Christmas Playlist

Updated and revised for Christmas 2018!

Oh come on, it’s not too early now!

I rewrite this every year, but I at least give it until December before unleashing a bit of Christmas on Twitterland.

I love loads of Christmas songs – there, I’ve said it! So much so that limiting myself to just 15 entries on this blog was pretty tricky, and hard though I tried I just couldn’t place them in order of preference. Each year one song seems to grab me in particular as a ‘favourite’, but more often than not a different one will topple it the following year.

So here are 15 of my faves – with a few hyperlinks if you want to get festive.

You’ll notice there’s not a trace of Cliff, Jive Bunny or Mariah Carey – I’m not saying I dislike them though. In fact, think yourselves lucky that I didn’t include the songs that merely remind me of Christmas, on the basis they were released in December etc. (Blur, Oasis, Michael Jackson, Björk etc.)

Sometimes you just run out of space and time…

Wonderful Christmastime – Paul McCartney

This was my favourite one as a child – maybe because there’s lots of ding-dong-ding-donging, and at school the most exciting instrument I ever got to use was a chime bar (musical note C of course).

Sir Macca doing what he does better than most – simple, catchy and melodic. And for good measure for my local readers, the accompanying music video was filmed in good old Sussex at The Fountain Inn, Ashurst

The Christmas Song – Nat 'King' Cole

Got to have a bit of tradition. Nat actually recorded several different versions of this, but the differences are so negligible, only a finely tuned ear might notice. Reminds me of my childhood and a roaring fireplace – which is odd as I didn’t have one (fireplace that is!)

Man that guy had a voice sweeter than honey.

 

Stop the Cavalry – Jona Lewie

Every year I can’t help but change the dub-a-dub-a-dum-dum bit into an advert jingle in my head for Deb-a-deb-en-hams. I even suggested it to a Debenhams CEO. “Thanks, but no thanks Bez!” was their short reply.

The song itself has barely anything to do with Christmas, but a few sleigh bells make a huge difference #whoismarybradley?

Step into Christmas – Elton John

This sticks in my mind due to it playing throughout a trip to the Santa’s Grotto at the legendary Brighton department store Hanningtons (RIP) in the early 1980’s. Oddly enough it didn’t fly too high in the charts when first released (there was good competition in the charts in 1973), but the royalties that Sir Elton has recouped since then has probably eased his pain somewhat!

Sleigh Ride – The Ronettes

Back when Phil Spector was merely a superb producer of pop and wall of sound mono, he gave us his ‘Christmas Gift’ album.

It is without doubt the best Christmas album ever created, and any number of songs from it would grace many a Christmas playlist, but Sleigh Ride is brilliant brilliant brilliant… and even better in stereo if you can get it. Sung with all the panache and charm the amazing Ronnie Bennett/Spector could muster. Did I say it was brilliant? It’s super brilliant.

And someone somewhere needs to remaster these Spector babies into crisp stereo please.

River – Robert Downey Jr

What’s that then? Well from the intro, you might think it’s a serious version of Jingle Bells, but that does it a huge disservice. RDJ (with help from the fab Vonda Shepard) covered this Joni Mitchell classic during his stint on the much missed TV show Ally McBeal, and he absolutely nailed it. If you only click on one of the hyperlinks on this blog, click on this one. Beautiful song: River

Merry Christmas Everyone – Shakin' Stevens

The most Christmassy promo video since NORAD Tracks Santa went viral on YouTube. Shakey’s career peaked with this nearly-Christmas-number-one (depends on which chart you look at) but he’d had a good run, and holds the crown of being the most successful UK Singles chart act of the 1980’s. Not bad when you consider who he was up against (Madonna, Michael Jackson, Queen etc)

Last Christmas – Wham!
Probably my favourite all time Christmas song, but really the only version you should listen to is the 6 minutes+  Pudding Mix
It probably carries more poignancy with the tragic passing of GM on Christmas Day 2016 - but Last Christmas has always been revered.
In my teens I used to repeatedly listen to this through headphones and immerse myself in its sad sob story. In the dark. #shelteredteenyearsActually I still listen to music in the dark, so not much has changed!

I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday – Wizzard
Dead unlucky to have been released the same year (1973) as Slade’s Merry Xmas Everybody – in any other year it might have performed better in the charts than it eventually did. Let’s not mention the mash up version that The Wombles did with Roy Wood though… we’ll forgive the legendary Roy, on the basis that he also formed the original Electric Light Orchestra don’t you know!? And was the first artist ever to be heard on BBC Radio One.

I Believe In Father Christmas – Greg Lake

Performed by yet another musician who has sadly passed away.

I really wasn’t keen on this one growing up, as I didn’t think the video was Christmassy enough. I clearly missed the point! A song perhaps initially intended to be about the over commercialisation of Christmas, but with a push from Prokofiev’sTroika it still manages to drill home the essence of Christmas: Belief.Love.Spirit

Christmas Wrapping – The Waitresses

Very cutesy song from this post punk band. Covered in a very poppy way by the Spice Girls, but maybe they didn’t quite capture it quite so well (and they omitted a verse for some reason!?)

Lead singer Patty Donahue died well before her time, but her song will ensure she won’t be forgotten.

Fairytale of New York – The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl

Another one that slipped under my radar when first released (1987) – possibly because it might have received a radio ban due to some industrial language lyrics? Consistently voted as a Christmas favourite in polls, so it appears to have earned its’ place at the top table, though I can’t escape the idea that it has become a bit of a bandwagon song i.e. it’s become a fashionable song just BECAUSE it’s trendy to like it. It wouldn’t be on this list if I didn’t like it, but the way it has gained its momentum of popularity has always struck me as a bit odd.

Happy Xmas (War Is Over) – John & Yoko

After a family bereavement in November one year, I listened to this song incessantly. I don’t know if I was in denial, or if it simply cheered me up, but maybe it just gave me some hope and comfort.

In a similar vein to his former song-writing partner mentioned earlier, it’s brilliantly simple and melodic. You’ll never miss it, as it gets re-released every year.
Not keen on the various cover versions though – some songs should just be left alone!

Driving Home For Christmas – Chris Rea

Traditionally it’s the song I play in the car on my way home from my last working day before Christmas #OCD

Possibly the most loved underachieving Christmas song ever. Everyone seems to like it, but incredulously it only peaked at number 53 (UK charts) when first released and even on re-release the best it’s ever achieved is number 26. Given another worthy lease of life in recent years due to the terrific SHELTER charity video below:

Driving Home For Christmas (Shelter Video)

And finally…December Song (I Dreamed of Christmas) by George Michael.

This has been hovering around this playlist for years, and has now earned its place. The ever generous George Michael (revealed as a HUGE philanthropist after his sad death) actually gave this song away as a freebie download from his website when first issued on Christmas Day 2008.

Quite a few people missed out on that event, so it was released as a physical single a year or so later – and even then it still couldn’t catch up with demand until it was made available for regular downloading.

Originally written with the Spice Girls in mind to record it, I’m not sure they would have done it the justice that GM has. A truly lovely sentimental song.

Merry Christmas one and all!

Belief.Love.Spirit XxX