Duxford Girl

Although there are certainly Holiday songs on this CD it also has some very contemporary music on it. I tried to capture the whole of November through February. Snow, dark, skating and all the rest. 1. 'cause Cheap is How I Feel – Cowboy Junkies
There's something desperate and miserable about trying to feel what you can't. The line about giving more money to a street person than he's actually asking for strikes me as someone trying to correct overly bad karma in a hopelessly futile effort.

Its the kind of night thats so cold, when you spit
It freezes before it hits the ground
And when a bum asks you for a quarter, you give a dollar
If hes out tonight he must be truly down
And Im searching all the windows for a last minute present
To prove to you that what I said was real,
For something small and frail and plastic, baby,
cause cheap is how I feel

Half moon in the sky tonight, bright enough
To come up with an answer
To the question why is it that every time I see you
My love grows a little stronger
But your memory leaves my stomach churning,
Feeling like a lie about to be revealed,
But Ill horde all this to myself
cause cheap is how I feel

Its not the smell in here that gets to me its the lights
I hate the shadows that they cast,
And the sound of clinking bottles is the one sure thing
Ill always drag with me from my past
I think Ill find a pair of eyes tonight, to fall into
And maybe strike a deal
Your body for my soul, fair swap
`cause cheap is how I feel

2. A Long December – The Counting Crows
“Maybe this year will be better than the last...” one can only hope.

3. Alaskan Nights – David Schwartz
I always liked the weirdness with which the residents of Cicely, Alaska dealt with the pressing issue of Seasonal Affected Disorder. Both myself and Evil Scientist suffer from so-called SAD. He gets tired, I get depressed. This year it's been really bad for me (I spend a lot of time at work fantasizing about pitching myself under an AC4400 in an ironic sort of way). I think what's happened is this: for two and a half years I worked nights, the summer before last was crap. This summer I ended up training so I was on days and it was nice weather so I overloaded on sunshine (some nights I got no more than 3 hours sleep and still felt fine in the morning). The minute the fall hit I crashed like an Airbus.

4. Silver Bells – Diana Ross and the Supremes
I work downtown and this song reminds me of how spectacular some of the decorations around the malls and office towers are. This version is kind of mellow.

5. Go Tell It on the Mountain – Mahalia Jackson
Classic gospel.

6. Hazy Shade of Winter – The Bangles
The line about the Salvation Army band makes me think of the holidays.

7. It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year – Johnny Mathis
This was used in an episode of the X-Files where there was a lot of back-story given for “the cigarette-smoking man”. For the record, it was not “the most wonderful time of the year” for this notorious TV villain.

8. Jingle Bells – Glenn Miller
Back in the day, this band had a lot of fun when they played even the most typical of songs.

9. Sleigh Ride – Leroy Anderson
There isn't a small-time symphonic musician in North America who hasn't had to play this song for their “Christmas Series Concert”. The little, blue-haired old ladies on the symphony committee simply wouldn't allow it to be omitted. I vividly remember passing the mickey around during these concerts because the music was never so challenging that you had to be completely sober.

10. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! - Harry Connick Jr.
I love this album. There's not enough swing music recorded these days.

11. November – Mythos
Sadly, this seems to be the month that the season starts nowadays ensuring that we're all sick of it before Christmas Eve even starts to approach.

12. New Year's Eve – Jim Cuddy
Another Cuddy heart breaker. I wonder if he is the kind of person who can't let of go of things or if he simply observes it as a great subject for songs.

I came down the stairs
and saw you standing there
looking across the crowded room and crying
running your fingers through your hair.
And Auld Lang Syne was playing
people singing sorrow from the year that has gone.
And I'm still fooling myself
I keep holding on.

There were so many nights
when we lay close as thieves
lying on the bed together laughing
I'd feel your breath upon my cheek.
But it all comes down to this
one look into your eyes tells me something has gone.
I must be out of my mind.
I keep holding on.

All my life I've known
things must change
find a way of their own.
History rolls along so slow.
We never notice where it's going.

I go out at night
to waste a little time.
People ask me how I'm doing now
I say I'm doing fine.
But Auld Lang Syne will ring
as people sing the sorrows from the years that linger on.
Will I still be fooling myself.
Will I still be fooling myself.
Will I still be here fooling myself
still be holding on.

13. River – Sarah McLaughlin
There's so much desperation in this song.

Its coming on christmas
Theyre cutting down trees
Theyre putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
Oh I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
But it dont snow here
It stays pretty green
Im going to make a lot of money
Then Im going to quit this crazy scene
I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
I wish I had a river so long
I would teach my feet to fly
Oh I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
I made my baby cry

He tried hard to help me
You know, he put me at ease
And he loved me so naughty
Made me weak in the knees
Oh I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
Im so hard to handle
Im selfish and Im sad
Now Ive gone and lost the best baby
That I ever had
Oh I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
I wish I had a river so long
I would teach my feet to fly
Oh I wish I had a river
I made my baby say goodbye

Its coming on christmas
Theyre cutting down trees
Theyre putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
I wish I had a river
I could skate away on

14. Sinking Like a Sunset – Tom Cochrane
We all see a lot more sunsets this time of year than any other, (well, not those people up at Cicely).

15. The Lonely End of the Rink – The Tragically Hip
The Hip write such fantastically out-there lyrics. My only question is; are we talking curling rink or hockey rink?

I looked up and you were there
just sitting there all alone
holding your fist in the air
like, if you need me you’re on your own

You drove me home through a snowy tomb
I fell asleep in my seat
I had the dream of having no room
you were there just staring at me

At the lonely end of the rink, you and me
At the lonely end of the rink, you and me

Oh to join the rush
as the season builds

I hear your voice ‘cross a frozen lake
a voice from the end of a leaf
saying, ‘you won’t die of a thousand fakes
or be beaten by the sweetest of dekes’

At the lonely end of the rink, you and me
At the lonely end of the rink, you and me
At the lonely end of the rink, you and me
At the lonely end of the rink, the lonely end of the rink

Oh to join the rush
as the season builds
Jump into the rush
as the seasons build

You drove me home through a snowy gloom
and I fell asleep in my seat
then I had the dream of having no room
you were there just staring at me

At the lonely end of the rink, you and me
At the lonely end of the rink, you and me
At the lonely end of the rink, you and me
At the lonely end of the rink, the lonely end of the rink.

16. The Peace Carol – John Denver and the Muppet's
When I was a kid I had this album on LP.

The garment of life, be it tattered and torn,
the cloak of the soldier is withered and worn.
But what child is this that was poverty-born, the peace of Christmas Day.

The branch that bears the bright holly, the dove that rests in yonder tree.
The light that shines for all to see, the peace of Christmas Day.

The hope that has slumbered for 2000 years,
the promise that silenced 1000 fears.
A faith that can hobble an ocean of tears, the peace of Christmas Day.

The branch that bears the bright holly, the dove that rests in yonder tree.
The light that shines for all to see, the peace of Christmas Day.

Add all the grief that people may bear, total the strife, the troubles and care.
Put them in columns and leave them right there, the peace of Christmas Day.

The branch that bears the bright holly, the dove that rests in yonder tree.
The light that shines for all to see, the peace of Christmas Day.
The branch that bears the bright holly, the dove that rests in yonder tree.
The light that shines for all to see, the peace of Christmas Day.

17. Where is the Sun? - Billie Holiday
Where is the sun indeed.

18. Wicked Come Winter – Matt Mays & El Torpedo
Wicked weather, wicked dark, wicked feelings.

Travelin' light when the wind is getting heavy
And the thoughts in my mind are growin' weary
I got some money, got my mind
And I got some time
Travelin' light when the wind is blowin' heavy

Oh, it gets wicked here
Such an evil time of year
So cold it brings you tears
Come wintertime
I'll come back for you my dear
When it gets wicked here
Come wintertime

I don't think I wanna be fightin' with you
on a long distance phone call from a highway hotel hall
Cuz I'm losing my money, I'm losin' my mind
Just lost an hour of time
Well I don't think I wanna be fightin' with you

Oh, it gets wicked here
Such an evil time of year
So cold it brings you tears
Come wintertime
I'll come back for you my dear
When it gets wicked here
Come wintertime

I lost my money, lost my mind, lost time
Travelin' live when the snow is fallin' heavy down

Wicked come winter
You know it takes a long, long time
To move across this land
The northern lights in the skies at night
The attention they demand
You know it takes a long, long time
To move across this land
The northern lights in the skies at night Makin' music with my friends

Wicked come winter

19. Winter Wonderland – Jewel
This is always played at Christmas although if you listen to the lyrics it really is more of a song about winter.

20. Wintersong – Sarah McLaughlin
This is such a joyless song.

The lake is frozen over
The trees are white with snow
And all around
Reminders of you
Are everywhere I go

It's late and morning's in no hurry
But sleep won't set me free
I lie awake and try to recall
How your body felt beside me
When silence gets too hard to handle
And the night too long

And this is how I see you
In the snow on Christmas morning
Love and happiness surround you
As you throw your arms up to the sky
I keep this moment by and by

Oh I miss you now, my love
Merry Christmas, merry Christmas,
Merry Christmas, my love

Sense of joy fills the air
And I daydream and I stare
Up at the tree and I see
Your star up there

And this is how I see you
In the snow on Christmas morning
Love and happiness surround you
As you throw your arms up to the sky
I keep this moment by and by