Maybe you're young and single. Maybe you're struggling to make ends meet in (another) down economy. Maybe your love life, work life, and drug life are all tangled up. If so, you'll likely find the songs on the CD The Edge of Christmas relevant, not to mention rocking. It might even spark some warm feelings in your jaded old heart.

Then again, maybe you came of age about when Reagan rode into Washington with nuclear guns a'blazin. Like I did (came of age that is; I stay away from guns). If so, then this album is for you, too, even though the nostalgia factor may be a bit overwhelming.

Or, perhaps you just appreciate the artifacts of rock-pop culture, in which case you'll probably enjoy this blast from the 1980s, a decade that is in the spotlight right now on VH1's amusing series "I Love the '80s."

The Edge of Christmas collects 12 songs, 10 of which were recorded during the '80s, with the other two just before or just after that decade. They are all winners, save one. In a good many of the songs, Christmas is something desperately needed – either the idea of peace, the reuniting or reconciliation with loved ones, or the desire to put a positive exclamation point on another tough year. It's all exemplified by The Payolas' "Christmas is Coming."

"Christmas is coming/It's been a long year/I wish you were here" goes the chorus. The song details the singer's scrappy existence: unemployment, apartment kitchen in need of repair (an inch of water on the floor, but the landlord doesn't care, "he only wants more"), playin' records too loud.

The Payolas weren't familiar to me back in the day, but that song is a gem. Most of the artists on the CD are familiar, though. Here they are, in order:

Queen ("Thank God it’s Christmas" gotta love that title, and the song. Bombastic, yeah a bit, but Freddie pulls it off.);

Pat Benatar ("Please Come Home for Christmas" – don't laugh, it's a credible blues ditty and she belts it out nicely);

The Pretenders ("2000 Miles" – what can I say, Chrissie Hynde. Heartbreaking and beautiful);

Kate Bush ("December Will be Magic Again" – I get the gist, but not much else; it's unintelligible and annoying after a while, i.e. it's Kate Bush);

David Bowie w/ Bing Crosby ("Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy" – weird wild stuff, and it works; great vocal by Bowie, worth the price of admission);

Cocteau Twins ("Winter Wonderland" – never a fan, but this is quite nice);

The Smithereens ("Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" – pure, unadulterated rock spirit — these boys had it)

Dave Edmunds ("Run Rudolph Run" – a great Chuck Berry song that rocks so tightly that even Chuck would smile; this and the previous are a one-two punch guaranteed to have your butt movin.)

The Pogues w/ Kirsty MacColl ("Fairytale of New York" – has there been a greater rock band? Or a more original rock Christmas song?)

The Ramones ("Merry Christmas (I don’t want to fight tonight)" – "where is Rudolph, where is Blitzen, baby?" …immortal)