Top Christmas Songs of All Time ?
When I was asked by Amuze to write a top ten Christmas songs of all time kind of post it certainly got me thinking. Struck by the very fact I am already watching Christmas Adverts on TV, the decorations are up in the city where I live and I am sure Northern Ireland is like much of the rest of the UK with economic experts predicting the worst Christmas ever (and it is still Oct). Well I view Christmas music as equally bleak. I don’t know what it is about Christmas Songs but to me there doesn’t seem to be much happy about any of them.
I asked a colleague what her favourite Christmas song was and the reply was instantly “Last Christmas” by Wham. I can vaguely remember the video of George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley prancing around in the traditional snow and scarfs. But the lyrics clearly describe the classic break. Unrequited love offer us the Christmas feel good factor ? It would as equally absurd to have R.E.M.’s Losing my Religion as our festive soundtrack as the sentiments are just the same.
After a long debate with a group of fellow musicians I decided to list five of my favourite Christmas songs. I like all of them but they are only ever played at Christmas.
5. Sweet Sweet Peace – Neil Finn
This song isn’t easy to get your hands on in the UK. It doesn’t feature on iTunes UK but it is available on the US store. As you would expect as some as prolific as Neil Finn this is a moving and beautiful song. Like many of Finn’s piano based tracks the song is laced with a slight tinge of sadness. There is no doubt it is a peaceful and ‘Christmasy’ track but I can’t help feeling moved by it with no real underlying reason.
4. Do They Know it’s Christmas 1984 – Band Aid
Released in 1994 it introduced a solidarity amongst artists led by Sir Bob Geldof and Midge Ure for the famine in Ethiopia. It is a great song with excellent performances by the likes of Bono and Sting. The fact is the song is about famine and death. The song and the Band Aid concept did bring about a sense of hope but I wonder how much of this hope is appreciated by the latter generations who play it at Christmas ? I am always utterly amazed when it comes on at Christmas celebration events. I’d actually love to know what Sir Bob thinks…..
3. Merry Christmas Everybody – Slade
This song appears on many number one Christmas Songs of all time. I have no doubt that the member of Slade could have lived on the royalties of this song alone. It is a very positive song, full of energy describing all the great aspects of the Christmas season.
It is possibly the slight exception to the rule on this post yet while talking the concept over with a few fellow music fans I discovered this is not always the case. One nameless friend, (he does have a name I am just not able to quote it) thought this song was possibly the most saddening of the list as it exaggerated his loneliness at the time. Does anyone actually really experience the euphoric happiness described in this Slade classic ? It will be interesting to see what others think.
2. Walking in the Air – Aled Jones
I don’t know what it is about this song but it instantly brings me down. Perhaps I morn the ultimate loss of the snowman, but this minor based musical story of snow brought to life, fantastical journey and ultimately the end manages to get me every time. This doesn’t mean I don’t like it, I do, but as a song that is played at Christmas I fail to experience the feel good factor. It is a song about loss, even grief ?
1. Happy Xmas (War is Over)
I have included John Lennon’s Happy Xmas (War is over) and to be honest (not that I have lied to this point) it really shouldn’t be on any Christmas playlist ever ! Written in 1972 as a ironic reflective protest against the Vietnam war. If you have seen the video for the song it is perfectly clear it is not a celebration of Christmas but a cry for the victims of war. The image used on this post is a still from the montage of footage used for the song.
There are probably a stack more on the list that contradict the stereotypical perceived Christmas values but perhaps we don’t want to be so much happy at Christmas but emotionally moved. All these songs deal with an unhappiness with now and talk about a hope for the future. The perception of a Happy Christmas like all other perceptions is not at all real.
So, lets have a Christmas without Wham and Slade this year, just the albums Father Christmas brings? I wait with anticipation of your comments.
[This is a guest post]
I could not agree more with this. Why do listen to christmas songs at all ? just because a song has the word christmas in it doesn’t mean we have to listen to it every year! The only positive song for christmas is the Pogues and Kirtsty MacColl if you ask me! but then I would listen to that song any day of the year
Many of these Christmas songs make me teary ! maybe Christmas is just an emotional time for us all. Music is greatest healer !
Fairy Tale in New York is the only Christmas song that has ever made me feel happy. Chris De Burgh’s ‘A Space Man Came Traveling’ used to make me sad and for some reason scared for the year 2000… I can not even remember why. I agree the Snowman is depressing stuff at Christmas, yet equally beautiful ?
at christmas time….spare a thought for george and his jumpers.
love from a wham fan x
[...] We have our own views on Christmas Songs put perfectly on the following guest post. [...]