The great Half Man Half Biscuit once said (in the title of their Christmas song) "It’s Clichéd to be Cynical at Christmas" and I completely agree. However, our Christmases and the way we feel about them are shaped by our childhood and our experiences of Christmas as we grow up. I understand if there are those of you out there with a little less Christmas spirit than others, and I also understand there are those who may not celebrate it at all. Me, I had some terrible Christmases when I was young and although I’m not going to ask you to get your violins out, I have as much right to dislike Christmas as anyone. This is exactly why I LOVE IT. I embrace it, I have the tree up by the 1st of December (in fact I have three trees in my house- see pics).
The decorations are up, the wreath is on the door, Martin’s
marvellous mince pies are being baked in the oven and the biggest treat of all
is that I get to listen to my Christmas music, because it’s music that just
doesn’t feel right the rest of the year. Arghhhhh!!!!!!! I hear you shout, not
feckin' Christmas music! It has been piped out in every shop you walk into since
the beginning of November and every music artist and game show host exploit the
time of year to make a few bucks by releasing some vaguely seasonal rubbish
that might give a few yearly royalties. Of course, this is true to some extent
but don’t let this put you off. I think you’re just listening to the wrong
Christmas music and although there is something to be said for the classics
from Sinatra, Crosby, Como, Reeves and yes even Dion, they don’t tend to be the
tracks I listen to the most. Every year I make it my mission to seek out new Christmas
releases from more unusual acts (outsideleft, if you like). This year my
favourite so far is The Unthanks album ‘In Winter’ which was released on
November 29th. It is described by themselves as "A
dream-like winter fantasia, embracing both the dark and the light in the
most ritualistic of seasons". Now that’s an album you are unlikely to hear
piping out of many shops in the high street.
The album that was regularly on the turntable at our house when I was young was "Tijuana Christmas" by the Herb Albert band, so a few tracks from that are always on my playlist as they fly me back to happier Christmases past, like the ghost in A Christmas Carol. Over the years I’ve added a whole bunch of songs to my Christmas playlist and of course since the advent of streaming, this has become a little easier. My playlist today reflects an eclectic music taste, and I shall begin with some of my punk and post-punk faves. Christmas would not be Christmas without Frank Sidebottom and I like to kick off my holiday season with Frank’s. E.P. "Oh Blimey It’s Christmas’" from 1985, which features (as well as the eponymous song), "Christmas in Australia", "In the Summertime" and "Old Lang Zine". Next, my wife won’t start Christmas without listening to The Hives and Cyndi Lauper "A Christmas Duel". You might not want to play that one in front of the kids. Punk bands have always loved a cover version and I remember seeing Stiff Little Fingers in the late 1970s playing their version of "White Christmas", 1,2,3,4 !. My band always played this SLF version as an encore during holiday season gigs and it seemed to go down very well. The Fall even liked a Christmas song or two, and on the 1995 Album ‘Cerebral Caustic’ they include "Jingle Bell Rock’" and "Hark the Herald Angels Sing", but I think my favourite Fall Christmas song is "No Christmas for John Quays" from the 1979 album "Live at the Witch Trials" In 1981. The Ramones "Merry Christmas (I don’t want to Fight Tonight)" is always also good listen and also always a regular play. I discovered the original Album "Ghosts of Christmas Past" from record label Les Disques du Crepuscule in the early 80s whilst browsing in a record shop. It has since been expanded and rereleased, but I still have my original vinyl and it often gets a play during December. It includes "Hot Club of Christ" by Aztec Camera, "One Christmas for your Thoughts" and "Snowflakes" by The Durutti Column and the wonderful "Possessed by the Stars" by White Birds (who were an offshoot of Dutch electronic band Minny Pops).
Psychic TV released the album "Pagan Day" on December 23rd 1984 but the Christmas song on my playlist from the inimitable Genesis P Orridge is from the PTV 1983 album "Dreams Less Sweet" and the track is the unusually melodic "White Nights". If you read my Outsideleft article on the Porthcawl Elvis Festival you’ll know I’m a bit of an Elvis fanboy, so the 1994 album "Merry Mex-mas" from the best Mexican Elvis tribute artist, El Vez is always guaranteed a few plays during this darkest of months. The best tracks on this album are "Mamacita Donde esta Santa Claus", "Poncho Claus" and "Brown Christmas" and the rest of the album is well worth a listen (as is anything else by El Vez).
1. White Nights-
Psychic TV
2. Oh Blimey It’s Christmas – Frank Sidebottom
3. No Christmas for John Quays– The Fall
4. Possessed By The Stars– White Birds
5. Merry Christmas (Idon’t want to Fight Tonight) – The Ramones
6. A Christmas Duel–
The Hives and Cyndi Lauper
7. White Christmas –
Stiff Little Fingers
8. Mamacita Donde esta Santa Claus – El Vez
9. Frosty The Snowman – The Coteau Twins
10. Rocking with Reindeer – John Otway
Header Image: AI generated spooky Santa thing, just to shake you up a bit
