Marla Hansen is also a positive in this song, her faint vocals allowing the instrumentals to shine through and take control of the melody. While this rendition of “Coventry Carol” isn’t a major diversion from its original source material, the string orchestrals in the background paired with the banjo throughout the entire song are beautiful and bring an extra dimension to an often simple melody. Benjamin the Bearded One – Sufjan Stevens Sufjan’s quiet vocals sing to the soft background of a guitar and light percussion about how “the things you want in life you have to really need.” This song concludes slowly and quietly, a complete contrast to how it began, with a slow fade of quiet vocals as the instrumentals fade out simultaneously.Ĭarol of St. The strong opening with a mix of of harp, woodwinds, and other stringed instruments conveys a sense of urgency and is a solid rendition of “The Carol of the Bells.” But, halfway through, a viola emerges from the rest of the instruments and the cacophonous background cuts away into harmonic clarity. Benjamin the Bearded One” is one of my favourite Christmas songs of all time. We Need A Little Christmas – Sufjan Stevens The building instrumentals throughout the short song emphasize its brevity while also pushing the message that we do “Need A Little Christmas” to get through the cold Winter season. Sufjan Stevens’ “We Need A Little Christmas” is a faithful rendition to the original with a general folksy tone. Originally written by The Irish Rovers, the lyrics about a happy Christmas in Ireland cause me to envision a nice vacation in a winter cottage surrounded by farmland and roaming sheep.
AULD LANGY SYNE LYRICS STRAIGHT NO CHASER MOVIE
My favourite holiday movie of all-time, the soundtrack for The Polar Express is fantastic overall, but the best two songs have to be both the eponymous “The Polar Express” and “Hot Chocolate.” These songs both do a solid job at expressing the childhood wonder surrounding the North Pole and Santa Claus and the excitement of Christmas Eve and a train ride to a young child. Immediately using description to build imagery, Nat King Cole creates an entire scenario for Christmas at the warm hearth keeping out the cold, expanding to describe all of the key points that “make the season bright.” The opening lines “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire” of Nat King Cole’s “The Christmas Song” are some of the most iconic lyrics of the holiday season. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – Bing Crosby Both “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” and “Silent Night” are more religious and classic, discussing the need for quiet contemplation on the night of Jesus’ birth. “White Christmas” describes the hope for snow and calls for the nostalgic remembrance of childhood glee associated with Winter weather. Three Bing Crosby classics all epitomize the quiet nature of a cold, dark winter night. “What Child is This” has a completely different and melancholic tone from the other two Vince Guaraldi Trio songs on this list, but is a fantastic cover of the timeless Christmas carol.Ĭhristmas Time is Here (Instrumental) – Vince Guaraldi Trio
“Christmas Time is Here” is somewhat more sombre, but reflects well on the relaxation associated with the end of the year with the use of light percussion and resolving chords. Their version of “O Tannenbaum” is filled have an overall jazzy tone and timbre and works well as a light dance song.
Moving straight into the more serious classics, Vince Guaraldi Trio’s soundtrack for “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is a perfect instrumental representation of the holiday season. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer – Straight No Chaser This rendition utilizes certain unique aspects, such as a radio frame and a jazzy second verse to make the song stand on its own. “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” is a Christmas classic reimagined by Straight No Chaser, an all-male acapella group. I will present them first with a reason for their placement on this playlist and then the song itself, followed by it’s artist. There is no particular order for any of these songs, so I will not be ranking them. While much of this music may not be the classic christmas, hanukkah, and general holiday music that we all know and love, most of these songs carry deep meaning for me and help me to envision the season of snow and a nice relaxing winter break. This year, I have compiled a playlist of my definitive, must-play music for the holidays! You can listen to the playlist on Spotify here:
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