Closer to the Edge by 30 Seconds to Mars

I'm posting this song today because I think I have been very disciplined in not posting any 30 Seconds to Mars songs, but on this New Years Eve, as people prepare to begin New Years resolutions, I think this song is very appropriate. In the coming New Year, don't forget or regret what you did in the past (unless you did something really horrible, like murdered someone, or robbed a bank, because you should probably regret that). But otherwise, live your life. If you made mistakes, learn from them, make changes, and start fresh. What else is the New Year for? What's one of my new years resolutions? STOP SPENDING MONEY ON THINGS I DON'T NEED! I guess I better go on a shopping spree tonight before I have to start tomorrow :)

Here's the original version of the song:

And an acoustic version which is just lovely, there's some clapping and talking at the beginning, but the song gets started eventually. In the meantime, just enjoy Jared's adorableness.

Secretly I'm also posting these songs in honor of my 30 STM concert tix coming in the mail yesterday!

Deciphering Me by Brooke Fraser

I think this song is brilliant. Actually, I think this whole album is brilliant and the girl who makes the music, she too is brilliant.

No Need to Cry by British Sea Power

What do I love about this song? It's titled No Need to Cry, and yet the tone of the song kinda makes me wanna cry. I guess I love irony, and sometimes I love sad songs. It's just as a very wise man by the name of Elton John once proclaimed..."Sad songs say so much."

Time After Time by Quietdrive

I love the original version of this song as sung by Cyndi Lauper, but seeing as I just posted a Cyndi Lauper song, I decided to post the Quietdrive version. In general though I just love this song, it's hard to go wrong with it. I have a bajillion different versions sung by a bajillion different artists. What do I love about THIS version? It's got more of a rock vibe to it, and it's sung by boys. Most of the other arrangements I have are all by girls. I also love it cuz they use it in the movie John Tucker Must Die, which I also love.

You Could Be Happy by Snow Patrol

Because I love pretty much EVERYTHING snow patrol!

Fearless by Cyndi Lauper

Christmas Songs From the Movies by Various

One of the best things about the Christmas season? The Christmas movies! What contributes to making them so great? The music! Here are some of my favorite songs from some of my favorite Christmas movies.

Where Are You Christmas by Faith Hill

Carol of the Bells

When Christmas Comes to Town by Matthew Hall and Meagan Moore

The Bells of Christmas by Loreena McKennitt

Who Would Imagine a King by Whitney Houston

We Wish You a Merry Christmas by John Williams

Happy Holidays by *NSync

You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch

One More Sleep Till Christmas

Some Other Random Favorites by Various

These are just some random Christmas songs that I love.

Christmas in the Northwest

Mary Did You Know

The Little Drummer Boy

Breath of Heaven

Noel by Josh Groban and Currier and Ives by London Symphony Orchestra

I love Josh Groban's Christmas album. It's beautiful. And this Currier and Ives album is one that I picked up in the dollar bin at Target. Well worth the dollar!

O Holy Night by London Symphony Orchestra

Hark the Herald Angels Sing by the London Symphony Orchestra

It Came Upon a Midnight Clear by Josh Groban

Little Drummer Boy by Josh Groban

Vintage Christmas Songs by Various

I love old Christmas songs, the kind that are easy to imagine playing from an old Victrola. Some of the ones I have are actually old, by artists like Bing Crosby, others are just good imitations. Here are my favorites.

The Christmas Waltz

Santa Baby

Do You Hear What I Hear

Silver Bells

A Marshmallow World

Let it Snow Baby...Let It Reindeer by Relient K

I absolutely love Relient K. They are one of the quirkiest bands ever, and if you didn't know that already from the previous albums they've released, one of which includes the song titled "Crayons Can Melt On Us For All I Care," which is comprised of a short melody and the lyrics "I just wasted 10 seconds of your life." The end. So if you didn't already know that Relient K was a fun, creative, and quirky band, you'd know it from their Christmas album. They take some liberty with the 12 Days of Christmas lyrics and add "What's a partridge? What's a pear tree? Well I don't know so please don't ask me. But I can bet those are really terrible gifts to get." Near the end of the album is their rendition of Good King Wenceslas, which they totally sing as a joke, and actually start cracking up in the middle of. It's great, and I love this album for the variety it brings to my collection of Christmas music. Here are some of my favorites!

Sleigh Ride

12 Days of Christmas

Silent Night/Away in a Manger

Good King Wenceslas

Merry Christmas by Mariah Carey

This is another Christmas album I grew up on as well, in my "later" years of life. Let's just say it's one of the first CDs my sister purchased, and she's 4 years older than me, and I bought my first CD in middle school so I was probably...I have no idea. I'm going to look up the release date for it because I'm pretty sure she bought it the year it came out, and that will give me a better idea. Okay it came out in 1994 so I would have been almost 9, and that would put my sister in middle school so yeah, that's probably right. Anyway, so from the age of 8 and up, I listened to this album every Christmas, thanks to my sister :) Here are some of my faves.

All I Want For Christmas Is You

Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)

Jesus Born On This Day

Glee: The Christmas Album by the Glee Cast

I love Glee and I love Christmas music, so this season I purchased the Glee Christmas album and it's fantastic. Here are some of my favorites.

Deck the Rooftop

Baby It's Cold Outside

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Christmas Portrait by the Carpenters

Christmas Portrait by the Carpenters and An Osmond Family Christmas by the Osmonds, are two of the Christmas albums I grew up listening to, so naturally I love them. There aren't any other Christmas albums that make the Christmas spirit stronger for me.

Christmas Portrait by the Carpenters

Winter Wonderland/Silver Bells/White Christmas

Selections from the "Nutcracker"

Osmond Family Christmas by the Osmonds

Winter Wonderland

Let it Snow!

Pine Cones and Holly Berries

New Christmas Songs by Various

I like it when musicians attempt to write new Christmas songs. As great as the classics are, even the same song arranged 15 different ways gets old after a while, and it's nice to have something new to listen to. I also like pop/rock versions of Christmas songs. They also add a little variation to the same old Christmas songs. Here are some of my favorites. There are a few :)

Rock versions of Christmas songs:

Baby Please Come Home by Anberlin

Last Christmas by Hawk Nelson

Completely new Christmas songs:

Merry Christmas, Here's To Many More by Relient K

I Celebrate the Day by Relient K

Christmas Lights by Coldplay

Christmas Song by Owl City

Christmas From the Heart by David Archuleta

I wish I would have thought of this a couple days ago, but I didn't, so instead of the 12 Days of Christmas it's going to be the 10 Days of Christmas. Each day will feature one of my favorite Christmas albums with my favorite songs from each.

I love this album, Christmas From the Heart by David Archuleta, and I love this kid. He's so adorable and his voice is pure ear candy. I kind of wish he would take the Josh Groban path versus the pop thing he's been doing. He could definitely pull it off. I also saw David Archuleta perform the majority of these Christmas songs live and he was as flawless live as he is in on the record. Take a listen:

O Holy Night

Angels We Have Heard on High

Pat-A-Pan

Something to Believe In by Aqualung

Dandy Life by Collective Soul

This is a nostalgic song for me and sometimes that's all it takes.

Trouble is a Friend by Lenka

Forbidden Friendship by John Powell

How to Train Your Dragon was such a fantastic movie. Equally as fantastic was the score. This song is one of my favorites from it.

Undisclosed Desires by Muse

One of my all time favorite Muse songs, though I have many so that's not saying much.

Where I Stood by Missy Higgins

Mr. Turner by Ruth

When Evan and I went to a Relient K/Switchfoot concert, Ruth was the opening band. They played this song Mr. Turner and I loved it. All their stuff is pretty good but this is one of my favorites. This band is from Seattle and if I remember correctly, I think Mr. Turner was a teacher one of the band members had and I THINK he was from Everett. Anyway. It's a good song :)

Boy With a Coin by Iron and Wine

One of my favorite Iron & Wine songs. I love how mellow this guy is.

Good Enough by Cindy Lauper

One of my favorite movies of the eighties is The Goonies, so naturally I love this song.

Dawn of the Dead by Does It Offend You, Yeah?

I love this song cuz it's so upbeat and fun. It's a must have for anyone's music library. Check it out.

Blinding by Florence & the Machine

Florence & the Machine is another one of my all time favorite bands. I have a hard time picking my favorite song by them so I'll probably post several in the near future. But for right now it's the song Blinding.

World Spins Madly On by the Weepies

New Soul by Yael Naim

Because it's unique.

Wake Up by The Arcade Fire

The only redeeming factor about the movie Where the Wild Things Are. The trailer. What made it good? This song.

Iridescent by Linkin Park

I absolutely love this song. Nuf said.