HOLIDAY TUNES
What are top picks on the music menu?
Crafting a holiday playlist is like planning a menu. You need to blend the sweet with the savory, comfort with adventure, and new concepts with the tried and true. Just like a backyard barbecue, office party and “use-the-good-silver” dinner demand different foods, it’s essential to keep the who and where in mind. Consider first the three cardinal rules of holiday-tune programming — selections from the list below should give you a great place to start.
1 What Christmas Means to Me — John Legend featuring Stevie Wonder (2018) The fresh, soulful, pop confection simply feels good, and just so happens to span two generations of iconic artists.
2 Winter Wonderland — Lauren Daigle (2018) The Lafayette, Louisiana native has emerged out of the Christian music scene with her gospel, blues, zydeco and jazz roots firmly intact. Her “new” album is technically a deluxe version of a 2016 holiday release, which did not include this gorgeous fireplace jazz version of Winter Wonderland.
3 Christmas Every Day — David Archuleta (2018) This uptempo, holiday bop from the precocious American Idol runner-up of 2008 is a holiday winner.
4 Cool Yule — Louis Armstrong (1953) Others have done it, but no one has done it better than Satchmo’s original version of the Steve Allen tune.
5 Let It Be Christmas — Alan Jackson (2002) This warm and easy tune is a surefire winner for country fans — and even those who claim they aren’t.
6 Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas — Judy Garland (1944) More than 200 artists have covered this classic from the movie Meet Me in St. Louis, but this is Garland at the top of her game.
7 Silent Night — Boyz II Men (1993) Yes, Pentonix has become a holiday a cappella machine, but this spare and beautiful version from the time they were still “boyz” remains stunningly pitch perfect.
8 Arbolito de Navidad — Gloria Estefan (1993) More than the “other” Christmas tree song, this tune celebrates the best of the season and Estefan’s considerable vocal styling.
9 Santa Claus is Coming to Town — Frank Sinatra (2017) This remastering of this oft-recorded ditty brings out the full big band swing sound behind the vocals that remind you instantly why every generation of hipsters discovers Old Blue Eyes anew.
10 Mary Don’t You Weep — Aretha Franklin (1972) You can’t let this year pass without a nod to the late Queen of Soul. None of her later career holiday collections can match the raw beauty of this live version recorded at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles. It’s a gift to your guests — and yourself.
If you love every song you program, you are guaranteeing the satisfaction of an audience of one. Providing a variety of themes, genres and rhythms offers something for everyone.