The 25 days of Christmas: Day 1

We start with a little metal.

One December day when I was in my mid-30s, I was poking around online when I somehow found a music video for Twisted Sister’s then-new cover of “O Come All Ye Faithful.” I might have been using StumbleUpon (remember StumbleUpon?). I started the video with a smirk on my face, but quickly came to realize a few things:

1. Twisted Sister is still just as much fun as ever;

2. “O Come All Ye Faithful” has the same melody as “We’re Not Gonna Take It” (sing them in your head, you’ll see); and

3. Christmas music is awesome.

I’m not sure why that last was such a surprise; I suppose I’d just taken it for granted as sonic wallpaper until it suddenly popped into relief. This song, even in Dee Snider’s goofily twisted version, was somehow deeply comforting. (And the 80s-style video is a winner as well.)

Since then I’ve been listening to Christmas music with different ears, and listening at all times of year as well. I’ve got a huge catalog of saved links to various obscure and strange songs, and I’ll be sharing one song per day with all of you wonderful people.

I’ll try to give a little background on each song where possible. There won’t be a lot of major hits, and when I do share something you’ve heard before it will be because I’ve got something to say about it that will, I hope, give some new perspective on it.

So here’s Day 1, “O Come All Ye Faithful” by Twisted Sister, the song that started it all for me. Few if any of the other entries will rock as much as this one, and few will be as tongue-in-cheek, but I hope it will be an opportunity to take a break and listen for a few minutes each day.

Merry Christmas, and stay metal.