Ho. Ho. Ho.

Taking my first listen to BARENAKED FOR THE HOLIDAYS by Barenaked Ladies. Yes, I know. It's not even Thanksgiving and all the Scrooges in the world would rather the music hold off until after next Thursday, but we're leaving the Sunday after and won't be back until a few days before Christmas. I won't be getting much chance to hear Sinatra or the Barenaked Ladies singing holiday tunes.

The Barenaked Ladies CD includes such classics as "Deck the Stills" (Deck the Halls with lyrics "Crosby Stills Nash and Young" repeated and repeated) and "Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah," "Jingle Bells" -- all done with that Barenaked Ladies panache.

"Auld Lang Syne" triggers, as I knew it would, waves of nostalgia and thoughts of years gone by. The only other song that consistently gives me the same reaction is the old classic about the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond and the dreams lost at Culloden.

Oh! ye'll take the high road and
I'll take the low road,
And I'll be in Scotland afore ye;
For me and my true love
Will never meet again
On the bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond