Liven Up Your Holidays With a Christmas Music Playlist That Goes to 11
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| Photo credit, sonicgloo |
The subject of Christmas music is becoming noticeably more divisive every year. You either love or loathe the music associated with the holiday. I for one fall into the former category. However, I also enjoy unique covers of the classics, especially when rock, metal and punk artists put their own spin on them. So, if you are looking to liven up your family gathering, add these rawking Christmas covers (and a pair of originals) to your playlist. Playing them at full volume is required. Just don't blame me if mom/grandma/significant other puts coal in your stocking for it.
When out from the Marshalls there arose such a sound, I sprang to the speakers to hear it pound.
A Christmas playlist that goes to 11 needs to start strong. You will be hard pressed to find a better lead of track than Twisted Sister doing "O Come, All Ye Faithful".
If you've not heard Dee Snider and the boys play this before, but you are noticing a scary resemblance to their hit "We're Not Gonna Take It", you would be right. And it is so very right, indeed.
When, what to my wondering ears should appear, but a former Runaway, rocking with good cheer.
It has always seemed so random that Joan Jett would include a version of "Little Drummer Boy" on her break out solo album I Love Rock 'n' Roll, but she does it so well, especially the solo which you won't find on a traditional version.
With a singer with mutton chops, so very very thick , here is an original to celebrate St. Nick.
Alas, Slade never really hit it big in America. Yet another example of us here in the Colonies just not getting their English sensibilities and humor. That said, Noddy Holder and company crafted one of the best examples of a modern Christmas classic with "Merry Xmas Everybody".
Doc Martens all laced! To the front of the stage! Now mosh away! Mosh away! Mosh away all!
Huntington Beach, CA's The Vandals dropped this number in 1996, cementing their place in Christmas music history with the infectiously fun chorus of "Oi To The World", later covered by fellow Orange Countians, No Doubt.
And then, from the stage, I heard the chords ring. The wanging and chunging of each guitar string.
One can't just have a single blast of festive So Cal punk without following it up with another, can one? In what is all at once amazing and bizarrely incongruous considering the artist, here is Bad Religion with the loudest version of Silent Night you may ever hear.
He was dressed all in leather, from his head to his boot. His clothes festooned with spikes, without any soot.
It is hard not to follow up song with the next one as an almost required pair of holiday pieces. Judas Priest vocalist Rob Halford, with a powerful, metal rendition of "O Holy Night". 'nuff said.
His flute how it twinkled! His music how merry! The band progging up, a holiday song legendary!
If you end up picking up one album from the songs featured on this playlist, make it The Jethro Tull Christmas Album, from which this Tull'd take on "Greensleeves" hails from.
The neck of a guitar she held tight her hand. And the riffs from it covered an 80’s band.
The ladies of The Donnas pay homage to The Waitresses' New Wave Xmas classic with a riff heavier version. For further listening check out Save Ferris' Hanukkah-version of this song.
They were Celtic and punk, seven right jolly young elfs. And I sang along with them, in spite of myself!
The original version of this song by The Pogues and Kristy MacColl has been called the greatest Christmas song of all time, so if you are going to have the brass to cover it, you better do it right. The Dropkick Murphys do it very right, indeed.
He spoke not a word, but climbed into his plane. Turning a 60’s classic, into something less tame.
Smashmouth covers the The Royal Guardsmen and the best Christmas song about a World War I dogfight between a cartoon beagle and the Red Barron.
He sprang to the stage, to his band gave a whistle, And away they all played with the speed of a missile.
And while we are on the subject of Snoopy, it is impossible to not to associate the Peanuts theme song, "Linus and Lucy" by the late, great Vince Guaraldi with Christmas. Four and a half decades of the A Charlie Brown Christmas animation classic airing this time of year ingrains it in our psyche. So we close this playlist with a truly rocking cover of "Linus and Lucy" played by surf guitarist Gary Hoey, coming to us off the Endless Summer II soundtrack.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight, "Rocking Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"
Written with utmost respect for and apologies to Clement Clarke Moore for the parody of Twas The Night Before Christmas.
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