Far Out 40: The ultimate Christmas playlist
Cometh the season, cometh the obligatory festive playlist. In years past, we’ve bought you alternative Christmas playlists, indie Christmas playlists, funk and soul Christmas playlist, and Christmas playlists for people who hate Christmas. This year, we’re feeling a little less provocative, so we’ve brought you a selection of the 40 best Christmas songs of all time, songs that capture the festive season in all its rum-soaked glory.
Now, just because we’ve agreed to deck the Far Out halls in the traditional red and green doesn’t mean we’ll be playing any old festive garbage. I did try to convince HQ to spin Bach’s Christmas Oratorio on repeat from now until December 31st, but apparently, the staff would rather “be forced to eat their own ears” than listen to pre-pubescent choir boys singing in German.
Instead, we’ve bought you this artfully-curated selection of Christmas classics. Below you will find a festive audio hamper filled with the choicest musical morsels, ranging from Doris Day and Louis Armstrong to The Pretenders, Paul McCartney and more.
A worthy centrepiece for this year’s Far Out Christmas get-together, this mixtape is the Turducken (a turkey stuffed with a chicken stuffed with a duck. It’s a thing, trust me) of the festive playlist world. And just because we’re feeling generous, we thought we’d also share it with you fine people. After all, it is you, dear readers, who make our little world go round. Merry Christmas.
The ultimate Christmas playlist:
- ‘Christmas Time Is Here’ – Vince Guaraldi Trio
- ‘Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) – Darlene Love
- ‘Wonderful Christmastime’ – Paul McCartney
- ‘Happy Xmas’ – John Lennon and Yoko Ono
- ‘Run Rudolph Run’ – Chuck Berry
- ‘Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto’ – James Brown
- ‘Fairytale of New York’ – The Pogues ft. Kirsty MacColl
- ‘White Christmas’ – Bing Crosby
- ‘Christmas Wrapping’ – The Waitresses
- ‘Stop the Cavalry’ – Jonah Lewie
- ‘Father Christmas’ – The Kinks
- ‘2000 Miles’ – The Pretenders
- ‘O Come O Emmanuel’ – Sufjan Stevens
- ‘White Winter Hymnal’ – Fleet Foxes
- ‘Gaudette’ – Steeleye Span
- ‘Sleigh Ride’ – The Ronnettes
- ‘Santa Claus Is Coming To Town’ – Jackson 5
- ‘Just Like Christmas – Low
- ‘River’ – Joni Mitchell
- ’25th December’ – Everything But the Girl
- ‘What Christmas Means to Me’ – Stevie Wonder
- ‘Last Christmas’ – Wham!
- ‘Blue Christmas’ – Elvis Presley
- ‘Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree’ – Brenda Lee
- ‘Santa Baby’ – Eartha Kitt
- ‘Merry Christmas Baby’ – Otis Redding
- ‘I’d Like You for Christmas’ – Julie London
- ‘Let It Snow, Let It Snow!’ – Frank Sinatra
- ‘Peace on Earth / Little Drummer Boy’ – Bing Crosby, David Bowie
- ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ – Bobby Helms
- ‘This Christmas’ – Donny Hathaway
- ‘It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas’ – Bing Crosby
- ‘Step Into Christmas’ – Elton John
- ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ – Judy Garland
- ‘In Dulce Jubilo’ – Mike Oldfield
- ‘I’ll Be Home for Christmas – Doris Day
- ‘Little Saint Nick’ – The Beach Boys
- ‘I Believe In Father Christmas – Greg Lake
- ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ – Mariah Carey
