This one third of Emmerson Lake and Palmer then really gives the instrumentals ‘welly’ at the end, making this song sound far more Christmassy than the festive industry he’s attacking.ġ4 December will be Magic Again - Kate Bush At first listen it actually sounds anti-Christmas, but I’m assured is only anti-Christmas commercialism. Belafonte is the touch of class this compilation so sorely needs.ġ3 I Believe in Father Christmas - Greg Lake The perfect remedy to Boney M, whose version also appeared on volume one. I particularly like the booming ‘kettle drum’ which de-cheeses the sleigh bells perfectly. I might be the world’s least knowledgeable person when it comes to American Indie (beyond Raiders of the Lost Ark) and I hadn’t even heard of Low, but this song is a brilliant find (thank you again, music radar). Translated as ‘In Sweetest Rejoicing’ or ‘Good Christian Men, Rejoice’ In Dulci Jubilo is thought to have been written around 1328.įrom the depths of Disco, the arrangements in this soulful and rather long song (from Summer’s concept album called Four Seasons of Love) will take you right back to 1976, even if you weren’t actually there in the first place. But the guitar solo isn’t – every Christmas song should have one. I bet Erich Von Daniken loves this one – ‘ancient astronauts’ meets the nativity, and somehow it works.Įar-worm warning! Although it’s a typically quirky and exuberant instrumental from instantly recognisable Mike Oldfield, you’ll find yourself wanting to ‘sing’ along by vocalising with that bottom-kicking electric guitar, which is embarrassing. She has been nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame next year, and quite right too.Ġ8 A Spaceman came Travelling - Chris de Burgh Such a gorgeous voice, you can’t beat a little retro-Ronstadt, especially at Christmas. Certainly doesn’t end with a whimper.Ġ7 I’ll be home for Christmas - Linda Ronstadt volume one, if anyone actually kept it) in a sort of ‘Battle of the 1973 Festive Glam Rock hits’ this song is (in)famous for Noddy Holder’s astonishing bellow announcing to probably the entire solar system that ‘It’s Christmas”. Often pitted against Roy Wood’s I wish it could be Christmas Every Day (see Best Ever Christmas Album. It's a beautiful song that stands up to anything in their catalogue.” Hear, hear!įirst released on an album called, rather egotistically, Christmas is… Johnny Farnham, in 1970, the Australian, erm, ‘recording legend’ can be forgiven because it’s the season of goodwill and he really rocks this classic carol. The mighty Freddie Mercury sings a Christmas song written by Brian May and Roger Taylor– what more possibly needs to be said? Except this from Rolling Stone: This one edges out Mistletoe and Wine for me because that song commits the sin of breaking the word Chris-ti-an into three syllables just to make it scan in the chorus. There’s a folk memory that Cliff Richard used to produce a Christmas single every year, but it really only felt that way. Indeed, what could be more Christmassy than some ripe Irish abuse from the late Kirsty MacColl, some of which is still ‘scrambled’ by certain radio stations.Ġ2 Snoopy’s Christmas - The Royal Guardsmen In the words of : “An anthem for anyone who finds themselves staring into the bottom of a glass, reminiscing about lost love and wasted opportunities.”
So, in the words of Slade: Here it is, Merry Christmas! I’ve trawled the internet for lesser-known festive classics and given the folk at itunes a very happy Christmas with my sudden spike in purchases to make up The Second Best Ever Christmas Album. But with some encouragement from my friend Jonty, this year I re-doubled my efforts. Alas, I barely reached ten songs (and one of those was Snoopy’s Christmas) before reluctantly concluding that I’d used up the best ones on volume one. After producing a Christmas compilation which some people actually played a couple of years ago, I attempted a volume two last year.
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