I don’t know what I was going to post originally, but this is what was in my brain this morning as I awoke. I think this was the first Nick Cave-related record I ever bought — the beginning of a long, beautiful relationship. Kicking Against The Pricks is all cover songs, and although this one sounds like it might be an old American folk song, it’s a song by 1970s Scottish rock band The Sensational Alex Harvey Band.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - The Hammer Song from Kicking Against The Pricks (insound / amazon / itunes)

Mandatory Christmas Content: I’m Writing Poems About You, And They’re Not Very Nice

By far, the greatest recent achievement in Christmas Music belongs to Sufjan Stevens, who has released an entire album of Christmas music each of the last five years. The songs range from reverent to silly to painfully accurate (like today’s choice). Last year they were combined into a lovely, low-priced box with lyrics, chords, a comic, and stickers! Get it!

Sufjan Stevens - Did I Make You Cry On Christmas Day? (Well, You Deserved It!) from the ESSENTIAL Songs For Christmas (insound / amazon CD / amazon mp3 / itunes / asthmatic kitty)