The 5 Best Holiday Songs

Tis the season, and thanks to Songza I've got enough Christmas music to last me until Christmas 2020.

These are the best, IMHO. (Click on the links to the hear the songs).

Last Christmas by Wham

This video clip is about 1/3 full of hair.

Certainly, this a charming reminder of my tween/teen years, when my my basic understanding of 'romantic relationships' came from movies, tv, romance novels...and song lyrics.

This year I'll give it someone special. What a hopeful aspiration!

The video is fun to watch twenty years on--and cringe over...oh my god, the big 80's hair! That paisley shirt! I swear I had a brooch like that (not real diamonds, of course).

Once, this was all cutting edge fashion. Sigh. *nostalgia*


Happy Christmas (War is Over) by John Lennon

Reminder-to-self.

Whenever I hear this, I want to have a conversation with John Lennon:

John, what would the world look like if you were still around?  Would you still be politically active? What kinds of advocacy would you inspire?

John Lennon is like some Ghost of Christmas Past, peering at me over his oval glasses, asking: what have you done? He literally sings that: WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?

This song is an indictment. The world needs fixing, he says, so fix it! (Whatcha waiting for, lass? Better get busy saving humanity from itself!)

Singing along is like repeating an affirmation on the possibility of peace. It makes you think: it can be accomplished.

Do They Know It's Christmas? by Band Aid

My gal pals and I would wait for certain cameos to scream at.

For my generation, Band Aid/Live Aid felt phenomenal. There was nothing quite like it. It was activism and music and, like, everyone united for a common cause, you know. For sure.

I realize since then there's been criticism of it, and maybe it was a bit naive and misguided to think music could change the world like that, but the emotions of the time, for myself and my peers, were pure and intense.

And--I mean, Sting, Bono and Simon LeBon are all in a line singing together! Who set that poetry in motion? Thank you, Bob Geldof!

(And I love that Phil Collins is wearing a sweater vest in the video. Everyone looks so real. Like real people, not celebrities. Gosh.)


Baby it's Cold Outside by Margaret Whiting and Johnny Mercer

One of the best duets ever, telling the tale of this super-cute holiday romance.

I love the little bit of suspense: will she or won't she? Her conflict is between what she should do--versus what she wants to do.

What does she want? Oh, we know what she wants! But should she?

I mean, what would the neighbours think!

(Nothing beats the original. Not even the Elf version, sorry).


You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch by Thurl Ravenscroft

You're as cuddly as a cactus, Mr. G.

The Grinch is just the most loveable miserable character in fiction.

This is a Charles Dickens' Christmas tale set to green fur and Who-ville. The Grinch's redemption is like Ebenezer's, but infinitely more fun.

It feels so universal. Everyone gets Grinch-y--and like the Grinch, everyone has the potential to grow their heart three sizes.

The word play in this song is hilarious. The kid in me can't get enough of them.

"Your heart is full of unwashed socks..." has got to one of the best lines ever written.

Or how about:

"You're a three decker sauerkraut and toadstool sandwich with arsenic sauce!"

(Go on--you know you want to make up your own lines now!)