It's only December 3 and it's already getting really painful to listen to Christmas music taking over the radio stations. While we realize we're probably in the minority here–we know, Scrooge, etc.–we're really going to have to insist it's only 'cause this is the only time of year when listening to Wings and Wham! is socially acceptable.
So we've pulled together this list of ten Christmas songs you won't be hearing on KOST… sure the subject matter get kind of dark at times (poverty? Not so fun), but at least it also won't make you wish you stayed home and just shopped online instead.
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2. James Brown – “Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto”
3. The Kinks – “Father Christmas”
4. Low – “Just Like Christmas”
The embedding to the only video of this Low track has been disabled by request, so here's a link instead. The Duluth, Minnesota band known for innovating the uh, “slowcore” (we know) genre, but Low's best known track is actually another holiday tune: An incredibly moody processional version of “Little Drummer Boy” that was featured once in a GAP commercial–you know, before those got annoying, too–with a touch of droney shoegaze.
5. Otis Redding – “Merry Christmas, Baby”
Here's a cover of the original Christmas track popularized by Charles Brown. Fact: Otis Redding died in a plane crash at 26, despite the fact that he sounded three times that. [
6. The Flaming Lips – “Christmas at the Zoo”
7. Weezer – The Christmas Song
8. The Polyphonic Spree – “Happy Xmas (War is Over)”
It might be an obvious choice, but the Polyphonic Spree's cover actually improves on John Lennon's original modern-day holiday staple: No Yoko!
9. The Who – “Christmas”
Though we also totally dig the cover version by Rogue Wave (hear it here!), this track digs deep in the more serious side of holiday music: “And Tommy doesn't know what day it is/He doesn't know who Jesus was or what praying is/How can he be saved?/From the eternal grave.”
10. Eazy-E – “Merry Muthafuckin' Xmas”
