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12 Days of Christmas Songs

12 Days of Christmas Songs

My top twelve Christmas songs - song names are linked to YouTube vids, while artist names take you to Wikipedia for ease of extra trivia gathering...


Last Christmas - Wham
The cheesiest song on the list! It originally lost out to Frankie Goes To Hollywood in the race to Christmas #1 in 1984, but has re-entered the charts numerous times since. Apparently it is the biggest selling single in UK chart history not to reach number one.



Mad World - Gary Jules
This #3 hit song for Tears for Fears (1982) was covered by Gary Jules for the Donnie Darko soundtrack. Jules' version hit #1 in time for Christmas 2003. It's very depressing, but it just taps into the sense of anticlimax that so often pervades Christmas.



Walking in the Air - The Snowman
The Snowman, a 1982 TV adaptation of Raymond Briggs' picture book, is a mainstay of any UK Christmas - I watch it every year, at any rate. Peter Auty sang the song in the film, a cover of which was a 1985 #5 hit for Aled Jones.



Fairytale of New York - The Pogues
Featuring Kirsty MacColl, this song was kept off the top spot in 1987 by the Pet Shop Boys' version of Always On My Mind. Since then it has become a Christmas classic and was certified platinum in the UK in 2013.



Stop The Cavalry - Jona Lewie
Still not particularly festive, but I love this song. It reached #3 in December 1980, and went to #2 in Australia. The 1981 cover by the Gwalia Singers is supposedly very popular in the States - it just sounds way too cheery to my ears!



Stay Another Day - East 17
The Christmas #1 for 1994, this is such a lovely song - especially considering that East 17 were meant to be the 'bad boys' of the boy band genre, and it's about the suicide of the brother of one of the band members... 



Step Into Christmas - Elton John
On its release in 1973 it peaked at just #24 on the UK chart. These days it's a must for any Christmas party.



Wonderful Christmastime - Paul McCartney
The song peaked at #6 on its release in 1979... but it has made Sir Paul around £10 million in the years since, so he probably doesn't dwell on it too much. This one always puts me in a festive mood.



God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
My favourite Christmas carol (though We Three Kings comes a close second), just check out this traditional choral version. Nothing says Christmas like a slightly sinister sounding tale of joy.



Carol of the Bells
Based on a Ukrainian folk song, the English lyrics were developed by Peter Wilhousky in 1936. It sounds really timeless though. Two of my favourite versions are by Pentatonix and John Williams.



I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday - Wizzard
This song only peaked at #4 in the UK charts way back in 1973, which seems hard to believe now that its such a staple of the season!



Merry Xmas Everybody - Slade
Just as Slade beat Wizzard to the 1973 Christmas #1, so they've pipped them to the post in my personal countdown. It went silver on pre-orders alone, then gold in its first week of release. Even if the glam rock look has aged terribly, the song is still an absolute gem!



What's your favourite Christmas song? :)








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Comments

  1. Emily Twin Mummy and Daddy11 December 2015 at 20:11

    I love a good Christmas song! Actually downloaded a Christmas album onto my phone the other day. Thanks for linking up to the #BinkyLinky

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jessica Powell11 December 2015 at 20:55

      Hehe, it has to be done - Christmas cheese on the go is a must :)

      Delete
  2. Anonymous11 December 2015 at 21:47

    I love the carol of the bells!
    Some of these remind me of Christmas in retail - :/ !
    #thelist

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jessica Powell11 December 2015 at 22:57

      Hehe, yeah, my brother is working supermarket nightshifts at the moment and keeps complaining that he is going to be driven insane before the season is over. :)

      Delete
  3. Veshion Life13 December 2015 at 22:14

    Great songs! Love the idea of the list of songs..nice! :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. everinmay13 December 2015 at 22:25

    Love this, I love The Darkness Christmas Time is makes me sing along everytime I hear it! xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jessica Powell14 December 2015 at 02:50

      I love that song, it was stuck in my head all day yesterday! :)

      Delete
  5. Rachel13 December 2015 at 22:31

    Oooh these are such good choices, I think my favourites are Last Christmas and I wish it could be Christmas everyday! Feel so festive when I whack on the christmas tunes! xo

    http://rachelnicole.co.uk/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jessica Powell14 December 2015 at 18:12

      I can't believe it's so close to Christmas, I'm not feeling it at all yet. I'm going to play lots of Christmas songs this weekend and try to get festive! :D

      Delete
  6. Moderate Mum15 December 2015 at 12:30

    The Christmas season officially starts the first time I hear Mariah Careys All I Want for Christmas. Love that you put Brian and the boys in there!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jessica Powell16 December 2015 at 21:18

      :D I got the Christmas albums out today, it's almost upon us!

      Delete
  7. thisiswhereitisat17 December 2015 at 11:58

    Never thought of Mad World as Christmas, but I bloody love the song. I love your description about the climax of Christmas, I'm a sucker down beat lol X #TheList

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jessica Powell17 December 2015 at 19:30

      I try to be an optimist, but I can't help my nature lol. :)

      Delete
  8. MyDIY17 December 2015 at 19:16

    Hello Jessica,
    my favorite Christmas song is John Lennon, "So this is Christmas".
    I wish you a merry christmas.
    greetings
    Uwe

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jessica Powell17 December 2015 at 19:30

      That's such a great song! It was really hard to narrow it down to just 12 for this list! :)

      Delete

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