Drinking, Dancing and Crying: 35 Christmas Songs Everyone Needs This (And Every) Holiday Season
Camera Obscura — “The Blizzard”
Aside from its subject matter, there’s not actually much separating this song, a cover of an old country song, from all the regular Camera Obscura songs, but there’s something about their understated elegance and general flair for melancholy that just automatically feels Christmasy.
James Brown — “Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto”
Like “Father Christmas” by the Kinks (more on that later), “Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto” is a song about how the less fortunate among us experience Christmas. Or about how they might experience Christmas if James Brown weren’t around to give Santa Claus such specific orders.
Bing Crosby — “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”
If anyone says there’s a better version of this song, they’re lying. No matter how many times I hear it, I am completely, utterly shocked when the creepy Rudolph voice comes in. They really don’t make ’em like they used to.
Run D.M.C. — “Christmas in Hollis”
As I mentioned earlier, I was born in 1978, which put me at pretty much the perfect age to lose my shit when shit song came out. What I didn’t mention earlier is that I was also born in Hollis. So yeah. This song, you guys, it is totally about me. Except it’s not. Like, at all.
The Beach Boys “Santa’s Beard”
Again, aside from the fact that they say “Santa” about a million times, there’s not much separating this from all the other Beach Boys songs of the era. But still, so good.