Koktail has got your holiday playlist covered

Hear us out: not all Christmas music is obnoxious. We know that a month (or more) of 24/7 holiday cheer at just about every public place you visit gets annoying. To save you from someone else’s repetitive selections, we’ve sorted out a playlist of Christmas songs with a more refined touch: 

1/20 “Driving Home for Christmas” by Chris Rea

Despite never planning to write a Christmas song, raspy-voiced Chris Rea has done an excellent job with this groovy tune about being stuck in Christmas traffic.

2/20 “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” by John Lennon and Yoko Ono

John Lennon is well and truly recognized for his impressive political statements in music, and “Happy Xmas (War is Over)” is one of them. A protest song against the Vietnam War, the track has also become a Christmas standard, frequently recorded by other artists and named as a holiday favorite.

3/20 “Father Christmas” by The Kinks

This single from 1977 tells the story of a poor kid’s disappointment on Christmas. Hilarious and bitter at the same time, frontman Ray Davies demands Santa give him money instead of toys and asks that the toys be given “to little rich boys.”

4/20 “Peace on Earth/The Little Drummer Boy” by Bing Crosby and David Bowie

David Bowie and Bing Crosby launched into a medley of “The Little Drummer Boy” and “Peace on Earth” for TV Special Bing Crosby’s Merrie Olde Christmas in 1977. The result—thankfully recorded and released—was breathtaking.

5/20 “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby

We all know Christmas can be awfully nostalgic, and ‘White Christmas’ is all about that. The track was originally written by Irving Berlin for the musical film Holiday Inn, released in 1942.

6/20 “Rockin Around the Christmas Tree” by Brenda Lee

This easy listening rock n’ roll tune was recorded in 1958 when Brenda Lee was only 13 years old. Although songwriter Johnny Marks didn’t celebrate Christmas because he was Jewish, he wrote some of the greatest Christmas songs of all time which included “Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer”, “I Heard The Bells of Christmas Day”, and “A Holly Jolly Christmas.”

7/20 “Sleigh Ride” by The Ronettes

This one has a story. ”Sleigh Ride” was originally composed as an instrumental track by Leroy Anderson during a July heatwave in 1946. The lyrics about getting cozy under a blanket on a sleigh ride were later written by Mitchell Parish in 1950. The Ronettes then recorded this classic cover in 1963 for Phil Spector’s A Christmas Gift for You.

8/20 “This Christmas” by Donny Hathaway

This soulful number was written by Donny Hathaway and Nadine McKinnor. Hathaway wanted to create the definitive Black Christmas carol, but wasn’t alive to see his wish come true. The song took a while to find an audience, but has since become a modern holiday standard covered by a wide range of artists including Aretha Franklin and Destiny’s Child.

9/20 “Blue Christmas” by Elvis Presley

The king of rock n’ roll added some swagger to his cover of the 1948 country original. Written by Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson, “Blue Christmas” is a tale of unrequited love during the holidays.

10/20 “Back Door Santa” by Clarence Carter

Clarence Carter is a blind American blues singer. “Back Door Santa” is a funk-style song released as a Christmas single in 1968, and has since been covered by several artists including B.B. King and Bon Jovi.

11/20 “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” by Andy Williams

Written by Edward Pola and George Wyle in 1963, the song is a celebration of Christmas activities: hosting parties, spontaneous visits from friends, roasting marshmallows, spending time with loved ones, and singing Christmas carols in winter weather.

12/20 “Feliz Navidad” by José Feliciano

This bilingual holiday classic was written by Puerto Rican singer-songwriter José Feliciano in 1970. The simple Spanish chorus, “Feliz Navidad, próspero año y felicidad”, translates to “Merry Christmas, a prosperous year, and happiness”. It has become the most downloaded Christmas song in the US.

13/20 “Wonderful Christmastime” by Paul McCartney

“Wonderful Christmastime” is basically Paul goofing around on a synth creating a pop tune that will forever stick in your head during the festive season. Released in 1971, it has charted within the top 10 in Austria, Germany, Ireland, Latvia, the Netherlands, and the UK.

14/20 “The Christmas Song” by Nat King Cole

Everyone has heard this cozy Christmas song at least once. It’s the origin of the famous line “chestnuts roasting on an open fire”. Written in 1945 by Robert Wells and Mel Tormé, and recorded in 1946 by Nat King Cole, this track is so popular that it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1974.

15/20 “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” by Frank Sinatra

Originally a very melancholy song, the track was first introduced by Judy Garland in 1944,  written by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane for the film Meet Me In St. Louis. In the 1950s, Frank Sinatra recorded a version with modified lyrics, turning it into a more uplifting song. 

16/20 “Step Into Christmas” by Elton John

In this piano-driven track, Sir Elton wanted to create a Christmas classic. Written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, the song was listed as the ninth most-played Christmas song of the 2000s in the UK.

17/20 “It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas” by Perry Como, The Fontane Sisters, and Mitchell Ayres & His Orchestra

Originally written in 1951 by Meredith Wilson, the song was recorded by multiple artists—but was a hit for Perry Como, The Fontane Sisters, and Mitchell Ayres & His Orchestra. The song celebrates that time when Christmas decorations appear in stores.

18/20 “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” by Bing Crosby

Written by Kim Gannon and composer Walter Kent in 1943, the song was originally written to honor soldiers overseas who longed to be home during Christmas. The narrator, Bing, tells his family to prepare the holiday for him, requesting snow, mistletoe, and presents on the tree.

19/20 “Don’t Shoot Me Santa” by The Killers

This one’s for true lovers of alternative Christmas tracks. Released in 2007 as a digital download, “Don’t Shoot Me Santa” is The Killer’s second Christmas single. Proceeds from this tune were directed to AIDS charities as part of the Bono-headed Red campaign.

20/20 “tis the damn season” by Taylor Swift

Featured in the studio album Evermore, “tis the damn season” was written and produced by Taylor Swift and Aaron Dessner. With “Dorothea” narrating the song, she arrives in her hometown and rediscovers an old flame, knowing the rekindled relationship will inevitably end.