Background Music for Thanksgiving Family Hell

I did a playlist of standards a while ago, but felt like hearing some of these songs recently, and realized I'd accumulated some more of them, enough to make a 3+ hour playlist. There are some of the usual suspects — Billie Holiday and Nina Simone — but also some new surprises: Carla Bruni, first lady of France, doing a lovely version of "You Belong To Me" (bet she's said that line before!); Nellie McKay doing Doris Day but, well, with better arrangements; and Rufus and Martha Wainwright doing a couple of tunes from his "I was Judy Garland for a night" show. The Doors and Lotte Lenya both do Kurt Weil; her version of "Lost in the Stars" chokes me up — it's from his musical set in apartheid-era South Africa. She was his wife.

Anyway, holiday season approaches and it's time to bury the yule log and burn the hatchet. Canadian Thanksgiving comes earlier, and it's less suspiciously associated with a gang of religious fundamentalists than the US version. In either case people get together and risk choking, food coma or tears — hope there is some laughter, too.

—DB

PLAYING
Press PLAY button at top of page to launch the stream; also accessible via iTunes Radio in the "Eclectic" category or with alternate player, or go directly to the stream's URL.
128 kbps requires broadband.

PURCHASING
"Buy" buttons next to scrolling playlist link to Amazon; however, if our tags and Amazon's aren't identical it may say "not found" when the track is in fact available — in which case use the applicable link in the tunestack above.

RESEARCHING
A new playlist is cued at the beginning of every month. Previous months don't continue to stream, but the archived playlists are posted for your reference.

QUESTIONING/COMMENTING
For queries, feedback & technical issues, write to tech1 (at) davidbyrne.com. Happy listening...