Festive Five

It’s the most wonderful time of year - if you’re in New Zealand where they’ve just declared themselves COVID free. Normally it wouldn’t even cross my mind to sit and write something my laptop at this time of year because I’d usually be sat in the pub, and not be force-fed something just so I can have a beer. The good old days.

The weirdest Christmas of our lifetimes is upon us and it feels as if we’re living through some sort of sci-fi/horror film. But it will end at some point, and there is a day in the future where someone will sit in front of a TV camera and declare the UK virus free and we can all live our normal lives once again. I can confirm that I won’t take anything for granted again, not even standing on a severely overcrowded train that I paid £60 for.

Anyway, I’m gonna try and bring some positivity to a not-so-positive Christmas, as Mrs Brown’s Boys has somehow bagged itself a slot on prime time TV on Christmas Day. Instead of that, you can all put the best Christmas songs (in my opinion) into a playlist and happily miss that God awful programme.

1. Low - Just Like Christmas

Not the most popular but arguably my favourite song of all time. It’s one of those songs that would get away with being played on the radio as a normal song, and not just as a Christmas one. The lyrics are actually quite depressing but cheer up in the second verse. It’s about those small shared moments that make you and someone close to you feels Christmassy but would seem like something completely normal to someone else.

It’s got all the Christmas connotations throughout the track, namely the sleigh bells, and the beginning immediately makes me think of a train(?), which again, is weirdly a pretty seasonal thing.

You’ll probably wonder why I’m bigging up such a miserable sounding song but there’s just something about it that I love, and that’s why it’s the first one on the festive playlist. It’s a cool Christmas song.

2. Elton John - Step Into Christmas

Surely in everyone’s top 3 Christmas songs. That guitar riff at the beginning is massive, and I reckon most people know it from the very first note. The feel-good factor of Christmas tunes and even the name is positive. Stepping into Christmas with this song on repeat from December 1st is more than enough to take the sting out of a lockdown. Get this on loud wherever you may be on Christmas morning and you’ll be ready for whatever 2021 has to throw at you.

3. Little Saint Nick - The Beach Boys

Less than 2 minutes of perfect harmonies, an upbeat rhythm and some quite brilliant lyrics. Better known for their 2 iconic tunes ‘Good Vibrations’ and ‘Wouldn’t It Be Nice’, The Beach Boys released this criminally underrated track, along with 11 others in 1964 and it still gets air time today. Will there ever be a new dawn of Christmas songs or will we play these classics for the rest of eternity?

4. I Believe in Father Christmas - Greg Lake

Beginning with a mellow feeling with the sound of a choir in the background, a light guitar riff and the unsurprising ringing of bells, but gradually gets into a bit more of a dramatic feeling, until it reaches a climax towards the end as a brass band takes control. A member of Emerson, Lake and Palmer, who released their first album in 1970, again backs up my case that the best Christmas songs were released before many of us were born. (Sorry if I’ve just offended you and made you feel ancient).

5. Fairytale of New York - The Pogues

I mean, I’d get slated if I didn’t include this, wouldn’t I? I don’t know what to say about it other than it’s an absolute classic. I usually write about music that’s not very well heard of and why you should listen to it but you’ve all probably heard this at least 250 times before to there wouldn’t be any point in me writing about it. Just get it on and try and feel as festive as possible.

There are loads of others that come to mind, especially as I’ve written this and I’ve had a look at just how many there are. Other deserved mentions:

• Merry Xmas Everybody - Slade

• Christmas Wrapping - The Waitresses

• Sleigh Ride - The Ronettes

• Stop the Cavalry - Jona Lewie

Hope you’re feeling a little bit more Christmassy after reading this. I know we should all be in the pub right now or spending a £13 for a pint and a pancake in the Christmas markets, but that’s all being saved for next year. This Christmas is gonna be so much different but we’ll get through it, and the next one and the one after and the one after that will be 10 times better than this year.

I’m in the middle of writing a post of the ‘best of 2020’ where I’ll reveal my favourite tracks and albums from this year, so keep a lookout for that. But in the meantime, drink loads, eat loads, be merry, be grateful for those around you, and be safe.