Pure Imagination & I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas (Blenders / Gene Wilder & Irving Berlin) 12 Days Of Covers

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"Pure Imagination" was sung in the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory by Gene Wilder. A Jewish Irving Berlin penned "White Christmas" for Bing Crosby only to have it become the number one selling single of all time. Here acapella group the Blenders ... uh ... blend the two into what is easily my favorite Christmas Cover.

Holiday in Cambodia [12 Days Of Covers]

Sure, I could pick almost any track from the album "Silent Nightclub" by Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine. But I picked the Dead Kennedys' cover because that's how I roll. Also I couldn't find any other song with a decent playable version. I actually wanted the Barking Dogs cover, but ... oh well.

Fairytale of New York [12 Days of Covers]

The number one Christmas song of all time? White Christmas of course! The number one Christmas song in the U.K.? Fairytale of New York, which I'm guessing you've never heard of. Maybe Americans' don't like the words "slut," "faggot," and "ass" in thier holiday songs.


Originally by Irish group the Pogues and British singer Kirsty MacColl, the original sounds more irish drinking song than holiday cheer, and that pretty much fits the lyrics too. 


Here's a free download of Third Eye Blind covering it.

Little Drummer Boy [12 Days of Covers / Cover to Cover]

One of the most bizarre juxtapositions in holiday music history, perhaps in modern music history was in 1977, when David Bowie paid a visit to Bing Crosby on his Christmas special.

While a "Traditional" song, using the same arrangement Will Farrell and John C. Riley took a stab at it this year. Making this two covers for the price of one!

Holiday Road [12 Days Of Covers]

Sure I could do a whole month of Christmas Covers. In fact I could do a whole year of Christmas covers, but around July it might get old. So instead here's the 12 Days of Covers.

We'll get it started with this one via the Onion A.V. Club, it's the Walkmen covering Lindsey Buckingham's Holiday Road. I suppose this isn't technically a Christmas song, but it appeared in Christmas Vacation, so close enough.

The Walkmen cover "Holiday Road"

Baby Got Back

This Sir Mix A Lot cover by Michael Hightower can only be described as "Baby Got Back - Gilbert and Sullivan Style." Download it for free.

This Used To Be My Playground

I'm not sure why this cover exists. Most groups cover bands that musically came before them. This isn't the case, taking on Madonna, here's ... Flock of Seagulls?!?

Umbrella

If you're like the rest of America, you're sick of hearing Rhianna sing Umbrella. It's a good thing this ain't Rhianna then, it's the Plain White T's!

Hazy Shade of Winter [8 Covered Nights]

The Bangles, led by tribe member Susana Hoffs, covering Simon and (jew) Garfunkel.

Please don't confuse them with the Bengals, led by Dora the Explorer's favorite player, Chad OchoCinco.

Rock 'N Roll Radio [8 Covered Nights]

Two Bands, Two Jews per band. One cover. Here is KISS with Hebrews Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, covering the Ramones featuring Jews,  Joey and Tommy Ramone.

Message In A Bottle [8 Covered Nights]

Matisyahu if you haven't heard of him, is an American Hasidic Jewish reggae musician. No really, he is. And he's actually pretty good and has even had a Top 40 hit. Here's Matisyahu is covering the Police's "Message in A Bottle" for the 6th of the 8 Covered Nights.

Down

Tonight marks the return of the NBC show "The Sing Off." 

I ... Love ... This ... Show. 

Ten a capella groups preforming covers trying to win a recording contract? Hot DAMN!

Here's one of the highlights, season one winner, Nota taking on Sean Jay.

Hava Nagila (Christmas Arrangement) [8 Covered Nights]

I hesitate to put any "traditional" song as a cover. Then I figured screw it, it's Hanukkah, and this take on "Hava Nagila" from the album "Ruin Jonny's Bar Mitzvah" by Me First and The Gimmie Gimmies (featuring Jew/Bassist Fat Mike) earns serious Jew points. And for some reason it's set to the tune of Feliez Navidad. So I suppose it also earns some Taco Bell points.

New York State Of Mind [8 Covered Nights]

Billy Joel is Jewish / Barbra Streisand Too / Babs covers him / What a fine sounding tune!

See Mr. Sandler, you aren't that talented! I can write pointless lyrics too! Booya!

California Girls [8 Covered Nights]

David Lee Roth, lights the menorah, and covers the Beach Boys, and not Katy Perry. They just don't make music videos like this anymore ... and for good reason.


Did you know that David Marks, one of the original Beach Boys is also Jewish? That's like two jews for the price of one. Oy, such a deal!

Happy Joyous Hanukkah [8 Covered Nights]

For the second in the Eight Covered Nights series that I forgot to mention I was starting yesterday, here's the Indigo Girls covering Woody Guthrie's "Happy Joyous Hanukkah."

The Chanukah Song [Neil Diamond / Adam Sandler] 8 Covered Nights

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Just in time for (last) Chanukah, here's the true King of the Jews, Neil Diamond covering Adam Sandler.