My 2020 Christmas Playlist

Wow! This poor head space I had been in for the better part of a month seems to be finally clearing a bit. I’ve tried all of my usual methods of clearing it that I’ve learning over the years. The best? For me, it was always physical exercise. But, did you hear? I’m disabled, though my younger son is trying to get me to join him in shooting a basketball with him. The gym was always my sanctuary growing up. Inside those magical rectangular lines was a universe of possibility where creativity worked arm-in-arm with good old left-brained strategy. Even today my brain awakens me from slumber with ideas for basketball offenses and defenses. And, I cannot remember a day in my life when that hasn’t been true, though I suspect my youthful dreams were very juvenile.

Today, music is my refuge. Everything I write today has basis in the music I continue to listen to. Whenever I finish my book, every scene in it goes with a specific song, be it from my youth or today. Every one of them! And, each and every character has a specific song to describe them. It’s easier for me to envision their personalities this way. It’s a crazy method in which to write, but it seems to be working, when I don’t get pissed about how it reads and delete chapters of it. For all the appearance of me being laidback, I am really intense about everything I do, and highly critical of it. It’s an interesting paradox between an appearance of not giving a damn about what people think and letting every bad thing someone has said about me keep whispering those things in my ears. I know the story is there, and I know I am NOT John Irving or Cameron Crowe, or even Lester Bangs, but I gotta get this stupid story out of my brain.

So, I felt that today would be a great day to wrap up another year of blogging with my 2020 Christmas Playlist. We use it around here so we can wrap packages, decorate the homestead and wind up our grandkids, though our granddaughter has not been around here since August due to the fact that people think a mask is some infringement on their constitutional rights. Remember, your personal freedoms end when they begin to infringe on the freedoms of others. So, Americans, put your damn masks on.

Sorry! Got off track again! Where was I? Oh yeah! Christmas! I’ve always loved Christmas, though this pandemic is attempting to take the joy right out of it. Unfortunately, only my younger son, his wife and their son will be over for gift exchange. Obviously, my dad and step-mother, my step-dad and his friend and my aunt, who are all over 80, will not be here with us. Of course, my older son and his family are staying away to protect us. We will hang with our other son because we watch Crosby for a couple hours a couple times a week so they can work. That means we are in a bubble with them and her parents.

Now, this playlist is intended to be used often over the course of the days leading up to Christmas, including Christmas day. Personally, I use Amazon Music Unlimited for my streaming, but I’m sure these songs are available on other formats. Keep in mind, this list is for the classics, not my annual mixtape of holiday horrors that I unleash on my family with unusual “gems” that I have uncovered during the year or some “nuggets” that needed to be included to make my “Aural Eggnog” more unbearable, yet somewhat treasured to the few that receive one.

So, this is how my household keeps the mood festive here in Central Indiana. Enjoy!

1. Al Green – “The First Noel” (1990)
2. Andy Williams – “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” (1963)
3. Aretha Franklin – “O Christmas Tree” (1992)
4. Ariana Grande – “Santa Tell Me” (2013)
5. Band Aid – “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” (1984)
6. Big Star – “Jesus Christ” (1978)
7. Billy Squier – “Christmas Is the Time to Say ‘I Love You'” (1981)
8. Bing Crosby – “White Christmas” (1947)
9. Bing Crosby & David Bowie – “Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth” (1982)
10. Brenda Lee – “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” (1958)
11. Britney Spears – “My Only Wish” (2000)
12. Bruce Springsteen – “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” (1975)
13. Bryan Adams – “Run Rudolph Run” (1987)
14. Carpenters – “Merry Christmas Darling” (1970)
15. Carrie Underwood – “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” (2009)
16. Charles Brown – “Please Come Home for Christmas” (1960)
17. Cheap Trick – “Merry Christmas Darlings” (2017)
18. Cheech & Chong – “Santa & His Old Lady” (1971)
19. Chicago – “Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” (1998)
20. Clarence Carter – “Back Door Santa” (1968)
21. Cocteau Twins – “Frosty the Snowman” (1992)
22. Coldplay – “Christmas Lights” (2010)
23. Dan Fogelberg – “Same Old Lang Syne” (1980)
24. Darlene Love – “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” (1963)
25. Dolly Parton – “Hard Candy Christmas” (1982)
26. Donny Hathaway – “This Christmas” (1970)
27. Eagles – “Please Come Home for Christmas” (1978)
28. Elmo & Patsy – “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” (1979)
29. Elton John – “Step into Christmas” (1973)
30. Elvis Presley – “Blue Christmas” (1957)
31. Eurythmics – “Winter Wonderland” (1987)
32. Extreme – “Christmas Time Again” (1992)
33. Faith Hill – “Where Are You Christmas” (2000)
34. Fitz & the Tantrums – “Santa Stole My Lady” (2010)
35. Gene Autry – “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (1949)
36. Greg Lake – “I Believe in Father Christmas” (1975)
37. Gwen Stefani feat. Blake Shelton – “You Make It Feel like Christmas” (2017)
38. Harry Simone Chorale – “Little Drummer Boy” (1958)
39. James Brown – “Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto” (1968)
40. John Legend & Kelly Clarkson – “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” (2019)
41. John Lennon & Yoko Ono – “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” (1970)
42. John Mellencamp – “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” (1987)
43. Johnny Cash – “O Come All Ye Faithful” (1980)
44. Jon Bon Jovi – “I Wish Everyday Could Be Christmas” (1992)
45. Jonas Brothers – “Like It’s Christmas” (2019)
46. Joni Mitchell – “River” (1971)
47. José Feliciano – “Feliz Navidad” (1970)
48. Justin Bieber – “Mistletoe” (2011)
49. Kacey Musgraves feat. Leon Bridges – “Present Without a Bow” (2017)
50. Kenny Loggins – “Celebrate Me Home” (1977)
51. Kurtis Blow – “Christmas Rappin'” (1980)
52. Madonna – “Santa Baby” (1987)
53. Mariah Carey – “All I Want for Christmas Is You” (1994)
54. Megan Trainor feat. Earth, Wind & Fire – “Holidays” (2020)
55. Mike Love & Hanson – “Finally, It’s Christmas” (2018)
56. moe. – “Together at Christmas” (2002)
57. Nat “King” Cole – “The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)” (1960)
58. OneRepublic – “Christmas Without You” (2012)
59. Otis Redding – “Merry Christmas Baby” (1968)
60. Paul McCartney – “Wonderful Christtime” (1979)
61. Pentatonix & Jennifer Hudson – “How Great Are You” (2017)
62. Pretenders – “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” (1987)
63. Prince – “Another Lonely Christmas” (1984)
64. Queen – “Thank God It’s Christmas” (1984)
65. Ramones – “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Wanna Fight Tonight)” (1989)
66. Run-DMC – “Christmas in Hollis” (1987)
67. RuPaul – “Hey Sis, It’s Christmas” (2018)
68. Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings – “Ain’t No Chimneys in the Projects” (2011)
69. She & Him – “Christmas Waltz” (2011)
70. Sia – “Candy Can Lane” (2017)
71. Slade – “Merry Xmas Everybody” (1973)
72. Stevie Wonder – “Someday at Christmas” (1967)
73. Stevie Wonder – “What Christmas Means to Me” (1967)
74. Sufjan Stevens – “Come On! Let’s Boogey to the Elf Dance!” (2006)
75. Taylor Swift – “Christmas Tree Farm” (2020)
76. Tevin Campbell – “O Holy Night” (1992)
77. The Band – “Christmas Must Be Tonight” (1977)
78. The Beach Boys – “Little Saint Nick” (1964)
79. The Chipmunks – “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Time Is Here)” (1958)
80. The Drifters – “White Christmas” (1954)
81. The Jackson 5 – “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” (1970)
82. The Kinks – “Father Christmas” (1977)
83. The Monkees – “Unwrap You at Christmas” (2018)
84. The Pogues feat. Kirsty MacColl – “Fairytale of New York” (1988)
85. The Regrettes – “Marshmallow World” (2016)
86. The Ronettes – “Sleigh Bell” (1963)
87. The Royal Guardsmen – “Snoopy’s Christmas” (1967)
88. The Staple Singers – “Who Took the Merry Out of Christmas” (1970)
89. The Supremes – “Silver Bells” (1965)
90. The Temptations – “Silent Night” (1970)
91. The Waitresses – “Christmas Wrapping” (1982)
92. TLC – “Sleigh Ride” (1992)
93. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers – “Christmas All Over Again” (1992)
94. Train – “Shake Up Christmas” (2010)
95. Trans-Siberian Orchestra – “Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)” (1995)
96. Tyler, the Creator – “I Am the Grinch” (2018)
97. U2 – “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” (1987)
98. Vince Vance & the Valiants – “All I Want for Christmas Is You” (1989)
99. Weezer – “Christmas Celebration” (2000)
100. Wham! – “Last Christmas” (1984)
101. Whitney Houston – “Do You Hear What I Hear?” (1987)
102. Wizzard – “I Wish Everyday Could Be Christmas” (1973)

Happy Holidays, which ever one you are celebrating! Peace!

Author: ifmyalbumscouldtalk

I am just a long-time music fan who used to be a high school science teacher and a varsity coach of several high school athletic teams. Before that, I worked as a medical technologist at three hospitals in their labs, mainly as a microbiologist. I am retired/disabled (Failed Back Surgery Syndrome), and this is my attempt to remain a human. Additionally, I am a serious vinyl aficionado, with a CD addiction and a love of reading about rock history. Finally, I am a fan of Prince, Cheap Trick, Tom Petty, R.E.M., Hall & Oates, Springsteen, Paul Weller & his bands and Power Pop music. View all posts by ifmyalbumscouldtalk