Hence why you’ve invariably never heard of this little ditty by No Doubt. Lyrics involving nunchucks, skinheads and punks, set against a dubby ska backdrop, and boasting a video shot in India, do not a conventional Christmas hit make. Sandwiched between tracks from Beck, XTC, Aimee Mann, Elastica and many more is Sonic Youth’s much-heralded rendition of Martin Mull’s salutation to a sober Saint Nick. Ironic that a load of acts synonymous with the quintessential rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle all hooked up for a compilation album titled Just Say Noël. One of the many cheerful jingles from Sia’s 2017 Everyday Is Christmas album, this tune stands out because puppies certainly are not just for Christmas - they’re for lockdown too, it would seem.ĩ Sonic Youth - Santa Doesn’t Cop Out On Dope (1996) Needless to say, he didn’t (and later admitted it was a publicity stunt), but he did get around to releasing his Songs For Christmas album in 2006, which included this beautifully melancholic homage to how Christmas is, for a lot of people, downright bleak. ġ1 Sufjan Stevens - That Was The Worst (2006)įor those not up on Sufjan Stevens lore, this is the man who said he was going to write an album for each of the 50 US states after the success of Michigan and Illinois. (Spoiler: none wanted to leave, but at least it started snowing by the closing lyrics.) In 2003, the band also released A Change At Christmas (Say It Isn’t So) on their aptly titled album, Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell. With a hint of Thunderclap Newman’s Something In The Air, this track is not overtly festive, but the use of sleigh bells and lyrics like “ There wasn’t any snow on Christmas Eve/And I knew what I should do/I thought I’d free the animals all locked up at the zoo ” offsets that. Much more nuanced than their fabled onstage antics of zorbing over the crowd, this quiet contribution to the annals of Christmas songs originally featured on the band’s lauded Clouds Taste Metallic album. (Above: Michael Ivins (far left) of the Flaming Lips wants to be the star on top of your Christmas tree.12 The Flaming lips - Christmas At The Zoo (1995) The Flaming Lips make every concert feel like a holiday, so it’s unsurprising several songs in their catalog have been inspired by Christmas – the biggest holiday of them all. “A Change At Christmas (Say it Isn’t So)” isn’t the Oklahoma City-based alternative rock band’s first tribute to Christmas. They had already brought “Christmas at the Zoo” and would soon deliver “Christmas on Mars.” But “A Change At Christmas” stands out, because it displays the “one love” hippie ethos at the heart of many of the band’s songs. In the song, Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne wishes he could stop time so the whole world could permanently live in the goodwill of the season. A time, he says, “the world embraces peace and love and mercy/Instead of power and fear.” In the last verse he pleads “tell me I’m not just a dreamer,” echoing John Lennon, another Christmas idealist. Above: Even Santa Claus gets down during a Flaming Lips concert. The arrangement features many of the Lips trademarks, including a sunny wash of synthesizers and toy drum machine. Sleigh bells and chimes bring a Yuletide feel, while a simple piano line holds the melody. “A Change At Christmas” is also notable for being one of the rare times Coyne abandons his signature falsetto to deliver his heartfelt words of hope in his natural range. During the fade-out he declares “I think it’s all going to work out just fine.” The optimism of the track is cemented with Coyne’s final words. While the Lips’ other Christmas songs saw release on proper albums or seasonal singles, “A Change At Christmas” was tucked into the “Ego Tripping” EP released in 2003. At the time of its release, the Lips were riding the success of “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots” with a deluge of singles, EPs and other releases. Review: The Flaming Lips – “Christmas On Mars” It’s especially worth digging out in December.Ĭlassic Christmas Carol: “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” “A Change At Christmas” has become buried in the back catalog, but it’s a rare Christmas song that plays well year-round.
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