Here are my choices for the 10 worst Christmas Songs ever ... be sure to send me your choices!
1. I’ll Be Home for Christmas – Bob Dylan - I was going to put all 15 cuts from Bob Dylan’s 2009 “Christmas in the Heart” album on the list, but I wanted to be fair to the other nominees in this category. This particular song will scare little children and make adults cringe. During the holiday season, if you find long lines at the mall, holiday traffic on the New Jersey Turnpike and truly bratty kids on the Santa Claus line to be “festive,” you will enjoy the Dylan album.
2. O Holy Night – Tracy Chapman – Holy crap is more like it. From “A Very Special Christmas 3,” Chapman brutalizes my very favorite Christmas song. In fact, South Park’s Cartman sings it better. When I first heard this rendition, I was looking for a “fast car” to take me as far away as possible from the sound.
3. Last Christmas – Ashley Tisdale – She’s 24 now. There are no more "High School Musicals" in her future. Why does she still sing like she is nine years old? If precocious and annoying little girls are your cup of holiday cheer, this song from “A Very Special Christmas 7” (they need to stop already), is right up your alley. Yuk.
4. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus – Bif Naked – I know. What did I expect? But the truth of the matter is that several of the other songs on the “MTV: The TRL Christmas” album are quite good. This one, however, makes you want to throw up in the egg nog. Bif needs to get dressed; go to the doctors; and get the vocal chords fixed.
5. Little Mr. Snowflake – Eddie Rabbitt – Only in a Country Christmas song will you find someone singing to a freakin’ snowflake asking it to find a long lost love. In this cut from “A Smokey Mountain Christmas,” Rabbitt sings: “Little Mr. Snowflake, if you happen to land on her soft brown hair, would you give her for me lots of hugs and kisses.” After about 37 seconds, you are rooting for the snow flake to melt on the way down.
6. Frosty the Snowman – Fiona Apple – What is it about snow that brings out the worst in singers? The usually soothing Apple is rotten to the core on this cut. From “The Hotel Café Presents: Winter Songs,” Apple sings like an Appalachian hillbilly high on moon shine. Fortunately this one bad Apple song did not spoil the whole bunch on this generally outstanding album.
7. I Want An Alien for Christmas – Fountains of Wayne – Before you ask what I am doing with the “Victoria Secret Christmas Morning” album, don’t forget I go to yard sales. Who knew my 25 cents would get me this little gem.
8. Feel Like Killing Myself for Christmas – Sick Puppies – Truly one of the more uplifting seasonal tunes every recorded. Consider these lyrics: “I feel like killing myself for Christmas. I never got along with my mom and dad. I feel like killing myself for Christmas. It would be the best Christmas I ever had.” Joyful, no? Only released as a single, but still you will want to run right out and get this one to stuff in your 12-year-old son’s stocking.
9. Christmas Tree – Lady Gaga – Again, we lucked out. Just one song here from the newest (and hopefully soon to be “latest”) pop rage. If you don’t switch the station during the horrible intro, you will hear the Gaga Lady sing “The only place you’ll want to be is underneath my Christmas tree.” Yeah, only with earplugs and a nice thick Christmas blanket wrapped over my head.
10. Donde Esta Santa Claus – Guster – “Feliz Navidad,” we like. This one, not so much. From “The Perfect Christmas – Sparkle,” you’ll be wondering “Donde esta” the off button about 15 seconds in.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
A few seasonal photos ...
NFL Matchup!
Congressman Bob Franks, his Chief of Staff Haskell Berman and New Jersey Adjutant General Glenn Rieth joined me for a taping of ESPN's "NFL Matchup" with Sal Paolantonio, Ron Jaworski and Merril Hoge.
Our Annual Holiday Open House
Here are a few photos from our annual holiday open house this past Saturday. For those friends, family and business associates who were able to join us, it was great seeing you. For those of you who were not able to make it, have a great holiday season, a successful 2010 and we hope to see you next year (December 11th, by the way).
Michael Snyder, his wife Debbie (Haytaian) and their beautiful daughters.
Dick Kamin digs into the Swedish meatballs!
Joyce with Paul and Amy Bent's daughter Eliza with the trains.
Bluewater Wind's Doug Pfeister with his daughter Addie also enjoying the trains (they were a big hit with the kids).
Assemblyman Jack Conners, his wife Rose Mary, Connie and Tom Meyers (seated), Helena Sullivan, Jennifer Sweeney and daughter Rileigh.
Dan Lombardo and his wife Zulma enjoying my homemade food. (Yes, Dan, I made most all of it - except the candy. That is Joyce's department.)
Amy Mansue explains something to Jim Wallace.
The kids were the stars of the show! Rileigh Sweeney (left) with Addie Pfeister on her mom's lap.
Steve Weinstein, Governor Jim Florio and Sal Paolantonio.
Melanie Willoughby, Jim Benton and Lucinda Florio.
Our Annual Holiday Open House
Here are a few photos from our annual holiday open house this past Saturday. For those friends, family and business associates who were able to join us, it was great seeing you. For those of you who were not able to make it, have a great holiday season, a successful 2010 and we hope to see you next year (December 11th, by the way).
Michael Snyder, his wife Debbie (Haytaian) and their beautiful daughters.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
A Great Choice
He is still perfect.
Christopher J. Christie was 133 and 0 as a Federal Prosecutor. That’s right: One-hundred and thirty-three indictments and 133 convictions. John Wooden-like.
He ran once for Governor and won once. Barrack Obama-like.
And now he has made his first major appointment as Governor-elect: The selection of Richard Bagger as Chief of Staff. In my view, he is still perfect. Don Larsen would be proud.
Richard Bagger is a great choice because Richard Bagger makes great choices and will guide, advise and influence Governor Christie to make good decisions.
I have known Rich for almost two decades now and I know the quality and the character of the man. No one makes the right decisions all the time. But we are judged by the overall record: Do we continually make mostly poor choices or good ones. Rich makes mostly good ones.
A few examples:
As a young Assemblyman serving on the Appropriations Committee, Rich Bagger had to make a decision following a private conversation a young executive director had with him outside of a committee room on behalf of the Speaker. There wasn’t a lot of time to think about it. There weren’t any “trusted advisors” to consult. It was gut check time. Rich made a good decision.
As a new father and devoted husband faced with continuing the pursuit of a promising political career or an equally promising private career in the pharmaceutical industry and given the luxury of time, Rich Bagger consulted friends, presumably family, those who had faced similar decisions, and did his homework. He then made a great choice.
As a member of the Assembly’s leadership, huddled with our team on each and every major issue facing the Garden State in the middle and latter part of the 1990’s, Rich Bagger came to the that large table in the middle room of the Speaker’s suite having done his homework; listened attentively to the views of others; and then, more often than not, calmly and confidently voiced a view in a sure and quiet tone that persuaded others more than a dozen shouts of anger and the banging of fists on tables. Rich Bagger’s choices were respected.
I will leave to others to state the obvious: Bagger understands the state budget and how it gets done intimately; Bagger has the relationship skills and the Legislative experience that will serve the new Governor well; and, Bagger has the political skills that will enable him to say “no” in a multitude of ways that are not offensive.
Westfield-raised, Princeton-educated, Haytaian-trained and hardened in the world of global corporate dealings, Rich Bagger is the right man at the right time and in the right place. Over-used and even trite, but: Bagger and Christie – perfect together!
Christopher J. Christie was 133 and 0 as a Federal Prosecutor. That’s right: One-hundred and thirty-three indictments and 133 convictions. John Wooden-like.
He ran once for Governor and won once. Barrack Obama-like.
And now he has made his first major appointment as Governor-elect: The selection of Richard Bagger as Chief of Staff. In my view, he is still perfect. Don Larsen would be proud.
Richard Bagger is a great choice because Richard Bagger makes great choices and will guide, advise and influence Governor Christie to make good decisions.
I have known Rich for almost two decades now and I know the quality and the character of the man. No one makes the right decisions all the time. But we are judged by the overall record: Do we continually make mostly poor choices or good ones. Rich makes mostly good ones.
A few examples:
As a young Assemblyman serving on the Appropriations Committee, Rich Bagger had to make a decision following a private conversation a young executive director had with him outside of a committee room on behalf of the Speaker. There wasn’t a lot of time to think about it. There weren’t any “trusted advisors” to consult. It was gut check time. Rich made a good decision.
As a new father and devoted husband faced with continuing the pursuit of a promising political career or an equally promising private career in the pharmaceutical industry and given the luxury of time, Rich Bagger consulted friends, presumably family, those who had faced similar decisions, and did his homework. He then made a great choice.
As a member of the Assembly’s leadership, huddled with our team on each and every major issue facing the Garden State in the middle and latter part of the 1990’s, Rich Bagger came to the that large table in the middle room of the Speaker’s suite having done his homework; listened attentively to the views of others; and then, more often than not, calmly and confidently voiced a view in a sure and quiet tone that persuaded others more than a dozen shouts of anger and the banging of fists on tables. Rich Bagger’s choices were respected.
I will leave to others to state the obvious: Bagger understands the state budget and how it gets done intimately; Bagger has the relationship skills and the Legislative experience that will serve the new Governor well; and, Bagger has the political skills that will enable him to say “no” in a multitude of ways that are not offensive.
Westfield-raised, Princeton-educated, Haytaian-trained and hardened in the world of global corporate dealings, Rich Bagger is the right man at the right time and in the right place. Over-used and even trite, but: Bagger and Christie – perfect together!
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