Black Keys v. The Pogues

Take a moment to gander at one of the latest musical offerings from The Black Keys.

Yes, it's an homage to grindhouse films, but more importantly, it's a wink and a nod to one of my favourite films, Alex Cox's Straight to Hell featuring the likes of Joe Strummer, Elvis Costello, Dennis Hopper, Courtney Love, and famously, the Pogues as t

he deadly McMahon Clan. It's a great little film (though you mustn't let a little thing like a narrative keep you from enjoying it).

Song of the Day: Do you believe in Magic?

Seriously. Do you?

Best World Cup Soccer Song

Switzerland's shocking victory over Spain yesterday reminded me of Cameroon's similarly amazing downing of Argentina in 1990. Led by the dancing 38 year old Roger Milla, Cameroon defeated the defending World Cup champs on the opening day of the competition and advanced all the way to the quarter-finals where they lost to England.

The 1990 World Cup also marked the first appearance of the Republic of Ireland, and they too would advance to the quarters to face Italy, in a match that divided my household down parental lines. Although Ireland would eventually lose the game, they won my heart, and this song, written by the Pogues and the Dubliners, and one of the best World Cup soccer songs, ever.

Favourite Songs for the Holidays

1. Fairy Tale of New York - The Pogues

If Christmas is a time for family and loved ones, for many of

my generation, raised in an age of Hallmark cards and

sentimentality expressed through consumerism, The

Pogues "Fairy Tale of New York" is the perfect Christmas

song. I don't think I'd ever heard any couple go at each

other the way these two do. I think that's part of the allure

for most people, the whole "You cheap lousy faggot" thing,

but things are a whole lot more complicated that it simply

being a case of these two people hating each other. The

music expresses a nostalgic tenderness - these two hate

each other, in part, because they don't know how to let go

of each other. It's a twisted kind of amour fou.

2. Silent Night - Space Needle

(Sorry couldn't be found) Granted Space Needle, from Seattle, didn't record much, just two albums of 1990s prog rock, but somewhere along the line they recorded an all feedback version of "Silent Night" that was capable of driving people away in droves. It was awesome. I played it on the radio every winter. If you can find it, it's on A Christmas Present to You From Zero Hour Records.

3. Santa Claus is Coming To Town - Bruce Springsteen

While there's a view other versions around,

most of them from the last year or two, this

black and white footage from 1978 more

closely mirrors my own experience with

Springsteen. I think I was five or six at the

time, and Springsteen was in his must-

save-rock-n-roll phase. When the band

changes tempo halfway through, I was

hooked on rock forever. I probably wanted

to learn to play the saxophone in Jr. High

because of this song.

4. Oh Holy Night - Enrico Caruso

There are times though when something more traditional

is called for, and that's typically when I'll admit that my

soft spot is for a more straight-ahead rendition of Oh Holy

Night. Opera legend Enrico Caruso probably set the

standard with this early record. Caruso was the first major

selling vocalist, and perhaps the first pop superstar. He

held many of the best-selling records until Elvis Presley.

5. Little Drummer Boy - Bing Crosby, David Bowie

My wife and I are a secret mission to bring our

daughter over to our side of the cultural fence.

It began with Star Wars and Gene Kelly, and it

continues here. She knows both of these gents

by name as well as their related bodies of work.

BONUS.

Happy New Year's.

1. The Ice of Boston - The Dismemberment Plan