The holiday season has officially begun. This is the time of year when you are going to be bombarded with Christmas music, whether you like it or not. Most of the time, it’s the same songs over and over, or it’s another pop star covering a classic. It’s just expected at this point, and something we have to accept. Well, The Killers are here to help. In fact, they have been releasing Christmas music for the past 10 years. Fans have been patiently awaited each year’s release in December. This year they’ve decided to put these songs all together on a holiday album called, "Don’t Waste Your Wishes." With ten original tracks and one heartfelt cover of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” this album is bound to be a great addition to your holiday playlist.
The greatest part of this release, along with all of The Killers’ Christmas songs, is that every penny generated from downloads on iTunes is donated to the (RED) Campaign. If you haven’t heard of (RED), it’s a company that was founded by Bono along with Bobby Shriver in 2006. Their mission was to create a program that allowed companies and their consumers to contribute to the fight against AIDS. As stated on the company’s Wikipedia page, “100% of the funds generated by Red partners and events goes to Global Fund programs that provide medical care and support services for people affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa.” So that means that all profits from any product labeled (RED) will go straight to the people that need it the most.
For The Killers, they’ve been delivering a decade of good deeds. Since 2006, the band has been writing and recording original music, along with music videos for each song. They’ve worked alongside friends to create fun, catchy, and sentimental songs. With help from Elton John, Neil Tennant, Dawes, and much more, these songs bring out a sense of community. For a few of these tracks, the band has worked with friend and Vegas local, Ryan Pardey, to create a story through the years. Ryan has been playing a troubled Santa Claus who is after lead singer, Brandon Flowers. The three-part story spans 8 years. The songs involved are, “Don’t Shoot Me Santa,” “I Feel It in My Bones,” and finally, “Dirt Sledding,” all of which are accompanied by fantastically entertaining music videos. Check out part one below.
This year’s song was a cover of “I’ll be Home for Christmas”. However, it wasn’t your typical cover. The song opens with a fireside chat by Brandon Flowers, recounting his childhood move from Las Vegas to a small town in Utah. We end up meeting his 4th grade teacher, Mr. Hansen, who explained the story of “I’ll be Home for Christmas” to Brandon and his classmates, while also delivering an a cappella version. Brandon was so captivated by the story that he asked a now 86-year-old teacher to sing the song with him today. It’s sentimental and a perfect way to round out 10 years of Christmas music.
World AIDS Day is December 1st, but you can download the album now on iTunes. Not only will you be refreshing your Christmas playlist, but you will be joining in a wonderful cause along with so many others. You can download the album here.
