uDiscover’s Christmas Gifts For You
Christmas comes just once a year… but there are countless songs dedicated to it, from obvious classics such as Bing Crosby’s ‘White Christmas’, to more surprising entries from the likes of The Surfaris, whose ‘A Surfer’s Christmas List’ reminds us that “all the hodads and gremmies” celebrate Christmas too – even if they’re hanging out on the beach.
Here at uDiscover we’ve been writing our Christmas lists – playlists, that is. We’ve turned up sacks full of seasonal fare, spanning jazz, blues, soul, prog, R&B and rock, with tunes that range from much-loved standards to more recent originals, to ensure that you’ve got everything you need to celebrate Christmas the way you want to.
So whether you’re basting your turkey or hanging your baubles, explore our six Yuletide playlists, below. You’ll find more than a few crackers to get you into the spirit.
Essential Christmas
From Frank Sinatra to The Beach Boys and beyond, almost everyone has turned their hand to recording a seasonal standard. Our Essential Christmas playlist compiles the best of the songs that have soundtracked Christmas over the decades. There are classics aplenty, among them ‘I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus’, ‘Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!’ and ‘Winter Wonderland’. But just whose versions have we chosen? You’ll have to listen to find out!
Digging Deeper Into Christmas
If you’re looking for something a little different this year, then you mind find yourself digging deeper in search of curios that no one else has heard. Curtis Blow’s ‘Christmas Rappin’’ tells us about “a red-suited dude with a friendly attitude” who’s laden with “goodies for all the people on the block”, while Lady Gaga and Space Cowboy ensure that the Christmas spirit flows freely with their innuendo-laden ‘Christmas Tree’… blink-182, however, might have had a bit too much of the old egg nog when they found out that “it’s not cool to freak on Christmas Eve”, in the madcap events recounted in ‘I Won’t Be Coming Home For Christmas’.
It’s OK To Like… Christmas
If you’re feeling a little jaded, this short blast will get you back in the mood. From rock’n’roll heroes (Check Berry: ‘Run Rudolph Run’) to pop icons and former Beatles (George Michael: ‘December Song (I Dreamed Of Christmas)’; John Lennon: ‘Happy Xmas (War Is Over)’), this playlist is a reminder that it’s OK to like Christmas.
Christmas With Motown
Berry Gordy’s label had something for everyone – it was, after all, The Sound Of Young America. So it’s no surprise that Motown’s biggest stars recorded a swathe of Yuletide songs. Jackson 5 (‘Frosty The Snowman’), Stevie Wonder (‘The Little Drummer Boy’), Marvin Gaye (‘Purple Snowflakes’) and The Supremes (‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Me’) are among the legends in this playlist – over two hours of soulful seasonal classics!
Have Yourself A Blues Christmas
If you’re lacking a little Christmas cheer this season, then you’ll find solace in our blues playlist. The Staple Singers would like to know ‘Who Took The Merry Out Of Christmas’, while Eric Clapton sheds ‘Christmas Tears’. With any luck, BB King might be able to raise a smile with his ‘Christmas Celebration’.
Have Yourself A Jazz Christmas
Had enough of Christmas shopping? Our Jazz playlist is the perfect soundtrack for some mulled wine by the fireside. Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Jordan get cozy on ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside’, while Louis Armstrong is on hand to wish us all a ‘Cool Yule’. But we’ll give Frank Sinatra the final word here today and hope that you all ‘Have Yourself A Very Merry Christmas’.
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