I don’t have to make excuses for any of this, even though the desire is strong, IT’S CHRISTMAS. And this is the playlist I listen to (a work-in-progress of MANY YEARS):
1: Christmas Time (Don’t Let the Bells End) (The Darkness) – Probably my favourite Christmas song. I’m not sure how that happened, but yeah, there it is.
2: Do They Know It’s (Snoopy’s) Christmas (The Kustard Kings) – So, like many people, I have a completely rational strong dislike to bloody “Do They Know It’s Christmas.” Because of course they fucking know. Fuck’s sake. Now, you might say, it’s just song lyrics. Sure. Song lyrics that REALLY ANNOY ME and patronise a whole continent, and that’s not the sort of thing I want to hear ever or at Christmas. HOWEVER, remove the lyrics and add a healthy dose of Peanuts and suddenly it’s awesomesauce.
3: Fairytale of New York (The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl)– When I was very young I did not get that this was not a happy song.
4: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (Bing Crosby) –
5: Here Comes Santa Claus (Doris Day) –
6: I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday (Wizzard) – I was going to say I wasn’t actually terribly fond of this, but it just started playing and actually it is QUITE GREAT when it comes after the sombre God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen and the more upbeat but much slower, less sparkly Here Comes Santa Claus. Yay, context!
7: In the Bleak Midwinter (Julie Andrews) – This actually makes me cry, shusht.
8: Is Christmas Only A Tree? (Bing Crosby) – I only know Bing Crosby via Christmas songs but I do love his Christmas songs.
9: Is This Christmas? (The Wombats) – I find this immensely cheering; I love a proper sparkly Christmas song, but I’ve plenty of room left for the angry, depressed ones too.
10:It Must Be Santa (Bob Dylan) –
11: Jingle Bells (Duke Ellington and His Orchestra) – One where I listened to SO MANY VERSION to decide my favourite for THE PLAYLIST and this was the one I liked best.
12: The Little Drummer Boy (Christopher Lee) – No Christmas playlist is complete without some heavy metal from Christopher Lee. FACT.
13: Carol of the Bells (Exultate Choir and Orchestra) – I’m not entirely satisfied with this version as it’s not scary enough, but it’s pretty decent.
14: Deck the Halls (Vic Damone) – I really seem to like quite old American singers for Christmas songs.
15: Good King Wenceslas (The Ames Brothers) – I learned the Other Verses so I could sing along to this.
16: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (Mahalia Jackson) –
17: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Judy Garland) –
18: We Three Kings of Orient Are (Mario Lanza) – The dude calling out the names of the kings is the best. BALTHAZAR!!
19: Jingle Bell Rock (Bobby Helms) –
20: Silent Night (Eva Cassidy) –
21: Cool Yule (Bette Midler) –
And that’s my Christmas playlist!
Lizbeth Myles 