i may be a bird in a cage but at least it's your cage

I've been making what I call a Christmas mix -- that is, not holiday songs but a mix made at the holidays -- since 1997; first they were tapes, then for a few years cds, and finally, in the digital age, the last three years have been downloadable zip files, and this year is no exception. These are songs that meant something to me this year, for various reasons, and they are for you. Behind the tag are the songs, each available individually, and the whole shebang is available as a zip file [here]. The individual tracks will stay up 'til New Year's or so, the zip until it expires.

Happy holidays, happy 2007, happy music sharing -- whatever floats your boat. This is from me to you. 2007 pretty much blew goats, but one way it didn't was musically, and that's what this is about. xoxoxo.

1. [Paul Simon -- "Once Upon A Time There Was An Ocean"] something unstoppable set into motion/nothing is different, but everything's changed/it's a dead end job, and you gets tired of sittin'/and it's like a nicotine habit you're always thinking about quittin'
   
   
2. [Regina Spektor -- "Fidelity"] i never loved nobody fully/always one foot on the ground/and by protecting my heart truly/i got lost in the sounds
   
   
3. [The Damnwells -- "I Will Keep The Bad Things From You"] you keep the band names coming/i'll make the jokes real funny/we'll keep the skeptics humming/and someone else will take the money
   
   
4. [Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova -- "When Your Mind's Made Up"] when your mind's made up/when your mind's made up/there's no point trying to change it
   
   
5. [The Mountain Goats -- "Woke Up New"] and the world in its cold way started coming alive/and i stood there like a buisness man waiting for the train/and i got ready for the future to arrive
   
   
6. [Kelly Hogan & The Pine Valley Cosmonauts -- "Papa Was A Rodeo"] what are we doing in this dive bar/how can you live in a place like this/why don't you just get into my car/and i'll take you away i'll take that kiss now
   
   
7. [My Chemical Romance -- "I Don't Love You"] when after all this time that you still owe/you're still a good-for-nothing i don't know/so take your gloves and get out, baby, get out while you can
   
   
8. [Bright Eyes -- "Classic Cars"] saying, "everything's a cycle, you’ve got to let it come to you/and when it does, you will know what to do"
   
   
9. [Arcade Fire -- "Keep The Car Running"] every night my dream's the same/same old city with a different name.
   
   
10. [R.E.M. -- "Leaving New York"] you might have laughed if i told you/you might have hidden your frown/you might have succeeded in changing me/i might have been turned around/it's easier to leave than to be left behind
    
    
11. [American Aquarium -- "Savior"] so at night i stand up on this stage/and i try to explain the difference/between a tattered heart and a shattered dream.
    
    
12. [Fall Out Boy -- "Hum Hallelujah"] the road outside my house is paved with good intentions/hired a construction crew 'cause it's hell on the engine/and you are the dreamer, and we are the dream/i could write it better than you ever felt it
    
    
13. [Josh Ritter -- "Right Moves"] am i making all the right moves/am i singing you the right blues/is there a chance that i could call you/just to see how you are doing?
    
    
14. [Spring Awakening Original Broadway Cast -- "My Junk"] we've all got our junk/and my junk is you
    
    
15. [Modest Mouse -- "Dashboard"] the dashboard melted but we still have the radio

Even if you never again comment in my journal, this would be a really great post for you to say hi on, whether or not you're downloading. I'm just sayin'. I promise I don't bite hard.