For most of the years I have worked with Arlington Public Library, I have created a holiday playlist variously known as “Don’t Touch that Dial” or "Too Cool for Yule."
This annual tradition is deeply personal. It reminds me of the hundreds (thousands?) of hours I’ve spent over the years making mixtapes for friends, siblings, work colleagues, and often, just for me. Granted, with the likes of Spotify and iTunes, it’s a lot easier these days to put together a mixtape. No more painstaking searches through LPs, careful dropping of the stylus onto the correct groove, long waits by the radio to capture the perfect tune to fit the mood, person or occasion.
Like all art, holiday mixtapes tell a story. The best ones contain an eclectic blend of edgy and whimsical, happy and sad, a little silly, a little snappy, and occasionally, a little sappy. I had fun putting it together and I hope you have fun listening.
Every year I honor a few of the musicians who have left us. Norma Waterson, Loretta Lynn, Ronnie Spector, Jerry Lee Lewis … gone and not forgotten. And I close each list with a song I hope speaks to all of us. This year’s selection is Woody Guthrie’s "This Land" sung by the Staple Singers.
As 2022 winds down, take a break, grab a beverage, and give a listen to "Too Cool for Yule 2022." And don’t be shy about singing along. It will make you feel great.
From all of us at Arlington Public Library. Always Free. Always Open.
Diane Kresh
Director
Arlington Public Library
