The leftover Thanksgiving turkey has barely been finished and already signs of Christmas are everywhere. From here on, Christmas lights will be strung up on houses, department stores will be saturated with holiday merchandise and Christmas music will become part of daily life. It will be found playing in most stores, restaurants and on the radio from now until January.
While Christmas music is great to many, for some the sleigh bells, choirs, jazzy interludes and crooning found in many holiday tunes are overdone or just not appealing. The good news is there are alternatives: Some Christmas songs that sound almost like regular songs, some with unique takes on traditional holiday music and some classics that at least warrant respect. The music is here split into four categories: classic, instrumental, soundtrack and modern.
Classic
“Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” performed by Ella Fitzgerald@@http://www.metrolyrics.com/let-it-snow-let-it-snow-let-it-snow-lyrics-ella-fitzgerald.html@@
Not even the most cynical of Christmas music listeners can mess with Ella Fitzgerald. All right, maybe that’s not true, but this version of “Let It Snow!” features only light instrumentation to showcase her clear, cheerful voice which displays a careful control and wide range. This allows listeners to focus more on the performance rather than the lyrics.
“Baby, It’s Cold Outside” performed by Margaret Whiting and Johnny Mercer@@http://beemp3.com/download.php?file=4169826&song=Baby%2C+its+Cold+Outside@@:
Not in the least bit breathy (see: the Jessica Simpson/Nick Lachey cover@@names checked and AHG, I hate their version@@) or mismatched (see: the Zooey Deschanel and Leon Redbone version on the “Elf” soundtrack), this classic rendition from 1949 pairs two well-mixed voices and a precise, charming vocal delivery by Whiting.
Instrumental
“Wizards in Winter” by Trans-Siberian Orchestra@@http://www.amazon.com/Wizards-In-Winter-Instrumental/dp/B00123B3S2@@
Intense, unique and epic are three words that come to mind when hearing this song. Created by the self-proclaimed progressive metal band, “Wizards in Winter” includes short melodic samples on piano and strings from “The Nutcracker,” while adding a heavy element to the rest of the song through its speed and repetitive, metal-influenced electric guitar.
“Fur Elise” by Ludwig van Beethoven@@http://www.last.fm/music/Ludwig+van+Beethoven/_/F%C3%BCr+Elise@@
Short and simple, the tones of sadness and cheer are clear in every version — a classic by any measure.
Soundtrack
“What’s This?” performed by Fall Out Boy@@http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/The-Take-Over-The-Breaks-Over-lyrics-Fall-Out-Boy/64947BB08C52D76B482571FE000B0CBE@@
The beauty in this cover lies in its simplicity and in its electric guitar. Originally heard in the movie “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” Fall Out Boy’s version incorporates small flourishes of Christmas but sticks largely to the sound the group is known for. Their pop/rock sound created by short, precise electric guitar lines in the chorus and Patrick Stump’s smooth, at times humorously-ranged vocals allow this song to be about Christmas while still sounding like an everyday song.
“White Christmas” performed by Otis Redding@@http://www.lyricsfreak.com/o/otis+redding/white+christmas_20340469.html@@
From the “Love Actually” soundtrack, Redding’s version of the classic song offers listeners a slow, soulful track backed by a simple snare, a small section of horns and a consistent electric guitar line. Redding’s vocal delivery is soulful and a little choppy, as he sings the familiar lyrics and spaces them out in a way that makes the song a little unfamiliar and new.
Modern
“The Christmas Waltz” performed by She & Him@@http://www.examiner.com/music-in-national/she-him-perform-the-christmas-waltz-on-the-tonight-show-with-jay-leno@@
The floaty, dreamy vocals by Zooey Deschanel, which are quietly supported by an easy bass line and a light piano bridge, allow this Christmas classic to maintain a steady waltz pace that is surprisingly unique and not overdone.
“Christmas Lights” by Coldplay
@@http://www.coldplay.com/newsdetail.php?id=675@@ Although seemingly dark and melancholy in the beginning, this original song by Coldplay brightens into a booming, epic chorus that one would expect from Coldplay. It’s led by a cheerful piano line and backed by strings which brings to mind the feeling of plugging in a strand of Christmas lights.@@wut@@