Oh come all ye faithful, why, oh why, oh why, oh why are The Beach Boys on an Alternative Christmas Songs site I hear you cry.
Well, The Beach Boys are synonymous with the sound of summer so by releasing a Christmas Album they instantly rank highly as alternative sound of Christmas with their harmonious yuletide fare.
Brian Wilson pop sensibilities are sweet as a fat man in a red suit on Christmas standards such as ‘White Christmas’ and ‘Frosty the Snowman’ as well as contemporary tunes like ‘Blue Christmas’ and ‘The Man with all the Toys.’
Originally released in 1964, the Capitol reissue includes four bonus tracks, including ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ and the single version of ‘Little Saint Nick.’
The full listing of the The Beach Boys Christmas Album is:
Yep you heard it right Bob Dylan has released a Christmas album, his first and only Christmas album in a 45+ year career.
‘Christmas in the Heart’ (Columbia) follows ‘Together Through Life’ making it the second Dylan album in the same year, so maybe everyday is Christmas for Dylan’s fans. Christmas in the Heart is a collection of 15 songs none of which are original Dylan compositions.
The Christmas album comes in at 42 minutes long and includes standards such as Winter Wonderland, The First Noel and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.
The album cover depicts a 19th century two horse and open sleigh theme. Dylan generally divides and this Christmas album will be loved or hated by Dylan fans in equal measure. Only time will tell if it will make it to a more mainstream Christmas album rotations alongside Dean Martin, Bing Crosby and Elvis by a wider audience or will be listened to be those with a more alternative and eclectic tastes.
It’s Christmas and a time of charity so it’s worth noting that all present and future sales of Christmas in the Heart will be shared equally by three charities that seek to feed the hungry.
The full track listing for Christmas in the Heat is:
Here Comes Santa Claus
Do You Hear What I Hear?
Winter Wonderland
Hark The Herald Angels Sing
I’ll Be Home For Christmas
Little Drummer Boy
The Christmas Blues
O’ Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles)
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Must Be Santa
Silver Bells
The First Noel
Christmas Island
The Christmas Song
O’ Little Town Of Bethlehem
More reviews of Bob Dylan ‘Christmas in the Heart’ online
We had some much fun researching alternative Christmas songs for Elvis Presley v Jonny Cash we thought we would post the alternative, alternative mashup and hence The King v Cash is here.
Their are a couple of little gems in here. One of Elvis looking slighty worse for wear (maybe he indulged in the Christmas spirits a little to early. What is in his tea cup?) and some unsure muscians in the background are worth noting.
Meanwhile Jonny Cash endorses Coca-Cola, the soft drinks company who put Santa Claus in a big red suit and marketed their sugary soft drink to the world.
So whether you are drinking hard liqour, soda pop or a cup of tea this Christmas, we raise a glass to you -- have yourself a very merry alternative Christmas!
Elvis Presley -- Merry Christmas Baby
Jonny Cash -- Christmas As I knew It
Elvis Presley -- If Every Day Was Like Christmas Time
Jonny Cash -- Daddy Sang Bass
Elvis Presley -- I’ll Be Home On Christmas Day
Jonny Cash -- 12 Days Of Christmas
Elvis Presley -- I’ll Be Home For Christmas
Jonny Cash -- Amazing Grace
Elvis Presley -- It Wont Seem Like Christmas Without You
Jonny Cash & June Carter Cash -- Darlin Companion
Elvis Prsley -- The First Noel
Jonny Cash -- Coca-Cola Christmas Commercial -- Thing Called Love
Collecting the videos and listening to the songs for an alternative Christmas with Jonny Cash v Elvis Presley got me thinking about how the world has changed in just a few short years.
Watching these videos and listening to these songs reminds me of what is important in life, not just Christmas -- family, friends and those less fortunate then ourselves.
I don’t want to preach but, these innocent times depicted in these videos were not that long ago but seem an age away from the rampant consumerism, me me me culture we live in today. No wonder the world is the mess it is.
Enjoy the songs and have a beautiful Christmas.
Elvis Presley -- Merry Christmas Baby / Blue Christmas -- The King looking the best he ever did and havin’ a whole lotta fun doing what he did best TCOB.
Jonny Cash -- Christmas Guest
Elvis Prseley -- It Wont seem Like Christmas Without You
Jonny Cash -- Silent Night / Little Drummer Boy
Elvis Presley -- Holly Leaves And Christmas Trees
Jonny Cash -- Christmas As I Knew It
Elvis Presley -- Santa Bring My Baby Back To Me
Jonny Cash - I Believe
Elvis Presley and Martina McBride -- Blue Christmas from the album Blue Christmas 2008
Jonny Cash - 12 Days Of Christmas
Find you favourite alternative Christmas songs to download here.
The clocks are winding back, the leaves are turning brown and there’s a cold bite to the air. Yep, Christmas is just around the corner. I for one like to enjoy Christmas as far away from home (London) as possible, somewhere were the sun shines brightly and the sea is blue, I’ve seen it on Youtube, now let’s see if it’s true.
To get me into the holiday mood this Christmas I thought I’d compile a alternative surf Christmas songs list. Surfs up!
It’s Gonna be a Surfer’s Christmas -- Morning Glass
Surf Rock Christmas Song -- Ventures
Christmas Time in Bagdad
Captain Santa Clause -- Bobby Helms
Lord’s Prayer -- Beach Boys
Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree -- Brenda Lee
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer -- Gene Autry
We Three Kings of Orient Are -- Marvin Gaye & the BeachBoys
We’ve had a festive trawl around Youtube and put a collection of alternative Christmas videos together to keep your eyeball busy this Xmas.
Here is our Top Ten 10 Alternative Christmas Videos and a few surprise songs are in the too.
Here is the Boss, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band perform Santa Claus is Coming to Town. What a Christmas party!
Gabba Hey! The Ramones -- Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight Tonight) Pure punk pop genius.
The Killers recorded A Great Big Sled for the Red Charity. Well it’s a very charitable time of year!
St Etienne featuring Tim Burgess of Charlatans fame perform I was Born on Christmas Day on Channel 4’s The Word.
Sujan Stevens -- That Was the Worst Christmas Ever. Where to start with Stevens? He’s made so many indie rock alternative Christmas albums of late picking one track is bound to cause debate. He could have a whole Top Ten of his own!
The Kinks -- Father Christmas. Londons finest Ray Davies and The Kinks get into the festive spirit on the Old Grey Whistle Test
Malcolm Middleton featuring Kim Noble -- We are All Going to Die. The amiable Scot forgot to mention paying taxes!
U2 -- Baby Please Come Home -- Bono give The Edge a run for his money in the hat stakes in this video.
St. Etienne -- My Christmas Prayer. The second video by St. Etienne to feature in our alternative Christmas videos. Sarah come and sing to us on Christmas day!! The track is from the 1993 Lovers Unite Christmas single
Black Box Recorder
Black Box Recorder and Art Brut- Christmas Number One. A sideways swipe at all those cliched Christmas videos!
You can now start building you Alternative Christmas Song playlist on Spotify.
Log into your free Spotify account and search by song title or artist and simply drag and drop each track into your new Alternate Xmas Song Playlist.
By the time Christmas arrives and the inlaws and outlaws arrive you’ll have playlists to cover all tastes with you family and friends locked down and good to go.
They will be amazed (or appauled) with your Christmas musical knowledge. You will be the life and soul of the party! I hope the garish sweater your nan knitts, fits you well!
Bah Humbug! Alternatively you can annoy the hell out of everyone who enters your domain this Christmas bearing festive greetings…
Find a popular Christmas song on Spotify that has been covered by just about everyone and save the whole playlist.
See how long you can get away with playing the same song by different artists until:
A) Every body leaves you the hell alone
B) Everyone is driven insane
C) You are to drunk to care
Silent Night Video by Sixpence None the Richer featuring Dan Haseltine from Jars of Clay
Here is my Top Ten Alternative Christmas Spotify Playlist to drive you, your family and friends insane this holiday season!
I’ve been thinking about the all time best christmas song for some time which is hard when it’s a bright sunny October day outside.
Many Christmas song for me just drive me insane. They’re over jolly or over played. They are not what I want to hear and not what I feel when I’m doing my Xmas shopping late in December on Oxford Street.
‘Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy’ I enjoy, purely for the Bowie and Bing intro banter ‘Ello I’m David Bowie, I live down the road!
That aside, I’m always drawn to one song and one song only and that song is…
The Pogues fearuring Kirst McColl -- Fairytale of New York.
Written by Shane MacGowan & Jem Finer, the single was released in1987 from the album ‘If I should fall from grace with God’ by The Pogues and that alone takes me back to my early twenties and some fond memories.
Fairytale of New York was reissued in 1991, 1995 2005
Who can argue with the lyrics of Shane MacGowan…
It was Christmas Eve babe
In the drunk tank
An old man said to me, won’t see another one
And then he sang a song
The Rare Old Mountain Dew
And I turned my face away
And dreamed about you
Got on a lucky one
Came in eighteen to one
I’ve got a feeling
This year’s for me and you
So happy Christmas
I love you baby
I can see a better time
When all our dreams come true
They’ve got cars
Big as bars
They’ve got rivers of gold
But the wind goes right through you
It’s no place for the old
When you first took my hand
On a cold Christmas Eve
You promised me
Broadway was waiting for me
You were handsome
You were pretty
Queen of New York City
When the band finished playing
They howled out for more
Sinatra was swinging
All the drunks they were singing
We kissed on the corner
Then danced through the night
The boys of the NYPD choir
Were singing ‘Galway Bay’
And the bells were ringing
Out for Christmas day
You’re a bum
You’re a punk
You’re an old slut on junk
Living there almost dead on a drip
In that bed
You scum bag
You maggot
You cheap lousy faggot
Happy Christmas your arse
I pray God
It’s our last
I could have been someone
So could anyone
You took my dreams
From me when I first found you
I kept them with me babe
I put them with my own
Can’t make it all alone
I’ve built my dreams around you
Just before you smash your stereo into a thousand pieces at the prospect of hearing another jingly jangly santa-pop radio hit, remember that next week you’ll need it because you’ll be throwing your own holiday party! Now that’s what I call a dilema, but put down that burning hot pan of mould wine and think twice before sending your boombox to a watery grave.
You don’t HAVE to whack on the same old traditional jumbo to mark out the party as truly festive. I concede that any decent Christmas party play does simply have to include the default standards, but does it have to be at the expense of our sanity? The tunes start doing my head in and after hearing the same tracks at every shop, bar, and telly commercial.
So, here is my own non-traditional xmas compilation. Most of the songs have classic lyrics so everyone can sing along plus the melodies cater to even the shapest pair of Indie ears. It’s a win-win. Now, where did my santa outfit go?
1. Thanks for Christmas -- XTC. This song is upbeat and sure to start off any Christmas party on the right foot. The lyrics hit everyone’s favorite Christmas traditions; decorating the tree, snow falling down and spending time with loved ones.
2. Christmas Party, by The Walkmen. The intro to this track sound like an old Christmas radio show monologue. Then straight into a cheeky 50’s lounge style song making you feel the need to do the Mash Potato around the living room.
3. Jingle bell Rock, by The Arcade Fire.Indie style, everyone knows it. undisputable.
4. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), by Death Cab for Cutie. A lovely , low-key song about longing for that certain somebody at the most special time of the year.
5. A Change at Christmas, by the Flaming Lips. This one embraces all the old-school values of Christmas. Peace on earth and all that jazz! (p.S- it’s not jazzy)
6. Last Christmas, by Jimmy Eat World. A perfect Jimmy Eat World song. The lyrics are a little depressing, but no is Christmas (occasionally)
7. Maybe This Christmas, by Ron Sexsmith. What a classic. An inspiring track about the possibilities and emotions that Christmas time may unearth!
8. Blue Christmas, by Bright Eyes. Did somebody say this was an Alternative Christmas song list? well it wouldn’t be complete without a Bright eyes song. Elvis eat your heart out.
9. All I Want For Christmas is You, by My Chemical Romance. A swift romp, sing-along lyrics and flowing booze makes for a lively xmas bash. Get everyone boogying with this version of a timeless xmas classic
10. Santa, Bring My Baby Back to Me, by Belle and Sebastian. Another track missing a loved one. Brilliant band too. Add this to your playlist to balance out all the Eggnog rowdy-ness.
