Holding up the philosophy that Christmas music should not only be festive, but diverse, Impact has compiled a list of 25 ‘Christmas songs’ to take you through advent. Including not only songs which are indisputably part of the Christmas canon, but also straying into areas of music which holds looser links to the season. Starting with the tenuous and heading for the recognised classics, look no further for your advent soundtrack.
Tom Waits is not a name that springs to mind when you think of Christmas. Yet his brand of ragtag, down-at-heel human experience somehow perfectly fits in a snowy downtown, ‘Fairytale of New York’ sense.
‘Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis’ isn’t really about Christmas. In fact, besides that charming title the holiday isn’t mentioned at all. Waits relates the tale of the titular character writing to a chap called Charlie, detailing the kind of depressing tale that would make for a dreary but acclaimed arthouse flick, before delivering a third-act revelation that injects some rather special optimism (admittedly a rarity in Waits’ universe) and the chance that even the pregnant Minneapolis hookers can have their happy endings.
This shimmering hope signalling itself in the grimmest of circumstance, isn’t that ultimately what Christmas is all about?
Tom Watchorn
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