And So This is Christmas
Newspaper staff’s top pick holiday songs.
Brooke Tiedemann
Christmases When You Were Mine
Taylor Swift
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ewf7njAnKDU
11 time Grammy winner and pop-icon Taylor Swift is known for writing many iconic songs, but an era that never got the recognition it deserved was her Christmas EP released in 2007. This EP was titled, The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection, and included six festive songs, two of which were Taylor Swift originals. One song in this holiday special that really stood out to me was her original song, Christmases When You Were Mine. Written about a past love, in this song Swift sings about the lonely feeling of falling out of love during the holidays, and spending Christmas alone for the first time since the breakup. Swift does a wonderful job of expressing the melancholy feeling that comes with spending the holidays alone, while also trying to still enjoy her favorite Christmas traditions. Overall, It’s a touching song for anybody going through a heartbreak during the holidays and goes to show that sometimes it’s okay to have a not-so-jolly Christmas.
Kate Schieffelin
Happy Xmas (War is Over)
John Lennon (ft. Harlem Community Choir)
Written by John Lennon and Yoko Ono, this 70’s Christmas song sets itself apart from most holiday anthems. The track opens with Lennon and Ono whispering “happy Christmas” to their kids, fading into a light acoustic guitar, originally demoed in Lennon’s St. Regis Hotel room in New York City. The lyrics reflect Lennon’s passionate and open dislike towards war, as he was a consistent promoter of unity and peace. The phrase “war is over” is used repetitively throughout the song, originating from signs that Lennon used to protest against America’s active role in the Vietnam War. Another unique feature the track offers would be the featuring role from The Harlem Community Choir on the counter melody and chorus. The choir featured thirty children, most between ages four and twelve. The production and features on the song help emphasize the song’s true meaning of keeping peace and innocence present in order to end war.
Justin Worden
Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
By Frank Sinatra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sE3uRRFVsmc&list=RDsE3uRRFVsmc&start_radio=1
My favorite winter holiday song would have to be Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! This song specifically is my favorite because it is a classic and I think it represents the Christmas spirit as a whole. Christmas is my favorite holiday of the year because of the presents; receiving and giving. A fun fact about the original song, lyricist Sammy Cahn and composer Jule Styne, is that it was not intended as a Christmas song. The song was written in July, 1945 during an actual heatwave in Southern California, hence the hoping it would snow. My favorite adaptation of the song is by Frank Sinatra and is always played every Christmas. The song is in all of my Christmas music playlists, and should be in yours too.
Carter Stahl
Baby, It’s Cold Outside
By Dean Martin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_3sFeQGNeo
By far my favorite Christmas song around has to be Baby It’s Cold Outside. It is a classic that will never get old. The first time I heard it was when I watched the movie Elf. I watch this movie every year, and can’t get enough of Will Ferrell. My favorite scene is when Buddy the elf and Jovie are singing this song and scare each other in the bathroom. It is one of the most famous Christmas movie scenes that is iconic due to the son alone. Not only do I love the song because of the movie, but it is just a generally great song. It makes you really get into the Christmas spirit when you listen to this song. And of course, Christmas is my favorite holiday because of the festiveness and general happiness. This song just puts a cherry on top.
Kevin Santos
Feliz Navidad
By José Feliciano
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8NcQzMQN_U
A personal classic from my childhood to even today, Feliz Navidad is a track that I have memories of listening and singing to with family members not just in Puerto Rico, but even in Florida as well. I always have their vague but still recognizable memories of being with my grandmother on Christmas Eve, singing and celebrating the holiday while waiting for Santa to come. Even after I left Puerto Rico back in the early 2010s, it would be a famous holiday track that some of my families in Puerto Rico would put on as we celebrate the holidays. A quick fact, since I lived in the island for a decent amount of time, the song was made by José Feliciano, a Puerto Rican musician and his popularity in my home island, I would have inevitably listened to one of his songs, either in Puerto Rico itself or in Florida.
Krissy Taylor
You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch (cover)
By Tyler, The Creator
Out of all holiday songs, this one has to be my favorite. Although the original song composed for the 1966 special, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” itself is a good song, Tyler simply adds to this song. This cover is something that I believe anyone could enjoy, even if you don’t like holiday songs. I personally am a Tyler The Creator fan, andI like how this cover is sung by him but is also a holiday’s song. The original song, made by Thurl Ravenscroft and M-G-M Studio Orchestra is about the Grinch and his grumpiness related to hating Christmas. This song describes the Grinch as rude, mean, evil, unpleasant to be around, etc. The original film has a great message, which is to be kind, even if you are hurting. The Grinch felt lonely, especially on Christmas, and so he projected his anger and sadness onto others.
Jake Hopkins
All I Want for Christmas is You
Mariah Carey
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAkMkVFwAoo
Every year in the fourth quarter, we all hear the same songs over and over again and none more than All I want for Christmas is You. Dating back to the song’s release in 1994, it has been the most played song around the holidays every year. It is because of this that I find it to be one of the better songs among the rest. I can probably recite the song word for word due to its constant replay whenever you’re in public. I remember the first time I heard it on the radio and I thought to myself that it was alright. Then I thought the same thing the next year and the year after that and so on so forth. Ten years later it’s still one of the better holiday songs. I guess you could say that of all the holiday songs, All I want for Christmas is You is my favorite.
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