We’re now well into December and fully in the Christmas swing which means all our shopping trips will soon, if not already, be accompanied by the sounds of the most well-known and beloved Christmas songs of all time. However, if you’re wanting to spice up your Christmas, listening to some songs that you may not hear on your Tesco trips, here’s a playlist for you.
Someday at Christmas – Hadestown Cast
If you’re not familiar with the Broadway musical Hadestown, its music is grounded in both folk and jazz, and its story is based on the Greek Myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. It’s a breath-taking listen. This year, they used the Broadway shut down to release a Christmas album, and their cover of Stevie Wonder’s classic is my favourite on the album. They’ve taken a well-known song a twisted it into the style of their hit musical. The whole If the Fates Allow album is a great listen.
Underneath the Tree – Kelly Clarkson
Now, this is a song that tends to feature on most Christmas playlists. I just don’t think it gets the love it deserves. Kelly Clarkson gifted us with a Christmas song, other than All I Want for Christmas, that you can belt out and annoy everyone with, and if that isn’t the true meaning of Christmas, I don’t know what is. Funnily enough, it follows a similar theme to Mariah Carey’s Christmas anthem. The only thing Clarkson wants under her tree is her partner, and if that isn’t enough heart-warming Christmas love for you, I don’t know what is.
Christmas Wrapping – The Waitresses
Another classic Christmas song that I think flies under the radar is Christmas Wrapping. The Waitresses originally didn’t even want to record the song when they were commissioned to, but they said its unlikely popularity rejuvenated them as a band. The song tells a sweet story of how a busy woman has to keep skipping out on dates with a guy she likes, until she bumps into him on Christmas day. It’s fun, upbeat, and I would say it’s one of my favourite Christmas songs.
Real Love – Tom Odell
The John Lewis Christmas advert and accompanying song is always a highly anticipated moment of the Christmas season each year, and in my opinion, Real Love is one of the best songs they’ve ever featured. While I never dislike the song they pick, I think Tom Odell’s cover of Real Love is just something special. I like that it’s not just some soft song that stays on one level to keep you emotional. It builds up to those last choruses, and Odell shows off his impressive vocals, which is something I always like to see.
Candy Cane Lane – Sia
Now, I’m guilty of ignoring the inevitable Christmas album that most singers put out. They normally all include covers of the classic Christmas songs and a couple of forgettable originals. Sia seems to have broken this mould with her album Everyday is Christmas. It’s a collection of purely original songs, and we all know Sia has some serious songwriting ability. The album is a seriously festive listen, and I’d recommend the whole thing. But Candy Cane Lane is my favourite. It has the feeling of a classic Christmas song, but with the Sia’s signature vocals. What’s not to love?
Christmas Tree Farm – Taylor Swift
Much like Sia, Taylor Swift is renowned for her songwriting ability, so a Swift Christmas song is never going to be bad. Written, recorded and released in six days, the song feels wistful and romanticised in the same way her hit song Love Story does, but it has a basis in real life. The song is based on Swift’s childhood growing up on a real Christmas tree farm, and the music video for the song is an adorable watch of old home videos of Swift and her family on said farm. Adding a little Taylor Swift cheese to your Christmas playlist can never hurt.
Santa Baby – Ariana Granda ft. Liz Gillies
I’m not going to try and argue that Santa Baby isn’t a popular Christmas song, because it is. The Wikipedia page lists over 30 separate versions, as well as the original Eartha Kitt version. But, apart from the original, you only really hear the Kylie Minogue version. Though I have no issues with this, I just love the Ariana Grande version that features her long-time best friend and Victorious co-star Liz Gillies. It’s sultry and it somehow sounds just a little different to every other cover. The song also just cements just how absurd it was that Nickelodeon wanted us to believe that Tori was the best singer on Victorious, over Cat and Jade.
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) – Darlene Love
I feel like I always forget about this Christmas song, but as soon as I hear it I can’t remember why. I feel like it’s in every Christmas film ever, although I checked and shock, it’s not. It’s in Gremlins and Christmas with the Kranks. I just feel like this song reminds me of the type of song that would play over the start of a Christmas film.
River – Ben Platt
There are many versions of this song you could listen to; I just picked the Ben Platt version from the Politician because I’m a big old Broadway fan. Ben Platt is a master vocalist, so why not listen to his beautifully riffed and vibrato filled cover? Yes, this is on the sadder side of Christmas songs, but who wants to just listen to happy Christmas songs all the time?
2000 Miles – The Pretenders
2000 Miles, like Stay Another Day, is one of those songs where I’m not actually sure why it’s considered a Christmas song. The song was written as a tribute to The Pretenders‘ lead guitarist James Honeyman-Scott who died of the year before the song was released. Whether you think of it as a Christmas song or not, 2000 Miles is a beautiful song and is not played anywhere near as much as it should be.
By Robbie Nichols
Feature Image Credit: Music Radio Creative