Scott Berkun

Death by Christmas Music

I’m on day 8 without power – I’ve become a local geek refugee, fluttering from coffeeshop to coffeshop in search of quiet places to work.

I’ve discovered the neurotic edges of my writing habits: I can’t write a word if I people are talking nearby, fiddling with newspapers within eyeshot, or if there is bad music playing overhead – escpecially the sonic evil that is bad Christmas music.

There is nothing festive about the relentless attack of dull, trite, treekly trash that passes for Christmas music in most stores and cafes. Who thinks this is fun? And do we really need to play it continually, on repeat, unless the goal is to get people to leave (or confess their sins). Can’t we mix it in? Like 1 holiday tune for 2 regular ones?

Or perhaps in the infinity of alternative and world music, there’s something more authentic than cheezy retreads of retreads of Christmas standards?  (Why cover a song in exactly the same tempo, style and sound of the original? I’ll never know).

So dear readers: do you have alternative holiday tunes or playlist of actually good holiday music? Perhaps world music? Colombian quartets doing the twelve nights? Punk rockers doing silent night? Anyone have a creative playlist for this time of year?

Help me out – you can save me and my book deadlines :)