There are, as they say, only thirteen more shopping days until Christmas. And that, unless you don’t much care for seasonality, means only thirteen more days of Christmas music. But what to listen to? There are the old standards, of course: the carols, the hymns, that Slade song. But I thought I’d delve into my collection for a few more recent numbers that you might enjoy. So here’s a selection of ten Christmas tracks recorded in the past decade. As always, you can listen to the playlist by following the Spotify link at the bottom of this post.
On a Christmas Day — C.W. Stoneking
I’m amazed that C.W. Stoneking’s music works so well. A dapper Australian who growls and hums in the style of a Twenties delta bluesman, it really ought to sound like a pastiche, but instead it sounds completely fresh and natural. This is the Christmas track from his first album, King Hokum, and a real foot-tapper it is too.
Little Drummer Boy — Low
You’ve probably heard this one before, as it’s been used on an Apple or Gap advert, or something like that. It remains true to that Bing Crosby and David Bowie version — methodically paced, and with a constant drum snare in the background — but it mixes in a bagpipe-like drone and an ethereal vocal line. If you had to soundtrack a glaciar’s progress down a mountain, then this, in the best possible way, would do the trick.
Calling on Mary — Aimee Mann
This list features songs from Christmas albums by Bob Dylan and Brian Wilson (the next two songs, in fact), but I’d recommend Aimee Mann’s One More Drifter in the Snow above both of them. This is one of the two original compositions on that album, and a perfect platform for Mann’s soaring voice.
Here Comes Santa Claus — Bob Dylan
I could have picked any song from Bob Dylan’s Christmas in the Heart (a recent inclusion to this blog’s Great Albums series) for this playlist, but landed on the one that opens it. ‘Here comes Santa Claus, here come Santa Claus,’ howls Bob from the off. It’s jaunty, it’s a wee bit unhinged, and it proves that Dylan doesn’t take himself as seriously as some of the music critics do. And that, of course, is yet another reason to take this Old Master even more seriously.
Christmasey — Brian Wilson
The recently released CD of the Beach Boys’ legendary Smile Sessions has to be one of the best stocking-fillers of the season. And while this original song from Brian Wilson’s 2005 Christmas album isn’t as good as that Smile material, it’s certainly remiscent of it and would make for a good accompaniment. Beach Boys harmonies and an insistent, catchy chorus add up to another reminder of Wilson’s songwriting talent.
Jingle Bells — Sufjan Stevens
I’ve lost count of how many Christmas songs the eminently prolific Sufjan Stevens has released now. At 36 seconds, his piano arrangement of Jingle Bells is more slight than other entries in his festive repetoire — such as ‘It’s Christmas! Let’s Be Glad!’ and ‘That Was the Worst Christmas Ever!’ — but it’s still wonderful fun. Consider this a palate cleanser for the tunes that follow.
Christmas Day — She & Him
I’m not a fan of She & Him’s first two albums, which were too poised, polished and prissy for my tastes. But their throw-back stylings come across better on their new Christmas album, released a few weeks ago, and particularly on
this song, ‘Christmas Day’. It’s layered beautifully between Zooey Deschanel’s singing, a jingle-jangle guitar line, and snowglide backing vocals. The end result sounds like something
that Doris Day would belt out.
A Christmas Duel — The Hives and Cyndi Lauper
This is one for those who prefer a Black Christmas. The first verse opens with the lines ‘I bought no gift this year, and I slept with your sister’ — and it gets worse from there. It’s all tongue-in-cheek, though, as the big, brassy horn section attests.
Candy Cane Children — The White Stripes
Probably the least festive number on this list, in that it contains no sleigh bells, little goodwill and too much strangeness. In fact, the only connection to Christmas is that it features the word a few times in its lyrics. But this White Stripes rarity is great for anyone who likes Jack and Meg White’s awesome brand of punk-blues, Christmas or not.
Grateful for Christmas — Hayes Carll
And to finish, my favourite track on this list, and perhaps my favourite track from one of the best albums of the year, Hayes Carll’s KMAG YOYO (& Other American Stories). Carll’s drunken intonation takes some getting used to, but once you’re there there’s a whole lot of poetry and poignancy in his songs. Here, he tells the story of various Christmases separated by years, deaths and disappointments. But, despite it all, he always lands on the same chorus: ‘I’m grateful for Christmas this year’. And amen to that, I say.
You can listen to Pete’s playlist, minus the Bob Dylan and White Stripes tracks embedded above, here.
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