Christmas Special: Top Songs To Add To Your Playlist
5 min read
Last Christmas
Last Christmas, the song by British pop duo Wham! was released on December 3, 1984. The song speaks about the singer’s journey from being lovestruck to falling out of love. However, the track was not supposed to be a Christmas classic. Andrew Ridgeley, who co-created the song George Michael, said, “It was an ambition. He conceived the melody and recognized that it would make a brilliant Christmas song. As our success grew through 1984, he wanted the icing on the cake. Christmas No. 1s for us growing up in the ‘70s were a big deal. They seemed to be the preserve of the elite artists of the day. I think Yog (Michael’s nickname) felt it would confer status and elevate the brand.”
All I Want For Christmas Is You
Christmas seems incomplete without this Mariah Carey track. Many memes and social media posts have termed Mariah as the ‘queen of Christmas’. She wrote and produced the song with Walter Afanasieff. It was released as the lead single from the album on October 29, 1994. All I Want for Christmas Is You also spent a 17th week at No. 1 on the multi-metric Billboard Hot 100 chart recently.
Bobby Helms’ Jingle Bell Rock briefly references other popular songs of the 1950s, such as Rock Around the Clock. This popular Christmas anthem was written by Joseph Carleton Beal and James Ross Boothe. It was released in 1957, right during the Rock and Roll era is mid 50s to mid 60s. It is considered a Christmas rock and roll, rockabilly, and country song.
Kelly Clarkson’s Underneath the Tree is a pop Christmas song. Written by Clarkson and Kurstin, this song released on November 5, 2013, as a part of her sixth studio album and first Christmas album, Wrapped in Red (2013). It mixes fast-paced lyrics with Kelly’s free-flowing high notes. The lyrics speak about companionship during the holidays.
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town is a Christmas song written by J. Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie. It was first recorded by Harry Reser and His Orchestra. While all the versions of the song are popular, the vibe of the Frank Sinatra version is loved by many. The song is played every Christmas while people await the arrival of Santa Claus. It is meant to raise your spirits while making you Christmas-ready!
Celine Dion’s version of O Holy Night became widely popular after its release in 1998. The song is a mix of pop, seasonal and country music. The lyrics speak about Jesus and the joyous celebration around his birth.
Nat King Cole’s The Christmas Song is an ode to the feeling of joy around Christmas. The lyrics speak about the festive spirit that kids feel during the celebrations. Some of the lyrics say, “Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow / Will find it hard to sleep tonight / They know that Santa’s on his way.” Towards the end of the song, the classic Christmas tune brings in nostalgia.
It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas was released in 1951 in the traditional pop-and-jazz genre. It was written by Meredith Willson. The song was originally titled It’s Beginning to Look Like Christmas. Perry Como was the first to record and release the song in 1951.
Canadian singer Michael Bublé’s version was first released on October 24, 2011, as the first track of Bublé’s Christmas album. However, it was then re-released as the album’s second single on November 18, 2012.
Snowman is a down-tempo love song. Sia confesses her love to her snowman, a metaphor for the man she loves. It was released on 9 November 2017, as the second single from Sia’s eighth studio album, Everyday Is Christmas. The lyrics speak about connecting with the love of her life without anyone else’s interference. They go, “Let’s go below zero and hide from the sun / I love you forever where we’ll have some fun / Yes, let’s hit the North Pole and live happily / Please, don’t cry no tears now, it’s Christmas, baby / My snowman and me / My snowman and me.”
Santa Tell Me is a Christmas pop song by Ariana Grande. It was released on November 24, 2014 and was included on the Japanese exclusive reissue of Grande’s first EP Christmas Kisses. A “naughty” version of the song was released as a part of her second EP Christmas & Chill.
Winter Wonderland from Laufey’s A Very Laufey Holiday was released on December 15, 2023. It falls under the seasonal genre. The song speaks about the energetic and fun mood around Christmas. The lyrics go, “Gone away is the bluebird / Here to stay is the new bird / To sing a love song while we stroll along / Walking in a winter wonderland.”
BTS’ V and the late Bing Crosby’s collaboration – a unique rendition of Crosby’s White Christmas, made quite the headlines for being one-of-a-kind. Thanks to modern tech, V and Crosby’s vocals were mixed and matched to create a cover of the iconic Christmas song. Both V and Crosby’s deep, emotive voices did justice to the rendition. The lyrics of the song go, “I’m dreaming of a white Christmas/ With every Christmas card I write/ May your days be merry and bright/ And may all your Christmases be white.”
Here are the top songs that would make your Christmas extra special. Continue reading …Read More
