http://shouldbefamous.com/2009/01/episode-5-our-new-years-gift-to-you-a-christmas-podcast/ The best music you've never heard--very cool original music by people with REAL jobs. Mon, 26 Jul 2010 02:18:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 http://shouldbefamous.com/2009/01/episode-5-our-new-years-gift-to-you-a-christmas-podcast/#comment-54 Skye Wed, 21 Jan 2009 21:48:40 +0000 http://shouldbefamous.com/?p=11#comment-54 Well, I'm truly sorry I didn't get to participate in this particular 'cast. I would have had all sorts of colorful opinions to offer (though I may have drowned you all out laughing while Clay was playing sleighbells to Metallica and "Blue" and such. hilarious). I actually do think there's something particular about the music of Christmas music. In recent years we've added some regular ol' pop songs to the Christmas annals like "Grandma Got Run Over" and "Last Christmas," but I don't think those are really "Christmas Songs" so much as they are songs about Christmas. If you look at classic Christmas music, it really is different I think. That's why it's my favorite genre to sing. The music is FUNNER to make. I don't know if it's just more plucky, happy, hopeful sounding (except songs like "Lullay" which go the other way), or if they have a chord structure that makes a difference - like the 9ths and particular suspended chords. I was intrigued by Clay's theory of chords moving every time. That was one of the hard things about playing "Angels We Have Heard on High" on the guitar. I had to switch the chord practically every note. If I were a total music theory geek, I'd see if I could find a common pattern. But alas, I'm more of a folk music geek. Well, I’m truly sorry I didn’t get to participate in this particular ‘cast. I would have had all sorts of colorful opinions to offer (though I may have drowned you all out laughing while Clay was playing sleighbells to Metallica and “Blue” and such. hilarious). I actually do think there’s something particular about the music of Christmas music. In recent years we’ve added some regular ol’ pop songs to the Christmas annals like “Grandma Got Run Over” and “Last Christmas,” but I don’t think those are really “Christmas Songs” so much as they are songs about Christmas. If you look at classic Christmas music, it really is different I think. That’s why it’s my favorite genre to sing. The music is FUNNER to make. I don’t know if it’s just more plucky, happy, hopeful sounding (except songs like “Lullay” which go the other way), or if they have a chord structure that makes a difference – like the 9ths and particular suspended chords. I was intrigued by Clay’s theory of chords moving every time. That was one of the hard things about playing “Angels We Have Heard on High” on the guitar. I had to switch the chord practically every note. If I were a total music theory geek, I’d see if I could find a common pattern. But alas, I’m more of a folk music geek.

]]> http://shouldbefamous.com/2009/01/episode-5-our-new-years-gift-to-you-a-christmas-podcast/#comment-53 Evan Smith Tue, 20 Jan 2009 15:04:55 +0000 http://shouldbefamous.com/?p=11#comment-53 I enjoyed the subject and the analysis, but I have to disagree with Clayton's theory, at least partially. I think the sleigh bells don't constrain things to the Christmas genre. I think they sounded great with the non-Christmas songs chosen. I think they work as a percussive element similar to the tambourine as Courtney suggested. If you brought the level of the sleigh bells down to make them not so prominent, I think they would be a valid element of the song. Even the Metallica song benefited form the extra element. I enjoyed the subject and the analysis, but I have to disagree with Clayton’s theory, at least partially. I think the sleigh bells don’t constrain things to the Christmas genre. I think they sounded great with the non-Christmas songs chosen. I think they work as a percussive element similar to the tambourine as Courtney suggested. If you brought the level of the sleigh bells down to make them not so prominent, I think they would be a valid element of the song. Even the Metallica song benefited form the extra element.

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