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Any Major Christmas Pop Vol. 3

November 26th, 2024 Leave a comment Go to comments

Here’s a first: an Any Major Christmas mix posted in November. I tend to be quite strict that the Christmas vibes may not begin before the First of Advent. Of course, I have to prepare these playlists before that. This one I first started to compile in October, so I had to get into the spirit of the season even before Halloween, like a season-twisting retailer.

So, after Any Major Christmas Pop Vol. 1 and Any Major Christmas Pop Vol. 2, here’s Volume 3, ten years after the last one. It starts off with two covers performed by women of male 1970s Christmas pop classics. I won’t make any stupid claims that these are better than the originals — nothing can eclipse Wizzard and Slade — but they are good fun. Then we have Slade themselves, with a festive standard.

Another Christmas pop classic, Wham!’s Last Christmas, is covered straight in a live version by the Manic Street Preachers on the UK show TFI Friday in 1996, then Bruce Springsteen has some live fun with Merry Christmas Baby in 1986.

Then there is a cover of one of the loveliest Christmas pop songs which isn’t a classic. Here Tracy Thorn, the exquisite singer of Everything But The Girl, covers Ron Sexsmith’s Maybe This Christmas, which featured on Vol. 2.

And amid all the Xmas fluff, Hot Chocolate get righteous on us, with a serious funk groove.

In 1977, David Bowie, fresh from recording his Heroes album, appeared on Bing Crosby’s Christmas TV special, singing two different songs at the same time to create Christmas pop magic. While Bing pom-pom-pom-poms Little Drummer Boy, Bowie croons the lovely Peace On Earth, a song composed especially for the show. It was recorded on September 11, but by the time the special aired, Crosby was dead. Bing died on October 14 — the very day on which Heroes was released.

The mix ends with Shane MacGowan, author of an unavoidable Christmas classic, singing lyrics which, after all the frivolity that came before, may bring a Christmas tear to your eyes. It was recorded in 1996, but the lyric’s reference to it being Christmastime in Palestine and in Beirut are very timely this year.

It’s fair to say that this mix includes some artists who normally wouldn’t feature much in this corner of the web. But it’s Christmas, and Any Major Lord of Misrule declares a general amnesty!

Fans of Any Major Christmas mixes will be pleased to learn that there will be another one coming next month, and that all past mixes are up again.

As ever, the mix is timed to fit on a standard CD-R, includes home-gingerbreadmanned covers, and the above in a PDF document. PW in comments.

1. Kylie Minogue – I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday (2015)
2. Girls Aloud – Merry Xmas Everybody (2005)
3. Slade – Santa Claus Is Coming To Town (1985)
4. Darts – White Christmas (1980)
5. Bing Crosby & David Bowie – Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy (1977)
6. John Legend – Silver Bells (2018)
7. Leona Lewis – One More Sleep (2013)
8. Wilson Phillips – Warm Lovin’ Christmastime (2010)
9. Glee – We Need A Little Christmas (2010)
10. Manic Street Preachers – Last Christmas (live) (1996)
11. Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band – Merry Christmas Baby (live) (1986)
12. Daryl Hall & John Oates – Jingle Bell Rock (1985)
13. Bob Segarini – It’s Christmas (1979)
14. Kid Creole & The Coconuts – Christmas On Riverside Drive (1982)
15. Hot Chocolate – Brand New Christmas (1980)
16. PJ Morton – The Christmas Song (2020)
17. Kacey Musgraves & Leon Bridges – Present Without A Bow (2016)
18. Tracy Thorn – Maybe This Christmas (2012)
19. Colbie Caillat – Mistletoe (2007)
20. The Raveonettes – The Christmas Song (2004)
21. The Smithereens – Waking Up On Christmas Morning (2007)
22. Bob Dylan – Here Comes Santa Claus (2009)
23. The Moody Blues – On This Christmas Day (2003)
24. Shane MacGowan & The Popes – Christmas Lullaby (1996)

GET IT!

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amdwhah

November 26th, 2024 at 08:24 | #1

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PW = amdwhah
Ernie (Not Bert)

December 4th, 2024 at 13:56 | #2

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Thanks for the Christmas mix! Love to hear new stuff, even if it’s outside my usual comfort zone.

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Any Major Christmas Pop Vol. 3

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