Swan Expo

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Merry, Merry Christmas, sweet friends. ♥️

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Because I’m home for Christmas and Leo, our cat, loves to sleep under the tree ♥️. (And drink the tree water but that’s another story.)

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This year’s packing soundtrack.

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I like when we can reach common ground between the old and the new. Classics and currents.

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This was the album that stated my tradition of collecting new Christmas music every season. I think it’s easy to forget that other cultures have their own versions of Christmas classics. That the world doesn’t exist in our personal traditions. Enjoy my favorite version of “Do You Hear What I Hear” ♥️.

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Sometimes a Christmas night is a book, a cup of tea, and a quiet hymn.

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This is such an incredible arrangement, particularly the fullness of vocals in the second verse. It’s difficult to reimagine a Christmas classic, when thousands of versions of the same song exist. Sometimes you don’t have to come up with some avant garde cover. Sometimes you just need to let the music and the vocalists do the work.

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I am suuuper fond of this song after singing it in my 7th grade Christmas concert in choir. I remember loving the syncopation and being amazed that a Christmas song could be in 3/4 time like a waltz. I searched for this song for eons and was so please when I discovered Johnnyswim’s version ♥️.

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For your Friday night Christmas parties 📻.

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Since yesterday’s choice was a bit controversial, let’s have some poppy fun. Add this to your Christmas decorating soundtrack.

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Day 3

ARGUABLY the best version of “This Christmas” out there. And by arguably, I mean I’ll argue with you about it because this is the best version to me.

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Day 2

Prepare your ears for some sweet 90s Christmas goodness. This hard to find version of “We Three Kings” was on a Christmas compilation my mom purchased by chance in 1994. Some of the best music finds are accidental!

Happy Sunday!

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Day 1

It’s December and Christmas music is in full effect! One of my favorite Christmas traditions is to find a new Christmas album each season. As you can imagine, I’ve amassed quite a collection.

This year, I’ll be posting a Christmas song every day leading up to the 25th 🎄. I hope you find new takes on some holiday classics. And if you’re a Christmas music grinch, maybe your heart will grow a few millimeters each day.

Today!

“Happy Xmas (War is Over)” was originally written by John Lennon and Yoko Ono in 1971, following two years of peace activism and anti-Vietnam War protests.

Lennon said of the lyrics, “Happy Xmas Yoko and I wrote together. It says, ‘War is over if you want it.’ It was still that same message - the idea that we’re just as responsible as the man who pushes the button. As long as people imagine that somebody’s doing it to them, and that they have no control, then they have no control.”

I find the lyrics to still be very true today.

I love this cover by Marc Scibilia and Lennon Stella and I hope you do too!

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Can you really call a band your favorite if you don’t listen to their entire catalogue? Going back in time to discover albums past from my love, Local Natives.

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I’ve never been one for country but I’ve found a few artists/songs this year that make me rethink that stance. I have chucked many a song because of weak lyrics. And I’ve chucked many a ballad for being unnecessarily emotional. This song manages to convey strength in love without being over the top. Perhaps I’m beginning to understand the storytelling for which country music is often lauded.

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Nothing like a two year breather to get you rested to relaunch your blog.

Hi 👋🏾. Let’s see where this stretch takes us.

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Fire.