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Sad to say but Christmas music has become big business. Forget the religious aspects. This is little more than an attempt to wring every last possible dollar out of the consumers billfold. Every year dozens of artists feel the need to release Christmas albums. I'm sure most of them feel they're giving their legions of fans a Christmas present, but the fact of the matter is most of these albums are rubbish. As an example, did the world really need to hear the late Regis Philbin's 2005 "The Regis Philbin Christmas Album"? My opinion - no.
If you do the back-of-the-envelop calculation there has to be a catalog of thousands of holiday album and perhaps millions of individual "Christmas" songs. For goodness sakes, everyone from Bob Dylan to William Shatner has recorded a Christmas album. How do you even begin to pick classic songs from the forgettable, or even shameful?
Well, I certainly don't have the answers, but I can add to the endless list of favorite Christmas songs. There are some great Christmas songs out that didn't make my list because they were just so overplayed (Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmas Time" comes to mind). Others simply irritate me. Does anyone really need to hear Mariah Carey's “All I Want For Christmas Is You”, Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas or Wham's "Last Christmas" again? Anyhow, remember these songs reflect my tastes which means lots of '60s, '70s and '80s choices. My list is no better; no worse than anyone else's; though it may be somewhat more diverse. Again, remember my opinions are nothing more than opinions. If you disagree, feel free to ignore the list.
By the way, the songs are not in any particular order, rather reflecting tunes as they came to my mind. The exception is Chris Rea's "Driving Home for Christmas". As a nod to Rea who passed away December 22, 2025 "peacefully in the hospital ... following a short illness" I've shifted his holiday song to the top of my list.
Comments, suggestions and corrections always welcome - send them to RDTEN1@aol.com
Yes, what was originally a list of ten songs has grown to fifty selections. Fifty just seemed like the perfect goal for this year.
LAST UPDATED DECEMBER 25, 2025
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ARTIST: Chris Rea SONG TITLE: Driving Home for Christmas WRITER(S): Chris Rea RUNNING TIME: 3:57 YEAR: 1986 YOUTUBE LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrOAoNPdBb4
In addition to being a great Christmas song, "Driving Home for Christmas" is a song that should register with anyone who has had to travel home for the holidays. One of the funnier side stories surrounding the song is Rea wrote the song at a time when he had lost his driving lisence and was reliant on his wife to shuttle him around. The track's also interesting from a marketing perspective. It was originally released as the "B" side of Rea's 1986's "Hello Friend" 45. Three years later Rea included it as a track on his "New Light Through Old Windows" retrospective LP. The song was then re-issued as a seasonal single. It charted in the UK, and has done better with each successive year. It's just charming and hypnotic and while it has been recorded by other acts, Rea's original remains the standout.
The video captured Rea lip synching the song for the TopPop television program.
I added a nice 2017 live performance at the Hammersmith Apollo Theatre: Chris Rea - Driving Home for Christmas (Live at Hammersmith Apollo 2017) I also found a cliip where Rea talked about writing the song: Chris Rea on 'Driving Home for Christmas' | The Story Behind
As mentioned above, sadly the 74 year old Rea died on December 22, 2025. (His recording catalog is criminally overlooked and well worth checking out.)
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ARTIST: Donnie Hathaway SONG TITLE: This Christmas WRITER(S): Donny Hathaway - Nadine McKinnor RUNNING TIME: 3:32 YEAR: 1982 YOUTUBE LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhKVSZsRxQM
Similar to Stevie Wonder, the late Donnie Hathaway had a special voice. Smooth, silky and sophisticated, it's seldom been showcased as well as on "This Christmas". Yes, the track is super commercial, but it hides that commercial edge with a Hathaway vocal that seems to recognize what makes the season special. No it isn't Black Friday sales ...
Cartoonist Lonnie Milsap was commissioned to create a promotional video for the song. See the above link.
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ARTIST: The Waitresses SONG TITLE: Christmas Wrapping WRITER(S): Chris Butler RUNNING TIME: 5:23 YEAR: 1991 YOUTUBE LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMfBL0VEaAE
The late Patty Donahue turns in a great performance on what was essentially a throwaway tune. Not a big Christmas guy, guitarist Chris Butler finished writing the song's lyrics while riding a taxi to the recording studio. It was certainly an odd song for a new wave band, but the jittery melody and the single-grouchy-woman-doesn't-like-Christmas-time lyrics were hysterical. And it ultimately has a Happy Christmas ending.
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ARTIST: Brenda Lee SONG TITLE: Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree WRITER(S): Johnny Marks RUNNING TIME: 2:02 YEAR: 1961 YOUTUBE LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7QPZti18Dk
It blows my mind to realize Brenda Lee was just thirteen when she recorded the song. It also blows my mind to realize most people know the song from the 1990 film "Home Alone". How can it be that I'm suddenly so old?
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ARTIST: Run DMC SONG TITLE: Christmas In Hollis WRITER(S): Rick Rubin - Steve Ett RUNNING TIME: 2:57 YEAR: 2014 YOUTUBE LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR07r0ZMFb8
Scott has a rap song on his list? C'mon, how can you not love this one? Plus it was recorded and released for a charity album.
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ARTIST: James Brown SONG TITLE: Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto WRITER(S): James Brown - A. Ellis - Hank Ballard RUNNING TIME: 2:55 YEAR: 1968 YOUTUBE LINK: James Brown-Santa Claus, Go Straight To The Ghetto
Probably the oddest choice on my list, but you cannot go wrong with a Christmas song that's funky and makes a social statement at the same time.
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ARTIST: Vince Guaraldi Trio SONG TITLE: Christmas Time Is Here WRITER(S): Vince Guaraldi - Lee Mendelson RUNNING TIME: 2:44 YEAR: 1965 YOUTUBE LINK: Vince Guaraldi Trio - Christmas Time Is Here (Vocal)
This may be one of my earliest childhood musical memories ... I can't tell you how many times I've seen the television show ... Say fifty times - once a year for most of my life. That personal history may explain why this one resonates with me. It just reminds me of a simpler time. Included on the CBS television special "A Charlie Brown Christmas" the accompanying soundtrack album included instrumental and vocal versions of the track. Featuring the San Rafeal, California St Paul’s Episcopal Church choir, the vocal version is the one.
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ARTIST: Bruce Springsteen SONG TITLE: Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town WRITER(S): Haven Gillespie - J. Fred Coots RUNNING TIME: 4:13 YEAR: 1981 YOUTUBE LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcV8INh0d7g
Springsteen and Christmas just seem to go hand in hand. This live tune captures Springsteen and the E. Street Band at their most fun. The vocals and sound are raw, but Springsteen and the bad sound like they are having a blast. Clarence Clemmons' sax solo is just the icing on the cake. A Christmas song for anyone who doesn't want to admit they like Christmas songs. Wonder if Santa will bring me a copy of the "Lost and Found" boxed set?
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ARTIST: The Beach Boys SONG TITLE: Little Saint Nick WRITER(S): Brian Wilson RUNNING TIME: 2:00 YEAR: 1963 YOUTUBE LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_3HLtW8mCw
How can you go wrong with including a Beach Boys tune? The Santa Claus-drives-a-hot-rod has a distinctive early-'60s vibe, but decades later this baby rocks out. Another early childhood memory that still brings a smile to my face.
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ARTIST: The London Symphony SONG TITLE: Messiah, For unto Us a Child is Born WRITER(S): George Frideric Handel RUNNING TIME: 3:28 YEAR: 1741 YOUTUBE LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS3vpAWW2Zc
When you're inundated with all the commercial trappings of the Christmas season (which includes Christmas music being played before Thanksgiving is over), it's very easy to forget what the Christmas season is really about. I'm as guilty as anyone, but hearing Handel's glorious melody coupled with Charles Jennen's libretto (the accompanying lyrics) helps me remember what makes the season important. I'm not sure it makes me a better person, but there is just something magical about this oratorio. I suspect that God is not all that thrilled with mankind. We seem determined to destroy ourselves ... Perhaps Handel's "Messiah" is one of those things that pleases him.
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Yes, I said top-ten, but this track belongs on any list of classic Christmas tunes.
ARTIST: Greg Lake SONG TITLE: I Believe In Father Christmas WRITER(S): Greg Lake - Pete Sinfield RUNNING TIME: 3:57 YEAR: 1975 YOUTUBE LINK: Greg Lake - I Believe In Father Christmas (Official 4K Music Video)
"I Believe In Father Christmas" is one of those songs that's generated a lot of debate over the years. Was it a slam against the holidays, or was it a declaration of faith.
The song was co-written by Lake and lyricist Pete Sinfield (who'd collaborated extensively with Emerson, Lake & Palmer). On his website Lake said the song was intended as a comment on the commercialization of the holiday. Sinfield explained the song as being a comment on the loss of innocence as we grow up and lose some of our childhood views of the season. In 2005 Lake took a more pragmatic view of the song when he sent a letter to The Guardian newspaper: answering a question on whether an artist can survive on song royalties.
"In 1975, I wrote and recorded a song called "I Believe in Father Christmas", which some Guardian readers may remember and may even own. It was a big hit and it still gets played on the radio every year around December, and it appears on more or less every Christmas compilation going. So I can tell you from experience that it's lovely to get the old royalty cheque around September every year, but on its own, the Christmas song money isn’t quite enough to buy my own island in the Caribbean. I'm on tour at the moment and the Christmas song is as well received now as it was 30 years ago – maybe even more so. If Guardian readers could all please request it be played by their local radio stations, maybe that Caribbean island wouldn’t be so far away – and if I get there, you’re all invited."
Sporting a pseudo-classical melody, the songwriting credits should have included an acknowledgement of Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev who's "Troika" was borrowed for the instrumental segment between the lyric verses.
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By nature I have an addictive personality. That's meant I've had to be sensitive to my nature. I don't smoke; do drugs; gamble; etc. In general I try to be moderate in most things. Okay, at one time I owned 10,,000 LPs. Still, that tendency to excess is always there. Against that backdrop I'm going to add a 12th song to the Christmas list.
ARTIST: The Monkees SONG TITLE: What Would Santa Do WRITER(S): Rivers Cuomo RUNNING TIME: 3:15 YEAR: 2016 YOUTUBE LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZfEFtSoWBI&list=RDzZfEFtSoWBI&start_radio=1
Reflecting a funny touch of seasonal aggregation, the bouncy 'What Would Santa Do' found Weezer's Rivers Cuomo turning in one of the album highlights. Damn, if it wasn't another awesome Dolenz performance.
I provided a link to the tune's promotional video. Yeah, it was basically the same panels as on 'Unwrap You At Christmas' with different word "Bubbles":
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ARTIST: The Moody Blues SONG TITLE: December Snow WRITER(S): Justin Hayward RUNNING TIME: 5:10 YEAR: 2003 YOUTUBE LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6dJO1JWdSI&list=RDz6dJO1JWdSI&start_radio=1
Having heaped abuse on the bulk of Christmas albums, one of the exceptions in my book is The Moody Blues' criminally overlooked 2003 "December". To my ears Justin Hayward (the last surviving member of the original band). John Lodge and the rest of the band were the perfect band to capture the charm and fragility of the Holiday season. Their sound was perfect for an album heavy on original material celebrating the Christmas season. I love all eleven tracks on this ballad heavy collection, which makes it hard to pick a favorite - this is subject to changing, but ay the moment I'll go with "December Snow". The melody was simply glorious; Hayward's vocals and lyrics heartbreaking. One of those songs that can make you sit back and ponder your blessings while lowering your blood pressure.
(I could easily have gone with "The Quiet of Christmas Morning (Bach 147)" except the melody was based a work by J.S. Bach.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_0ddAKfFxk&list=RDm_0ddAKfFxk&start_radio=1
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ARTIST: Gwen Stefani featuring Blake Shelton SONG TITLE: You Make It Feel Like Christmas WRITER(S): Gwen Stefani - Blake Shelton - Justin Tranter - Busbee RUNNING TIME: 3:04 YEAR: 2017 YOUTUBE LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ZT9_H4-hbM&list=RD3ZT9_H4-hbM&start_radio=1
This is one of those songs I've been hesitant to admit I enjoy. I'd turn the volume up when I was alone in the car. If someone was with me, I'd turn it down, or tune in to another radio station. Then a couple of weeks ago when my wife mentioned she liked the track; well suddenly it seemed okay for me to admit I like the song.
At least to my ears, part of the song's charm lies in the collision of Shelton's easy-going everyday guy charm and Stefan's purring delivery. I still haven't figured out how, or why their voices pair so well. Stefani threatens to bury Shelton on the refrain, but he hangs in there on the versus. The song also sounds kind of "old fashioned". That's not meant in a hokey fashion, rather it just sounds like one of those classic '60s Holiday tracks. As for the inspiration, this is what Wikipedia has to say about the tune: "Stefani vacationed at Blake Shelton's Oklahoma farm estate where she spent time doing exercise, meditation, and praying. Inspired by the exotic animals surrounding her while on a spiritual walk outside Shelton's property, she remarked, "If I wrote a Christmas song, what would it be?" After questioning herself, she began singing random lyrics out loud on the spot which she would later use in "Christmas Eve", one of the album's twelve songs. She cited this nature walk as the main source of inspiration for deciding to record a Christmas album ..."
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ARTIST: The Jonas Brothers SONG TITLE: Like It's Christmas WRITER(S): Nicholas Jonas - Joseph Jonas - Kevin Jonas - Gian Stone - Jason Evigan - Freddy Wexler - Mike Elizondo - Annika Wells RUNNING TIME: 3:18 YEAR: 2019 YOUTUBE LINK: Jonas Brothers - Like It's Christmas (Official Lyric Video)
If I'm going to come clean about Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton, then there's no reason to not admit I also enjoy this Jonas Brothers Christmas tune. Once you get over the "collaborative" songwriting credits (reading the list takes longer than hearing the song), you're rewarded with what is probably their best Christmas tune. It follows on the heals of the less enjoyable 2007 "Girl of My Dreams", 2008's "Joyful Kings" (essentially a remake of "Joy To the World") and 2009's "Summertime Anthem". The song was original penned by Stone, Wells and Wexler who passed it on to produce Evigan it as a possible track for The Jonas Brothers. Evigan liked the track; suggested some minor changes and forwarded it to The Jonas Brothers. Similarly they liked the track, added their own touches to the song prior to recording it as a standalone single. The song also appeared on the soundtrack for their seasonal film - A Very Jonas Christmas Movie. (The film is not nearly as bad as you would assume.)
In many respects it resembles the Stefani-Shelton Christmas tune; namely the fact it goes for a great hook and a classic '60s Holiday vibe (horns, hand clapping, finger snaps, etc.). Besides, how can you not fall under the spell of a lyrics that tells your loved one everyday with them feels like Christmas. I don't believe the sentiment for a minutes, but it's still lovely.
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ARTIST: Earth, Wind and Fire SONG TITLE: December WRITER(S): Al McKay - Allee Willis -Maurice White RUNNING TIME: 3:49 YEAR: 2014 YOUTUBE LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjCWhwdnCd0&list=RDCjCWhwdnCd0&start_radio=1
I debated whether to include this one. "September" was part of my high school/college experience. One of those songs that was impossible to escape and a reflection of a time when music was as categorized as it is today. On the other hand, "December" is nothing more than a remake with modestly updated lyrics. Hum. But it is so damn catchy ... It stays on the list.
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ARTIST: Bruce Springsteen SONG TITLE: Merry Christmas Baby WRITER(S): Lou Baxter - Johnny Moore RUNNING TIME: 4:51 YEAR: 1987 YOUTUBE LINK: Merry Christmas Baby
My first repeat artist ... "Merry Christmas Baby" is a true holiday classic, having been recorded by dozens of acts including Johnny Moore's Three Blazers, Chuck Berry, James Brown, B.B. King, Elvis Presley, Otis Redding, Ike & Tina Turner. The list goes on and on.
Springsteen recorded his version of the 1987 Special Olympics album "A Very Special Christmas". His contribution to the charitable compilation album was a live version that had been recorded at a December 1980 concert at Long Island's Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum. TO ,y ears the performance captured Springsteen and The E Street Band at their best - slightly raw, energetic with a sense of swagger and humor.
To Springsteen's credit, even though he's recorded several Christmas tunes and regularly includes them in his live show he's never fallen victim to the need to release a Christmas album.
And here's a link to a 2002 live performance of the song on Conan O'Brien's Late Show. Can you imagine having been part of the audience. Talk about an amazing Christmas gift !!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzH6Iv9SElk&list=RDAzH6Iv9SElk&start_radio=1
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ARTIST: The Dropkick Murphys SONG TITLE: The Season's Upon Us WRITER(S): Al Barr - James Lynch - Michelle DaRosa - Ken Casey - Matt Kelly - Tim Brennan RUNNING TIME: 4:03 YEAR: 2012 YOUTUBE LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTx-sdR6Yzk&list=RDqTx-sdR6Yzk&start_radio=1
I like the Quincy, Massachusetts-based Dropkick Murphys, but musically "The Season's Upon Us" reminds me of something you'd hear at a local Irish bar. (Having once married into a large Irish-American family, I spent way too many evenings in Irish bars.) The more beers you have the better this one sounds. The song is on my list for two reasons.
1.) Any family that portrays themselves as a perfect union is either deluding themselves, or they are simply full of sh*t. My family is no exception. The band penned lyrics capture the complexities of family relationships perfectly.
2.) The accompanying video is hysterical and a nice change of pace from the sentimentality that graces so much holiday music..
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ARTIST: Mark Rose SONG TITLE: It's Cold Out There WRITER(S): Mark Rose RUNNING TIME: 4:03 YEAR: 2011 YOUTUBE LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLZA80x11ow&list=RDdLZA80x11ow&start_radio=1
Occasionally I'm criticized for being too staid in my tastes; unwilling to check out new acts. I totally disagree with that and to prove it, here's a great Holiday song from a guy I'd never heard before. Turns out I actually had heard of Rose. Singer/guitarist Rose had been a member of Chicago's Spitafeild and Landmark. I just never realized he'd recorded any solo material. Anyhow, "It's Cold Out There" isn't your typical Christmas tune - simultaneously dark and moody, it's the most soulful track on my list.
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ARTIST: Stevie Wonder SONG TITLE: What Christmas Means To Me WRITER(S): Anna Gordy Gaye - George "Horgay" Gordy - Allen Stor RUNNING TIME: 2:29 YEAR: 1967 YOUTUBE LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtgGBgpNcIo&list=RDwtgGBgpNcIo&start_radio=1
When I started collecting vinyl in high school, the first Christmas album I purchased was Stevie Wonder's "Someday at Christmas". One of the LP's standout performances was "What Christmas Means To Me". Wonder was still in his teens when he recorded the collection, but to this day there is something charming hearing how genuinely happy and excited he seems to be at the thought of the holiday season. It's such a marked difference to so many of today's "corporate" seasonal tracks that share about as much Christmas joy as a visit to the doctor to get a colonoscopy.
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ARTIST: Liz Phair SONG TITLE: Ho Ho Ho WRITER(S): Liz Phair RUNNING TIME: 3:22 YEAR: 2015 YOUTUBE LINK:Ho Ho Ho - Liz Phair
It sounds nothing like The Waitresses' "Christmas Wrapping", but shares the same "outsider" view of the Holidays. Add in some hysterical lyrics; a great fuzz guitar and those "Ho Ho Ho" refrains ... By the way, I wrote those comments prior to seeing Phair's comments on the song.
I found a clip where Phair talked about the song: "I’ve always wanted to write a dystopian Christmas song. Holidays are a time of emotional turbulence, of unpredictable highs and lows. The retail and advertising sectors bill it as the greatest time of the year, but some seasons you are saddled with a real clunker! I find that both touching and funny. I tried to contrast chirpy, cheery elements with a depressing story line, a là David Sedaris’s “SantaLand Diaries,” the Waitresses’ “Christmas Wrapping,” and that timeless classic, “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer.”"
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ARTIST: Meghan Trainor featuring Earth, Wind & Fire SONG TITLE: Holiday WRITER(S): Eddie Benjamin - Meghan Trainor -Mike Sabath - Philip Bailey - Ralph Johnson - Verdine White RUNNING TIME: 2:47 YEAR: 2020 YOUTUBE LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nzAxt27aDI&list=RDrF9ST-j3u4M&index=2
This made the list for one reason - the participation of Earth, Wind and Fire. Perhaps borrowing a touch from "September", they simply take an okay Christmas tune and catapult it to a different party level.
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ARTIST: Clarence Carter SONG TITLE: Back Door Santa WRITER(S): Clarence Carter - Marcus Daniels RUNNING TIME: 2:10 YEAR: 1968 YOUTUBE LINK: Clarence Carter - Back Door Santa (1968)
Besides being the funkiest tune on my list, you have to laugh at how blatant the lyrics on this one are. Carter and co-writer Marcus Daniels didn't make much effort to hide what they were thinking about. Seriously, verses like "I make all the little girls happy while the boys are out to play ..." don't leave a lot to the imagination.
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ARTIST: ABC SONG TITLE: A Christmas We Deserve WRITER(S): Martin Fry - Robert Fusar RUNNING TIME: 4:46 YEAR: 2016 YOUTUBE LINK: ABC A CHRISTMAS WE DESERVE -2024 MUSIC VIDEO EDITION
I always liked Martin Fry and ABC, but have to admit I haven't bought one of their albums since 1985's "How To Be a Zillionaire". Until I heard this song on my car radio, I wasn't even aware the group was still around, let alone had released a 2016 Christmas EP ("Christmas ... with Love"). And that's sad since "A Christmas We Deserve" is a rarity - namely a Christmas song worth hearing. Who knows why their label elected to all but ignore the parent EP and the song (it was only released in digital format), but the decision was certainly their loss.
Is it a Christmas classic? No. There are times I'm not sure it's even a good Christmas tune, but there's something charming in Fry's dry, but nostalgic view of the season and the references to ugly Christmas sweaters and mince pies always makes me smile.
In case anyone cares, YouTube has a brief clip where Fry talks about the song's inception: (1) Video | Facebook
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ARTIST: Pentatonix SONG TITLE: Christmas In the City WRITER(S): Dave Pierce - Scott Hoying RUNNING TIME: 3:26 YEAR: 2025 YOUTUBE LINK: Pentatonix - Christmas in the City
At this point there's no point in trying to hide my eclectic tastes. Admittedly, I never thought I would include a Pentatonix track on any favorite list I created. Never say never. As a group (currently Mitch Grassi, Scott Hoying, Kirstin Maldonado, Kevin Olusola and Matt Sallee), have always been one of those entities that just irritates me. They were certainly talented, but a cappella just wasn't my thing. And then I heard this bouncy song (complete with instrumental backing) while shopping for a suit for a funeral (my suits were in a storage unit a couple of hundred miles from where I live). It seemed odd finding my attention drawn to a bouncy holiday tune in the midst of shopping to attend a funeral. Maybe not. Their Manhattan Transfer-styled mix of pop, jazz and big band moves certainly isn't something that I want to hear on a daily basis, but I have to admit this one's pop edge and their tight knit vocals make "Christmas In the City" one of the best "new" Holiday songs I've heard in a long time.
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ARTIST: San Francisco Early Music Ensemble Voices of Music SONG TITLE: Cannon in D WRITER(S): Johann Pachelbel RUNNING TIME: 4:46 YEAR: 2016 YOUTUBE LINK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvNQLJ1_HQ0&list=RDJvNQLJ1_HQ0&start_radio=1
There's something wrong with American culture when a "rocked up" adaptation of a classical tune is better known than the original work. Witness Johann Pachelbel's "Cannon In D". Today most people know the song as "Christmas Cannon" by the dreaded Trans-Siberian Orchestra (TSO). I can't blame TSO founder Paul O'Neil. The man was smart enough to find a musical niche that needed to be filled and take it to the bank.
So where do you start? Pachebel's original composition is beautiful - perhaps one of the prettiest melodies in classical music, but it wasn't written as a piece of holiday music. That's where O'Neil and company come in, adding Christmas oriented vocals and "rock" elements to their arrangement.
Thousands of versions of Cannon in D have been recorded, but I picked one recorded by San Francisco's Early Music Ensemble Voices of Music as their arrangement is performed on period instruments and comes close to capturing what the composition's original sound. Kudos to violinists Katherine Kyme, Carla Moore & Cynthia Freivogel, cello player Tanya Tomkins, organ player Hanneke van Proosdij and therobo player David Tayler. Simply stunning. I'm sure they won't mind a link t their website: https://voicesofmusic.org/
And in case you've never heard the Trans-Siberian Orchestra adaptation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cP26ndrmtg&list=RD4cP26ndrmtg&start_radio=1
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ARTIST: Jimmy Jules and the Nuclear Sound System SONG TITLE: Xmas Got Funky WRITER(S): traditional RUNNING TIME: 4:46 YEAR: 1972 YOUTUBE LINK: 11 Jimmy Jules & The Nuclear Soul System Xmas Done Got Funky
All I need to say about this one is FUNK and CHRISTMAS can go together.
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ARTIST: Steeleye Span SONG TITLE: Gaudete WRITER(S): RUNNING TIME: 2:27 YEAR: 1973 YOUTUBE LINK: Steeleye Span - Gaudete (Official Lyric Video)
"Gaudete" may be the most eccentric selection on my list, but in many ways it's the song that best captures the underlying spirit of the season. It's also the only song on my list sung in Latin.
Here's what Wikipedia has on the song's history: "... a sacred Christmas carol [dedicated to the Virgin Mary], thought to have been composed in the 16th century. It was published in Piae Cantiones, a collection of Finnish/Swedish sacred songs published in 1582 in the North German city of Greifswald. No music is given for the verses, but the standard tune comes from older liturgical books. There is a known entry from around 1420 in the Hussite Jistebnice hymnal."
Steeleye Span guitarist Bob Johnson heard the song when attending a carol service in Cambridge. He brought the song to the rest of the band who decided to record an a cappella version for their fourth studio album - 1972's "Below the Salt". In a move you would never see in the US, their English label Chrysalis decided to release a slightly edited version on the song as a single (including in the States). The 45 promptly hit the UK top-20 charts.
- 1973's "Gaudete" b/w "The Holly And The Ivy" (Chrysalis catalog number CRS 2102)
YouTube has a live 1974 performance of the track (some of the band in period costume). It won't appeal to everyone, but there is no denying Maddy Prior and the rest of the band's performance is stunning. steeleye span gaudete - YouTube
YouTube has a second live performance of the song. Recorded thirty years later as part of their 2004 'World Tour' 35th Anniversary, Maddy Prior looks and sounds ageless on the song. The performance gives me goose bumps. Steeleye Span - 'Gaudete' (Live)
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ARTIST: Albert King SONG TITLE: Santa Wants Some Loving WRITER(S): Mack Rice RUNNING TIME: 3:53 YEAR: 1974 YOUTUBE LINK Albert King-Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin’
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ARTIST: Darlene Love SONG TITLE: All Alone On Christmas WRITER(S): Steve Van Zandt RUNNING TIME: 3:47 YEAR: 1992 YOUTUBE LINK Darlene Love - All Alone On Christmas (Official Video)
I know. I know. Why didn't I pick "Christmas (Baby Come Home"?. There are lots of "hits" on my list, but there aren't any of those "mega hits" (Maria Carey, Paul McCartney, Wham). TO my ears "Christmas (Baby Come Home)" is in the same category as Carey's dreaded "All I Want for Christmas" or Wham's "Last Christmas". I've just heard them too often.
Written by Steve Van Zandt and recorded with support from Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band, this Love performance attracted plenty of attention (including returning her to the top-20 pop charts for the first time in years. The fact it serves as the theme song for "Home Alone 2: Lost In New York" certainly didn't hurt. Neither did Van Zandt's decision to appropriate Phil Spector's Wall of Sound production technique. 51 at the time she recorded the song, Love's voice seemingly had not changed since her early-'60s days with The Blossoms.
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ARTIST: Kelly Clarkson SONG TITLE: Under the Christmas Tree WRITER(S): Kelly Clarkson - Greg Kurstin RUNNING TIME: 3:59 YEAR: 2012 YOUTUBE LINK: Kelly Clarkson - Underneath the Tree (Official Video)
While I'm not a massive Kelly Clarkson fan, "Under the Christmas Tree" is another seasonal guilty pleasure. Like so many other recent holiday tunes, it wraps an ear-candy melody in a pseudo-Phil Spector wall of sound arrangement. Greg Kurstin had previously worked with Clarkson. In addition to co-writing the song, he produced, played most of the instruments and along with Clarkson, provided the backing vocals. Complete with patented sleigh bells, chimes and other Christmas season sounds, Kurstin's arrangement would have drowned most singers, but Clarkson's voice was such that she held her own throughout the aural assault.
By the way, if you've ever doubted her ability to sing, check out director Hamish Hamilton's promotional video which captured a live performance for a Christmas special Clarkson filed at Las Vegas's The Venetian.
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ARTIST: The Emotions SONG TITLE: Black Christmas WRITER(S): Pervis Staples RUNNING TIME: 2:44 YEAR: 1970 YOUTUBE LINK: The Emotions - Black Christmas
Like so many people I came to know The Emotions via their mid-'70s disco hits (with an without Earth, Wind & Fire). That led me to discover their earlier soul material including this seasonal 45. Featuring sisters Shelia ,Theresa and Wanda Hutchinson the track captured their wonderful harmonies on a sweet, if slightly dated track. Written by Pervis Staples, the track comes close of capturing The Stapes' blend of non-secular, secular and activism.
As a middle class white guy I'm never going to fully understand everything behind Pervis Staples sentiments, but I can still love the song.
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ARTIST: Mike Oldfield SONG TITLE: In Dulci Jubilo (instrumental) WRITER(S): Robert Lucas de Pearsail - Mike Oldfield RUNNING TIME: 2:50 YEAR: 1975 YOUTUBE LINK: Mike Oldfield - In Dulci Jubilo
I was asked why this one is on the list and I really couldn't provide a coherent answer other than it's a Christmas tune and the "jaunty" medieval melody always makes me smile.
Latin for "In sweet rejoicing" and perhaps best known under the title "Good Christian Men, Rejoice" legend holds the song was written by German mystic Heinrich Seuse after hearing a band of angels singing and being invited to join them dancing in worship of God.
The second time Oldfield had recorded the song, this adaptation/update was released as a 1975 single. Here's what Wikipedia has to say about the song:
"Oldfield had recorded an earlier version with Les Penning as the B-side to his previous single, "Don Alfonso", which did not chart. Oldfield felt a better version could be done, so he re-recorded it in October 1975 at The Manor Studio while keeping some of the backing tracks from the first version that were put down at his home studio in The Beacon, in November 1974. This version features Penning on two recorders and kortholt, William Murray on snare drum, and Oldfield on acoustic and electric guitars, piano, and ARP string synthesizer. Most pressings from the 1970s and 1980s credit the song to R. L. Pearsall, with arrangements by Oldfield. Although Bach and Pearsall both wrote arrangements, the tune dates further back than either composer. Italian pressings of the single from 1975 credit it to J. S. Bach."
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ARTIST: Eartha Kitt SONG TITLE: Santa Baby WRITER(S): Tony Springer (aka Joan Javits - Philip Springer) RUNNING TIME: 2:50 YEAR: 1953 YOUTUBE LINK: NEW ߎ? Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt {Stereo} 1953
Maybe it's just my Catholic background, but I struggle trying to tie Christmas and sexy together. Thankfully Eartha Kitt's "Santa Baby" takes care of it. Recorded live with backing from Henri René and his Orchestra the song's immediate charm is Kitt's sexy, purring vocal ... she effortlessly put Madonna and others who've covered the song to shame. At the same time Jarvis and Springer's lyrics are full of innuendo and nothing short of hysterical; even more impressive when you realize the song was recorded in 1953. N ot exactly the most liberal time in American cultural gistory. Kitt's "sugar baby" Christmas list including sables, Tiffany bobbles and yachts will make you smile.
Over the year's the song's been recorded by a host of talented women including Ariana Grande, Madonna, Mae West, Kylie Minogue, Gwen Stefani and Taylor Swift. None have come close to the original.
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ARTIST: Keb' Mo' SONG TITLE: Merry Merry Christmas WRITER(S): Koko Taylor RUNNING TIME: 4:49 YEAR: 2019 YOUTUBE LINK: Keb' Mo' - Merry Merry Christmas (Official Video)
I could go on and on about this one, but this posted YouTube comment: captures it perfectly: "Well, if you can sit still through this song, check your pulse!"
Plus, the Brenna Joy Rozario produced video is cute.
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ARTIST: Jethro Tull SONG TITLE: A Christmas Song WRITER(S): Ian Anderson RUNNING TIME: 2:57 YEAR: 1972 YOUTUBE LINK: A Christmas Song
I think I was a sophomore in high school when I encountered Jethro Tull's "Living In the Past". The title track was on one of the first 45s I ever bought. And as much as I loved the "A" side, the "B" side "A Christmas Song" was the tune that captured my attention. As a bratty sixteen year old lyrics deeper than your standard "sex, drugs and rock and roll" (not that I had any experience with the first two), typicall didn't have much of an impact on me. This was one of those exceptions. Even though I was born and raised Catholic, the stark anti-commercialism "remember the underlying meaning of the season" message struck a long term chord with me. The "share your blessing with others" message still resonates with me and I make a point of playing it throughout the holiday season as a reminder that Christmas and the New Year should not be entirely commercial transactions.
Anderson took the writing credit for himself, but the tune was actually adapted from a traditional Christmas carol - "Once In Royal David City" with lyrics written by Cecil Francis Humphrey in the mid 1800s. Henry John Gauntlet then set the words to music.
YouTube has a live performance of the song rearranged for the band's 2003 Christmas album "The Jethro Tull Christmas Album": Ian Anderson: A Christmas Song (2003)
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ARTIST: Jethro Tull SONG TITLE: Birthday Card at Christmas WRITER(S): Ian Anderson RUNNING TIME: 3:47 YEAR: 2003 YOUTUBE LINK: Jethro Tull - Birthday Card At Christmas.wmv
And having referenced Jethro Tull ... This one's dedicated to my older son Matt who had the fortune (or misfortune) of being born on December 30th and has suffered thirty-plus years of having that magic day overshadowed by the holiday season. Bless his soul, he's never once complained.
Anderson's explained the song's inspiration: "My daughter Gael, like millions of other unfortunates, celebrates her birthday within a gnat's whisker of Christmas. Overshadowed by the Great Occasion, such birthdays can be flat, perfunctory and fleetingly token in their uneventful passing. The daunting party and festive celebration of the Christian calendar overshadows too, some might argue, the humble birthday of one Mr. J. Christ. Funny old 25ths, Decembers…"
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ARTIST: Spinal Tap SONG TITLE: Christmas with the Devil WRITER(S): Christopher Guest - Harry Shearer - Michael John McKean RUNNING TIME: 4:33 YEAR: 1992 YOUTUBE LINK: Christmas With The Devil
If for no other reason than out of respect for the late actor and director Rob Reiner, every Christmas song list should include this song.
A touch more dramatic, but the live version is pretty good as well: The elves add a nice touch. Spinal Tap - Christmas with the devil (Return of Spinal Tap Movie version)
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ARTIST: Yo Yo Ma and Alison Krauss SONG TITLE: The Wexford Carol WRITER(S): RUNNING TIME: 4:20 YEAR: 2008 YOUTUBE LINK: Yo-Yo Ma, Alison Krauss - The Wexford Carol (Video)
Are younger son played cello in high school which led me to explore Yo Yo Ma's catalog including a Christmas album he released in the mid-2000s. If you've ever felt you have lost the true meaning of the Christmas season this wonderful collaboration on this traditional English carol should reset your compass. Alison Krauss's mournful delivery is heart piercing. The fiddle is played by Cape Breton's Natalie MacMaster. Galacian Cristina Pato is responsible for the wonderful bagpipes. Simply stunning and will make you sit and contemplate your priorities for at least a couple of moments.
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ARTIST: Audrey Assad SONG TITLE: Bells WRITER(S): Audrey Assad - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow RUNNING TIME: 3:36 YEAR: 2019 YOUTUBE LINK: Bells
All I can tell you about this lady is she's from Secaucus, New Jersey and now makes Nashville her home. Assad's best known for her work as a Contemporary Christian Musician. With respect to her surname, her father is a Syrian Christian who emigrated to the US. She's released at least a half dozen albums and a score of EPs, but I've only heard a couple of tracks off her 2019 "Peace" collection. The best of them is her arrangement of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's Civil War inspired poem "I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day".
I've been told I have the sensitivity of a brick, but I'll admit the combination of Assad's fragile voice, haunting melody and Longworth's words was breathtaking. This is one of those song's you play early on a Sunday morning when you need to recapture your faith. Stunning ...
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ARTIST: Rhys Lewis SONG TITLE: Christmas Eve WRITER(S): Rhys Lewis RUNNING TIME: 2:52 YEAR: 2022 YOUTUBE LINK: Rhys Lewis - Christmas Eve
Well I know Lewis was the bassist for the Welsh band The Blackout and he has recorded a pair of solo albums that I will certainly have to check out). "Christmas Eve" is on my list because it has a great rockin' feel; I like Rhys' soulful voice and the song sports some of the funniest Christmas lyrics I've ever heard. Christmas hangover anyone?
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ARTIST: Sharon Von Etten SONG TITLE: Silent Night WRITER(S): Josef Mohr - Franz Gruber - John Freeman Young (English lyrics) RUNNING TIME: 2:36 YEAR: 2020 YOUTUBE LINK: Sharon Van Etten - Silent Night (Official Audio)
Sharon Van Etten's another artist I know nothing about and now have to take the time to investigate. In the meantime I'm content to hear her interpretation of the classic Christmas song "Silent Night". This one's not going to be for everyone. Van Etten largely deconstructs the original melody replacing it with something off a Krautrock collection via David Byrne. On top of that you get some slasher film organ coloring and Van Etten's multi-track droning vocals. It's different and fascinating.
As background, Van Etten recorded the song for Eric Paschal Johnson's short holiday film "The Letter". And if you're curios, here's a link to "The Letter". Simultaneously captivating and funny, the film's worth your time. Van Etten's song is actually longer than the film: https://www.nobudge.com/videos/the-letter
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ARTIST: Carols from Kings SONG TITLE: Oh Holy Night (aka Catique de Noel) WRITER(S): Placide Cappeau - Adolphe Adam - John Sullivan Dwight. RUNNING TIME: 5:23 YEAR: 2017 YOUTUBE LINK: O Holy Night | Carols from King's 2017
Funny
story - I was in a used bookstore when a rendition of "Oh Holy
Night" came on. There were a pair of teenagers looking at manga and
one turned to the other and said something to the effect "that's the
song from Home Alone". The end of Western culture as we know it
... This is one of the hymns I've carried with me from childhood; particularly attending Catholic midnight mass. As such I really don't want to hear a version spotlighting the vocal talents of someone like Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Josh Groban, Pentatonix, Carrie Underwood of the hundreds of other artists who've covered the song. There's nothing wrong with any of their performances, but to my ears this should be sung by a choir, hence my choice of Carols from Kings.
I took the easy way out and simply queried Wikipedia for the song's history:
"O Holy Night" is derived from the poem Minuit, chrétiens, written in 1847 by Placide Cappeau, who was a wine commissionaire and a part-time poet. Stained glass had been renovated at a church he frequently attended in Roquemaure, France, and this led parish priest Maurice Gilles to ask Cappeau if he would write a new song to be sung at that year's Christmas Midnight Mass. Cappeau was friends with Emily Laurey, a singer, and Laurey had connections to the famous opera composer Adolphe Adam, who had written his most famous work, Giselle, just a few years prior. The plan was to refer the writing to Adam upon Cappeau's arrival to Paris while on a business trip, where Adam was located. As such, Cappeau wrote Minuit, chrétiens on 3 December 1847, during a stagecoach ride from Mâcon to Dijon, about a six-hour trip. Cappeau's understanding of Christian theology was derived from Jesuit educators at the Collège de France in Paris.] The words are based on the Nativity of Jesus, specifically from the Gospel of Luke, and were inspired by the hypothesis of being a witness of the moment. His poem was generally anthemic, reflective of Cappeau's socialist and abolitionist views. Minuit, chrétiens spoke commands to kneel and demonstrate humility before God. Its opening line, which spawned early controversy for the song adaptation, reads: "Midnight, Christians! It is the solemn hour when the Man-God descended unto us, to erase original sin, and to stop the wrath of his Father. The original French text more directly refers to the Christian gospel message. Cappeau was proud of his work on Minuit, chrétiens, and requested Adolphe Adam set the poem to music within the same trip. Adam's exact beliefs regarding Christianity are unknown, although it is known that he was raised in a non-Christian environment, and he would frequently play organ in churches in Paris and had a Catholic funeral. The composition was completed within a few days of the original request and Cappeau referred to the completed piece as "Cantique de Noël". The most popular English rendition of "Cantique de Noël" was translated by American music critic and minister John Sullivan Dwight in 1855. An ordained Unitarian, he soon departed from the vocation of ministry to instead pursue a career in music and teaching. Dwight was influenced by the works of Ralph Waldo Emerson. It is accepted that Dwight altered Cappeau's lyrics significantly more than would have been necessary to produce a singable translation, changing the meaning of certain parts. "O hear the angel voices [...] O night divine" replaced "Await your deliverance [...] Behold the Redeemer" and "With all our hearts we praise his holy name" replaced "It is for us that he was born, that he suffered and died.Another English translation, "O Night Divine", was done by American musician Hart Pease Danks, who was influenced by Dwight's version as early as 1885, and both competed in popularity."
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ARTIST: The Free Design SONG TITLE: Close Your Mouth (It's Christmas) WRITER(S): Chris Dedrick RUNNING TIME: 2:08 YEAR: 1968 YOUTUBE LINK: Close Your Mouth (It's Christmas)
Admittedly The Free Design are not for everyone, but their parented '60s sound strikes a chord with me, as does this non-LP promo single. The two minutes capture the group's unique mixture of sunshine-pop and jazzy moves and it's hard to argue with the message of being kind to one another.
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ARTIST: Sufjan Stevens SONG TITLE: Put the Lights On the Tree WRITER(S): Sufjan Stevens RUNNING TIME: 2:07 YEAR: 2006 YOUTUBE LINK: Sufjan Stevens: Put The Lights On The Tree
Sufjan Stevens has an interesting relationship with Christmas having recorded dozens of Christmas themed songs and released at least two collections of holiday themed material. 2006's "Songs for Christmas" was a five EP, 42 track set. 2012's "Silver & Gold Songs for Christmas, Vols. 6–10" was a five EP, 31 track set.
Given that tsunami of holiday material he's recorded, I decided to go with "Put the Lights On the Tree" in large part because the simply melody, sweet lyrics and low-tech sound were so out of tune with most contemporary holiday songs. Besides, it's so simple it sounded like something you or I could have dreamed up. Beyond that, Tom Eaton's animated promotional video adds to the song's low-tech charm.
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ARTIST: NSYNC SONG TITLE: Merry Christmas, Happy New Year WRITER(S): JC Chasez - Veit Renn - Justin Timberlake - Vincent Degiorgio RUNNING TIME: 4:37 YEAR: 1998 YOUTUBE LINK: *NSYNC - Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays (Official HD Video)
I really didn't want to add "Merry Christmas Happy New Year" to the list, but it showed up on the car radio and the whole family started singing along with the mundane lyrics. For no other reason it makes an appearance.
Recorded for their second album and released as a single, the tune's a perfect example of music as a product. Even in the "boy band" catalog there's nothing original here. If you'd turned the lyrics in as part of a high school English assignment your teacher would have given you a failing grade. Since they wrote the song, the group had nobody but themselves to blame for the lyrics ...
Featuring Gary Coleman, the accompanying promotional video was at least cute, if hardly groundbreaking. Ultimately there's no denying that "Merry Christmas Happy New Year" is infectious, but it's infectious in the same way a bout of the flu is.
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ARTIST: Ed Sheeran and Elton John SONG TITLE: Merry Christmas WRITER(S): Ed Sheeran and Elton John RUNNING TIME: 3:29 YEAR: 2021 YOUTUBE LINK: Ed Sheeran & Elton John - Merry Christmas [Official Video]
You know how sometimes something can so bad it is good? That's how I feel about this Christmas tune. To start off I'm not a big fan of Ed Sheeran. I'm not a bitElton John fan. Insipid seasonal lyrics don't exactly excite me ("Build a fire and gather ‘round the tree Fill a glass and maybe come and sing with me ..." Package it all together and it sounds like a depressing slice of corporate marketing ended to squeeze disposable income out of John's class rock fan base and Sheeran's legion of younger fans. So, I'm as surprised as anyone that "Merry Christmas" (inspirational title) made my list. Why? The song has a charming melody and in spite of myself, the pair exhibit an uncanny chemistry. The notoriously prickly John actually seems to be enjoying himself.
In an interview with NPO Radio 2 in October 2021, Sheeran revealed that John asked him to do a song with him the previous year after the success of "Step into Christmas". He also recalled writing the chorus of the song the same day he was asked by John. Sheeran actually spent a couple of days with John during which time the pair collaborated on what would become three Christmas songs - "Merry Christmas" being the first to be released.
The accompanying video was interesting with it's nods to ROMCOM films like "Love Actually", "Last Christmas", "Walking in the Air", "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday", "Merry Christmas Everyone" and "Stay Another Day". It even included a nod to East 17's "Stay Another Day" video. To their credit all proceeds from the single were donated to Sheeran's Suffolk Music Foundation and the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
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ARTIST: Kate Bush SONG TITLE: December will Be Magic Again WRITER(S): Kate Bush RUNNING TIME: 4:50 YEAR: 1980 YOUTUBE LINK: Kate Bush - December Will Be Magic Again (HD Remaster Music Video)
I readily understand Kate Bush is not for everyone. A Kate Bush Christmas tune is not going to be for everyone.
YouTube also has a clip of Bush performing the tune for her 1979 BBC Christmas special. The song starts at the 19:43 mark: Kate Bush - Christmas Special 1979 (Private Remaster)
"December Will Be Magic Again" is a festive-themed song by English singer-songwriter Kate Bush. It was released as a single in the UK in November 1980. The single peaked at No. 29 in the UK and spent seven weeks on the chart. Song release "December Will Be Magic Again" was written and originally recorded in 1979 at Abbey Road Studio 2 London with Preston Heyman on drums, sleigh bells and maracas, Alan Murphy on guitar, Kuma Harada on bass and Bush on piano, but not released until 17 November 1980. The single peaked at number 29 on the UK Singles Chart, but due to its early release date had slipped before the Christmas week.[1] No promotional video was filmed for this single, but an alternative recording of the song was performed on Bush's 1979 Christmas television special. In addition to the version on the single release, another very different cut exists (on CD) with congas played by Tour of Life drummer Preston Heyman and slide whistles on the rhythm track. Neither has appeared on a Kate Bush album, except for the This Woman's Work box set, but both have found their way on to various Christmas compilations. The B-side is "Warm and Soothing", a simple piece of Bush singing with just her piano accompaniment. This was the first song she recorded at Abbey Road Studios.[2] Initial pressings of the 7" single have "Cut by Chris Blair", "Songs & arrangements by Kate Bush", and "Cover by Nick Price" centered on the rear sleeve. Reissues have these acknowledgements spread out across the bottom. Originals also have "Happy Christmas" etched into the dead wax on Side A. The song was featured on the 12" single of "Experiment IV" and later on the second of two CD editions of the "Moments of Pleasure" single in 1993 and had a slightly different mix. In 2005 the song was included on Elton John's Christmas album, Elton John's Christmas Party.[3] Critical reception Andy Gill of NME wrote: "Looks like we'll have to endure that fairy Kate Bush".[4] In 1990, Stuart Maconie deemed the song "one of the neatest Christmas tunes since Spector" in his This Woman's Work box set review.[5] Ronnie Gurr of Smash Hits described "novel with her optimistic December operetta".[6]
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ARTIST: Katy Perry SONG TITLE: Cozy Little Christmas WRITER(S): Katy Perry - Greg Wells - Ferras Alqaisi RUNNING TIME: 3:05 YEAR: 2019 YOUTUBE LINK: Katy Perry - Cozy Little Christmas - YouTube
I readily understand Katy Perry is not for everyone. A Katy Perry Christmas tune is not going to be for everyone.
Unlike Kate Bush, Perry has an ear for commercial melodies with sales potential. WHile critics have never been particularly kid to her, trashing recent album's like 2013's "PRISM" and 2017's "Witness", the single "Cozy Little Christmas" found her stepping back to what she did best - catcthy, mindless pop. Perry's marketing savvy was certainly on display given the track was initially released as an Amazon Music exclusive. (Yes, Amazon has its corporate tentacles into holiday music.) The song was apparently written after Perry spent the 2018 Christmas holidays with her family in Denmark. I guess I can applaud her for the song's anti-consumerism lyrics (though it rings a little hollow coming from one of pops richest stars). The real charm though was the Jack Winter and Targa Sahyoun produced promotional video. At least it's three minutes of fun.
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ARTIST: Otis Redding SONG TITLE: Merry Christmas Baby WRITER(S): Lou Baxter - Johnny Moore RUNNING TIME: 2:34 YEAR: 1967 YOUTUBE LINK:Otis Redding - Merry Christmas Baby (Official Visualizer)
The fact this tune is at the bottom of the list underscores the list is in random order. Anyone who has poked around the BadCatRecords site will know I'm a big Otis Redding fan. He's one of the few acts I could listen to all day long. Just an amazing artist and I don't think I have ever heard a Redding album that doesn't have at least a couple of tracks worth hearing. This 1967 45 also represents the only song that's on my list twice - Redding's cover and Bruce Springsteen's version. Please don't make me pick my favorite.
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