SOUNDTRACK: PEARL JAM-“History Never Repeats” (1995).
On December 2, Pearl Jam announced that their fan club holiday singles will be released to streaming services. Their first holiday single was released back in 1991. It was “Let Me Sleep (Christmas Time).” They are rolling out the songs one at a time under the banner 12 Days of Pearl Jam.
These releases are coming out as a daily surprise.
I was not aware of this recording at all. It is, indeed, the Split Enz song. It was recording during a Pearl Jam show on March 24, 1995 in Auckland, New Zealand. It must be during a quiet middle section, because it’s just Eddie with Neil Finn & Tim Finn live at the Mount Smart Stadium.
It is a bare-bones version with just voices and one electric guitar. Neil Finn plays guitar and sings the first verse. Eddie takes the second verse. Tim Finn sings the third verse. All three share backing vocals and the chorus.
It’s a rare treat to hear an old recording like this, especially one of a song they’ve not played since.
[READ: December 13, 2019] “The Infinite”
This year, S. ordered me The Short Story Advent Calendar. This is my fourth time reading the Calendar. I didn’t know about the first one until it was long out of print (sigh), but each year since has been very enjoyable. Here’s what they say this year
The Short Story Advent Calendar is back! And to celebrate its fifth anniversary, we’ve decided to make the festivities even more festive, with five different coloured editions to help you ring in the holiday season.
No matter which colour you choose, the insides are the same: it’s another collection of expertly curated, individually bound short stories from some of the best writers in North America and beyond.
(This is a collection of literary, non-religious short stories for adults. For more information, visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.)
As always, each story is a surprise, so you won’t know what you’re getting until you crack the seal every morning starting December 1. Once you’ve read that day’s story, check back here to read an exclusive interview with the author.
Want a copy? Order one here.
I’m pairing music this year with some Christmas songs that I have come across this year.
I really like César Aira’s stories. He’s a fascinating guy and insanely prolific.
He has written nearly a hundred books. Most of his novels are quite short, so I’ve never really thought of him as writing actual short stories. This one comes from his collection The Musical Brain: And Other Stories which was translated by Chris Andrews.
The unnamed narrator says that as a kid he played some extremely strange games. I love this line, “They sound made up when I explain them, and I did, in fact, make them up myself.” (more…)
I Just Read About That... 