Christmas Music

Staying with a seasonal theme, let's talk about the melodies that bring a gentle smile to one's face at this time of year... and the melodies that make one grimace.

One can assume that when I get my hands on the latest Sufjan Stevens release, all of these lists will change drastically. Next year, I expect you’ll find me bopping around my Christmas tree to songs like “Did I make you cry on Christmas Day? (Well, you deserved it!)”, “Come on, lets bogey to the elf dance”, “What child is this anyway?”, “That was the worst Christmas ever!” and “Get behind me, Santa!”

In the meantime, here are:

My favourite Christmas songs

1. Joni Mitchell – River
2. Joni Mitchell – Both sides now (re-recorded orchestral version)
3. Joni Mitchell – Come in from the cold
4. Tori Amos – Winter
5. Rickie Lee Jones – Pink Flamingos
   

My favourite songs about Christmas

1. The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl – Fairytale of New York
2. Band Aid – Do they know it’s Christmas?
3. The Pretenders – 2000 miles
   

My favourite Christmas song oddities

1. Kate Bush – December will be magic again
2. Prince – Another lonely Christmas
3. Laura Nyro – December Boudoir
   

My most hated Christmas songs

1. Anything by Cliff Richard
2. Last Christmas by Wham!
3. The Flying Pickets “Only You”