The "12 Songs" Manifesto

I believe … 

1) … that Christmas music is no more limited a subject matter than love songs. If people heard the same 100 love songs by their parents’ favorite singers on constant rotation, they’d say they hate love songs too.

2) … that the classics are the classics for a reason, but I shouldn’t have to try to find myself in songs recorded a decade or more before I was born.

3) … everything sounds better with sleigh bells.

4) … Christmas songs are all novelty songs, even the serious ones. 

5) … Christmas music isn’t cool, but it doesn’t have to be uncool. 

6) … Christmas music is a musician’s challenge. He or she needs to give a version a reason to exist. 

7) … “Wonderful Christmastime” is not the worst Christmas song. The worst Christmas song is the one you forget about.

8) … Christmas songs should be fun. Not silly, not goofy, but playful. I should smile.

9) … Good heavy metal Christmas songs don’t exist. The genres’ worlds are too opposed.

10) … Rat Pack-era arrangements are for Rat Pack-era singers. 

11) … as John Waters said, good Christmas songs have “ to be joyous, even if for all the wrong reasons. They have to be amazing."

12) … individual mileage may vary.