Well, it is that time of year for numerous cards depicting snow scenes, overindulgence and Slade blaring out of the radio. Christmas is a peculiar time as it is unlike any other time of the year because it has its own soundtrack. No other festival has so many songs written about or for it. The trick seems to be that if you can write a song that is played every year, you can pretty much keep yourself going for when your material is all but ignored. Jona Lewie has said as much about his song, Stop the Cavalry. The irony being the Stop the Calvary was not written as a Christmas record, but a protest song. Anyway, here is my attempt at a top notch Christmas compilation.
There is nothing particularly obscure here and part from some of the later songs on CD2, these were the records soundtracked my childhood Christmas. There aren’t any recordings from before the 1960’s, and CD 1 stops later in that decade. Almost the whole of the Phil Spector Christmas album is here, as well as a number of Elvis records. CD 2 is the heyday of the 70s and 80s where awesome original Christmas records were still being written and released. Once we get into the 90s and beyond, the quota of songs goes right down. This just goes to show (in my opinion) how few great Christmas records have been produced since the 1980s. People are still releasing Christmas themed records every year but to me, they pale in comparison to what has been included here.
There aren’t too many songs I feel missed out on being selected. ‘Feliz Navidad’ by Jose Feliciano would be one, Another would be East 17’s ‘Stay Another Day’. However, like Jona Lewie, this wasn’t written as a Christmas record either and only had a winter themed video as well as jingle bells inserted into it to appeal to the festive market. At least Jona Lewie mentioned Christmas in his song. Well, as the great Noddy Holder would say “It’s Christmas!!!”
Disc 1
- White Christmas – Darlene Love
- Frosty The Snowman – The Ronettes
- Blue Christmas – Elvis Presley
- Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree – Brenda Lee
- Sleigh Ride – The Ronettes
- The Bells Of St. Mary – Bob B. Soxx & The Blue Jeans
- Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! – Dean Martin
- Santa, Bring My Baby Back (To Me) – Elvis Presley
- Santa Baby – Eartha Kitt
- Run Rudolph Run – Chuck Berry
- Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers – The Crystals
- Jingle Bell Rock – Bobby Helms
- Winter Wonderland – Darlene Love
- The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year – Andy Williams
- Here Comes Santa Claus – Bob B. Soxx & The Blues Jeans
- Sleigh Ride – The Ventures
- Little Saint Nick – The Beach Boys
- Santa Claus Is Back In Town – Elvis Presley
- Marshmallow World – Darlene Love
- Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer – The Crystals
- This Time Of The Year – Brook Benton
- I’d Like You For Christmas – Julie London
- Santa Claus Is Coming To Town – The Crystals
- Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) – Darlene Love
- What Christmas Means To Me – Stevie Wonder
- Blue Holiday – The Shirelles
- You’re All I Want For Christmas – Brook Benton
- I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus – The Ronettes
- The Christmas Song – Nat ‘King’ Cole
- If Everyday Was Like Christmas – Elvis Presley
Disc 2
- Happy Xmas (War Is Over) – John Lennon & Yoko Ono
- River – Joni Mitchell
- Stop The Cavalry – Jona Lewie
- Last Christmas – Wham!
- Driving Home For Christmas – Chris Rea
- All I Want For Christmas Is You – Mariah Carey
- Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday – Wizzard
- Merry Xmas Everybody – Slade
- I Believe In Father Christmas – Greg Lake
- 2000 Miles – The Pretenders
- Christmas Wrapping – The Waitresses
- Wombling Merry Christmas – The Wombles
- Lonely This Christmas – Mud
- Do They Know It’s Christmas – Band Aid
- Merry Christmas Everyone – Shakin’ Stevens
- Mele Kalikimaka (Christmas In Hawaii) – KT Tunstall
- Warm This Winter – Gabriella Climi
- Silent Night – Jewel
- The Little Drummer Boy – David Bowie & Bing Crosby
- Fairytale Of New York – The Pogues & Kirsty MacCall
- Christmas Time (Don’t Let The Bells End) – The Darkness