Happy Holidays Music.MyNC readers! Our gifts to you are these holiday originals from the Triangle music vault.
Dillon Fence – “Christmas”
Once regarded as the label’s highest profile band in the ’90s, Chapel Hill’s Dillon Fence released its first EP in 1991 through Mammoth Records. Appropriately titled Christmas, the album yielded the gem “Christmas.” Although the band does not tour regularly, Dillon Fence will perform the governor’s Rock the Ball event on Jan. 8 at Lincoln Theatre.
Squirrel Nut Zippers – “Carolina Christmas”
As the band’s popularity began to wind down after unleashing the hit “Hell” from the 1996 album Hot and performing at President Bill Clinton’s second inaugural ball, the Squirrel Nut Zippers released Christmas Caravan through Mammoth Records in 1998. The album contains a jazzed up version of “Sleigh Ride” as well as several originals, including “Carolina Christmas.”
Ben Folds – “Bizarre Christmas Incident”
Triangle expatriate Ben Folds still holds close ties to this area. So much so that a one-off reunion with Ben Folds Five was held at UNC’s Memorial Auditorium. Folds released “Bizarre Christmas Incident” on the compilation album Maybe This Christmas, which was released in 2002 through Nettwerk Records. The song originally appeared on the Japanese release of Ben Folds Live.
Ryan Adams – “Hey Parker, It’s Christmas”
One can only assume that Ryan Adams was addressing actress and his then girlfriend Parker Posey when he wrote this Christmas tune. The prolific songwriter and former Raleighite released “Hey Parker, It’s Christmas” in 2003 through Lost Highway Records on a limited edition 7″ promo simply titled Christmas. The B-side of the album featured the song “Don’t Even Know Her Name.”
The dB’s – “Home for the Holidays”
Power pop group The dB’s released “Home for the Holidays” through I.R.S. on a promotional 12″ single in 1987. The song has been continuously in print longer than an other dB’s track and can now be found on the Christmas compilation Christmas Time Again. After the band split up in 1988, songwriter Peter Holsapple worked with R.E.M., but left due to differences over songwriting credits.
Thad Cockrell & Roman Candle – “Christmas Time is Here”
Also available on The dB’s & Friends’ Christmas Time Again is Thad Cockrell and Chapel Hill’s Roman Candle performing “Christmas Time is Here.” Roman Candle released Eden Was a Garden and plans a full-length, Oh Tall Tree in the Ear, in 2009. Fans can download the new Roman Candle EP for free or a higher quality version through a pay-what-you-want method.
Whiskeytown – “Houses on the Hill”
While certainly not a traditional Christmas or holiday song, Whiskeytown’s “Houses on the Hill” is a heartfelt song that should hit close to home for anyone with a loved one in the military and stationed overseas. The song originally appeared on the 1997 double 7″ Theme For a Trucker and was later released on the full-length Strangers Almanac and the subsequent Deluxe Edition re-release.
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