16 Holiday Songs That Don’t Suck: Your Autostraddle Christmakwansuka Playlist
December is upon us, and with that comes the onslaught of seasonal holiday music! If you’ve grown weary of the same Holiday Lite/local coffee shop repertoire, allow us to offer a few alternatives (and our favorite tried-and-true classics).
Fa la la la la, la la la la!
Lady Gaga – Christmas Tree
Cherry cherry. Boom boom.
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Stevie Wonder – What Christmas Means To Me
If you only play one album at your holiday party this year, make it Stevie Wonder’s Someday At Christmas. You will not regret this.
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The Go-Go’s – I’m Gonna Spend Christmas With A Dalek
The title of this song says it all. Where my Doctor Who fans at?
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Fiona Apple – Frosty The Snowman
A surprisingly upbeat move for Fiona, no?
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Catherine Feeny – The Christmas Song
Another selection from The Hotel Café presents Winter Songs, perfect for snuggling by the fire with those special someones.
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John Prine – Christmas In Prison
‘I dream of her always even when I don’t dream/her name’s on my tongue and her blood’s in my strings.’ Surely, some of our readers can relate.
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Run D.M.C. – Christmas In Hollis
Try not to start dancing while giving this classic a spin. Hip-hop’s best holiday tune, at least, so far
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Wham! – Last Christmas
A cliché choice, but you know you love it, and after an eggnog or five, everyone will be singing along to this one. Also, check out the video. Holy ’80s aprés-ski, Batman.
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John Lennon & Yoko Ono – Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
Every year, this song takes on a new sense of urgency, and for reasons that are both entirely new and the same old. Let’s hope this is the year we make John and Yoko’s vision a reality.
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Sufjan Stevens – Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
I mean, we had to include something from the Sufjan Christmas albums. As wonderful as the bulk of them are, especially his original contributions like “Come On, Let’s Boogey to the Elf Dance!” or “Get Behind Me Santa,” it’s hard not to love this tender, banjo-filled rendition of a centuries-old hymn.
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Tegan & Sara – The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)
Who’da ever expected this combination to work? We didn’t. But it does. Oh, it does.
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The LeeVees – Latke Clan
Because we’re all in need of some Hanukkah tunes not by anyone named Adam Sandler, members of Guster and The Zambonis joined forces to create The LeeVees, who have been warming our hearts since 2005 with lyrics like ‘Santa’s cool, but Chanukah Harry’s the man.’
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Ben Kweller – Rock Of Ages
Couldn’t find an video for this one, but you should download Ben Kweller’s tender reworking of a Hanukkah classic.
The Kinks – Father Christmas
The genius of Ray Davies cannot be denied, especially when listening to this hooky holiday reflection on the class struggle in the UK.
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Fucked Up & Friends – Do They Know It’s Christmas?
GZA, Tegan & Sara, Andrew W.K., Ezra Koenig, Kyp Malone and many more remake the Bob Geldof/Band Aid classic for the iPod generation.
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Stars – Fairytale Of New York
If you can get past the use of problematic language in the last verse, this Christmas Eve in the drunk tank classic by The Pogues really is one of the greatest Christmas songs ever written, and Stars just nail it.
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Your favorite holiday tune probably didn’t make our list and you probably have a lot of feelings about that: post them in the ol’ comment receptacle below!
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happy holidays
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