Usually, after I ask "what's new" (and, by the way, probably have a couple more new Hanukkah tunes to drop on you before the week is out; as I said before, artists drop their Hanukkah tunes at the last second...it's weird, lke they don't want anybody to hear them)...after I ask "what's new", I ask "what's free". There actually used to be more free Hanukkah music on the web than there is now (or it certainly seemed that way) and I gave you that Chico Mann track on Night Three. Still, I think Hanukkah Harry might yet have a few things in his zak. Although most of them will be leftovers from previous years. Oy Vey.
This one I really like. It's from 2016, but I don't know that it got any coverage from our Festive Friends...being as its a Hanukkah song. "Suprholidaywintrfuntiem" is from The Caldera, which is one of the band names used by singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Chris Ammann from Buffalo Grove, IL (about an hour outside Chricago). The Alt Rock "Suprholidaywintrfuntiem" tackles a theme we've seen tried many times before--how do you wish Season's Greetings to people who don't celebrate Christmas, but do celebrate something else? How do you wrap all of the possibilities into a single song? Yes, it's been tried many times. And they've been cute little novelties, but nothing you'd really want to listen to more than a few times. I think The Caldera has succeeded where the others failed.
|
And I know what you're thinking
What about Kwanzaa, Solstice, Yule, Wren Day But I've only so much space for lyrics And only so much time to research these days online And I don't have cultural ties to them anyway Happy Holidays To all who feel a bit left out Inundated with Christmas songs From the festively devout Happy Holidays. Okay. Feel better. |
|
Yes, this is a Hanukkah song...a Hanukkah song from the perspective of a self described "multicultural quarter Jew". Before that verse, we hear about latkes and Adam Sandler, all in a delightfully sardonic tone...but not mean-spirited. And then it's very Gen X..."Hey, man, whatever you're into that's cool and all the best, but I'm not gonna pretend to know what that is; I barely know what I celebrate." So Happy other Holidays. Happy "Suprholidaywintrfuntiem" from The Caldera. Grab this from Soundcloud or Bandcamp.
Speaking of multicultural, New York Indie Folk Pop singer-songwriter Yaniza Dore released a free holiday EP on Bandcamp back in 2013. I don't think we've mentioned it before because I wasn't around much in 2013 and, to be honest, I didn't much care for her Hanukkah song at the time. But it grew on me. Enough that I included it on my Hanukkah mix this year. In addition to her "Chanukah Is Here" original, Yaniza's "Happy Holidays" EP features covers of "Last Christmas" and "Navidad Navidad". Might as well get the whole set at Bandcamp.
No clue who Dog Sweater are, though Bandcamp says they're from Brooklyn. On their "Merry Twistmas" EP, they give us three twisting Alt Rock adaptations of traditional holiday songs. None of the three are really Christmas songs, by the way. There's "Twistin' In A Winter Wonderland" and "Jingle Bell Twist". And then there's "Twistin' Dreidel" which, as you might have guessed, is loosely based on "Dreidel Dreidel Dreidel". A bit of silliness, actually. But then so is the original. Get the whole Dog Sweater "Merry Twistmas" EP as a name-your-price download from Bandcamp. At least this one's from 2018.
Usually, there are a bunch of Hanukkah Folk songs around. Not so this year. Julie Geller, who usually does a new Hanukkah song every year, is doing all kinds of things to celebrate the season...but no new Hanukkah song, as far as I can tell. So back to 2017 once again. Daniel Cainer is a London based singer-songwriter, broadcaster and, really, storyteller (say, wasn't I just saying that I'd settle for some Hanukkah Folk music from the UK? I believe I was.). He does a one-man show, Gefilte Fish & Chips, which has drawn rave reviews. His songs generally relate to Jewish culture (he seems particularly fond of bagels) and range from moving to "slightly irreverent". "This Chanukia" would count as one of the former. Through the ritual of lighting the candles, Daniel finds himself, not just connected to the past history of the Jewish people, but part of that history going forward. "This Chanukia" by Daniel Cainer. Nice song. Free from Soundcloud.
There's a lot more Hip Hop and Rap Hanukkah music than you might think. Most of it isn't that good, frankly. But the good stuff does survive. I see Too Short's 2012 single "The Hanukkah Song" is getting more play this year than any year since it's release. "Light" is, I guess, more Pop than Hip Hop, but it's the Rap bits that lift it up above much of the more routine Hanukkah fare (IMHO). "Light" is credited to Yuc and NTR (with guitar by Yudi Minkowitz). This is from last year and it's free via Soundcloud.
I'm sure I've come across more free Hanukkah music this year but, unlike some past years, I haven't been bookmarking anything. My bookmarks are already a three-day scroll, so I figured I'd remember stuff. Big mistake. Who are you again? More of the chosen music tomorrow. Hopefully.
RSS Feed
