READERS with long memories may recall a piece I wrote six years ago about Christmas songs suggesting alternatives to the ubiquitous Slade, Wizzard, Wham!, Mud, Cliff, McCartney and Co. Time for a replay?
Let’s start with The Band and Christmas Must Be Tonight.
This is from the 1977 album Islands, the last studio release by the original Band line-up. It ticks all the boxes for a Christmas song and I have never been able to understand why you don’t hear this one in Sainsbury’s when you’re forking out a fortune on a free-range Norfolk Bronze.
Staying with the Americans we have the delightful 1987 album Christmas Time with the Judds by the Kentucky mother-and-daughter duo. Among the highlights are Silver Bells,
Winter Wonderland,
O Holy Night
and Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town.
I amrelieved to report that the misspelling of Christmas was rectified on later album covers.
Did someone say that no Christmas party was complete without some reggae? Not me. I eschew shindiggery and if (Bob) Marley’s ghost visited our gaff I would have him exorcised. However this 1981 tune by Eek a Mouse, Christmas A Come,
brings a welcome glint of Caribbean sunshine.
I am a big fan of Eels, jellied or otherwise, and here’s a double helping from the Californian band – Christmas is Going to the Dogs
(2004) and 2002’s Everything’s Going to be Cool this Christmas
(Baby Jesus, born to rock!!!!).
Slowing the tempo, we have the lovely 1973 track A Child’s Christmas in Wales,
from John Cale’s classic album Paris 1919. Full marks to anyone who can name the backing band (Little Feat).
How about a bit of 60s soul? Booker T and the MGs’ Winter Wonderland followed by Otis Redding’s Merry Christmas Baby. OK, it’s not Try a Little Tenderness but at least it’s the mighty Otis.
Now for one of my all-time favourite groups, America’s mighty Big Star.
Their song Jesus Christ,
from the landmark 1975 album 3rd, is a joyous celebration of the Nativity.
Oklahoma’s finest, Reba McEntire, supplies her version of I’ll Be Home For Christmas
from 1987, which should satisfy the sweeter-toothed listener.
By contrast, a 1989 blast of New York punk from the Ramones, https://am-records.com/2020/09/21/1-2-3-4-ramones/ Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight).
Sad to note that all four members, Joey, Johnny, Dee Dee and Tommy, were dead by 2014.
A couple of gentle American tunes, Sufjan Stevens’s 2006 effort Did I Make You Cry on Christmas Day (Well You Deserved It) and the sweet traditional O Christmas Tree
by Mark Kozelek, from 2014.
Next we have a contribution from a Mr R Zimmerman, who continued his stately progress towards Croonerville by releasing a Christmas album in 2009 (to be fair, the proceeds went to charity). One of Dylan’s more fun contributions is It Must Be Santa.
Chuck Berry’s rollicking Run Rudolph Run from 1958 would leave us on a high. But in my customary curmudgeonly Christmas spirit, I’ll leave you with, from 1964, the utterly miserable Texas Troubadour Ernest Tubb and I’m Trimming My Christmas Tree With Teardrops
Tomorrow my better half Margaret will select some more traditional festive fare.
