I’ve narrowed my favourites down to four, they’re in no particular order of enjoyment 1) Fairytale of New York, The Pogues and Kirsten MacColl 2) Santa Baby, Eartha Kitt 3) Last Christmas, Wham 4) Jingle Bell Rock, Bobby Helms And if I had to pick an album, it would be Christmas in the Heart by Bob Dylan, of whom I’m not a great fan but I love the mix of songs and carols on it plus his voice is so un-schmaltzy.
“Baby it’s cold outside” now has connotations of coercion - apparently - and is on the norty step.
Oh Gawd! FRT2 is there anything left in this world that hasn’t apparently been sullied by a scuzzy subtext? I would often hear this song on our kitchen radio as a tiny child and think well “just put a coat on”!🙄
I like most genre whether religious or pop. “We’ve” had some really nice mo-town numbers that were new to me and some fifties do-wop versions on the play list in the shop -we actually got complimented the other day for the variety- and not overly intrusive either. Not keen on a version by Kylie of “Santa Baby” though, it’s not a patch on Eartha Kitt. Kylies voice is too thin for that
I prefer the upbeat light hearted rather than the “Last Christmas” broken heart type stuff and there’s one sung by XFactor winner Leona Lewis called “One More Sleep” makes me cringe 😬 all those vocal gymnastics…just no. Bring on Wizard and Jona Lewie😊
I saw Chris de Burgh perform A Spaceman goes Travelling in 1975 when he was the support actor Gallagher & Lyle. I think at the Victoria Theatre in Stoke (I was at college at the time).
I’ve narrowed my favourites down to four, they’re in no particular order of enjoyment 1) Fairytale of New York, The Pogues and Kirsten MacColl 2) Santa Baby, Eartha Kitt 3) Last Christmas, Wham 4) Jingle Bell Rock, Bobby Helms And if I had to pick an album, it would be Christmas in the Heart by Bob Dylan, of whom I’m not a great fan but I love the mix of songs and carols on it plus his voice is so un-schmaltzy.
Sarah McLachlins beautiful Christmas album “Wintersong “ not a bad track on it though I,m particularly fond of the First Noel/Mary Mary which has a distinct Middle Eastern twist.The other album that I always play is Thea Gilmore,s Strange Communion that has my favourite Wintersong Sol Invictus . Well worth listening to .
A Spaceman came Travelling is one of my favourites. I also like Driving Home for Christmas and O Holy Night (an old recording by a famous Swedish tenor).
Apart from the 1950s Christmas songs, most of which I adore from my childhood, two more of my favourites are One More Sleep - Leona Lewis and Merry Christmas - Elton John and Ed Sheeran.