At Christmas time, man cannot live by Slade alone. Or Wizzard. Occasionally it's good to hear a new spin on Yuletide pop and as the festive season approaches, a few alternative takes on the Christmas song have already emerged.
First up is the contrary, but truthful, We're All Going To Die by former member of Arab Strap and all-round misery guts Malcolm Middleton. It's followed by the altogether more cheeky Christmas Number One, a romp through pop's seasonal clichés from professional cynics Black Box Recorder and Art Brut's arch frontman Eddie Argos.
Of course, every year there are just as many 'alternative' Christmas songs as there are ‘proper’ ones, with equally variable levels of quality. Here are some of the more enjoyable.
The Killers, A Great Big Sled (2006)
Recorded for the Red charity. The video features the band mucking about with hats. And elves.
Bruce Springsteen, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (1985)
The Boss comes over all festive on the flipside of the My Hometown single.
St Etienne, I Was Born On Christmas Day (1993)
Featuring Charlatans singer Tim Burgess, who was born in May, the liar.
The Ramones, Merry Christmas (I Don't Want To Fight Tonight)(1989)
You’d have thought they’d have made a Christmas single a bit earlier, especially considering they worked with Phil ‘A Christmas Gift For You’ Spector.
Sufjan Stevens , That Was The Worst Christmas Ever (2006)
Stevens is something of a Christmas specialist, having knocked out a seasonal EP of winsome indie rock almost every year since 2001.
The Kinks, Father Christmas (1976)
A Deparment store Santa gets mugged as, inevitably, Ray Davies puts the boot in. This footage of the band getting into the spirit of things on the Old Grey Whistle Test is hilarious, although the quality is shocking.
The Pogues, Fairy Tale Of New York (1987)
An alternative Christmas tune that became a classic. Christmas Eve, Pogues style means jail, relationships on the blink and drinking towards oblivion. It remains the greatest Christmas tune ever because, well, it’s the most honest, isn’t it?
8:00 AM | 19/11/2007
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Fay Lovski - Christmas was a friend of mine
Posted by SteveDubb at 12:17 PM | 29/11/2007 | Report Abuse
i believe in father christmas - greg lake
Posted by steve rochester at 8:16 PM | 03/12/2007 | Report Abuse
I like the Sufjan song. Fairy wings and all.
Posted by Bridgette Featherstone at 12:28 PM | 06/12/2007 | Report Abuse
It's Christmas So We'll Stop- Frightened Rabbit
and
Merry Christmas (I don't want to fight tonight)-Asobi Seksu- Ramones cover
Posted by Emma Davis at 11:50 AM | 11/12/2007 | Report Abuse
How about 'Everythings going to be cool this christmas' by the Eels, or 'Sleighbells' By How to Swim?
Posted by Nathan Whitestick at 12:05 PM | 11/12/2007 | Report Abuse
how about Christmastime by the Smashing Pumpkins
Posted by James Corbett at 11:19 AM | 12/12/2007 | Report Abuse
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