If you’d asked me over the past couple of weeks whether I was ready for Christmas and New Year’s, most days, I would have said ‘nope’ to the former and ‘hell yes!’ to the latter. Undoubtedly, the second year of this dreadful pandemic has brought many challenges, and with omicron spreading quickly and furiously, the outlook for the near future isn’t great either. Still, while it’s always easy to find reasons to complain, I feel I really shouldn’t do it.
Instead, I should be grateful for many things I oftentimes take for granted: A loving wife and son who haven’t gotten sick; the fact thus far I’ve been able to escape the bloody virus; a roof above my head, even though we literally just needed to have it replaced, which wasn’t cheap; a job I’ve been able to do from home for the past two years; writing this blog about music, a topic I love; and so on and so forth.
As such, it’s time to stop having the blues about the inconveniences the pandemic has brought, especially missing out on live music, and to embrace the holiday season. And, yes, you guessed it, music can help. Following are some contemporary Christmas songs in different genres, including pop, rock, punk, rap, funk, classic rock & roll and even hard rock – as well as one breathtaking rendition of a traditional Christmas carol. I’m borrowing picks from a post I did four years ago. All songs are also captured in a Spotify playlist at the end.
John Lennon/Happy Xmas (War Is Over) (1971)
Chuck Berry/Run Rudolph Run (1958)
The Pogues/Fairytale Of New York (1987)
Run-D.M.C./Christmas In Hollis (1987)
AC/DC/Mistress For Christmas (1990)
José Feliciano/Feliz Navidad (1970)
James Brown/Santa Claus, Go Straight To The Ghetto (1968)
The Ravers/(It’s Gonna Be) A Punk Rock Christmas (1978)
Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band/Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (2007)
The Temptations/Silent Night
Below is the Spotify playlist. In the case of (It’s Gonna Be a) Punk Rock Christmas, the version by The Ravers wasn’t available, but I found another rendition of the song by what sounds like a female punk band, The Majorettes.
Happy Holiday Season! If you don’t celebrate Christmas and/or the New Year, I hope this won’t prevent you from having a great time anyway!
Sources: Wikipedia; YouTube
Christian's Music Musings 
I love XMAS music and I’ve done a Christmas post every year. This year I’m just not into it. I think I actually reached the saturation point last year. We will likely put the Yule Log on YouTube and listen to piano versions of tunes. But for the most part, I’m done, at least for now. It makes me feel less Christmas=y but I’m not religious anyway so, don’t even really care. But one day I’ll return.
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I’m not gonna lie. In the past, I certainly felt more like listening to Christmas music tha this year. Plus, perhaps somewhat ironically, my wife is a Jehovah Witness and my son doesn’t care that much about Christmas, so we don’t really celebrate the hoiday at my house.
That being said, I like listening to Christmas music. Plus, when I was still living in Germany, Christmas was a big deal. We all gathered at my grandma’s (my mother’s mon) and the other grandparents (from my dad’s side) came over, so it was a nice family gathering. That aspect I do miss, I have to say…
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Yeah I don’t even really think I’m down or covid’s got me bummed out or anything. I’m finding that I’m kinda indifferent to XMAS these days so why am I listening to that music? In a way it just feels like any other month. Then Christmas Day comes, turn on the Yule log, pass gifts around, then turn it off. Like a switch. Not really ‘humbug’ but then again, not quite into it.
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I saw Bruce do that in concert on a Xmas eve show (or close to it) in Seattle back in the 70’s. It was perfect
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Oh, wow, that must have been cool. I’ve been to two Springsteen shows, and both were phenomenal!
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It was pretty low tech. Clarence donned a Santa hat and Bruce sprinkled paper snow flakes on his head to set the tone. It was hilarious. part of the encore if i remember correctly.
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Rockin Around The Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee is the best Christmas song in the whole universe. And then Feliz Navidad after that. Also, Nat King Cole The Christmas Song and The Carpenters’ Merry Christmas Darling. And along with the Temptations one that you got here there’s also a couple other good Motown ones.
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I got behind at work Christian…. great selections! I feel fortunate that we have escaped the virus so far also…I am ready for the new year and hope this one is better. I have to say though this one was better than 2020…I hope we keep building.
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Thanks, Max. I have to say I could start complaining about things, such as not having been able to go to concerts as I used to, but I’m not going to do that.
The reality is these are relatively minor inconveniences in the middle of a pandemic that only in this country has killed more than 800,000 people!
Instead, I’d like to appreciate the fact my family and I have stayed healthy (knock on wood!), that I have a job I can safely do from home, and other things I used to take for way too granted!
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Yes knock on wood! I thought that when I was typing it.
I am grateful that Bailey is ok and having a good time. He saw the Berlin Wall and will get to the Bealtes Museum soon.
Yea man we all have something to be thankful for.
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