Yuletide Tunes for You

Here comes a selection of Holiday songs so wonderful you’ll want to listen to them all week long, whether you’re celebrating Solstice, Kwanzaa, Channukah, Yule or Christmas.

Cocteau Twins – Winter Wonderland
The Cocteau Twins were a dream-pop band that was all about creating a certain mood. If there is one thing that stands out above all else on any Cocteau's release, it is the voice of Elizabeth Fraser. It's a soft siren, bold and tender. It wasn’t until they’re 8th or 9th album that any lyrics were actually decipherable. Apparently, they wanted people to focus on their music and not worry about what the lyrics said, so they just made the lyrics gibberish. Here’s a holiday track where you can actually understand the words.

Other Cocteau Twins Songs to Check Out: Caroline’s Fingers, Blue Bell Knoll, Pearly Dew Drops Drops

SheDaisy & Rascal Flatts – The Twist Of The Magi
From SheDaisy (the Osborn sisters from Magna, Utah) comes the most sarcastic and clever holiday tune you’ve likely ever heard. Although the harmonies are gorgeous and the chorus as catchy as anything else, you really have to pay attention to the lyrics to get how great this song is. I sat next to Kristyn Osborn in high school (Kristyn is the main Osborn sister who started SheDaisy and who wrote all of their songs). Who knew she could write such funny, intelligent lyrics? She was just a cheerleader!

Other SheDaisy Songs to Check Out: I Will…But, Punishment (Remixed), Little Good-Byes, 360 Degress Of You, Come Home Soon, Without A Sound, Don’t Worry ‘Bout A Thing

Doris Day & Bing Crosby – Baby, It’s Cold Outside
Here’s an old classic featuring good ol’ Doris and Bing. It’s a bit of a lecherous song but fun to listen to on a cold winter’s night with someone you want to take advantage of. Just make sure you have the fireplace stoked, the martinis mixed and a warm blanket to cuddle under.

Other Bing Crosby Christmas Songs to Check Out: White Christmas, Little Drummer Boy (with David Bowie), Silent Night


Dar Williams – The Christians And The Pagans
Can’t we all just get along? Here’s a song from Dar Williams which is especially suitable this year when all the Christians are afraid that they’re being persecuted and not allowed to celebrate Christmas. As if. Christians need to drop the persecution complex. It’s getting old...about 2,000 years old. Christians are still dominant in the West. They could learn tolerance, however. Maybe this song will help with Dar’s fun lyrics and beautiful voice.

Other Dar Williams Songs to Check Out: The Babysitter’s Here, Iowa, The End Of The Summer, I Won’t Be Your Yoko Ono


The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl – Fairytale Of New York
We saved the best holiday song for last. Any so-called Christmas song that contains the lines: “You scumbag, you maggot, you cheap lousy faggot. Happy Christmas your ass, I thank god it’s our last” has to be good. There’s nothing like an Irish Christmas. The Pogues’ full name is actually Pogue Mahone, which means “kiss my arse” in Gaelic. You’ve heard of punk rock, well the Pogues can best be described as punk folk.

Other Pogues Songs to Check Out: Turkish Song Of The Damned, Rain Street, The Sunnyside Of The Street