Here's a few to add to your holiday playlist.
Fresh takes on Christmas songs are nothing new, but with the sheer number of covers out there, we thought we’d compile a few favourites! And in true Mixdown fashion, we’re as interested in the production and writing process as we are the music itself, so we’ve read a little about collaborations with Danny Elfman, albums produced by Eric Valentine and more!
There’s a handful of production techniques that make something iconically Christmas, and these singles all share the cheer!
“Merry Kissmas” by Hachiku
“Merry Kissmas” is a brand new song from Naarm-based, dreamy rocker Hachiku and her friend Tushara Rose. Originally created by Tushara’s mother in her childhood, the song was built and expanded by Hachiku and Tushara before finally releasing the song this year!
“My friend Tushara Rose and I first met 10 years ago as exchange students in Naarm and since then we’ve been writing fun little songs together whenever we can.” explains Hachiku. “I visited Tushara in Nottingham a number of years ago, and during one long evening in her student accommodation, we put verses and instruments to an Xmas jingle her mum, Shyama Perera, had created during Tushara’s childhood. The song, “Merry Kissmas”, became a recurring holiday favourite among our friends and family. Now, eight years later, we’ve finally decided to give it the official release it deserves.”
Read up on all the latest interviews, features and columns here.
“Celebrate Me Home” by Lizzy McAlpine
A recent take on a song originally written by Bob James and Kenny Loggins, McAlpine’s version perfectly captures how slow the world can feel at this time of year. A little jazzier than Lizzy’s usual fare, the song is primarily a vocal and piano, her vocal ducking and weaving around timing and chords in the most magical, musical way.
A song about being homesick and coming home for the holidays, this one surely rings true for the rising star herself, seemingly constantly on tour.
Keen listeners can hear a few little room noises throughout the recording, letting us into the raw recorded nature of the single, as well as Lizzy’s own disbelief at her own performance at the end of the recording.
“Santa’s Coming Home” by Vaudeville Smash
Naarm-based band Vaudeville Smash released their own Christmas song last month, titled “Santa’s Coming Home”, paying tribute to the man himself.
Combining some classic Christmas sounds with their own rockin’ style, they sing about the “hardest working man in snow business!”
Recorded with ARIA Award nominated producer John Castle (who’s also worked with Vance Joy, The Bamboos and Cub Sport), the instant classic is upbeat, rockin’, funky and cheerful, the lyrics proving what huge fans the band are of Santa himself!
“Santa Baby” by Laufey
Laufey’s voice sounds like it was custom-made for singing Christmas songs. Sultry tones, a warm timbre and jazzy timing, the latest EP A Very Laufey Holiday: The Santa Baby Edition features a handful of classics from the Icelandic singer.
The title track “Santa Baby” begins with Laufey’s own stylistic intro, immediately her warm, comforting vocals riffing across the cheeky 1953 Christmas classic. Strings, chimes and a jazzy guitar push the song forward, while Laufey adds some pretty extravagant requests to her Christmas list!
“Ribbons And Bows” by Kacey Musgraves
Kacey Musgrave is country-pop royalty, “Ribbons and Bows” being one song off her 2016 album A Very Kacey Christmas.
Along with songs like “A Willie Nice Christmas” (featuring Willie Nelson) and “Christmas Makes Me Cry”, “Ribbons and Bows” is one of Musgraves’ originals, speaking to only “needing your love” for Christmas, and not presents wrapped with ribbons and bows.
The album was produced by Misa Arriaga, known for a slew of country records, and engineered by Steve Chadie and Ryan Gore, with Gore mixing the record. The supporting tour was a bigger production than Musgraves had done before at that point, bringing brass, backing singers and a bigger band to perform the record!
“DJ Play a Christmas Song” by Cher
The leading single for her 2023 Christmas album, the aptly named Christmas, “DJ Play a Christmas Song” is a certified banger from Cher and Kelly Clarkson. Produced with longtime collaborator Mark Taylor, the song is classic Cher, with the addition of sleigh bells here and there throughout the track.
The lyrics speak to the need for a Christmas song at this time of year, a song that everyone needs, to help unify us all and protect us from both the cold as well as the harshness of life outside of the club!
“How Could This Be Christmas?” by Mandy Moore
Released in 2020, “How Could This Be Christmas?” by Mandy Moore is a slow, moving and emotive offering from the actress and singer. Brushes on a jazzy snare drum, fingers clicking and bells jingling, Christmas isn’t always it’s cracked up to be when someone special is missing.
“My Gift Is You” by Gwen Stefani
“My Gift Is You” is from Stefani’s 2017 album You Make It Feel Like Christmas. Produced by Busbee and Eric Valentine, the album was received to critical acclaim, with accompanying live performances and multiple singles from the record seeing mainstream success.
The album was inspired while Stefani was vacationing with boyfriend Blake Shelton, and writing began for what would become the song “Christmas Eve”. The album is split in half with six originals and six covers of classic Christmas songs.
“I Am the Grinch” by Tyler, The Creator (feat. Fletcher Jones)
Known for his tongue-in-cheek approach to lyrics, Tyler, The Creator wrote this one for The Grinch soundtrack to accompany the remake of the classic film in 2018. Collaborating with Danny Elfman on “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch”, the duo tried to create something original while retaining the character and feel of the original, 1966 version written for the Dr. Seuss animation.
“I Am the Grinch” also straddles this line perfectly, sounding iconically Tyler, The Creator, while also using some arrangement and sonic choices that make it undeniably Christmas-ey. Vocal ad-libs and backing vocals bring the arrangement to the modern day, while chiming bells and a rich sounding piano send us back to the big band era, right before a rap verse over chiming sleigh bells.
“Last Christmas” by Carly Rae Jepsen
This is one of our favourite Christmas songs from Carly’s 2021 album Carly’s Christmas Classics. The original from Wham! isn’t so old itself, released in 1984, but Jepsen toys with the arrangement a bit, kicking straight into the verse before the iconic, catchy chorus has us all singing along. The album is a mix of originals and covers.
Not needing to deviate too much from the original pop ballad, Carly Rae Jepsen’s rendition adds sparkling synths like falling flakes of snow, a moment of breakdown to make way for the more emotional verse, singing “A crowded room, friends with tired eyes, I’m hiding from you and your soul of ice.” before a sax takes centre stage.
Honourable mentions
While not as recent as some of our above additions, the next couple of songs are objectively newer than the classic big band hits that hail from the 50s and 60s!
“Little Drummer Boy” by Hoodoo Gurus
There’s not much that captured the magic of Australian Christmas than the Hoodoo Guru’s take on this classic song from the 40s. Originally written by Katherine Kennicott Davis in 1941 and first recorded by the Trapp Family in 1951, Hoodoo Guru’s released their version 40 years later in 1991.
Hoodoo Gurus kick things up a notch with a uniquely surfy take, reminding us of the sweltering heat we’re often subjected to during December in Australia! “Little Drummer Boy” was featured on the album Kinky.
“Jingle Bells” by The Brian Setzer Orchestra
‘Oh what fun it is to ride in a ‘57 Chevrolet’ is just one lyric that sums up Brian Setzer’s take on this Christmas classic. Originally known for fronting the punky rockabilly trio Stray Cats, Brian Setzer has gone onto fronting his own big band, the Brian Setzer Orchestra. With a slew of tours and albums under his belt, Boogie Woogie Christmas was released in 2002 to huge success.
This song specifically was originally recorded for 1996’s Christmas classic Jingle All The Way, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sinbad on their journey to find Turbo Man dolls for their respective children!
Interested in having a go at some Christmas songs yourself? Keep reading at the Home Recording forum about recording sleigh bells.
