I have been tasked my putting together a xmas playlist.... but i admit the thought of endless xmas music leaves me cold (like anyone who has ever worked in retail or a bar)..
So suggestions for songs that are actually OK, so far i have:
Christmas in Harlem - Louis Armstrong
Christmas in Hollis - Run DMC
Little Drummer Boy - Johnny Cash?
Tenebrae - In The Bleak Midwinter
These for starters
Bob Dylan - Must be Santa
LCD Soundsystem - Christmas will break your heart
Not a Christmas song per se but
Fleet Foxes - White Winter Hymnal
Do search on Spotify for Alternative or even Indie Christmas playlist that'll get you away from the usual dross.
‘Jesus Christ’ by Big Star
’Close Your Mouth’ by The Free Design
’Fuselage’ by Centro-matic
Anything by the Muppets
Anything Phil Spector, there are a few compilations
Any Elvis christmas song
Some alt ones on my list not mentioned above:
(obvious one, its a modern classic now) Just Like Christmas - Low
Christmas at the Zoo - Flaming Lips
I Was Born on Christmas Day - St Etienne (and Tim Burgess)
Little drummer boy by king and country
walking in the air by Nightwish
Both are preferable to the originals imho
merry christmas (i dont want to fight tonight) by the ramones
Some more:
Its Cliched To Be Cynical at Christmas - Half Man Half Biscuit
I Wish It Was Christmas Today - Julian Casablancas
The whole of the Jethro Tull Xmas Album.
Goat - Let It Burn
Just about acceptable
[url=
chk chk - & Anyway its Christmas[/url]
[url=
& The Test Tubes Babies - I'm getting pissed for Christmas[/url]
[url= https://youtu.be/_4s76oLcPTo ]The Long Blondes - Christmas is Cancelled[/url]
Please check out the Dualers. They have a Christmas cd and it's brilliant.
Sheffield carols anyone?
Bruce Springsteen - Santa Claus is coming to town
The Run DMC one from Die Hard
Jonah Lewie - Stop the Cavalry
The jazz piano stuff from the Charlie Brown Christmas special
Eels have done a couple that are quite good fun.
Jim White has done one that might appeal if you like bleak alt-country songs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szFeWXTp9Vk
And if you like the Flaming Lips then they have one too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3mRC-foSZs
Though in general with Christmas songs it's probably as much about overfamiliarity and overexposure as it is about how good they are, so provided you get a varied list without any repetition and don't go for the most well known songs you're probably going to do OK.
another from my childhood
Smashing Pumpkins - Christmas time
And as per Stevenmuir, the Sharon Jones album is always on at chez 4130 over xmas.
No mention of Kevin "Bloody" Wilson and Santa Clause you Count? maybe not the best for offices and young families though
2,000 miles by the Pretenders
This is the one. More than acceptable.
I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas
Dominik the Donkey
Tar Barrel in Dale by the Unthanks. They performed it on the Rad Mac show on 6 music at the weekend. Beautiful.
and the black metal epic that is
The cold winter moon
Eclipsing all light
Our master of the northern sky
From the frost, he rides
I am castle
Frozen snow pavilion
He comes but once a year
Do not blaspheme before him
The wolves of night we ride
My domain is filled with chocolate
I hope I've been a good boy this year
Who's eaten half of Stus chocolate orange?
Santa is my master
My stocking filled is present
The lord of kristmas
The lord of the snow
Castle of toys
Frostbitten beard
I have burnt my tongue
On a mince pie
Mum, it's too hot
Reindeer blood
He shall return next year
1987 Christmas was decent due to this Album
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Very_Special_Christmas_(album)
walking in the air by Nightwish
Had to go look for that as they are a bit of a guilty pleasure. And definitely better than the original!
Though Apple also revealed to me that McFly had done a version as well, which was also way better than the original
This one that my sister wrote & performed 🙂
Studio 1 Christmas album:
https://www.discogs.com/release/3499378-Various-Christmas-Greetings-From-Studio-One
It’s on Apple Music and bandcamp.
In fact **** Christmas, just play Studio 1
Carol of the Bells:
https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?&q=carol+of+the+bells+boys+choir&&mid=CFA53953648C07161E55CFA53953648C07161E55&&mcid=95A4771799F64FE2ABFD3AE4A84587A9&FORM=VRDGAR
Winter from Vivaldi’s Four Seasons
Phil Spector, as many have already suggested
More Studio 1
That'll Be Christmas by Thea Gilmore.
Carol of the Bells.
River by Joni Mitchell
Little St. Nick by the Beachboys
