Ten pretty good Christmas songs to get you through the holiday
I dislike Christmas music. I dislike that many radio stations begin playing it in October, before Halloween! I dislike that it’s all you hear in most stores and restaurants throughout the fall. I especially dislike that rock musicians, who have no business singing these types of songs, feel a need to do so. By the way, it’s not just rock musicians, it’s all the other genres of music, too.
Okay, so not that we’ve established my feelings on Christmas music, I’ll admit that now that it’s December, I can live with some holiday tuneage for the next twenty-three days…and only twenty-three days. On December 26, 2023, that’s it for another twelve months.
If we have to listen to Christmas songs, here’s a set list that will get you through the next three weeks:
You have to begin with the “Father of Rock and Roll”, Chuck Berry. “Run Rudolph Run” sounds like “Johnny B. Goode” and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s a good starter song.
Next on my list comes The Boss. I always say it’s not Christmas until you hear Bruce Springsteen singing “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.”
This song isn’t the most upbeat song but, Joni Mitchell describes her Christmas season sadness over the breakup of her relationship with Graham Nash, in “River.”
After you're done being depressed by Joni, you’ll need something upbeat. Try Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers “Christmas All Over Again.”
Now that we’re in a good mood, let’s keep it going with Darlene Love and the song she sang on David Letterman’s television program for more than two decades, “Christmas, Baby Please Come Home.”
One of the new additions to the Christmas music genre occurred in 2018 when Eric Clapton decided to release a Christmas album. Surprisingly, it turned out pretty good. His version of “White Christmas” is fairly bluesy with some fine guitar work.
Another non-traditional Christmas song is “2000 Miles” by the Pretenders. Most people think it’s a sweet song about two lovers who miss each other at Christmas, but it’s a tribute by Chrissie Hynde to her bandmate, James Honeyman-Scott, who died of a drug overdose the previous year.
Nothing says Christmas like a war protest song. Leave it to John Lennon to write “Happy Christmas (War is Over)” in 1971, during the Vietnam War.
I saved two of my favorites for last. The Eagles and their version of “Please Come Home For Christmas” has always been my favorite Christmas song. I found this version of Don Henley singing it on the Howard Stern radio show.
Finally, In 2017, Foo Fighters performed on the final SNL show before the Christmas break. Dressed in a red holiday sweater, Dave Grohl led the band in a medley that began with “Everlong”, followed by electric versions of “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) and “Linus and Lucy” from A Charlie Brown Christmas. After hearing this live, I wrote that this may be the greatest Christmas tune ever done by a rock musician. Six years later it still holds up.
That’s my look at some pretty good Christmas music. Happy Holidays to everyone!