Are you listening Hey, are you listening? This
is a podcast exploring the past, present, and
future of Christian music. My name is Joel, and
I'm here with my good friend Brandon. We connected
over mutual love of some particular artists,
but also have pretty different tastes. And so
we get to experience some new stuff from each
other while inviting some friends along for the
ride. Brandon, can you hear it? In the distance,
I can. You know what this means, right? It's
Christmas. It's Christmas. It's Christmas. How's
Christmas going for you? I don't know, Joel.
I hate to admit this, but we're barely in December
and I feel like I'm already in Grinch mode. Already?
What led to that? So what what led to it was,
um, it was like the day after Christmas or whatever.
Um, I ran to the store. Wait, the day after Thanksgiving?
Yeah. I got my time machine and like, I was excited
to think, man, I wonder what weird or cool Christmas
drinks or snacks are going to be out. And then
it dawned on me that all that stuff was released
back in like, at Halloween. So it's kind of like,
it feels sometimes with we celebrate Christmas
so early, that what it feels like is that we
all open our Christmas presents back at Halloween.
And now we're like, oh, there's nothing to open.
We've already like had that excitement. so i
think maybe i just need to do a better job of
staying away from like the weird coca -cola and
santa gummies or whatever um whenever halloween
so maybe it's maybe i need to look and take a
look at myself instead of uh yeah i i do feel
like um i'm a pretty staunch um i don't want
a christmas until thanksgiving is over um but
literally we we finished thanksgiving like lunch
on Thanksgiving Day and hopped in the car and
I turned on Christmas for the first time. And
I'm like, I know it's still Thanksgiving, but
we've already had the meal. Like it's okay now.
We can transition. But yeah, I feel like Thanksgiving
is like part of the Christmas season now. And
that's kind of a strange thing. I don't know
how to feel about that. Well, it is fun for us
to step into December with this because we're
actually going to be looking at some Christmas
Christmas stuff, which would be kind of a fun
thing. And so I think the way we're tackling
this is both you and I are going to bring a Christmas
record for discussion and then And then we're
just gonna cover one that seems sort of current
And then and then kind of go from there so Brandon
what what have you brought? To the table for
us to to talk about today today I have brought
tis the season to be goatee is a sampler goatee
records released believe in 2008 maybe 2009 And
it was something that was pretty near and dear
to me growing up And so whenever we decided to
bring CDs, I thought it was like, well, it's
pretty cool. How about if we do, you know, we'll
do one kind of the sampler one and then one of
just a particular artist. So whenever I was thinking
of samplers, I was like, well, this one's right
up there with a lot of the artists I grew up
really enjoying. So yeah, I'm really excited
to talk about this one. We're going to do that
in a little bit, but I think before we do, you
have a game for us today, right? Yeah, Joel,
I've got some really good news. So a lot of the
Christian industry, they came together and they
want to release a, Hey, are you listening? Christmas.
So they reached out to us and we're going to
decide which songs they're going to be covering.
So in today's game, we've got two cups. One cup
is going to be the artist. The other cup is going
to be the song they are covering. Okay. All right,
so we're gonna draw and decide, and then we gotta
say, do we think this is gonna be a good or a
bad cover? So I feel like this should probably,
we need to start doing video or something to
make this a little more dramatic. All right,
so I'm drawing these. Yeah, Joel. So you're gonna
tell us who's gonna be opening up this CD. Okay,
so this is the song. Oh, okay. No, I got them
in the wrong order here. All right, let me grab
an artist. Okay, so artist here is Forrest Frank.
Okay. So current. And then the song will be,
you're a mean one, Mr. Grinch. I kind of feel
like I could see this happening. Definitely would
be, yeah. Forrest's own little version of it.
The voices would be interesting though. I feel
like he would need a featuring There's gonna
be some dance to it as well. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah
Who do you have featured on there like to be
like the Grinch in there? I Don't know maybe
like a Toby Mack. Uh -huh. Okay, there been a
Toby Mack Forrest Frank crossover Yeah, they
they covered I think heaven on my mind earlier
this year. Okay, they did a Another version of
it. Gotcha. Yeah, I'll have to check that out
Yeah, I could, I could feel that happening. Yeah,
I don't know. What do you, what are your thoughts
on that? Yeah, I think so. It'd be, I feel like
the bridge or something, it would be him sharing
the gospel to the Grinch or something. So I feel
like that would be, we've, we've yet to see anyone
mix that in with the, with the Grinch. Yeah.
Like, you know, we, we know how his wellbeing
is when it comes to the Christmas, but we don't
know how his spiritual wellbeing is. So. Yeah,
that could be really interesting. I like it.
All right, so we're in favor of seeing that happen.
Okay, let's see. Next one we've got here is Danielson
family. All right. I mean, I feel like anything
works. Danielson family covering blue Christmas.
I'm here for it all day long. There wasn't a
song in the cup that I wouldn't want to hear
Danielson cover. But that one especially, I feel
like really, really just works. I remember singing
blue Christmas in the car with my family, driving
my mom crazy with the parts. So it fits, it fits.
that's good all right next we've got nf nf covering
i celebrate the day by reliant k uh tell me your
thoughts first and then uh I cover an NF album
years ago and I was feeling every song he's,
it's like he's, it's a journal entry but he's
just really mad when he was like writing it.
But then by the end sometimes he's like a little
less mad. So I feel like in this one it would
be like, like reliant case is kind of this dramatic
like where am I? I feel like NFs would be way
more. dramatic of him listing probably he'd probably
list out what he's done um because I think a
lot of times whenever you have a rap artist cover
something like this they'll keep the chorus right
but then just add like rap verses yeah or a bridge
that's like yeah they get to do their own thing
on yeah that would be interesting I feel like
I'd have to hear it um to know how it's gonna
go um I mean, I celebrate the day's a little
moody. Um, and so I, I think I could see it.
Um, but yeah, I felt like that would be, that
one would be really interesting. All right. The
album's shaping up to be pretty good so far.
Next up we've got Neon Horse. That's another
one like Danielson that I'm like, I'm excited
to see anything that they cover. Neon Horse,
Carol of the Bells. Yeah, I think that could
work. Oh, you know, that'd be like this creepy,
eerie approach to it. I think May did a carol
of the bells, which was interesting. Yeah, yeah.
No, I totally see that. I think. Switch fit.
They better get a good one. I'm going to be really
disappointed. You know, which one this is oh
Switch foot covering I saw mom kissing Santa
Claus. Oh I think the album just got ruined for
me. How upset would you be if you saw switch
foot? Oh, they're gonna be on this album that
you saw that they're covering a song like that
Somebody did a cover of I saw mommy kissing Santa
Claus and kind of a rock and roll and I can't
remember who it was Taylor Swift I don't think
so. Yeah. We've talked about this before, but
this is not one of my favorite songs. Do you
mean draw another one while you're pulling that
one up on there? I'm just trying to see who I
can remember that has covered this. I don't,
I'm probably not going to find it very easily.
So twisted sister. Yeah, I don't know. I'm just
really disappointed that that's the one that
SwitchFit has decided. Or we are telling them
together. That's a bummer. That's the one they're
bringing to us. John, let's rethink this. Steven
Curtis Chapman. Okay. It's a Christmas version
of Got To Be True. And the song is the 12 days
of Christmas. This is a like not often covered
Christmas song because I feel like nobody wants
to keep repeating all of those things over and
over again. Yeah, that could be interesting.
I think that'd be solid. I mean, it would work
for sure. Next up. We've got Toby Mac Mm -hmm
You're the big Toby Mac fan like I think modern
Toby Mac like it's not that out there because
it's maybe adding in like a little like Rap like
at the end of it or something. I'd like to see
like 2002 era Toby Mac because that song's gonna
be just so crazy Yeah, do you feel like Toby
Mac is a Little more sentimental in his old age.
I think he's Mel. It's just it's way more singing
because it was and I Think welcome the diver
city is when he released gone and he was like,
oh I can sing Because there's this documentary,
it's a series called Faith and Fame that Gospel
Music Channel used to do. I watched that thing
probably 100 times. And that was one thing he'd
mentioned is that when he was in DC Talk, he's
like, well, the other two guys are the singers.
So I'm just the rapper. So whenever he released
his first solo stuff, it was like, yeah, that's
all I am. And then with that one, so if you see
like, This is progression from like portable
sounds to now where there is like more of Toby
singing versus Him like rapping or him having
a guest singer to sing those parts. So yeah I
Toby sing a little bit. I mean, I guess it depends
on what you call singing. Yeah, but um, like
on free at last the song the hard way It's sort
of him singing Anyways. Yeah. Um, I feel like,
uh, that I would be interested to listen to that.
I'm all of these. I want to listen to you. Um,
I would love to see like a neon, neon horse,
um, Christmas shoes. All right. Rebecca St. James,
Rebecca St. James Christmas and Dixie. I haven't
heard that song in a while. um um she wanted
to sing it so i'll play well okay i don't know
i don't know um yeah that's that i just know
her from like she's from australia so it's very
ironic that she'd be singing christmas in tixie
she moved to nashville and just fell in love
with it um who sang that originally uh alabama
yeah That's one of those songs where if you're
not from the south you hear it and you can kind
of like Maybe chuckle a little bit at it. Yeah,
but like I've seen people cry with that song.
So I've learned to be quiet Amy Grant. Mm -hmm.
I want a hippopotamus for Christmas That would
have been really fun for like young Amy Grant
I feel like Although I could maybe see older
Amy Grant doing that Do you think there's an
age on that song? Like once you get over like
40 or 50, like the older you get, the weirder
it is that someone wants a hippopotamus for Christmas?
I don't think it's weirder. I think it's just
more like looking back on life in a nostalgic
kind of way, thinking about your grandkids than
like actually wanting a hippopotamus for Christmas.
What if let's remove the song aspect and let's
say at church you have like a five -year -old
come up to you and say I want a hippo for Christmas
or if you had a 75 year old walk up and say man
I've got my fingers crossed I think my family's
getting a hippo for Christmas. I would say let's
start making funeral arrangements. I didn't expect
to take that turn. I mean they're one of the
deadliest animals in the world. Casting crowns
are number one Greatest artist of all time. We've
got one song left in here. All right, you probably
remember what this is I forgot what I put down
to be honest Casting crowns covering somehow
I can just see it. I Yeah, it makes perfect sense
to me. Mm -hmm. I don't know so Well, this is
gonna be a really fascinating Christmas album.
So I'm looking forward to hearing everybody's
renditions now that we've green lit it. I gotta
thank all of them for just doing that for us.
It was really nice of them. Yeah. It's pretty
cool. We'll have to have them all on the podcast
to talk about their experiences. So pretty fun.
Brandon, thanks for that. That was a fun journey
to imagine what what's going on there let's talk
real quick about um what we've been listening
to lately um what's uh what's been in your ears
lately um i feel like kind of running around
i haven't been able to really dive into um a
lot of christmas music yet um i think one thing
i'm excited to listen to is like some of jars
of clay's christmas yeah because i've listened
to it but i it's been years since i've gone through
because they had like I think it was two Christmas
albums. There's one Christmas songs. I think
there's one that's maybe, I don't know, like
a Pieces Here or something like that. They had
a really early EP, Little Drummer Boy. Yeah,
yeah. Yeah. I actually just saw somebody was
selling that vinyl for like five bucks. which
is a steal, but the shipping's probably way more
than that. But they've got a song that it's been
on repeat since it came out, but in 2023 it's
called, uh, leaving the lights up. And, um, essentially
it's just about having like that joy of Christmas,
like year round that it's like in the song, they're
just like, yeah, we're going to leave. They're
going to call us crazy and all, but like, um,
like you might be that, like that light that
people need. And, um, so I feel like it's a pretty
cool song. I think it's whenever I start feeling
like cynical around Christmas time, I go listen
and Dan and the boys helped me. I love that.
I love that. That, um, I'll have to check that
one out. I don't think I've ever heard that song.
So, um, for me, I, um, was working on my Advent
playlist, kind of leading into Christmas and
I allowed myself to start listening to that,
um, moving into Thanksgiving. And so, um, I always
every year like to kind of search around and
see what's out there that I haven't heard yet.
That's like, um, Advent kind of music, um, just
to get me kind of in a spirit of longing and
waiting. And, um, so I found an album, um, by
a woman named Caroline Cobb. called Seed Sunrise
Advent to Christmas Songs. And she has some great
songs on there. And so I actually added a couple
of those to my Advent playlist. But I've been
listening to that record a little bit. It's really
good. And so that's one that I've spent some
time with as of late. All right, well, let's
transition and talk a little bit about this sampler
album. All right Tis the season to be goatee.
I pulled a tiny bit of information from the internet
about this It's a compilation Christmas record
that was released on October 5th 2010 Was off
by a little bit earlier. Yeah, it's mostly made
up of already released Christmas songs by goatee
artists with the exception of one recording You
know which one that is Yeah, I think it either
be I celebrate the day or silver bells Could
be I was thinking it was one of the oh, I thought
you had Well, I think from what I can remember
it was one of the Aisha Wood songs that was I
don't know them I'd have to go back and figure
that out and we don't time for it now. So Alright,
so tell me this one. Like you said this one kind
of sits with you. It's been with you for a while
Tell me about your history with this and like
what made Brandon pull this up and listen to
it for the first time. Yeah so for me growing
up I didn't care for Christmas music like it
felt I don't know like I didn't didn't care for
it didn't really listen to it and it wasn't until
I think it was like maybe third day's Christmas
album. that it was the first time i had heard
people kind of put their own spin which i mean
even looking back i feel like it wasn't that
big of one it was more of them just having like
a southern rock or just a little tweak so it
wasn't just you know it almost felt like people
would just have the music and then add their
vocals in and um and then reliant k and family
force 5 christmas was way more of oh these people
took it and made it their own um so whenever
goatee released this it was something that i
um i think aisha woods i maybe listened to like
a song or two of hers back in the day but like
i gravitated towards to uh house of heroes reliant
k um abandoned kansas so whenever this came out
i was like this is perfect because i love all
of these artists and this is going to be amazing
and um So yeah, as a kid, it was just so cool
to be like, here's the artist I love putting
their own spin on Christmas. And I think too,
I always love whenever someone wanted music,
I loved making mixtapes or handing them CDs.
So whenever someone was like me and they're like,
I don't really care for Christmas. I remember
like telling them to check out this one or physically
like, I don't know the statute of like limitations,
but like burning my own copies of the CD and
giving them out. So. if joey or toby's listening
i'm sorry yeah let's uh beware be careful you
know i was gonna say real fast that was i was
thinking that was a thing that kind of gravitated
me towards um goatee records too was that back
in the day they had for every artist, there was
one to sometimes like four songs for free you
could download. So like that was where I first
found like John Rubin was I just went through
and downloaded like a song from each person and
went and listened to it. So back in the day,
like before we had stream, I feel like there's
people that's blowing their mind right now that
there was not streaming back in the day. But
I remember just being like a, you know, 14 15
16 year old and being like I don't have all this
money to go buy music so whenever I could found
places where I could like Like download it like
legally. It was always really exciting. And so
yeah, I think that's really cool, too Yeah, I
so I've never listened to this sampler before
but I know a lot of these songs because like
you I was a big house of heroes fan I had I think
all the band in Kansas albums and obviously Reliant
K and so I Yeah, so I knew like half of this
going in going into it even though I'd never
like listened to it before which is kind of an
interesting thing about the sampler that That
they're mostly pulling from releases that their
artists have like already put out but it seems
like their goatee is pretty like Intentional
about having their artists do Christmas music
or maybe they just have a bunch of artists that
really like Christmas music Yeah, it seems like
there's a lot of it going around So I think that's
cool. But so yeah, I'm aware of a lot of this
music already and so That made it helpful for
me kind of kind of going through it So well,
let's walk through it kind of track by track
and talk about the songs and the artists and
and what our thoughts are a little bit so The
first one on the record is Silver Bells by Reliant
K. I had actually never heard this one before.
So yeah, that was interesting for me. What do
you think about this one? Yeah, I really liked
it. I think that it already sets the tone for
you're not going to get a ton of your traditional.
Like if that's what you're looking for, go ahead
and walk out the door. Which you love, I think.
Yeah, so, like, I hear this and, you know, I
think with all of the stuff we're covering, it's
kind of important to note that I feel like as
someone who did not enjoy Christmas music, I'm
very aware of the stuff that I love is the stuff
that a lot of people are not going to love. Because
even like, you know, I remember showing my mom,
like, check out this Christmas music, and her
going, that's... They ruined Little Drummer Boy.
She was just like, you don't mess up that song.
I'm fully aware that a lot of the stuff that
I'm going to like and not like on the albums
we cover, most for audience, there's a good chance
they feel completely different. I'll say too
for me. I really enjoy the different stuff. And
I think that 15 years ago, I would be in the
exact same boat that you're in. And then I didn't
really enjoy much of the classic stuff at all.
But I think time has kind of shifted a little
bit of that for me. And that now I've learned
you can actually like both. It doesn't like...
it doesn't hurt your credibility or whatever.
And so I've warmed up a lot to some of the more
classic stuff while still enjoying the different
takes on it. Yeah, I think Silver Bells, it's
like a classic Reliant K sound here. You've got
the piano and... But it's a pretty standard version
of Silver Bells. It doesn't do anything crazy
except for the fact that they add this new bridge
to the song. I really love the bridge on that.
Which I feel like was a real highlight of it
just because it does bring in something new.
For me, once you hit the bridge, the bridge to
the end, I'm like, yes, I really like this a
lot. I feel like it went some nice places. How
do you feel about um our next track all I want
for christmas is you by house of heroes man I
love this I love this song so much um there's
a few house of heroes songs on this sampler and
um this one's my favorite um because I feel like
it just fits house of heroes yeah um like tim's
vocals are perfect on it like they showcase his
ability uh as a singer really well um not saying
that he sounds like Mariah Carey but yeah but
um uh it just like this is the kind of House
of Heroes it reminds me of like I mean obviously
it's Christmas but it just feels like a song
that would have been on Suburba yeah um which
is one of my favorite like House of Heroes records
that just a lot of energy um kind of upbeat and
um I just yeah I feel like This song was the
perfect fit for them as a band to cover. It just
matches their sound so well. I know that since
then I've heard other people cover it, but I
remember at the time I can't think of another
band that I had heard that could cover it. And
I feel like the original is people either love
or hate it. So it makes it difficult when you're
covering something that... already going into
it people who love it are like why are you touching
this people who hate it are like why are you
covering this yeah but yeah i just i listen and
i think that really with like their christmas
stuff it just highlights everything that's just
good about house of heroes yeah um like the group
vocals just the the backing of it um yeah like
i i really enjoyed and um I think it's another
one that at the time it was like I would have
never listened to the original I would have been
like oh okay I'm gonna change to the channel
but then they cover it and I think it makes you
be able to like appreciate the song because you're
getting a different um perspective um so yeah
can you like handle listening to the Mariah Carey
version now that you like the House of Firas
version I think that like Brandon back then and
Brandon now I think when people listen to the
Mariah Carey version, I go, oh yeah, this one's
like good, but like you guys want like the real
version. Go check out Tim and guys. Um, yeah,
like I, I think, I think that there's some Christmas
songs that people cover that I walk away like
now appreciating anytime I hear it. But then
I think there's other ones that I'm like, Yeah,
I like when this person does it. Yeah, but like
I don't it's like Star Wars There's a lot of
people that love Star Wars, but like they'd never
watch any other like sci -fi Hmm, and there's
other people that opens the door for oh man There's
things that I like way better than like Star
Wars. Yeah. Yeah Yeah, I'll just go ahead and
say this is my favorite track on the sampler
And but maybe it's because I have like a long
history with it Yeah, because I listen to it
every year multiple times but But yeah, I just
it's so good. The bridge is amazing. I think
it's a great song. Track three is Jingle Bells
by Aisha Woods. What were your thoughts on this
one, Brandon? So I remember back in the day not
being really familiar with her work for whatever
reason, like I just didn't like gravitate towards
her like music like I did a lot of other go to
records. I feel like. I was explaining to Jordan
that I felt like, I remember back in the day,
this was like a skip track for me. And now, like,
this was one of the highlights. I think that
her as a whole was one of the highlights of this
whole album. And I think it works because like
hers feels like it's more of this classical,
like, I don't know how to describe it, but it
sounds like the 50s or 60s or whatever. Yeah,
jazz, yeah. Yeah, that's what I was looking for.
and i think that it fits so well because everyone
else is doing their own thing so i think that
on an album where everyone else is going outside
the box it really shines when you have someone
who's just had something there for maybe the
classical fan yeah um so i think this is a song
that like it aged like really well yeah for me
yeah no i would agree this is a highlight um
on the album on the album for me too Um, it's
jazzy, but like in a way that most people, I
agree with you, like it, it leans in the direction
of like a classic Christmas kind of song. But,
um, but it goes a little harder into jazz than
like most people would be willing to do with
a Christmas song. Um, just how fast and kind
of random, random kind of jazzy that it is. I
think this one is really great. Yeah. Yeah, I
really, really, really like it a lot. And I think
it's the first of her music that I've ever listened
to. Yeah. Next we move to Okomaii Faithful by
Abandoned Kansas. How do you feel about this?
It's so good. It's one of my favorite versions
of Okomaii Faithful. Yeah, I love it. I love
the, like, just piano, simple opening with the
vocals, like, classic feeling. And then like
you've got the YouTube base coming in. Like,
um, and the song just goes places. Um, I love
the key change that happens in it when seeing
choirs of angels hits. Um, yeah, I, this will
always be, it might be my favorite version of
Oh Come All Ye Faithful. Um, it's, it's so good.
Yeah. I um, I really like um, like you said,
it's like this um, this kind of like journey
you go on where it starts soft Because I feel
like if it if it stayed there I don't know how
I feel about it, but I like that the song has
Like you're going back and forth and like has
a little bit of that. Um I remember thinking
like even now. I wonder if it I guess you would
disagree because you feel like this is but your
best version or favorite version But I was wondering
if it maybe was the best like song for them um
which i think there's you know going forward
there's a couple of tracks on here that like
it makes me wonder were they like given this
or did they like choose it um so like it just
made me wonder like because i think that they
have on the second one it's um do you hear what
i hear yeah and i think it like it's amazing
and then they did um I think it's What Child
Is This? They were on Jamie Grace's Christmas
EP, and it's amazing. And I think that it's a
great song, but I guess it's knowing their other
stuff. It kind of is like, oh man, is this the
best abandoned Kansas Christmas one they've had?
I admit I haven't heard the other ones. So I
need to check those out. But I think this is
a song they definitely take and make it feel
like an abandoned Kansas song. Which his vocals
are just so good at doing that, going interesting
places. And so yeah, I love it. I feel like it
works really well. Next we have Silent Night,
House of Heroes. What do you think about it?
Yeah. I mean, this is, so this is like a chill
house of heroes, kind of acoustic. The vocals
get kind of big at the end. I just feel like
with this one, I like it a lot. I just, I wanted
it to go somewhere that it never really goes.
Then again, it's Silent Night and Silent Night's
not really supposed to go that many places musically.
You don't want like a skill at Silent Night?
No. But I just kind of felt like I was going
to get something and it never... it never like
went went too far but it's great yeah i i wrote
down that i feel like this track your hands are
tied because it's a song that you it's so hard
to stray because it's so well known and it's
just so that that's what it's known so it's like
you can't have like a screaming like silent night
and um like i wish that we could have gotten
maybe an original song or maybe like replaced.
I think it's just like knowing what House of
Heroes is capable of. It just I remember even
when they because this is originally off of a
like three song EP they did like Christmas songs
and I remember just thinking like man it's like
when you hear the other two they're doing this
one feels like your hands are tied but I mean
Don't know. I feel like they they did everything
right though. Like they checked all the boxes
on it So it's not like it's they messed up the
track or whatever And I mean there there could
be a lot of people listening to this is the first
one. They're like finally we have a normal song
Yeah, I think I'm with you. It's probably my
least favorite of the three house of era songs
But it's still good um i love the vocals that
come in when the drum like the drums kind of
kick in a little bit towards the end but um but
yeah i you bring up an interesting thing with
that of just original christmas songs um yeah
why why are there not any on this um that's kind
of a bummer a little bit i feel like the only
one is i celebrate the day but it's being covered
by someone so yeah it's still a cover um and
so it feels like kind of a missed opportunity
to do something original yeah i think that maybe
that is just a i remember the time that being
one of the complaints was that people were like
this is all um like all stuff that's already
been done so there isn't a hey let's get in the
studio and make this yeah like they did um They
did one where it was a 10 -year anniversary of
Jesus Freak, and it was all of their artists
covering them. And then they did another one
for 20 years where it was all of their artists
covering different artists on the... The record
don't know if you ever heard that but it's no
I need to check that out It's amazing because
they've got like Family Force 5 covering John
Rubin John Rubin covers love addict like it's
a really cool one. So Yeah, I think that's something
that at the time I didn't really notice but now
I kind of noticed when people are like, you know
Why why isn't their original? Why is there not
like other people who are on the label at the
time like this aren't that aren't on there? I
mean, you have like, I think Jamie Grace was
maybe signed at this point, but even like John
Rubin, he had been on there. So there's a lot
of these like people who were big goatee people
that aren't on here. Yeah. Yeah. I feel like
with the tooth and nail samplers, the happy Christmas
ones, you usually would get some original songs,
which was always kind of fun. Sometimes could
be a total. It's actually hard to write a good
Christmas song. So I get why why people just
kind of go to covering. All right. So next is
I celebrate the day by Stephanie Smith. Brandon,
tell me your thoughts on this. So this is a cover
of Reliant K original. Yeah, I think for this
one, like it's really torn because I celebrate
the day is one of if not my favorite Christmas
songs. so going into it you're already up against
like that that oh this is something that I like
all these other ones it's like oh finally we
fixed the problems of the original whereas this
one I feel like I change hats on and I'm like
don't touch that that one's perfect but I think
that like Stephanie does a good job of not not
like Just taking it apart and like, you know,
cuz like her style at the time Like we'll get
into it. But like Jingle Bell Rock was a way
more of what she was doing right this kind of
like I guess like pop like Disney esque like
type of stuff and so Like I'm really glad she
didn't go that that far because I feel like that
would have been a miss I feel like this one is
more of a like optimistic kind of like think
to it. So it kind of feels like if I celebrate
the day was the book, like Stephanie Smith's
version is like the movie that's made off of
the book. But yeah, I feel like all stuff considered
like it it checks all the boxes of like she she
made it her own without ruining what made like
the original like good. And it it goes back to
it makes me wonder If like she's covering it
because like she loves it or if it's just go
to you saying Hey, we already own this song.
Like this would be fun if somebody yeah Yeah,
I It doesn't stray that much um But like I kind
of wanted it to um, just because I wanted to
feel more of like who she was as an artist through
it Um, and don't feel like I got that. Um, I
just i'm a little bit with you brandon that I
love this song a bunch and so that I feel like
that Reliant K version is always going to be
a standard for me and I feel like it's pretty
much perfect in every way and so trying to cover
that one I think you've got it got to go somewhere
else or do something different although if it
had been like a pop punk version I would have
hated it probably um so I don't know what I probably
just wouldn't have wouldn't have covered it um
i think that with what she went on to do with
kind of copper lily um yeah in that kind of stuff
it has more of a like dramatic or i don't know
if like depth is the right word so it's like
i feel like stephanie smith today i would be
really interested to see what direction like
she what she takes with it um yeah i hear that
i hear that All right, it's track number seven.
We're back to Ayesha Woods. Merry Christmas,
baby. What were your thoughts on that? Yeah,
going back like it, it's just like the the track
earlier. Like I love this. Like I used to skip
it. I think that I don't know if I would have,
I don't know if I've even listened to this track
all the way through before covering this one,
but like Loved it because I feel like it's even
like a little like it's it's different from her
other one, too So it's not like here's Aisha
just doing her one thing Like like if anything
from this EP or this CD it's made me want to
go check out Aisha Wood stuff and think that
maybe I wasn't Appreciating as much as I did
back in the day. But yeah, I feel like it's it's
really fun and I really liked it Yeah, I think
that's I think it's a cool track for sure Kind
of an R &B Christmas classic, but not a one that
I feel like a ton of people know as well as some
of these other songs. Yeah. And so it's a great
song and it's fun to hear her step in and cover
it. I feel like it does a little bit of a disservice
to her and the fact that I've been listening
for the last couple of years to Lawrence's version
of this song. um that they did for the noel soundtrack
and it's just like so good um so i'm like i hate
that that was in my head when i was listening
to her do it um but i think i think her version
of it's great yeah i really enjoy her stuff so
far um track eight jingle bell rock we're back
to stephanie smith um yeah what do you think
about this um I feel like it's weird the placement
that like for some of them It's like you get
reliant k at the beginning and then you don't
get them to like the end Yeah, so I feel like
it is weird that you like get Stephanie like
right right away um, but this was so this was
way more of her style that she was doing like
at the time so like I felt like it um Like wasn't
as strangle way. Um, but I feel like it's another
one that it's Like it's it's a song that's covered
so much that it's like it's hard to kind of make
it your own. Yeah, I mean I felt like Like I
felt like it wasn't just to let put this on here.
I feel like it was like yeah, we're excited to
do this and Like I feel like it's There's nothing
like wrong with the track. Like I feel like it
checks all of the boxes off of yeah, you'd wanted
a cover Yeah, I think I think the opening of
it's really fun It's definitely a fun version
of the song. Kind of like you said, it doesn't
do much original to the song. It kind of puts
it more in that pop -punk category, which is
fun, and it fits super well for the song. But
I feel like this is one that does get covered
a lot in that world. And I think it's a good,
pretty straight version of the song. in that
territory. Next we move to God Rest Ye Merry
Gentlemen by Reliant K. What are your thoughts,
Joel? This was interesting to me. I don't think
I'd ever heard this one before. The chord changes
that they do were kind of interesting and it
gets like heavy for Reliant K. Like it's not
like a pop -punk song. There's like riffs and
Um, yeah, it didn't like, it felt like Reliant
K, but didn't feel like Reliant K. And so I thought
that was kind of interesting. It was just unexpected.
And so I liked it because it was, it was an unexpected,
um, one for me, but I, it didn't feel like them,
but I still enjoyed it. Does that make sense?
Yeah. Um, I think for me if there was a skip
track on this No, um, you like that classic really
I think that it's more of Like the song like
I I've really come to really love it and like
jars of clay and house of fears. They both do
this like Cinematic like yeah dramatic kind of
like build to it and I feel like it's a song
that I don't think it it fits kind of making
into this like pop punk or whatever like I think
it's best like it's best experience in a dramatic
one yeah um but like one thing I've always appreciated
was that Reliant K has done done their own thing
like for better or worse so I feel like there's
for 95 % of what they've done for Christmas like
I loved and this is just kind of the outlier
that I feel like it's just hard to do a dramatic
song and do that yeah like there's other songs
that translate like better to doing something
like that um so yeah I feel like for this one
this was um just maybe out of all of them was
it interesting like oh I wonder if this was something
that they were just like yeah we wanted we want
to take take this song from this box to now put
it in a whole other category yeah yeah yeah that's
true All right, um track 10 oh come oh come Emanuel
Our last house of heroes song on here. Brandon.
What would you think about this one? I think
for me this was my favorite track off of this
album. Um, I love that it has this like Eerie
like haunting kind of build and then it like
slows down for the at the end where it gets very
like loud and all I feel like it's interesting
that like you know the whole skillet thing gets
this thing for being like why is it this heavy
stuff and all and i'm like i feel like no one
at the time i mean this isn't like a skillet
version but i feel like it is like very big guitars
like and all um but yeah i i love this and i
feel like this and um all i want for christmas
is that it just like for people who didn't know
house of heroes that was something they they
did almost like all songs even Silent Night is
that they could do anything with it so they could
do this kind of like fun little song they could
do something that was slow and dramatic and then
they could do something like this this just like
this epic um song where just so much is kind
of going on and um so I feel like it's Like it
would have been nice to have other artists featured
But also i'm glad that is for someone they have
they get to experience like here's just showing
the range that house of heroes has Yeah, you
get the whole house of heroes christmas ep. Yeah
Which is Maybe a little redundant, but um, yeah,
I agree with you. I think this like um, this
showcases their ability as a band um, it's like
this is okama coming manual is the uh the end
is not the end house of heroes dramatic moody
yeah huge um yeah it's it's it's incredible and
all i want for christmas is you is like the suburb
of house of heroes we're gonna get a little more
fun and yeah um and so i love that you get the
feel of both of those in these christmas songs
and and like like i said about all i want for
christmas is you felt like a perfect match. This
one feels like a perfect match for them too,
just in a different way, which is cool. And I
think really, again, shows their versatility
as a band that they're able to do so much. And
so I love the riffs and all the stuff that happened
at the end. It's a great one. All right. And
we end with Oh Holy Night by Relain Cave. Yeah,
this one's probably my struggle track for the
record I have really high expectations for a
whole night and I feel like if you're gonna if
you're gonna do a holy night like It's it's one
of the most Dramatic Christmas songs and this
is like the most undramatic version of it And
so yeah, it just I mean, it was fine. It was
good. There was nothing wrong with it. Yeah,
it just didn't go anywhere. Um, and so that was,
that was my only struggle with it. Yeah. I, I,
I wish that they would have taken this approach
with Gotti, rest ye merry gentlemen. Um, cause
maybe that's how I feel about like, Oh, holy
night and God rest. I feel like they're like
almost in the same category of you need to have
this like serious, like it's not a song you're
laughing or joking during. Right. Um, And so
I wish they would have done that I I did enjoy
um, I love whenever people just do like little
things in a song, um, but there's a part where
they're like, um, the stars are brightly shining
and there's this like I don't know if it's like
a keyboard or bells or whatever, but there's
this like twinkling like the ding ding ding and
um I just I always enjoy when there's those little
things like you didn't have to do that, right
but I enjoy whenever you have those little touches.
So for me, I felt like it was a solid ending
to it. I felt like it kind of wrapped it all
up, and I was still enjoying it by the end. Cool.
That's great. All right. Let's talk about final
thoughts and then ratings. Any thoughts you have
just kind of wrapping up the conversation on
this one? yeah i think for me it's it's always
interesting to go back and listen um to something
that you listen to when you're younger because
i found myself like not enjoying some tracks
i used to love and really loving some tracks
that i used to um always skip and um so i feel
like it's it's cool to go back and get to maybe
like learn like i said like yisha woods it's
like after this i want to go back and listen
to more of her stuff because i think maybe i
Didn't appreciate it. It was overlooked her back
in the time or the back in the day. Yeah. Yeah
Yeah, this was fun for me because like I said,
I knew a lot of this going in but there's a lot
of it that I didn't know and so to I Knew Stephanie
Smith from house of hero stuff, but nothing outside
of that and so being able to hear some first
stuff and Aisha Woods I felt like I got um, I
got exposed to some new artists, which was a
fun thing. I felt like I wanted more artist variety
on this. I know these aren't the only artists
on Goatee at this point in time. And so for there
to be five artists over 11 tracks, it would have
been nice to see a few different ones kind of
along the way. Nonetheless, I thought it was
fun and and I enjoyed it. So Brandon, what would
you rate this one out of five? I think I'm gonna
go with four. Okay. I think it's to me it's just
it's funny because going into this I wouldn't
have thought that like RelentK like brings it
down but Aisha would like comes in to save the
day. But yeah, so I feel like for me I go with
the go with the four because I found myself really
loving it and I don't know even the tracks like,
you know, I I feel there's no track on here that
I hated like You know, I didn't really care for
some of them, but I don't know. Yeah I am i'm
gonna give it a 3 .5. Okay on 3 .5 Silver bells,
so I thought it was um, I thought it was great.
I love getting to hear some new versions I added
a few things to my christmas playlist that weren't
on there before Which is really fun. And so um,
yeah I really enjoyed it and I'm excited to dig
into some more from some of these artists. What's
funny Joel is that so for the viewer Joel always
like hand writes all of his like notes for the
songs and so like every so often like I'll just
like glance down just kind of like a mid conversation
and a little bit ago I glanced down and I thought
I saw like a 1 .5 like at the bottom of the page
and I was like And Joel seems like, I don't know
what he's building towards, or he's like, I know
I said some nice things, but I'll be honest,
like these two tracks really just. Well, yeah.
Um, three and a half, there were a couple that
I just didn't super care for, but, um, but overall
I think it was, it was really fun. So. Yeah.
Well, this has been fun to kind of dig into this
a little bit. Let's talk about what our lyric
of the week is. I think for the lyric of the
week, um, we got to go with, I celebrate the
day by relying on Kay. Um, Just as we're not
covering that album this year, right? So the
part that always used to hit me was Because here's
where you're finding me in the exact same place
as New Year's Eve and from a lack of my Persistency
we're less than half as close as I want to be
mmm Yeah, man, that's not so good so many good
lyrics to that one so Appreciate you bringing
that one up. Well, it's been fun to kind of dig
into some of our Christmassy stuff with this
one. And so I'm excited to keep pressing into
this as we get further along into the season.
Brandon, thanks for bringing this one to our
attention and focus today. People, you can find
us at Hey Are You Pod on X. We're on Facebook.
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