It’s the holiday season, and Christmas music is totally inevitable. Look, I love Mariah Carey and Wham! As much as the next guy. But at some point, you get In fact Tired of hearing the same Christmas songs over and over again. So here are 10 suggestions to add to your holiday playlist that are a little less obvious than you might expect.
Tom Waits – Christmas Card from a Prostitute in Minneapolis
From Dolly Parton’s “Hard Candy Christmas” to The Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York,” Christmas songs have a long history. But there’s no holiday song more guaranteed to get the party down than “Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis.” The reveal at the end is such that everyone will put the presents back under the tree because they’re too sad to open anything.
Lindstrom – little drummer boy
I love the classic Bing Crosby and David Bowie version of this song, but I’ve heard it a million times. Lindström adopts a continuation of the marching drum pattern, teasing the melody into a hypnotic slow tempo that gradually transforms into a spacey disco freakout. There are various edits of this track, ranging from a less than five-minute version to the 20-minute edit shown above (which is probably the ideal version for your holiday playlist). However, I am a fan of the full 42 minute presentation.
Axel Bowman – Holiday Extreme
It’s a quiet comedown counterpoint to the Lindström track above. All softly bouncing meditative synths, sleighbells and cool waves. If you want a zen-like trance state for Christmas, queue up this song.
Fucked – David Christmas
There aren’t enough hardcore holiday songs if you ask me. David, titled “David Christmas”, eventually became the central character in the successful rock opera Fucked Up. David comes to life. “David’s Christmas” contains references to sleighbells, the Grinch, and the first Noel. This is the rare Christmas song that will have you trying to make a circle around the tree.
They Might Be Giants – Santa’s Beard
There are a strange number of Christmas songs about infidelity. (See Clarence Carter’s “Back Door Santa” and, at least from the child’s perspective, “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.”) But They Might Be Giants’ “Santa’s Bear” is a lesser-known film that combines the duo’s trademark irreverence with the story of a woman exposing her extramarital affair to her husband. Oh, and his sidepiece is dressed as Santa.
All I’ll say is – American holiday folklore boring. Germany and Central Europe have Krampus, Welsh has Mári Llwyd, and Iceland has Jólakoturin or the Yule Cat. Jolakoturin is a giant cat who roams the countryside, eating people who do not get new clothes for Christmas. Obviously, this is supposed to encourage hard work and preparations. In 1988, Björk, Iceland’s finest exporter, recorded a song about the creature that includes such celebratory lines:
his hair was as sharp as needles
his back was high and arched
And the claws on his hairy paws
there were no beautiful views
Low – Just Like Christmas
Slowcore pioneers Low released an entire Christmas album in 1999, appropriately titled Christmas“Just Like Christmas” is probably the most accessible song on the record, and it moves at a faster clip than most of the band’s material, It still showcases the band’s delicate melodies and the intimate vocals of the late Mimi Parker, however, before fading as an avalanche of drumbeats tumbles around her,
Magnetic fields – everything is one big Christmas tree
A happy song telling someone to relax and have some fun.
stop grumbling and be happy
put the book down, pick up the beer
Why sit in your dark and lonely room?
Must your every word be honest?
Also, referring to Santa Claus as “Sandy” is perfection.
Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – No Chimney in the Projects
A modern entry into the Christmas soul pantheon that can stand on equal footing with James Brown’s “Santa Claus Goes Straight to the Ghetto”. “Ain’t No Chimneys in the Projects” features spare groove, killer strings and one of the best horn sections in the business. It’s a great little song about how the magic of Christmas is provided by hardworking parents, not some weird guy in a red suit.
100 GECS – Empathy 4 The Grinch
We’ve all had disappointing holidays when we didn’t get the gifts we wanted. 100 Gecs embraces the fantasy of getting revenge on Santa and getting what you want in this silly hyperpoppunk song. It’s an absolute blast with “la-la-la” chants after the chorus. However, I cannot play it for your ungrateful children.
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