKA- THE DOWNTON ABBEY PLAYLIST

The Aristocats- Maurice Chevalier
Puttin' On the Ritz- They Might Be Giants
The Clockwork Maid- The Clockwork Dolls
Ascot Gavotte- Cast of My Fair Lady
My Father's Waltz- Hem
I Never See Maggie Alone- Ralph's World
You You You You You- The 6ths
Sister Suffragette- Cast of Mary Poppins
She's Bought a Hat Like Princess Marina- The Kinks
Wishing for Contentment- Andrew Bird
If You Asked Me- Meaghan Smith
I'm An Operetta- The Magnetic Fields
Chauffeur Blues- Erin Harpe
World Turned Upside Down- Chumbawumba
After the Ball is Over- Jan Smit

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Music for Living in the Skin You're In

AKA - THE HUMAN BODY PLAYLIST

I Want To Hold Your Hand - T.V. Carpio
Nerves of Steel - The Caravans
A Word For That - Barenaked Ladies
Fill Me Up - Shawn Colvin
Head Over Feet (acoustic) - Alanis Morissette
I Can Hear Music -The Beach Boys
Baby Got Back - Jonathan Coulton
Flow - Son Volt
I'd Rather Walk Than Run - Herman Düne
Smell of Coffee - Greg Brown
I Can See for Miles - The Who
Fall on My Knees - The Mammals
I Saw a Stranger With Your Hair - John Gorka
Breathe - Keller Williams with The String Cheese Incident
And the Beat Goes On - The Whispers

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Music for Gettin' Crabs

AKA- THE BALTIMORE PLAYLIST
  
Bad Reputation- Joan Jett
Down on the Corner- Creedance Clearwater Revival
Hit Me With Your Best Shot- Pat Benetar
Party Till Ya Puke- Betty Blowtorch
The Stoop- Little Jackie
Street Corner Preacher- Amos Lee
Sugar Town- Camera Obscura
M!ssundazstood- Pink
Hipster Girl- MC Lars
Big Yellow Taxi- Joni Mitchell
The Old Apartment- Barenaked Ladies
Under the Bridge- Straight No Chaser
Tom's Diner- Suzanne Vega
Semi-Charmed Life- Third Eye Blind
Baltimore- The Lemonheads

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Music for Letting Them Eat Cake

AKA - THE MARIE ANTOINETTE PLAYLIST

The Queen - Velvet
I've Got a Golden Ticket / I Want It Now - Harry Connick, Jr.
'Cuz I Can - Pink
I'm So Fabulous - New York Dolls
Fame - David Bowie
Dedicated Follower of Fashion -The Kinks
A Pearl Necklace for Her Majesty - Colour of Fire
Cake - The B-52's
Whispers - Ian Brown
The Crown Prince - Waylon Jennings
Ivory Tower - The Long Ryders
Revolution - The Cult
God Save the Queen - The Sex Pistols
An Innocent Fiction - Erin Mckeown
Don't Lose Your Head - Queen

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Music to Set Sail By

AKA - THE SEA PLAYLIST

My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean- Freefall
The Irish Rover- The Pogues
Ship Wreck- Jars of Clay
Siren- Crystal Monee Hall
Sailor Song- Regina Spektor
The Mermaid- Great Big Sea
Shark- Gabriela Kulka
Pirate Jenny- Nina Simone
Stormy Waters- Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver
Surfer Girl- The Beach Boys
Brandy (You're a Fine Girl)- Looking Glass
Shiver Me Timbers- Tom Waits
Tidal Wave- Dick Dale and His Del-Tones
Into the Ocean- Blue October
Rock the Boat- Hues Corporation

Like it?  You want it?  Listen to it:

Music for Tilting at Windmills

www.williamoellers.com

AKA - THE DON QUIXOTE PLAYLIST

Delusions of Grandeur - Fleming & John
Knight in Rusty Armor - Peter & Gordon
Mighty Mouse Theme - The Sandpipers
I Will Follow Him - Petula Clark
Fairytale -Alexander Rybak
Hero - Il Divo
The Fool on the Hill - Shirley Bassey
Battling Giants - Ben's Brother
Not a Pretty Girl - Ani DiFranco
Fairytale - Constance Amiot
When I Was a Fool - Concrete Blonde
Shooting Star - Harry Chapin
I Will Go Sailing No More - Randy Newman
I Just Wasn't Made for These Times - The Beach Boys
Rainbow Connection - Kermit the Frog

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Music To Go Blonde By

AKA-THE MARILYN MONROE PLAYLIST

Bombshell- The Skirts
Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes- Paul Simon
You Sexy Thing- Tom Tom Club
Red Lipstick- Hod Rod Lincoln
That's the Way Boys Are- Lesley Gore
Don't Make Me Over- The Overtones
In a Little While- Uncle Kracker
Other Woman- Loretta Lynn
I am Not a Robot- Marina and the Diamonds
Where You Come From- Robert Francis
Help- Carpenters
Golden Cage- The Whitest Boy Alive
Suicide Blonde- The Weepies
Can't Help Falling in Love With You- Elvis Presley
A Legend Never Dies- Blackfoot

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Music for Pondering, Weak and Weary

AKA - THE EDGAR ALLAN POE PLAYLIST

Funeral March of a Marionette - Mannheim Steamroller
Masquerade - Company ("Phantom of the Opera")
Can't Get you Out of My Head - Kylie Minogue
Unwell - Matchbox Twenty
Black Wings -Ray Wylie Hubbard
Bonnie Broom - The Glengarry Bhoys
I Remember Larry - Weird Al Yankovic
Six Foot Deep - Creature Feature
Buried Alive - Black Lips
I Hold Your Hand in Mine - Tom Lehrer
Watching the Detectives - Elvis Costello
River of No Return - Tennessee Ernie Ford
I Want My Baby Back - Jimmy Cross
Heartbeat - Wire
The Sea - Carbon Leaf

Like it? You want it? Listen to it:

Music to Get Blown Away By

AKA- THE HURRICANE PLAYLIST

(SPECIAL NOTE-  I was negligent last week and did not post my list so here is a brand spankin' new playlist that is...wait for it...topical!  Hurricane Irene hit our state last night and it was very windy.)

Trickle Trickle- The Manhattan Transfer
You Spin Me Right Round- Billy Idol
I Have Seen the Rain- Pink
Blowin' In the Wind- Me First and the Gimmie Gimmies
The Tide Is High- Blondie
This Wind- The Tallest Man on Earth
Bad Moon Rising- Creedence Clearwater Revival
Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On- Jerry Lee Lewis
When it Rains, I Pour- Gretchen Wilson
Evacuate the Dancefloor- Banda Du Sul
Dancing in the Dark- Bruce Springsteen
Pouring Water on a Drowning Man- The Hamsters
Stormy Weather- Etta James
Dark Skies- Alison Krauss
After the Storm- Mumford and Sons

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Music for Living the Lie on Madison Avenue

AKA - THE MAD MEN PLAYLIST

Advertising Man - David Wilcox
Satisfaction - The Rolling Stones
He's a Tramp - Peggy Lee
Lucky Strike - Baumer
Alcohol - Barenaked Ladies
The Stranger - Billy Joel
Secret Life - Redd Kross
California - Josh Ritter
Stepford, USA - Lana Lane
Shop Vac - Jonathan Coulton
Lady With the Red Dress - Snow
A Secretary Is Not a Toy - Paul Reed & Company ("How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying")
Glass Ceiling - Metric
She's Leaving Home - Richie Havens
Grandpa (Tell Me 'Bout the Good Old Days) - The Judds

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Music for Flying the 'Verse

AKA- THE FIREFLY PLAYLIST

Let it Fly - The Dillards
Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys - Waylon Jennings
The Captain - Guster
Sloop John B - The Beach Boys
Sky Pilot - Eric Burdon and The Animals
Soldier Girl - Diana Jones
Heroes and Thieves - Vanessa Carlton
Sinners Welcome - Cadillac Sky
We Don't Run - Willie Nelson
Resistance Song - Jill Sobule
Well It's True That We Love One Another - White Stripes
City Boy - Phil Ochs
Psychotic Girl - The Black Keys
Spirit In The Sky - Norman Greenbaum
Through The Dark - KT Tunstall

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Music for Orbiting Amongst the Spheres

AKA - THE SOLAR SYSTEM PLAYLIST

Gravity - Embrace
You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) - Dead or Alive
Burnin' for You - Blue Öyster Cult
Secret Message - Rasputina
Under Pressure - Queen and David Bowie
Home - Jack Johnson
Neighbor - Gnarls Barkley
Dust Storm - The Spill Canvas
Boston and St. John's - Great Big Sea
It's Good to Be King - Tom Petty
(Drawing) Rings Around the World - Super Furry Animals
Sideways - Men Without Hats
Blue - Eiffel 65
Giant Normal Dwarf - The Nits
I'm a Long Way From Home - Shooter Jennings

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Music for the End of the World

AKA-THE GOOD OMENS PLAYLIST

Sheep Go to Heaven- Cake
We're Going to Be Friends- The White Stripes
Ain't No Rest for the Wicked- Cage the Elephant
Devil Baby- Mark Knopfler
Halo Bender- The Halo Benders
The Bookseller's House- Rogue Valley
Witches!  Witches!  Rest Now In The Fire- Get Well Soon
The Ballad of Dick Turpin- Freddie and the Dreamers
Ghost Riders in the Sky- Johnny Cash
Sister Psychic- Smash Mouth
Handlebars- Flobots
I Feel the Earth Move- Carol King
London Bridge is Falling Down- Susan McRae
Heat Wave- Martha and the Vandellas
Battle Hymn of the Republic- Triangle Jazz Partyboys

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Music for Falling Down the Rabbit Hole

AKA - THE ALICE IN WONDERLAND PLAYLIST

The Windmills of Your Mind - Dusty Springfield
Thank Heaven for Little Girls - Maurice Chevalier
Run Rabbit Run - The Hoosiers
Pure Imagination - Gene Wilder
Lookin' Out My Backdoor - Creedence Clearwater Revival
I'm Going Slightly Mad - Queen
Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds - Bono
The Dolls' Tea Party - The Magnetic Fields
Everything You Know Is Wrong - "Weird Al" Yankovic
New Math - Tom Lehrer
The World's My Oyster Soup Kitchen Floor Wax Museum - King Crimson
Ballad of a Thin Man - Bob Dylan
Heads Will Roll - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
House of Cards - Adrian Belew
When You Dream - Barenaked Ladies

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Music for Staying Suspiciously Young

AKA-THE DORIAN GRAY PLAYLIST

Young Forever - Aberfeldy
Brown Eyed Handsome Man - Buddy Holly
Follow Me - The Baseballs
Hem of Your Garment - Cake
Picture in a Frame -Tom Waits
Hey Jealousy - Gin Blossoms
Bad Romance - Lady Gaga
Crazy - Aerosmith
Too Much Monkey Business  -Chuck Berry
What's My Age Again? - Blink 182
Living on a Prayer - Bon Jovi
Fake Your Beauty - Bertine Zetlitz
The Night's Too Long - Lucinda Williams
The Monster in the Mirror - Sesame Street
Vogue - Madonna

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The Rules

Hey, there, cats and kittens.  This is Rob and Annie's Tunes for Every Occasion, a brand new spot dedicated to finding you groovy tunes for those "hard to find music for" moments in life.  We put these playlists together for your listening enjoyment and your aural pleasure.  Oh, yeah.  We follow a couple of rules for our playlists, because, as we all know, rules make life a whole lot sexier, amiright?

• All of our playlists are fifteen songs.  Not too long, not too short.  Just right, baby.
• All of our playlists follow a theme -- but not too literally.  That means that if the playlist is about, say, The Thundercats, then the television Thundercats theme song is cheating because it title-drops the theme a bit too "on the nose".   We like to open our minds, be abstract, you know?  Yeah, you over there.  You know.
• All of our playlists are created by Rob and Annie, so they all have to actually be listenable to us.  Sometimes, you get a song, right, follow me, and it's so right-on the theme but it is so god-awful to listen to that we can't use it.  Like that.
• All of our playlists are intended to be listened to in the order that the songs are listed.  Sometimes, they tell a story.  A narrative.
• All of our playlists are available for listenin' with your ears by clicking on the icon at the bottom of their post.  Rob and Annie are forever indebted to  the AMAZINGLY GROOVEALICIOUS folks at Grooveshark for making that possible.  If you want a great way to listen to music (for free!) we HIGHLY recommend Grooveshark (www.grooveshark.com).

All right, that's enough rules for now.  Let's get listening.  Got a suggestion for Rob and Annie?  Leave it in the comments.