Walking past a flock of starlings pecking at a pile of cold vomit in Camden High Street this morning, it occurred to me that the festive season is well and truly upon us now. So I flipped the ipod to the Christmas playlist at last.
I don't know about you, but I'm a big fan of Christmas songs. A friend of mine won't countenance them at all, as each one reminds her of one ghastly Christmas after another. But I love them. So here they are, my favourite yuletide grooves (in order).
1. Christmas Wrapping/The Waitresses. Of course I know all the words, but it took me a good few years to work them out. I'd never heard this before I bought it way back in 81, but it was on white vinyl so I thought 'why not?'. And then it became my favourite Xmas tune. I like her voice, and I was sad to hear she died recently. The Spice Girls do quite a good version of this too. Altogether now: 'Turn the calender, frozen landscape chills this room for 24 days'.
2. Stop The Cavalry/Jona Lewie. Ah, Christmas 1980. So dark, so cold, so cosy. I get a shiver everytime I hear this song. Top of my (Christmas) tree.
3. Fairytale of New York/The Pogues & Kirsty McColl. Everyone my age cites this as their favourite (or one of their favourite) Christmas songs. What's not to like? Great lyrics, Shane McGowan and Kirsty McColl. Need I say more?
4. Wonderful Christmastime/Paul McCartney. I love this video. It's my perfect Christmas. Cosy local pub in the country on Christmas Eve, all your mates, no cares. A time to be happy. A time when McCartney was happy too, I suspect.
5. Silver Bells/Jim Reeves, Pretty Paper/Roy Orbison. These two go very well together and are very similar in tempo. I like the 'Christmastime in the city' vibe of the former, 'the snowy bungalow on the outskirts of Oklahoma City' feel of the latter.
6. Ring Out Solstice Bells/Jethro Tull. Christmas is folksy, so this real ale, holly wreath on the pub door country folk rock workout is just the ticket. Ultra Christmassy. See also Gaudete by Steeleye Span, its sung in a church feel being most apt.
7. In Dulce Jubilo/Mike Oldfield. I'm a big MO fan, and I currently have this as my ringtone. It's kind of silly, but it's great to morris dance to after a few too many egg nogs. That's what we'll be doing in the F-C farmhouse kitchen this year. Again.
8. 2000 Miles/The Pretenders. I like the way this builds, over-use of Christmassy instruments and jangly guitars really do make you feel like it's cold out in the snow. I miss you!
9. I Believe In Father Christmas/Greg Lake. Shimmmers like a bauble. Lyrics about tinsel and fire and lots of clanging bells. The only thing that ruins it is the video set in the desert. I want trees, roaring log fires and snow, etc. But then I'm a tradionalist.
10. Another Rock and Roll Christmas/Gary Glitter. I'm separating the sin from the sinner and going for this in my top 10. It's danceable.
A certain regard:
The Phil Spector A Christmas Gift For You album, though I think it's overplayed. Mud's Lonely This Christmas, for the end line, Oi To The World by No Doubt, a great take on a cliched genre, When A Child Is Born/Johnny Mathis, for the intro.
