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This index lists the essential songs (not all the songs) contained on the albums reviewed in Hip Christmas, plus singles, album tracks, or one-hit wonders not otherwise included on those albums. Whenever possible, the artist's name is linked to my review of the best Christmas album (not necessarily the only or original album) on which to find the song.

Barring that, the names will be linked to a place where you may buy the song (usually Amazon). If there's no link, it means that, to my knowledge, the song is not available on CD or MP3. Of course, the list will expand as I write more reviews. And, nothing's perfect - especially me and my crazy list. Please send additions, corrections, criticisms, and suggestions via email.

  • Waiting For Christmas (Faux Canada, 2021)
  • Waiting For The Christmas Light (The Pepper Pots, 2009)
  • Wake Me Up (It's Christmas) (Rookie Of The Year, 2010)
  • Wake Me Up When It's Christmas Time (Michael Carpenter, 2011)
  • Wake Up Christmas! (Lisa Mychols, 2017)
  • Waking Up On Christmas Morning (Smithereens, 1994)
  • Walk This Sleigh (Robbie Williams, 1997)
  • Walking In The Air (Aled Jones, 1985)
  • Wanting To Believe (O Holy Night) (Brian Eno & Roger Eno, 2021)
  • War On Christmas (Talib Kweli, 2023)
  • Warm December (Julie London, 1956)
  • Warm Fireplace (Kibble, 2022)
  • Washington Square (Chris Isaak, 2004)
  • Warm December (Julie London, 1956)
  • Watch Them Resolutions (Babs Gonzales, 1955)
  • We All Need Christmas (Def Leppard, 2018)
  • We Call It Christmas (Keb' Mo', 2003)
  • We Got The Eggnog If You Got The Whiskey (Hickoids, 1989)
  • We Must Be Having One (Merry Christmas) (Tammy Wynette, 1970)
  • We Need A Little Christmas (from Mame)
  • We Need God For Christmas (Ernest Tubb, 1953)
  • We Should Be Together (Rosie Thomas featuring Sufjan Stevens, 2022)
  • We Three Kings Of Orient Are
    • Beto & The Fairlanes (1981)
    • Harlem Parlour Music Club (2010)
    • The Odds (1991) [close]

      A Lump Of CoalThe Odds' "Kings Of Orient" is really just "We Three Kings Of Orient Are" by another name, but it's a cool version, nonetheless. Building from a slow, funky shuffle into a big-ass rock jam, "Kings Of Orient" is pretty typical of the Odds' rootsy, alternative sound. At the time, the band was signed to Zoo, which was distributed by BMG, which was also affiliated with First Warning, the label that released A Lump Of Coal (1991). That's the only Christmas album ever to feature "Kings Of Orient," though it was later included on the Odds' own Singles: Individually Wrapped (2000).

      The Odds were a Canadian band formed in the late 1980's, and they are best remembered south of the border for their 1993 album Bedbug and its lead single, "Heterosexual Man," the music video for which featured members of the Canadian comedy troupe Kids In The Hall. Later, the band contributed to the soundtrack for the Kids' 1996 movie Brain Candy.

      They are also notable for their association with dearly departed singer/songwriter Warren Zevon. He used the Odds as his backing band during the tour to promote his 1991 album Mr. Bad Example, and "Jack Hammer," one of the subsequent singles from Bedbug, featured a guitar duel between Zevon and Robert Quine - a six-string genius known for his work with Richard Hell and Matthew Sweet.

      Regardless, like a lot of Canadian bands, the Odds were mostly big in Canada, where their peak was their 1995 album Good Weird Feeling and its lead single "Truth Untold," which earned them Juno Award nominations for album and group of the year. The Odds recorded consistently through the 1990's and have reunited a couple of times since.

    • Patti Smith (1997)
  • We Wanna See Santa Do The Mambo [close]

    There are few songs more critical to the hip Christmas canon than "We Wanna See Santa Do The Mambo," a song recorded at least three times in 1954 at the height of the tropical music craze sweeping America. This was Latin music smartly packaged for the white market - more like Ricky Ricardo and Carmen Miranda than Celia Cruz or Tito Puente.

    Perhaps the most famous version of "We Wanna See Santa Do The Mambo" is by Bill Darnel, a white singer then in the twilight of his performing career - though he would contunue to work in the music business behind the scenes for many years. Darnel recorded the song for "X" Records, a short-lived subsidiary of RCA, accompanied by the Smith Brothers, a vocal quartet, and Sid Bass and his Orchestra. I doubt there was a brown person in the neighborhood, let alone in the studio - but Darnel's is the most Latin-sounding recording of the three. It can be found on Rhino's excellent Mambo Santa Mambo: Christmas From The Latin Lounge (2000) and Bear Family's Have Yourself Another Swingin' Little Christmas (2022). Many years later, in a twist of fate that would make O. Henry proud, Darnel drowned off the coast of Acapulco, Mexico.

    Mambo Santa Mambo
    Christmas On The Range
    Hipsters' Holiday

    "We Wanna See Santa Do The Mambo" was waxed in 1954 for the country market by Terry Fell & The Fellers, also on "X", and for the R&B market by Big John Greer on Groove Records, another RCA imprint. Terry Fell was a country singer from Alabama hot off his first hit, "Don't Drop It," which reached #4 on the country charts earlier in 1954. Today, however, the record is remembered for its b-side, "Truck Driving Man," later covered by Buck Owens, Dave Dudley, Red Simpson, Willie Nelson, and many others. But, Fell would never score another hit, and his version of "We Wanna See Santa Do The Mambo" is a hillbilly square peg in a tropical round hole - more of a novelty than a genuine call to dance. It can be found on Bear Family's Christmas On The Range (2020),

    On the other hand, Big John Greer's version of "We Wanna See Santa Do The Mambo" is arguably the best of the bunch. Greer was a blues saxophonist and vocalist best known for his work with Lucky Millinder, Wynonie Harris, Bill Doggett, and others, but he recorded several records under his own name for Groove and RCA. Unsurprisingly, his "Mambo" introduces some funk to the proceedings while preserving that irresistible mambo beat. The song kicks off with a completely different, hard-driving guitar introduction, and it peaks with Big John's honkin' solo after a couple of choruses. Early in the CD era, it appeared on Rhino's seminal Hipsters' Holiday (1989), which helped introduce the recording (and Greer) to a new generation of Christmas music enthusiasts.

    Anyway, despite Nipper's best efforts, the song was not a hit. In fact, none of the three records registered on the charts. But, in the decades since, "We Wanna See Santa Do The Mambo" has become something of a statement of purpose for hipsters hoping to hotwire their holidays with un poco de ritmo caliente.

    Finally, it's worth noting that the song is sometimes referred to as "We Want To See Santa Do The Mambo" and that Bill Darnel's name is often spelled "Darnell" - which is, in fact, his real name.

  • We Want A Superstar For Christmas (Angels Of Islington, 1975) [close]

    Angels Of IslingtonI've tried to collect nearly every Christmas record released during rock's first four decades. Before the internet spawned a massive proliferation of holiday tracks, it was hard to find truly hip Christmas music, and I cast my net pretty wide to do so. Here's one I passed on. For starters, the Angels Of Islington single, "We Want A Superstar For Christmas," is ridiculously obscure - at least to folks outside England, where it was issued on the Decca label at the height of "glam rock" fever. And, it is, indeed, a glam rock record - and I love those things. But, it's also a children's record - and those usually make me want to jam sharp objects into my ears. Sorry, kids.

    Pointless trivia: "We Want A Superstar For Christmas" was written and produced by Paul Curtis, a name of some note in England (if not elsewhere) for his numerous entries in the annual Eurovision song contest. And, Islington is a real place - it's a borough in London - but the children who sing on the record are from Kings Gate School in nearby West Hampstead. Less pointless is the fact that this confounding record seems to have only been reissued once - on Pink Boots & Lipstick Vol. 5: Rare Glam & Bubblegum From The 70's (2016).

  • We Wish You A... (Audra & The Antidote, 2005)
  • We Wish You A Merry Christmas
  • (We Wish You) A Protein Christmas (The Fall, 2003)
  • We Wish You A Reggae Christmas (Yellowman, 1998)
  • We'll Always Have Christmas (The Klitz, 2011)
  • We'll Both Be Dead By Christmas (Alberto Iglesias, 2006)
  • We'll Call It Christmastime (Supersuckers, 1994)
  • We're A Couple Of Misfits (from "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer") (Billie Richards & Paul Soles, 1964)
  • We're On Holiday (Don Broco, 2011)
  • Wear A Smile At Christmas (Paul Revere & The Raiders, 1967)
  • Weary Silent Night (Earl King, 1959)
  • Weird Little Christmas (Jack Blanchard, 2004)
  • Welcome Christmas (from "How The Grinch Stole Christmas")
  • What A Christmas (Henry Gross, 2005)
  • What A Merry Christmas This Could Be (Willie Nelson, 1964)
  • What A Wonderful World
  • What A Year For A New Year (Dan Wilson, 2002)
  • What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?
  • What Child Is This? (aka Greensleeves)
  • What Christmas Means To Me (Camey Doucet, 1978)
  • What Christmas Means To Me
  • What Do Bad Girls Get? (Joan Osborne, 2007)
  • What Do The Lonely Do At Christmas? (Emotions, 1973)
  • What I Want For Christmas (Macy Gray, 2003)
  • What Is Christmas? (Nadia Ackerman, 2010)
  • What We Call Christmas (Bleach, 2001)
  • What Will Santa Claus Say When He Finds Everybody Swinging? (Louis Prima, 1936)
  • What Will The New Year Bring? (Donna Fargo, 1975)
  • Whatever Happened, Happened (Maycomb, 2010)
  • (What's A Better Present) At Christmas Time (The Mockers, 2012)
  • What's So Special About Christmas? (Gary Schwartz, 2011)
  • When A Child Is Born
  • When Christmas Comes (Mariah Carey & John Legend, 2011)
  • When Christmas Comes (Los Campesinos! 2014)
  • When I Get Home For Christmas (Snow Patrol, 2000)
  • When I Hear A Christmas Song (Dennis DeYoung, 2005)
  • When It's Christmas On The Range (Bob Wills & His Texas Playboys, 1949)
  • When Santa Claus Gets Your Letter (Gene Autry, 1950)
  • When Santa Got Stuck Up The Chimney (Vice Squad, 2015)
  • When Southern Bells Ring (Here Comes X-mas) (Judybats, 1990)
  • When The Bells Start Ringing
  • When The Snowflakes Fall (Freedom Fry, 2017)
  • When You're in Love At Christmastime (Bunny Sigler, 2012)
  • Where Did My Snowman Go?
  • Where My Christmas Lives (3 Doors Down, 2009)
  • Where's Me Fuckin' Presents? (God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen) (Wat Tyler, 1993)
  • Where The Tree Is (Sonny James, 1966)
  • White Christmas
  • White Christmas Blues (Huey "Piano" Smith & The Clowns, 1962)
  • White Christmas (Demo for Tom Waits) (Flaming Lips, 2000)
  • White Christmas (Three O'Clock Weather Report) (Bobby The Poet, 1967)
  • White World Of Winter (Bing Crosby, 1965)
  • Who Likes Christmas Anyway? (Luis & The Wildfires, 2011)
  • Who Say There Ain't No Santa Claus? (Ron Holden, 1960) Top 100 Song [close]

    Ron HoldenIn the crazy world of Christmas rock 'n' roll, few records are crazier than Ron Holden's "Who Say There Ain't No Santa Claus?" It is arguably the strangest record in my Top 100 Songs and certainly the only one that concludes with an execution. Holden was from Seattle, Washington, and, according to legend, his career began while he was in the King County jail. Booked for drunk driving, he was discovered while idly singing, and he soon recorded his signature song, "Love You So," for local label Nite Owl Records in 1959. It became his only pop hit when reissued by Donna, a division of Hollywood's Del-Fi Records, in 1960. On that record, a Drifters-style ballad, he was backed by a group called the Thunderbirds, and they also backed him on "Who Say There Ain't No Santa Claus," a rave-up with a Coasters vibe.

    The song begins with our optimistic hero receiving a cash windfall from an insurance settlement ("I had a wife who gave me trouble, and when she died, they paid me double"). A subsequent series of mishaps and transgressions land him deeper and deeper in trouble, and we begin to suspect that, maybe, his wife didn't pass from natural causes. At each juncture, though, Holden sees the glass as half full ("doing time" is just free room and board!) and reaffirms his belief in Old Saint Nick. Ultimately, though, after committing robbery, extortion, and murder, he gets "the chair" and must face reality. No, Ron, there ain't no Santa Claus. "Who Say There Ain't No Santa Claus?" was originally released as a Donna single b/w "Your Line Is Busy," and it hasn't been reissued very often. It's included on Rhino's Rockin' Christmas: The 50's but is most appropriately contextualized on that label's Bummed Out Christmas. [back to list]

  • Who Took The Merry Out Of Christmas? (Staple Singers, 1970) Top 100 Song
  • Who's Gonna Be Your Santa Claus This Year (Ernest Tubb, 1965)
  • Who's Gonna Hear Their Wish? (Goo Goo Dolls, 2023)
  • Who's That Walking On My Rooftop? (Freedom Fry, 2023)
  • Why Christmas? (Longest Day Of The Year) (Paula Kelley & The Misfit Toys, 2005) [close]

    Paul KelleySinger and musician Paula Kelley got her start in '90s shoegaze band the Drop Nineteens and had just broken up her indie rock outfit Boy Wonder when she released her solo debut in 1999, a CD single called "Why Christmas? (The Longest Day Of The Year)." The song was a winsome, bittersweet, '60s-influenced original backed with a folksy, relatively low-key cover of "Blue Christmas." It was recorded in her native Boston with the Misfit Toys, an ad hoc collection of Beantown rockers including two former members of Boy Wonder. Other than being a great song, "Why Christmas" and its fulsome arrangement signaled the more adult, orchestrated direction Paula's solo career would soon take. But, unless you snagged one of the few copies, the single largely disappeared soon thereafter until Paula reissued it as a digital single in 2016.

    If you were really paying attention - and I was - both sides of the single also appeared on obscure holiday compilations. "Blue Christmas" was included on Christmas Underground (2001) and "Why Christmas" appeared on Holiday Heart: A Hospice Awareness And Benefit Project (2005), a sprawling collection of mostly new indie rock. Both albums are long out-of-print, and neither was ever reissued for download or streaming.

  • Why Don't You Go Home For Christmas? (Jim Backus, 1958)
  • Why I Hate Christmas (White Town, 1992)
  • Will Peace Come In Time For Christmas (Melanie, 2015)
  • Will Santa Come To Shanty Town? (Eddy Arnold, 1949)
  • Will You Still Believe In Me? (The Christmas Spirit, 1968) [close]

    Out Of Nowhere: The White Whale Story Vol. 2One of my Top 100 Songs is "Christmas Is My Time Of Year" by the Christmas Spirit, a one-off collaboration between a large group of California rockers including Turtles Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman (who later performed as Flo & Eddie), Byrds Gram and Gene Parsons, (who were not related), Monkees producer Chip Douglas, a young Linda Ronstadt, and - from the sound of it - anyone else who happened to be hanging around the studio. It's a joyful, boisterous song, and people like to make a big deal of Ronstadt's involvement. But, she was years away from widespread fame - having just left her group, the Stone Poneys - and you can't really make her voice out in the cacophonous arrangement.

    On the contrary, Linda Ronstadt's lovely harmonies are quite evident on the b-side, "Will You Still Believe In Me," an understated Christmas song written by Robert Kimmell, her former bandmate in the Stone Poneys. The lead is sung by Chip Douglas, who was dating Ronstadt at the time. Douglas would later recall that Ronstadt wasn't really into the whole concept. "She was doing it as a favor for me," he shrugged.

    Originally released by tiny White Whale Records, the non-LP single flopped miserably, and for many years "Christmas Is My Time Of Year" was only available on Rhino's Rockin' Christmas: The 60's, a fine 1984 vinyl LP (read more). Meanwhile, "Will You Still Believe In Me" was all but lost and forgotten. Thanfully, both sides were finally reissued in the digital age on a compact disc, Out Of Nowhere: The White Whale Story Vol. 2 (2004), which was later reissued for download and streaming.

    Some people erroneously claim that Gram Parsons was the lead vocalist on "Will You Still Believe In Me." For the record, Chip Douglas is named as the singer in the liner notes of both Out Of Nowhere and an earlier Rhino release, The History Of Flo & Eddie And The Turtles, a 1983 three-LP anthology. Gram Parsons is, of course, a much more glamorous option, but - sorry - it wasn't him.

  • Winter Song (Sara Bareilles & Ingrid Michaelson, 2008)
  • Winter Song (Remington Super 60, 2018)
  • Winter Song (Look Out The Window) (Tex Williams, 1949)
  • Winter Symphony (Beach Boys, 1977)
  • Winter Weather
  • Winter Wonderland
    • Shirley Alston (1982)
    • Andrews Sisters (1946)
    • Louis Armstrong (1952)
    • Chet Baker (1953)
    • Tony Bennett & Lady Gaga (2014)
    • Booker T. & The MG's (1966)
    • Ray Charles (1985)
    • Cocteau Twins (1993)
    • Bing Crosby (1962)
    • Bill Doggett (1954)
    • Eurythmics (1987)
    • Foghat (2013)
    • Aretha Franklin (1964)
    • Funk Brothers (1968) [close]

      Christmas In The CityAfter the invention of the compact disc in the 1980's, Motown Records began reissuing their rich catalog of vintage Christmas music - seven albums by six of their biggest acts, plus the fine 1973 compilation, A Motown Christmas, first reissued on CD in 1992 (read more). After that, the label unleashed a treasure trove of rare holiday music, most recorded during their "Golden Decade" from 1962 to 1971. The campaign began with a new compilation, Christmas In The City (1993), and would eventually give us rare and unreleased gems by Marvin Gaye, Kim Weston, Diana Ross, and others. None were more exciting than two tracks by the Funk Brothers, the label's legendary studio band, "Xmas Twist" and "Winter Wonderland."

      "Winter Wonderland" was an altogether unheard track that had moldered in the Motown vaults for nearly 30 years. It's a sprightly, uptempo, instrumental reading of the modern Christmas classic - hardly revelatory, but a lot of fun! The song first appeared on Christmas In The City (1993), where it was the first-ever release to actually bear the Funk Brothers name. Later, it appeared on Motown Christmas Vol. 2 (2001) in a new, alternate mix, and that mix was also included on The Ultimate Motown Christmas Collection (2009). Both mixes have their charms, but the alternate mix gets the nod. It sounds a little cleaner, and by bringing the rhythm section down in the mix, it allows the melody to come forward

      A Motown Christmas Vol. 2It's more than worth noting, however, that the liner notes of Christmas In The City and Motown Christmas Vol. 2 differ dramatically about when "Winter Wonderland" was recorded. Christmas In The City says only that it was recorded in 1965, whereas "Motown Christmas says it was recorded September-October 1968 during sessions for the Temptations' album Christmas Card. That is quite specific, but I hasten to point out that Christmas Card didn't come out until 1970, which makes me think that they mean sessions for the Temptations' contributions to the 1968 compilation Merry Christmas From Motown - which were, in fact, later included on Christmas Card.

      In the end, I don't know who to believe, and Ultimate Motown Christmas is no help since it doesn't provide any dates. I settled on 1968, in part because it's taken from a later source, ostensibly benefiting from subsequent research. Plus, the clean production is consistent with the period. Earlier Motown recordings have a kind of loud, noisy, dirty quality to them - which is part of their appeal, actually - and "Winter Wonderland" sounds clean as a whistle.

      The Ultimate Motown Christmas CollectionAs implied above, the Funk Brothers never released any music under that name during their heyday, and it's not known exactly how or when they got the name - only that image-conscious Berry Gordy wouldn't allow them to use it. Obviously, "funk" sounds like a well-known euphemism for sex. But, "funk" wouldn't become a particularly well-known term outside the Black community until it was popularized by hit songs like "Funky Broadway" (Wilson Pickett, 1967) and "Ain't It Funky Now" (James Brown, 1969). Anyway, most of the Funk Brothers' work was, by definition, behind the scenes, playing on just about every track ever recorded at 2648 West Grand Boulevard in Detroit, aka Hitsville U.S.A.

      But, the Funk Brothers did release music under a variety of other names, often moonlighting for other record labels. At Motown, however, they released just three albums starting with Twistin' Round The World (1961) as the Twistin' Kings - which is where "Xmas Twist" came from. Later, they waxed That Motown Sound (1965) as Earl Van Dyke & The Soul Brothers and The Earl Of Funk (1970) under Van Dyke's name alone.

      The Best Of The Funk BrothersEarl Van Dyke was a keyboard player and, for a time, the Funk Brothers' bandleader. A lot of other people would circulate through their ranks during the Golden Decade, including Joe Hunter, who Van Dyke replaced in 1964. Most notably, bass player James Jamerson and drummer Benny Benjamin anchored the band and were most responsible for giving Motown its distinctive, propulsive sound. And, guitarists Dennis Coffey and Ray Parker, Jr. - both of whom joined in the late 60's - would go on to score their own hits. But, none of Motown's records during the Golden Decade gave the musicians any credit, so we don't know definitively who played what on countless Motown classics.

      Many years later, thanks to Standing In The Shadows Of Motown, a 1989 book about James Jamerson, and a 2002 documentary of the same name, the Funk Brothers would finally get their due - sadly, however, after many of them had passed away. Motown even released the first-ever recording to bear their name, The Best Of The Funk Brothers (2004), drawn mostly from the Van Dyke albums - and it includes neither of the Christmas songs. In reality, though, "The Best Of The Funk Brothers" is nearly every classic track that Motown ever released, and that'd be a helluva boxed set...

    • Jeff Goldblum & the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra (2019)
    • Patti Labelle & The Blue Belles (1963)
    • Peggy Lee (1965)
    • Huey Lewis & The News (1984)
    • Darlene Love (1963)
    • Nick Lowe and Los Straitjackets (2020)
    • Arthur Lyman (1963)
    • Liz Phair (2003)
    • Phantom Planet (2002)
    • Elvis Presley (1971)
    • Thommy Price (2008)
    • Sleeper Agent (2013)
    • Ringo Starr (1999)
    • Stryper (1984)
  • Winter Wonderland Cha Cha (Tina Robin, 1958)
  • Winter Wonderland (Misty Mountain Hop) (Fleming & John, 1997)
  • Winter's Tale (David Essex, 1982)
  • Winterglow (Grant-Lee Phillips, 2008)
  • Winterlicious (Debbie Gibson, 2022)
  • Winterlong (Neil Young, 1977)
  • Wintertime (Belmonts, 1964)
  • Wintertime (Remington Super 60, 2004)
  • Wintertime (Norah Jones, 2018)
  • Wintertime Blues (Lester Williams, 1949)
  • Wish It Was Christmas Day (Push Stars, 1999)
  • Wish List (The Grapes & Friends, 2017)
  • Wish List (Neon Trees, 2010)
  • Wish You A Merry Christmas (Korgis, 1980)
  • Wish You A Merry Christmas (Kim Weston, 1962)
  • Wishes (The Bird & The Bee, 2011)
  • Wishing You A Happy New Year (Leslie Uggams & the Curtis McKonly Orchestra, 2013)
  • Wombling Merry Christmas (Wombles, 1974)
  • Won't Be Home For Christmas (Hootie And The Blowfish featuring Abigail Hodges, 2020)
  • Won't Be Long Before Christmas (Diana Ross & The Supremes, 1967)
  • Wonderful Christmastime
    • Paul McCartney (1979) [close]

      Paul McCartney, Wonderful ChristmastimePaul McCartney's 1979 single "Wonderful Christmastime" was recorded during sessions for McCartney II (1980) in the same willfully simple, homespun, low-key fashion as the album. It was Macca's first formal solo album since 1970's McCartney, with the cute Beatles playing and singing all the parts - no Wings, just a little Linda. Paul was getting back to basics, and the results were, well, kinda boring. The only real hit from the album was "Coming Up," and the popular version was, in fact, not from the album. Instead, a non-LP live version with an actual band (Wings, of course) got all the airplay - and with good reason. Wings' live version bristles with energy, whereas McCartney's solo version sounds like a guy with a fancy studio and too much time on his hands.

      "Wonderful Christmastime" was cut from the same cloth as McCartney II, with minimal instrumentation, simple lyrics, and a rudimentary melody. It was also insanely catchy - but not necessarily in a good way. It was an earworm with a huge appetite. You loved it or you hated it, but either way, it'd be stuck in your brain until well after the holiday season. I'm mostly in the latter camp, but I have too much love for the Beatles to outright hate the song (read more). I can safely say this: I never need to hear it again as long as I live. But, rest assured, I will.

      Paul McCartney, Christmas KissesPredictably, perhaps, England liked the song better than America. Upon release, "Wonderful Christmastime" reached #6 on the UK singles chart but missed the Billboard charts altogether. Eventually, America and the rest of the world caught up, and today the song is an inescapable fact of the holidays.

      "Wonderful Christmastime" was originally released as a non-LP single on Parlophone in the UK and Columbia in the US. Its oddball b-side, "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reggae," had been recorded four years earlier and sounds - amazingly enough - like "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" played in a reggae style. Both sides were appended to the 1993 reissue of McCartney's 1979 album, Back To The Egg, and the a-side was included on the 2011 reissue of McCartney II, both its original form and a new, shorter edit.

      Paul McCartney, HolidaysBut, "Wonderful Christmastime" is usually omitted from McCartney compilations like All The Best, Wingspan, and Pure McCartney. No worries, though, because the song pops up routinely on Christmas compilations - especially in Europe, where albums like The Best Christmas Album In The World and Now That's What I Call Christmas are an annual tradition (read more).

      Paul McCartney himself has only recorded one other, relatively minor holiday song, a cover of "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)" for the compilation Holidays Rule (2012). The song was also released as a 7-inch single titled Christmas Kisses with "Wonderful Christmastime" on the flipside, and also included on Complete Kisses, a special digital edition of his 2012 album Kisses On The Bottom. In 2020, he included a few of them on a curious little EP called Holidays, released only for streaming - no vinyl, no CD, no download (and no "Rudolph"). To date, however, it's the closest McCartney has ever come to a Christmas album and, given the lateness of the hour, it may be all we ever get.

    • Tom McRae (2004)
    • Meiko (2014)
    • Tuxedo (2014)
  • The World Has Gone To Hell But At Least It's Christmas (Launch Control, 2020)
  • Wrap Yourself In A Christmas Package (Charles Brown, 1961)
  • Wreck The Halls With Boughs Of Holly (Three Stooges, 1959)
  • (WTFAMP) The Christmas Song (Letters To Cleo, 2008)

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