It’s post-Thanksgiving, and for some of us that means over a month of our favorite Yuletide tunes. For others, it’s an onslaught of stale standards you’ve been listening to since you were a kid. Either way, ‘tis the season to bump songs about Santa Claus. Below are some of the best songs for your Christmas playlist. If you have any songs that you’d like to add, contact me at grgsmmsjr@gmail.com.
Wham!- Last Christmas. Go figure. The best pop songwriter of his day creates one of the best Christmas songs of the last 50 years. George Michael was in his bag when he made this cut. Christmas is so good that it stands with any of Michael's secular hits. This ode to lost love during the holidays pretty much redefined the modern holiday single.
José Feliciano- Feliz Navidad. Feliz Navidad is a blast of joy. It’s one of the most sincere sounding Christmas songs of all time, and it’s an expertly crafted pop record.
Donny Hathaway- This Christmas. It’s mind bending that this now Christmas standard wasn’t successful when it dropped in 1970. This song itself is a gift. Honestly, it ain’t the holidays if This Christmas isn’t playing somewhere in December.
Mariah Carey-All I Want for Christmas. You can frown if you want, there’s a reason this single is the highest selling Christmas song/holliday single of all time. It’s an unfairly perfectly crafted pop song that has just the right dash of Christmas spirit and sing-a-long moments to be a modern classic. You may be tired of hearing it for the fifth time in a day at your office, but that’s how smash hits work…you can’t get away from them.
A Few Good Men- Silver Bells. Who knew that in the early 90s, a Boyz II Men influenced R&B group would drop this banger rendition of a Christmas classic that would be a favorite of Black America for decades? This version of Silver Bells is one of the sanginest holliday songs of all time. Get ready to riff along.
Band Aid- Do They Know It’s Christmas. Before USA for Africa did it in 1985, in 1984, the British created the modern super-single with Band Aid’s song. If you’re a Gen-Xer, you remember how insane and incredible the idea was to assemble the greatest stars of a nation to…make a song. Do They Know It’s Christmas wasn’t nearly as massive as America’s We Are the World (in the States), but its impact is huge. It’s also a very touching song.
John Lennon & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band- Happy Xmas (War Is Over). John Lennon. The Harlem Community Choir. Vietnam. Christmas.
Perfection.
Eartha Kitt- Santa Baby. Sexiness had no place in Christmas music, until Kitt sang on this mega classic. Eatha’s purr would make Santa Claus give her your Christmas presents.
