Shows
HARKpodcastEpisode 393: Skanukkah SkatemberNah, just kidding, we're not starting another annual month-long theme. Can you imagine? I mean, sure, yes, we can imagine. But we've apparently run out of ska-punk Hanukkah songs already. Until someone proves us wrong on that (email requests to harkpodcast at gmail!!), we're making do with some ska/punk winter holiday songs that felt appropriate for the approaching Rosh Hashanah. We start off with a listener request for a song of pan-holiday celebration, "Whatever U Celebrate" by Reel Big Fish. Paired with that is a singular tune that somehow both barely qualifies for the list and also fits...
2025-09-1047 minHARKpodcastEpisode 268: What a Difference a Decade MakesThis week on HARK: two requests from 19X7, possibly requested in 20X7! We are digging into some old, old requests and wind up listening to two songs that feel very representative of their respective decades. "It Must Have Been Love (Christmas for the Broken Hearted)" by Roxette feels so 80s for a song that didn't reach its peak until the 80s were (arguably) over, while "Christmas" by Blues Traveller is the kind of song you probably couldn't get away with writing after 1997 unless you're Phish (also, Phish did kind of write this song). Our ranking music this...
2020-08-2649 minHARKpodcastEpisode 267: WWJS?It's World Elephant Day, and for unrelated reasons, we're covering some listener requests! We're transported to the 00's by "Christmas for Two" by Sixpence None the Richer, while it takes a moment for us to find our footing in "O Holy Night" as performed by Charlie Rich. Our ranking music this week is "There She Goes" by Sixpence None the Richer. Thank you to Matt and Maya for these requests!
2020-08-1251 minHARKpodcastEpisode 266: Oh No SaferideFor this week's HARK, we return to a request that we split up earlier in the year. Listener Tim requested Yogi Yorgesson and paired it with "Reindeer" by Swedish band The Knife, for a tenuous Sweden theme. This week, we're honoring the spirit of that request by pairing "Reindeer" with a song by another Swedish artist: "Correspondence: Silent Night" by Annika Norlin. This week's ranking music is "iPod X-Mas" by one of Norlin's other projects, Hello Saferide. Thanks again to Tim for the request!
2020-07-2948 minHARKpodcastEpisode 265: I Would Submit That This Is What Is Called ChristmasIt's that time of year again! Time for BIRTHDAY BOY'S CHOICE! As per tradition, Ian is given license to choose whatever songs he wants to listen to this week, and also as per tradition, he chooses some weird bullshit. Revisit some earworms from his youth with us: "Tennessee Christmas" as performed by Lee Greenwood and "Our Love Is Like a Holiday" by Michael Bolton. Our ranking music this episode is "Christmas in L.A. (Yippee Ki Yay)" by Marian Call.
2020-07-1547 minHARKpodcastEpisode 264: Come Home, Don't Come Home, See What I CareThis episode of HARK is here just in time for Canada Day (in our time zone, anyway), and we're listening to some Canadian content by request! "First Christmas" by Stan Rogers is up first, and we find ourselves unprepared. But we quickly get back into our groove by dissing Michael Bublé's rendition of "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)". Our ranking music this week is "Exiles Among You" by The Weakerthans. Thank you to Joe, Carl, and Dave for these requests!
2020-07-0251 minHARKpodcastEpisode 263: Winter, Wonder, LandThe solstice fast approaches, and we're marking it with two seasonal songs! Er, sort of. The real theme of this episode is "Not Winter Wonderland" - "Winter Wonder Land" by Animal Collective is just a boldly named original, while "Summer Wonderland" by Ronan Keating is a southern hemisphere re-write of the classic. Our ranking music this week is "White Wine In the Sun" by Tim Minchin. Here are the mentioned lists of mutual aid funds and bail funds you can support!
2020-06-1746 minHARKpodcastEpisode 262: It's Cowboy Time in the CityThis week, we cover a listener request that may be a ploy to get us to talk about musical theatre again - just in time for the Tony Awards (if, you know, those were happening)! "Holly Jolly Christmas" as performed by Idina Menzel is a pretty good rendition of a pretty bland Christmas song, while "Silver Bells" as performed by Kristin Chenoweth offers an unexpected new flavor. Thank you Philip (and Olaf) for these requests! Our ranking music this week is "Christmas Bells" by the cast of RENT. If you can, please take...
2020-06-0348 minHARKpodcastEpisode 261: Red is the Color of Your EnergyIn this episode, we're talking about two holiday songs themed around the color red! ...sort of! ...for Pentecost, I guess! "Wrapped In Red" by Kelly Clarkson gives us an excuse to talk about Love Actually, again, so it's hard to fault it for that. Whereas "Red-Suited Superman" by Rod Stewart gives us an excuse to talk about Rod Stewart, for the very first time! The ranking music in this episode is "Christmas Is All Around" by Billy Mack.
2020-05-2047 minHARKpodcastEpisode 260: You Don't Have to Spend the Holidays with Wisecracking RobotsIt's time once again for some listener requests! In this episode we dig into two tracks from Christian alt-rock label Tooth & Nail's Happy Christmas compilation series. First, we interpret the meaning of the mumbled chorus of Starflyer 59's "A Holiday Song" and then make a pro/con list on Lost Dogs' robot-heavy rendition of "The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late)". Thank you to Jay for these requests!
2020-05-0645 minHARKpodcastEpisode 259: Twas the Night Before Weed DayThis episode may come out a few days after April 20th, but good news! It's still April 2020, so it's 4/20 for another week and a half! Stay safe, smoke responsibly, and enjoy our takes on these two reefer-fueled holiday tunes - "Do You Wanna Hit My Vape Pen?" by MC Flow and "Twas the Night" by Nate Dogg and Snoop Dogg. This week's ranking music is "Pot in the Latkes" by MC Flow.
2020-04-2247 minHARKpodcastEpisode 258: Shiny Happy Mi YimalelIn honor of Easter and Passover, we're covering Christmas and Hanukkah songs that are on the more traditional, religious side. "Joy to the World" performed by Nat King Cole bring nostalgic joy, while "Mi Yimalel Too!" by Julie Silver may sound like a sequel, but is more akin to a retelling. Our ranking music this week is "Chad Gadya" performed by Jack Black.
2020-04-0837 minHARKpodcastEpisode 257: Yelly BellyApril Fools' Day is on the horizon - not that anyone should be celebrating it, in this of all years. For what may be the worst of holidays, we listen to two jokes of songs - some old-fashioned parody songs, by listener request. "The 12 Gifts of Christmas" by Allan Sherman may be a so-so version of an overdone song, but it does deliver one very welcome holiday music innovation. "I Yust Go Nuts at Christmas" by Yogi Yorgesson, however, is yust a mess. Our ranking music this episode is "A Christmas Carol" by Tom Lehrer. ...
2020-03-2544 minHARKpodcastBonus Content: Our 2017 album roundupWhile Ian works to finish editing our long-delayed roundup of holiday albums released in 2019 for our Patreon patrons, we thought we'd share some extra content here in our main feed for those of you looking for listening material during these days of self-isolation. Please enjoy this artifact of a simpler time: Our 2017 Patreon album roundup. Stay safe everyone, and happy holidays!
2020-03-201h 10HARKpodcastEpisode 256: Ghosts, Trolls, and SinatrasCan you believe we've covered 500 songs, and only one by Old Blue Eyes? In honor of St. Joseph's Day, we're covering two songs by an Italian-American icon. First is the slightly spooky "The Christmas Waltz" by Frank Sinatra, followed by "The 12 Days of Christmas" by the Sinatra family, which reimagines the interminable classic as a list of extremely generic Dad Gift ideas. Maybe dad likes... jelly?? Our ranking music this episode is "Christmas Memories" by Billy Gilman!
2020-03-1150 minHARKpodcastEpisode 255: Me and Mrs. ClausIn honour of International Women's Day on March 8, in this episode we're covering requests for songs about the much-neglected first lady of Christmas, Mrs. Claus. First, we revisit the Mrs. Santa Claus musical with a sweet duet titled "The Best Christmas Of All". Then we discuss the implications of Mrs. Claus gettin' some from a side piece in "Dear Mrs. Claus" by the Barr Brothers. Thank you to Joe and Meghan for these requests! Our ranking music this week is "Mrs. Santa Claus" by Nat King Cole.
2020-02-2644 minHARKpodcastEpisode 254: Three Generations Doing High-Kicks All at OnceThis week on HARK, we're celebrating two holidays with just one set of requests. Notable interesting person Richard submitted a decidedly non-standard version of "Baby It's Cold Outside," performed by Jimmy Pardo and Scott Aukerman, which we're covering for ... Valentine's Day(?). He also submitted "3 Generations" by Hawksley Workman, which definitely fits a Family Day theme. Thanks again, Richard, for the requests! This week's ranking music is "A House or Maybe a Boat" by Hawksley Workman.
2020-02-1235 minHARKpodcastEpisode 253: Deconstructed Christmas with Gabber SauceThis week's HARK is a veritable feast for the ears, though some parts of it likely go down more easily than others. We start with "Sick Christmas" by (DJ) The Prophet, a bottom-shooter apologetically requested by Alan. Then, we pair it with a high quality jam of our own choosing: "Sleigh Ride" by Astrocolor, which also serves as this week's ranking music. Thanks again to Alan for the request!
2020-01-2947 minHARKpodcastEpisode 252: Recursive Christmas Tree FarmsFor our first episode recorded in 2020, we're covering two songs from 2019! Get your HOT TAKES here! "Like It's Christmas" by the Jonas Brothers is nothing and "Christmas Tree Farm" by Taylor Swift is something, but not much. Thanks to Dave for these requests! This week's ranking music is also "Christmas Tree Farm" by Taylor Swift, but just the good part.
2020-01-1546 minHARKpodcastEpisode 251: Ground Control to Santa ClausIt's 2020 and we're looking back 20 years at some quintessentially 2000 holiday songs!"Xtina's Xmas" by Christina Aguilera and "My Only Wish (This Year)" by Britney Spears both feature superstar performers and some strange formatting choices in their titles, but which one will fare better on our list? And which one is, you know, an actual song?
2020-01-0142 minHARKpodcastEpisode 250: Shoutable MilestonesHappy Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and a very merry milestone episode! RJ tries to top our festive list with a holiday classic that almost wasn't a Christmas song, while Ian shoots for the bottom of the list by getting back to basics. We end this episode with an announcement about the future of HARK! The ranking music this week is "What Christmas Means to Me" by Stevie Wonder.
2019-12-251h 12HARKpodcastEpisode 249: A Very Specific Number of DaysThe holiday equinox of 2019 is upon us, beginning with the first night of Hanukkah on December 22nd. To celebrate, we're listening to two high-quality Hanukkah songs. "Chanukah Time" by Josh and the Jamtones is a fun song that captures a child-like excitement about the holiday, while "This Chanukiah" by Daniel Cainer takes a more heartfelt, reflective approach. This week's ranking music is "Christmas Wrapping" by Save Ferris.
2019-12-1842 minHARKpodcastEpisode 248: Old Jim's Christmas PodcastRJ and Ian are back from Tokyo and celebrating their jet-lag with songs from decades that have never been featured on the show before. First, 1898's "Sleigh Ride Party/Jingle Bells" by the Edison Male Quartet becomes the oldest song we've every talked about on the show by several decades, while also proving that there is no such thing as a "standard" version of Jingle Bells. Then, 1904's "Old Jim's Christmas Hymn" by Albert C. Campbell and James F. Harrison provides a much more moving story than we expected given the goofy title. This week's ranking music...
2019-12-1146 minHARKpodcastEpisode 247: Opposite Temperatures AttractWe're still in Japan, celebrating our anniversary, and this episode is all about love! I mean, and holiday music, because that's the show. Two winter love songs help us mark the occasion - "Love In December" by Club 8 and "Warm In December" by Julie London. This week's ranking music is "Sea Urchins" by Yo La Tengo.
2019-12-0438 minHARKpodcastEpisode 246: Japanese Christmas ExperienceGreetings from Japan! We recorded this episode early because we're currently on our long-anticipated vacation in Tokyo, and we picked songs to suit the occasion. We journey from Canada to Japan with "Last Christmas (English/Japanese Version)" by Gunnarolla featuring Micaela Braithwaite and then just have a real nice time - you know, it's just nice - with "Sweet Christmas" by Shonen Knife. This week's ranking music is "Party Hard" by Andrew WK, and this episode also features clips of "Canon in D (Pachelbel's Canon)" performed by Marnie and Patrick Laird and "Triangle Foods" by Gunnarolla.
2019-11-2740 minHARKpodcastEpisode 245: Here We Come A-PodcastingKnock knock! In this week's episode, we celebrate the ancient tradition of wassailing with two listener requests - "Here We Come A-Wassailing" as performed by Kate Rusby and "The Wassailing Song" as performed by Blur. This episode's ranking music is "Here We Come A-Caroling" as performed by the Sesame Street gang. Thank you to Liam for these requests!
2019-11-2036 minHARKpodcastEpisode 244: It Sure Doesn't Feliz Like NavidadThis week, we tackle a pair of punk-adjacent requests from listener Kevin. "Feliz Navi-nada" by El Vez is, despite the title, a joyful reimagining of the Jose Feliciano original, and "X'mas Time (It Sure Doesn't Feel Like It)" by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones is an extremely sad and also surprisingly nostalgic experience. The ranking music this week is "The Impression That I Get" by the aforementioned Bosstones. Thanks again to Kevin for the requests!
2019-11-1336 minHARKpodcastEpisode 243: Underneath the Birthday LightsIT'S RJ'S BIRTHDAY AND THEY'LL ALL-CAPS IF THEY WANT TO That's right, it's Birthday Boi's Choice once again, and RJ has selected two songs that we've discussed before... but only behind a paywall. John Legend's 2018 original "Bring Me Love" is a strong contender for a new Christmas radio standard, and Sia's 2017 album closer "Underneath the Christmas Lights" is an ethereal experience to savor. DO NOT @ US
2019-11-0642 minHARKpodcastEpisode 242: Troubling PumpkinsRJ and Ian are back, and just in time for Halloween! This week, in our annual spooky episode, we tackle our first Halloween winter song (and also revisit the world of Homestar Runner) with "Decomposing Pumpkins" by Brainkrieg. Then, we discuss "It's Halloween (A Christmas Song)" by Randy Brooks, as well as the troubling revelation that the man responsible for bringing "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" into the world might also be funny sometimes, the implications of which we're not even remotely prepared to consider. This week's ranking music was "Ghostbusters" by Ray Parker Jr. a...
2019-10-3045 minHARKpodcastEpisode 241: Science Gone WrongBy request, we're covering two songs that feel like experiments. "Why Can't It Be Christmastime All Year" by Rosie Thomas feels like a blend of Christmas music conventions tweaked and polished into uncanny twee perfection, while "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" by Rhan Wilson is a shambling nine-minute-forty-five-second abomination. Thank you to Travis for these requests!
2019-10-1643 minHARKpodcastEpisode 240: Once More, With CanadaThis week on HARK, it's Canadian Thanksgiving, and while we're always thankful for all of our listeners, we're feeling particularly thankful for the ones who live north of the U.S. border. To celebrate, we cover two songs suggested by a long-time Canadian listener making his first request. "Jacob Marley's Chain" by Aimee Mann is interesting, if only vaguely Christmas-related, and "Jack Gets Up" by Leo Kottke is perhaps even more interesting (and perhaps even less Christmas-related). The ranking music this week is "Springtime" by Jeffrey Lewis. Thank you to Ben for the requests!
2019-10-0941 minHARKpodcastEpisode 239: Hanukkah NoirAs we did last week, we're adding two more Hanukkah songs to our list - but this time we're contemplating some more solemn selections. "Light the Lamp" by Emily Kurn is a folk tribute to family connections, while "Chanukah Prayer" by Carole King offers tradition mixed with atmospheric jazz. The ranking music this week is "Eight Candles (A Song for Hanukkah)" by Dave Koz.
2019-10-0242 minHARKpodcastEpisode 238: It's December 22nd, FYIShanah Tovah! The High Holy Days are here, and as per tradition, we're adding some Hanukkah tunes to our list. We appreciate the sophisticated indie-rock elements of "I Won't Be Home for Chanukah" by TeamMate, such as the claps, and the beep-boops - and while "(When is) Hanukkah This Year" by Mêlée may have a catchy hook, it asks more questions than it answers.
2019-09-2542 minHARKpodcastEpisode 237: Astronomical PhenomenaIn honor of the upcoming Autumnal Equinox, we listen to two songs of exactly equal length! "A New Year" by Stars has a hopeless sort of hope, while "Sunshine" by Sia perhaps overshoots on the optimism. And also Santa's elves are involved somehow? A note: our pre-song banter contains some bummers this week!
2019-09-1842 minHARKpodcastEpisode 236: How to Make ToothpasteThis week on HARK, we tackle two requests for which the requester provided very little context. The resulting episode includes discussions about mass incarceration and toothpaste jingles. "Everybody Deserves a Merry Christmas" by Ronnie Fauss is a type of twangy jailhouse rock, and "I'd Like You for Christmas" by Julie London has old-timey musical theatre vibes. You can guess which one prompted which discussion. Thanks again to Brenda for the requests!
2019-09-1136 minHARKpodcastEpisode 235: Eggnog Watch 2019September is here and you know what that means: somewhere in Canada, cartons are being filled with eggnog. Soon these cartons will make their way to grocery stores, and the eggnog within, to RJ's tummy. But for now, we quench our nog-thirst with two songs about this holiday treat. Unfortunately, "Give the Gift of Egg Nog" by Samantha Bee (featuring a full Do-They-Know-It's-Christmas-style chorus of celebs) turns out to be pretty eggnog-negative - luckily, "Nutmeg" by John Legend (featuring Stephen Colbert) delivers all the sweetness and spice we were looking for.
2019-09-0440 minHARKpodcastEpisode 234: Inparsable NonsenseEverything is fine. Nothing is ruined. This week's episode sees our stressed-out hosts taking comfort in the company of some old friends from Free Country, USA. "Santam'n is a Blade Man" by Homestar Runner and "The Decemberween Thnikkaman" by Strong Bad are both vestiges of the internet of our youth, and also, y'know, vaguely related to winter holidays. Some corrections: Strong Bad's Cool Game For Attractive People was definitely on the Wii. Christmas Tree Shops still exist, and are owned by Bed Bath & Beyond. "Inparsable" is probably not a word. As aforementioned, Homestar Runner and his companions l...
2019-08-3046 minHARKpodcastEpisode 233: Jingle Horse 4: Lost In New YorkWith a Home Alone reboot apparently on the way and Macaulay Culkin's birthday falling this week, we're feeling nostalgic - and so we're celebrating this classic torture-porn Christmas franchise with two requests from the soundtrack of Home Alone 2: Lost In New York! "All Alone On Christmas" by Darlene Love is a memorable jam that features assistance from the E Street Band, while "Somewhere in My Memory" by John Williams is a suitable score performed by the Boston Pops and American Boychoir. Thank you to Brian from Ohio for the requests!
2019-08-2142 minHARKpodcastEpisode 232: Semi-Ironic Hair MetalThis week, we tackle some requests for songs belonging to that most 1980s of genres: Hair Metal. And yet, the two songs we're covering were recorded in this millennium. Could it be that the artists who performed them did so less than 100 percent seriously? It's kind of hard to tell, which is kind of the charm of both "O Come All Ye Faithful" by Twisted Sister and "Christmas Time (Don't Let the Bells End)" by The Darkness. Thank you to Matt for the requests!
2019-08-1442 minHARKpodcastEpisode 231: We love all our Christmas songs equallyThis week, in honor of International Cat Day, we're covering songs for our two cats: Kurt and Heidi. "Snow Falls on the Patio" by Heidi Happy is a sweet, strange, slightly spooky song that matches our sweet, strange, slightly spooky new daughter. And "Santa Claus is Back in Town" as performed by Kurt Russell in the Netflix original holiday production "The Christmas Chronicles" is full of bombast and bravado, just like our large son, Kurt.
2019-08-0742 minHARKpodcastEpisode 230: All the Little Children and All the Big ChildrenAs July draws to a close and the hottest days of summer (so far) hit the northern hemisphere, we return to that perennial source of bottom-of-the-list material: songs about spending the holidays in a warm place. But this year, there's a twist: The songs we listened to are actually good, it turns out! First, we enjoy the silly "(I'm Spending) Hanukkah in Santa Monica" by Tom Lehrer. Then, we discover an absolute jam in "Christmas in L.A." by Vulfpeck.
2019-07-3141 minHARKpodcastEpisode 229: Counting HorsesIan has aged yet again which means it's BIRTHDAY BOY'S CHOICE TIME!!! For his selections, Ian has gone with two songs that some may say barely belong on our list - but perhaps do belong on a mix CD curated by a moody teen. "A Long December" by Counting Crows has been a long time coming, and "The First Song" by Band of Horses provides a fitting complement from a decade later.
2019-07-2440 minHARKpodcastEpisode 228: Good Pig WenceslasThere are a lot of national food days in July, you guys. This week, we're celebrating National Hot Dog Day with some Christmas songs about pigs. "The Boar's Head Carol" by Magpie Lane is pretty much exactly what the title says it is, while "Noche Buena" by Celeste Legaspi has a slightly more roundabout connection to our episode theme. Both of these songs are referenced in the Bon Appétit article we mentioned in the show, which you can check out here.
2019-07-1743 minHARKpodcastEpisode 227: Hot PotatoThis week on HARK, we're celebrating nature's neatest root vegetable, the potato! Since National French Fry Day falls on July 13th, we listen to two songs featuring another fried favorite. "Pass the Latkes" by Kid Kosher seems to be a sincere hip-hop ode to this Hanukkah treat, while "No Latkes" by OHT Crew is a more tongue-in-cheek creation about a relationship in turmoil over a lack of potato pancakes.
2019-07-1038 minHARKpodcastEpisode 226: Canadian ContentWe're back! And while we may have missed Canada Day on July 1st, we've got some requests to help us fill our CanCon requirements. Ontario's comedy trio The Arrogant Worms provide two holiday tracks for us to dissect - "Christmastime" and "Vincent the Christmas Virus". Thank you to Michael (probably) for the requests!
2019-07-0343 minHARKpodcastEpisode 225: 70 Percent ExcitingWe're adding the 449th and 450th songs to our list, and that means it's MILESTONE TIME, BABY! Ian tries to find the greatest holiday song of all time and submits a familiar tune by a legendary artist that contains surprises and multitudes. RJ looks for the worst holiday song of all time and lands on a parody of "Let It Snow" that manages to both be both vulgar and prudish - and it ain't exactly easy on the ears, either.
2019-06-1955 minHARKpodcastEpisode 224: Kermit is My DadIt's Father's Day this week, and here on HARK we're listening to some songs from those Classic Christmas Dads! In character as beloved and put-upon pop Bob Cratchit, Kermit the Frog performs the poetic "One More Sleep Til Christmas" from the Muppet Christmas Carol. Then Marian Call sings from the point of view of a less gentle holiday movie dad in "Christmas in L.A. (Yippee Ki Yay)". Thank you to "John" for the request!
2019-06-1240 minHARKpodcastEpisode 223: Mother Mary, Husband NickThe Tony Awards are this Sunday, so we're celebrating with a musical-theatre-themed request! At listener Emily's suggestion, we check out two Christmas songs from the not-Tony-nominated show "Songs for a New World." The first, "Surabaya Santa," is an intriguing idea that turns out upsetting, while the second, "Christmas Lullaby," mostly works? Mostly? Thanks again to Emily for the requests!
2019-06-0545 minHARKpodcastEpisode 222: Biscuits & Bag LoreIn honour (with a u) of National Biscuit Day in the UK, we're covering two tunes about cookies! These holiday songs are about cookies, and only about cookies, and definitely nothing else. "Christmas Cookies" by RuPaul, for example, is definitely about the baking of cookies and not about being extremely horny. And "The Cookie Song" by Amanda Duncan is about combining ingredients into dough and then heating that dough to create delicious cookies and - I can't emphasize this enough - definitely not about being extremely horny except probably for Santa in this one. Thank you to D...
2019-05-2944 minHARKpodcastEpisode 221: Pick It Up On the HousetopThis week, by request, we add some ska to our ever-growing list! "I Got This Neighbor" by MU330 is a charmingly short song that has us reminiscing about ska bands of our own youth, while "Big Ol' Drummer Bwoy" by Sons of Odin offers some mixed messages about the appeal of percussion instruments. Thank you to James for these requests!
2019-05-2234 minHARKpodcastEpisode 220: Are We Human? Or Are We Santa?This week, by request, we're covering two more of The Killers' many, many holiday releases! As you may remember from Episode 113, Ian has a very special, very hateful relationship towards their non-holiday oeuvre. Yet we find ourselves in an unlikely disagreement about the surprisingly serious "Joseph, Better You Than Me", featuring Neil Tennant and Elton John, and in a sort of reluctant harmony about predictably silly "The Cowboys' Christmas Ball". Thank you to Phil for these requests!
2019-05-1538 minHARKpodcastEpisode 219: Every Mother's ChildThis Sunday is Mother's Day, and we've got two Christmas songs about moms... well, at least, two songs that acknowledge motherhood as a concept. "The Christmas Song" as performed by Fantasia just barely qualifies but we wanted to talk about it so there, while "A Mother's Christmas Wish" by Olivia Newton-John is basically a floral-patterned Hallmark card of a holiday song.
2019-05-0840 minHARKpodcastEpisode 218: Deck the Halls, Eat the RichIt's International Workers' Day and we're celebrating with some holiday songs for solidarity! "We're Following the Wrong Star" by Billy Bragg is an evocative Christmas anthem for the working class, while "Stop the Cavalry" by Jona Lewie is a weird and almost whimsical holiday song about the horrors of war. Thank you to Liam for the requests! Here's a link to the article that we mentioned in this episode.
2019-05-0139 minHARKpodcastEpisode 217: Grown Up Songs for Families of FaithOk, we got the giggles out of our systems last week, and we're ready to talk about music like a couple of proper grown-ups. This week we reflect on Passover and Easter and listen to two more traditional holiday songs - "Mi Yimalel" as performed by Neal Katz, and "O Holy Night" as performed by David Phelps. It's serious stuff this week, y'all. Also: RJ performs a wee robot song. Thank you to Andrew for requesting "O Holy Night"!
2019-04-2443 minHARKpodcastEpisode 216: The True Meaning of Weed DayYou may be celebrating Passover or Easter this week, but here on HARK as per tradition, we're celebrating April the 20th. Join us as we try to invigorate our 4/20 spirit with two Christmas songs about the dank herb - "Santa Claus is Smoking Reefer" by Squirrel Nut Zippers and "Christmas Trees" by Major Lazer.
2019-04-1741 minHARKpodcastEpisode 215: Good King What's His NameThis week by request, we're looking at some old-school carols that are new to the list! "God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman/We Three Kings" by Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan brings us comfort and joy, while "Good King Wenceslaus" by The Roches comes to us bearing charm, wine, and life lessons. Thank you to lettinggoisthehardestpart and Thom for the requests!
2019-04-1041 minHARKpodcastEpisode 214: LISTEN! The Holiday Weather ForecastWhat is the sound of snow falling? Is it like one hand clapping, or is it like, a person playing with a big pile of buttons? We investigate this and other ethereal mysteries as we review "Listen, the Snow is Falling" by Galaxie 500 and its predecessor "Listen, the Snow is Falling" by Yoko Ono. Thank you to Neil for the request!
2019-04-0342 minHARKpodcastEpisode 213: Sally the Mailroom ReindeerThis week it's all elves, all the time! By request, we cover two songs about elf OCs. "An Elf Named Moe" by Carl Stuck is an earnest ode to a North Pole middle-manager, while "Barry the Elf" by Bucko & Champs cheerfully tells the tale of a rude, lewd, and crude layabout. Thank you Rachele for the requests!
2019-03-2741 minHARKpodcastEpisode 212: Strawberry EquinoxSpring is nearly here! Whether you're desperate for sunshine or already wistfully missing those snowflakes, the two songs we cover this week - "White Winter Hymnal" by Fleet Foxes and "Strawberry Snow" by Brenda Lee - will hopefully have some comfort to offer you through this seasonal change.
2019-03-2036 minHARKpodcastEpisode 211: Italy Unstuck in TimeWe're celebrating St. Joseph's Day with two Italian Christmas songs! Well, Christmas songs in Italian, at least. Weeell... Christmas songs in Italian, or about Italy, or at least, sort of Italy-adjacent. We did our best. "Bianco Natale" by legendary Italian musician Mina transports us to the Italy of the 1960s, while "Buon Natale" by Nat King Cole transports us to, I dunno, some kind of weird fantasy Italy where phones never got invented?
2019-03-1342 minHARKpodcastEpisode 210: Have a Holly Jolly Crime SpreeThis week, one of the calendar's most somber holidays befalls us again. No, not Ash Wednesday - we're talking about the return of Daylight Savings Time and the loss of that precious, precious hour. If you're like us and you need every second you can get, maybe you'll appreciate the short songs we chose for this week - "Holly Jolly Christmas" as performed by Michael Bublé is consistently Bublé, while "Good to Be Bad" by Pentatonix delivers an unexpected twist that has us contemplating a life of crime. Or at least, movies about a life of crime featuring Pentatonix.
2019-03-0645 minHARKpodcastEpisode 209: Vous pourriez être un redneckThis week, we celebrate Mardi Gras en français with a pair of songs hailing from the province of Quebec. "Fa la la" by Bündock is strange but charming, while "Le temps d'une dinde" by Roland Hi! Ha! Tremblay is ... stranger and less charming? If you're from Quebec and/or a French speaker who would like to explain the context we're surely missing in this episode, please email us.
2019-02-2747 minHARKpodcastEpisode 208: Bring me a Ghost this Valentine's DayValentine's Day is upon us once again, and this year we're tackling some holiday songs about love and romance that also turned out to be kind of spooky? By request, we listen to "Dear Santa (Bring me a Man this Christmas)" by The Weather Girls, which is weird but mostly charming. We pair it with "Christmas Eve" by Justin Bieber, which somehow manages to be even weirder, and also charmless. Thank you to Thomas for the request!
2019-02-1347 minHARKpodcastEpisode 207: A Hot Glass of 80sA polarizing holiday classic is finally making its way onto our list! By request(s), we take a long, hard look at "Last Christmas" by Wham! and wash it down with George Michael's "December Song (I Dreamed of Christmas)". Thank you to Patricia for the requests!
2019-02-0645 minHARKpodcastEpisode 206: Grumpy Groundhog DayFor Groundhog Day, we're celebrating the 90s way, with a little déjà vu! We cover requests from some of our repeat-requesters, digging into "Home Once a Year" by Marshall Burns and "Christmas C'mon" by Lindsey Stirling and Becky G. Thanks to Listener Jenny and Captain McGloo for these requests!
2019-01-3042 minHARKpodcastEpisode 205: Cranky Australia DayThis week we listen to two more Christmas songs from the southern hemisphere - "Aussie Jingle Bells" by Bucko & Champs, which is exactly what you would expect, and "Santa Never Made It Into Darwin" by Bill & Boyd, which is maybe more of a bummer than you would expect. FYI, this one is Ian's fault.
2019-01-2342 minHARKpodcastEpisode 204: Cavalclade (sic)It's our first requests of 2019 (submitted in 2018)! We cover two songs destined for the "mushy middle" of the list, but each one brings us some joy along the way. "Santa Says Relax" by Joe Innes and the Cavalcade is a post-ironic indie tune that makes us wish it was Christmas, while "Christmas in New Orleans" by Rickie Lee Jones is a sad, complex song that merits a second listen. Thanks to Jenny for the requests!
2019-01-1640 minHARKpodcastEpisode 203: Sleepy New YearRJ and Ian are back from their international holiday travels, and they are SLEEPY. In this first episode of HARK recorded on this side of 2019, Ian explains the Julian calendar, RJ coins some new idioms, and we cover two new year songs - "Same Old Land Syne" by Dan Fogelberg and "New Year's Day" by U2. Yeah.
2019-01-0945 minHARKpodcastEpisode 202: Merry 80s To YouWe have been informed that we do not cover enough songs from the 1980s, and for our first episode of 2019, we are taking decisive action. Unfortunately for 80s fans, that action does not involve covering songs from that decade. Instead, we're talking about two songs that remind us of the 1980s - "Christmas was Better in the Eighties" by The Futureheads and "Merry Something to You" by Devo. Matthew's slideshow featuring analysis of HARK can be viewed here!
2019-01-0235 minHARKpodcastEpisode 201: Slow-Jam KwanzaaHanukkah and Christmas are done and past for another year, and on this December the 26th we're celebrating Kwanzaa! We add two new Kwanzaa songs to the list: Teddy Pendergrass' smooth, catchy, and a little bit corny anthem "Happy Kwanzaa" and Lovely Hoffman's - well, lovely - "A Kwanzaa Song".
2018-12-2640 minHARKpodcastEpisode 200: Out of Our Comfort ZoneOur 200th episode is here, and RJ and Ian are once again trying to beat out the best and worst songs on the list! We begin by discussing the safe, reliable picks that we both settled on weeks ago - and then instead present the riskier choices that surprised us in the eleventh hour. Listen in to hear which unique tune by the smooth-voiced June Christy charmed us and what hellish nonsense by Ray Stevens made us very uncomfortable! The slideshow featuring analysis of every song we've ever covered (before last week) can be viewed here! Many...
2018-12-191h 02HARKpodcastEpisode 199: Honorable MentionsWith Christmas less than two weeks away, we're trying something novel and only listening to extremely good music in this episode. These two songs - "Mary's Baby" by Charles Bradley and "Christmas is a Feeling In Your Heart" as performed by Love Colony featuring Six - may not be the greatest holiday songs of all time, but they are definitely honorable mentions.
2018-12-1237 minHARKpodcastEpisode 198: It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like an Existential CrisisAs we hurtle inevitably towards the holiday season and the end of 2018, our usually-jolly co-hosts take an episode to cover some music that speaks to the melancholy that many experience at this time of year. "Reason to Think Aloud" by Dan Mangan is a slow burn of a song containing some poetic lines about loneliness and despair, while "Christmas Lights" by Paul Baribeau is a more frantic tune that uses simple words to deliver its emotional gut-punches. Warning: this episode gets a little heavy! We hope you will fast forward, pause, or skip this one altogether if...
2018-12-0544 minHARKpodcastEpisode 197: Twee Indie HanukkahHanukkah starts at sundown on December 2nd, and we're celebrating with two Hanukkah songs perfect for any indie-folk-rock-heavy holiday playlist! "Hanukkah" by The Living Sisters offers pleasing harmonies about the festival of lights, though its message is a bit muddled - while "Rock of Ages" by Ben Kweller is a take on Ma'oz Tsur that manages to sound both hip and classic.
2018-11-2842 minHARKpodcastEpisode 196: Cyberpunk Dystopia MondayIt's late November, which can only mean one thing - the avalanche week of late-capitalism-borne holidays following Thanksgiving are upon us. This week on HARK we're not celebrating Black Friday, Giving Sunday, or Dragon Tuesday - we're highlighting Cyber Monday (nominally, at least) with two songs sprung from the marriage of art and science. The wholesome-sounding "Love's Not Just For Christmas" is performed by the London Community Gospel Choir, but it was written formulaically by a team of music experts at the behest of a British real estate investment trust that operates a chain of shopping malls. Then we...
2018-11-2146 minHARKpodcastEpisode 195: Team Plan vs. Team CountWe cover more listener requests! Warm up your love-lights for the stirring Bing Crosby classic "I'll Be Home For Christmas", followed by Relient K's dirge of adolescent holiday heartache, "I Hate Christmas Parties". Thank you to Philip for these requests!
2018-11-1442 minHARKpodcastEpisode 194: Call Me Isaac or Taylor or ZacRJ's birthday is this week, and so it is time again for BIRTHDAY BOI'S CHOICE. Similar to Ian's 2018 birthday selections, RJ goes for two songs off of the same album - the best-selling holiday album of 1997, Hanson's Snowed In! In Hanson's third appearance on HARK, we discuss two more tracks penned by the brothers themselves - "At Christmas" and "Christmas Time".
2018-11-0738 minHARKpodcastEpisode 193: Jingle BonesWho you gonna call? HARK PODCAST! We indulge in our annual Halloween tradition and listen to some winter holiday music with a spooooky twist. First up is "Christmas Spirit" by Tele Novella, a macabre pop ditty celebrating well-behaved monsters. Then "Buffy, It's Cold Outside" by Jenny Owen Youngs and Kristin Russo elevates a much-maligned classic tune by mashing it up with the campy homoeroticism of our two favorite vampire slayers.
2018-10-3139 minHARKpodcastEpisode 192: UN Declaration on Guns That Are LasersThis week on HARK we dive back in to our repeat-requester pile and take on a needlessly aggressive rendition of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" titled simply (sigh) "Santa's Coming" by CKY. We pair it up with another strange tune about a scary Santa, "Santa Came On a Nuclear Missile" by Heather Noel. Thanks to CJ for the request!
2018-10-2444 minHARKpodcastEpisode 191: Jimmy Babs?How many ways are there to sing that standard of Christmas standards, Jingle Bells? By request we cover two unique takes - "Jingle Bells" as performed by America's problematic beach uncle Jimmy Buffett, and the intriguingly punctuated "Jingle Bells?" performed by Barbra Streisand. Thank you to Andy for these requests!
2018-10-1742 minHARKpodcastEpisode 190: The Rudolph SpectrumThis week by request, we're listening to DMX's 2017 cover of "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer", which - hey! You know what! Could have been much worse! Then we treat ourselves to another rendition of this classic as performed by The Temptations. Thanks to Anna for the request!
2018-10-1040 minHARKpodcastEpisode 189: Feliz JólIt's almost Leif Erikson Day, and so this week we're covering songs from the land of fire and ice, Iceland! Perhaps predictably, we listen to a song by Bjork, whose rendition of "Jólakötturinn" is the perfect spooky song to kick off October. Then we revisit a Christmas standard with an Icelandic twist - "Ég fæ jólagjöf" by Katla María.
2018-10-0335 minHARKpodcastEpisode 188: Hanukkah PocketThis week's episode falls on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur, so we're marking this occasion by adding two new Hanukkah songs to our ever-growing list of winter holiday music. "Pass the Candle" by Michelle Citrin is an upbeat little tune perfectly suited for a Hanukkah montage, while "Not By Might, Not By Power" by Debbie Friedman brings a powerful performance and a message of peace.
2018-09-1943 minHARKpodcastEpisode 187: Genuine Houserockin' PodcastThis week by request, we're covering two holiday songs hailing from the Ozarks - and more specifically, from Alligator Records' Genuine Houserockin' Christmas! We're charmed by Koko Taylor's enthusiasm in "Have You Heard The News?", but put off by Shemekia Copeland's "Stay A Little Longer, Santa", both for its unreasonable demands on Santa's schedule and its... y'know. Thank you again to Caleb for these requests!
2018-09-1241 minHARKpodcastEpisode 186: Champagne. Confetti. Stars. Mars.Coinciding with the coming new year on the Jewish and Islamic calendars this week, we're talking New Year's songs! "Bringing In a Brand New Year" by Charles Brown brings us a charming, festive holiday anthem, while "Champagne (I'm Ready)" by Lisa Loeb delivers something slightly different than we were expecting from the iconic 90s glasses-wearer.
2018-09-0532 minHARKpodcastEpisode 185: HARK (Jetlag-Ausgabe)In this very jet-lagged edition of HARK, we cover two songs auf Deutsch, by German artists! "O du fröhliche" performed by Michelle strikes a familiar note, while "Holz (Weihnachtslied)" by the 257ers is a strange new experience. Prepare yourself for plenty of poor pronunciation and a lot of meta-conversation about dick humor!
2018-08-3043 minHARKpodcastEpisode 184: How Much Is That Puppy That Santa Claus Forgot?As we pass through the final dog days of summer, HARK takes on two dog-centric holiday songs! On her 2017 Christmas album Sia gave us the beautiful gift of "Puppies Are Forever", the catchiest jingle about responsible pet ownership we've ever heard. "Lonely Pup (In A Christmas Shop)" by Adam Faith is a more melancholy tale, unless you presuppose that Santa gives presents to dogs - which of course, would take even longer than children, because they're all good dogs.
2018-08-2242 minHARKpodcastEpisode 183: Notably InterestingThis week's requests have us hitting some highs and lows on our list! "A House Or Maybe a Boat" by Hawksley Workman feels like a pleasant dream, while "Rudolph Chewed Off" by Dragon Boy Suede feels exactly like listening to a comedy rap about a guy getting his privates mutilated by Santa's reindeer. Also RJ gets like, just super heated bout ranch dressing. Thank you to Richard for these requests!
2018-08-1541 minHARKpodcastEpisode 182: Secretly Left-HandedWe get back into our requests backlog, covering two songs that sound very much of their time - 1937's "The Little Boy That Santa Claus Forgot" by Vera Lynn and 1996's "Merry Christmas Eve" by Better than Ezra. Thanks to Brian for these requests!
2018-08-0836 minHARKpodcastEpisode 181: BC Battle of the BandsIn honor of British Columbia Day, we listen to holiday songs by two bands from here in beautiful BC! "Christmas Day In the Sun" by Hot Hot Heat sounds like your typical California-obsessed garage rock despite its Canadian origins, while "Puddleglum" by Said the Whale is unmistakably a Vancouverite creation.
2018-08-0137 minHARKpodcastEpisode 180: Subtle as a Steel DrumThis week we're beating the heat with two Hanukkah songs in musical styles from the Caribbean... theoretically. "Hanu-calypso" by Kenny Ellis offers a bounty of calypso instrumentation, as well as questionable wordplay and problematic accents. "Hanukkah Mambo" by the Yule Logs swings to another extreme, offering a pretty catchy tune with absolutely no resemblance to anything approaching mambo.
2018-07-2536 minHARKpodcastEpisode 179: Big Dean Martin EnergyBIRTHDAY BOY'S CHOICE!! Our beloved co-host Ian has completed another year of this thing called life, and in this episode he receives the gift of picking this week's songs! He selects two songs from an album that caught his eye - "A Winter Romance" by Dean Martin. We cover the title track in addition to the intriguing "Canadian Sunset" and speculate about just how much swinging is going on. HAPPY BIRTHDAY IAN
2018-07-1838 minHARKpodcastEpisode 178: Divas Just Want To DuetPerformers go head-to-head in this week's back-to-back listener requests! First up, Liza Minnelli and Alan Cumming perform a cheeky, maybe-subversive rendition of "Baby It's Cold Outside" - then Cyndi Lauper joins The Hives for "A Christmas Duel", a surprisingly spectacular song about spouses tearing their marriage to shreds. Thanks to Stuart and anonymous for these requests!
2018-07-1143 minHARKpodcastEpisode 177: Will SmithmasThis week we're celebrating summer blockbuster season with two holiday songs by or pertaining to America's favorite Will Smith, Will Smith! By request, we begin with a twangy plea from Scott Aukerman and Paul F. Tompkins to show a little kindness this holiday season, titled "Please Don't Joke About 'I, Robot' This Christmas". Then things get wild as "Will 2k" takes us on a journey through time with the Fresh Prince himself. Thank you to an anonymous listener for requesting "Please Don't Joke About 'I, Robot' This Christmas'"!
2018-07-0443 minHARKpodcastEpisode 176: Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day (Observed)Get ready for double the Dion! We celebrate Canada Day (and Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, kinda) with two songs performed by French-Canada's favorite diva: "Don't Save It All For Christmas Day", a sentimental original that Celine co-wrote, and "Promenade En Traineau", a francophone version of Sleigh Ride from the very first year of her professional singing career. Joyeuses fêtes!
2018-06-2741 minHARKpodcastEpisode 175: Have Yourself an Amicable Little DivorceHark, Herald Angels! It's milestone time! For our latest experiment in extremes, Ian tries to claim the highest spot with a special recording by an artist who you may be shocked is not yet on our list. Then RJ runs some calculations to decide which of the world's worst holiday songs we're going to expose ourselves to this year and lands on a toxic family drama. Thanks for listening and be nice to your pets!
2018-06-1356 minHARKpodcastEpisode 174: Melted Snow and Frozen WaterIt's World Oceans Day, and in honor of that big blue sea we listen to "Christmas Under the Sea" by The Aqua Kids, which is impressively heavy on sea creature references but pretty light on non-magical ocean conservation tips. Then we contemplate H20 in a different state of matter with a wildly different winter song - "01 Have You Seen It In the Snow?" by The Magnetic Fields. Thank you again to Joe for requesting The Magnetic Fields' song!
2018-06-0641 min
HARKpodcastEpisode 41: And a Tattoo of Christopher LeeMeedley meedley meedley meedley! This week we explore some hot licks in our first-ever foray into holiday metal. By Dave's request, we cover the poorly named "Heavy Metal Christmas" by Twisted Sister. Then we heal those wounds with the soothing/awesome vocals of the late Christopher Lee. Check out our snazzy redesign at harkpodcast.tumblr.com! Also, we neglect to mention in this episode that RJ started a new twitter account related to the podcast: nihilist_abba.
2015-10-2135 min
HARKpodcastEpisode 19: The Baffling WilburysHow do we follow an episode of two fun, charming, wonderful songs by legendary musicians? By reviewing and ranking two weird, dull, mystifying songs by legendary musicians, of course! RJ and Ian try to decipher the how and why of Tom Petty's "Christmas All Over Again" and struggle to understand anything at all about Bob Dylan's "Must Be Santa". Many thanks to our friend Andy for requesting "Must Be Santa"! You can check out Andy's work at wahwriter.wordpress.com, or follow him on twitter @ DeputyMasterWAH! For links to all the stuff we talked about in this episode, check our...
2015-05-2036 min
HARKpodcastEpisode 2: Santa Is Our PresidentIn this second episode of HARK, the holiday music podcast, Ian and RJ talk about socks, ska, Fox News and extraterrestrials. And, of course, we add two new songs to the list! Or is it one song? Two versions of the new wave pop Christmas classic "Christmas Wrapping" get reviewed and ranked, Hanukkah gets its first bit of representation, and RJ rants about hegemony. Check out our tumblr at harkpodcast.tumblr.com for the powerpoint slides mentioned!
2015-01-1425 min