31 days of Christmas

Day 29 Lady Antebellum – On This Winter’s Night

This is one of the more modern inclusions in my Christmas song playlist. I discovered this song this year after recalling that Lady Antebellum had released a Christmas album last year. I love this band, I think their songs are awesome and full of meaning. They are such a great addition to the Country music scene because they blend it with pop making it more accessible to the younger generation. Let’s face it ‘Need you now’ is a classic!

I fell in love with this song, the only original on the album, straight away. It’s so soft, so festive and beautiful. It reminds me of ‘Silent night’ with a country and R&B twist. Sounds strange but listen and you’ll hear what I mean. The harmonies are stunning and I love the call and response “On this winter’s night (We’ll look back on the year we’ve had) On this winter’s night (we’ll count our blessings)” – it’s just beautifully written and beautifully sung. It’s even got a children’s choir!

A fine addition to Christmas music.

31 days of Christmas

Day 28 Jona Lewie – Stop The Cavalry

This is one fine song. It supplies me with plenty of memories of me and my younger brother mucking around when we were younger pretending to play the brass instruments heard in the song! Good times. This is one of those more political Christmas tunes which manages to avoid the cheese-factor by having a more meaningful message than perhaps some other festive songs do.

Interestingly, this was apparently never written as a Christmas song, instead as just a protest song. It’s December release, the line ‘Wish I was at home for Christmas’ and brass band arrangements just made it appropriate to be played at Christmas time.

Great song.

31 days of Christmas

Day 27 Dean Martin – Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

Another classic, this is an awesome song. It’s really simple and is relatively short for a pop song but that’s part of what makes it so enchanting. There’s been countless interpretations of this song and I do love most I’ve heard although Dean Martin’s remains my favourite. I just love his voice on his version.

Other versions I’ve heard and have thoroughly enjoyed include Kylie Minogue, John Legend and Rod Stewart.

31 days of Christmas

Day 26 Andy Williams – Happy Holiday (The Holiday Season)

I absolutely adore this song! This year my love for the classics has grown – I’ve developed a love for Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Andy Williams and more. They just have such rich, pure voices and I love listening to them on a Sunday morning. I’ve always enjoyed this song but I’ve grown to appreciate it more in the last couple of years. It’s apparently a song created out of two other songs ‘Happy Holiday’ (a short song in the movie ‘White Christmas’) and ‘The Holiday Season’. It’s so happy, so Christmassy and just an awesome song. My Mum also loves this song so it always reminds me of her 🙂

31 days of Christmas

Day 25 Michael Buble – Cold December Night

Merry Christmas everybody!

I absolutely adore Michael Buble’s Christmas album and could have selected any track from it but I have chosen the one original track ‘Cold December Night’. I love this song as it’s so cheerful and catchy –  everything a Christmas song should be!

Mr Buble is the perfect soundtrack to Christmas 🙂

 

31 days of Christmas

Day 24 Wham – Last Christmas

Happy Christmas Eve! This is my favourite Christmas song of all time. You may think I’m a little biased as I’m a massive George Michael fan and George was of course one half of Wham but I just love this song so much. It’s the first Christmas song I remember hearing and I’ve grown up listening to it every year. No matter how many times I hear it it never loses it’s magic as it’s just a fantastic song.

I guess it’s another quite sad song lyrically but the 80’s instrumentation and the Christmassy feel of the track along with George’s vocal delivery just makes it an awesome song.

I’ve never heard another version of this that I’ve liked as much even despite the high amount of covers. Billie Piper’s version is the only one that comes close, as unlikely as that seems!

This has such a festive music video too. Love the story telling and how Christmassy it is.

31 days of Christmas

Day 22 Chris Brown – This Christmas

This is another song that has been covered many times and if I’m honest, the artist doesn’t bother me as it’s the song I love. Chris Brown was how I discovered this song, however. Every year I YouTube my favourite artist’s name with ‘Christmas’ after it to see if they’ve done a festive song/cover/performance. Around four years ago I did this with Chris Brown and found he had done this song.

I love Chris’ version of this. The acapella intro is fantastic and the R&B vibe he gives it is just awesome. It’s such a great uplifting Christmas song an it’s not played enough at Christmas in my opinion. I just think it’s an all round great song and it’s so good to hear Chris’ natural voice rather than one that’s been manipulated through auto-tune.

Definitely one of my favourite festive records.

31 days of Christmas

Day 21 Mary J. Blige – Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

This is the most modern release in my playlist as Mary J Blige’s interpretation of this song was released on her Christmas album, released a couple of months ago. In all honesty I don’t mind who sings this song, it’s just a beautiful, relaxing song. and one that captures the ‘peace’ element of Christmas.

I’ve chosen Mary’s version, however because I’ve heard it a few times this year and have been blown away with how lovely it is. Her version isn’t massively different from previous interpretations by other artists but there are a few extra chord variations and her version has a great R&B vibe to it. She also has a fantastic voice. I’d also massively recommend James Taylor’s version which is featured in one of my favourite movies: ‘The Holiday’. His has an awesome acoustic feel to it.

31 days of Christmas

Day 20 Bing Crosby – White Christmas

We’re just five days away from the big day now – woooo! Here we are then, a classic that I couldn’t exclude from the list. Perhaps the most iconic Christmas song ever and one that’s universally loved, this song is perhaps the most festive song ever written. Bing’s voice is just amazing – many a time have I attempted imitating it around the house ;D

Absolute corker of a song! :’)

31 days of Christmas

Day 19 The Darkness – Christmas Time (Don’t let the bells end)

This is what I believe is the 21st Century version of ‘Merry Xmas Everybody’. It’s a full on rock Christmas classic and I absolutely love it. It has a great sing-along chorus and I love the use of the choir towards the end of the track. It’s a fantastically happy tune which is exactly what we need this festive season. Justin Hawkins’ vocal range is incredible too! This also has particularly fond memories for me as it just reminds me of an amazing Christmas when I was younger.

It’s got a great video too – so Christmassy!

Awesome song.