Obscure Christmas songs

Not long after the Thanksgiving turkeys have gone cold and the black Friday shoppers are getting out of bed, the retail stores all begin to play Christmas music, seemingly at once.

Hearing Christmas music this time of year is unavoidable. Love it or hate it, it will likely be a part of your day, whether it is at work, at the mall, at a restaurant, or on the drive home. Most of the songs one will hear on the radio or blasted over the mall speakers will be classics: songs most people know and have heard their entire lives.

Songs like “White Christmas,” “Silent Night,” “Jingle Bell Rock,” or even Lennon’s “Happy Christmas (War is Over),” get considerable airtime during the holiday season, and deservedly so, as they have all gotten people into the Christmas spirit for decades. But these are not the only holiday songs that exist.

There are plenty of Christmas songs that one is not likely to hear on the radio, at the store, or on TV.

So, for anyone who wants a change of pace, is interested in exploring new kinds of Christmas music, or downright despises the Christmas music they are used to – a list of five obscure Christmas songs that one is not likely to hear while perusing the aisles of a department store.

Stars- Fairytale of New York

A cover of the Pogues and Kirsty MacColl’s Christmas classic, this version by Toronto based indie rock group Stars is an interesting and more cleanly sung take.

Jimi Hendrix- Silent Night/Little Drummer Boy

This take on Silent Night and the Little Drummer Boy by guitar virtuoso Jimi Hendrix will please any of his fans, or anyone who wants to hear either of these songs torn to shreds by Hendrix’s playing style.

Lee “Scratch” Perry- Santa Clause

This is a strange, danceable, electronic song that includes the words Santa Clause in both the title and in the lyrics. No other connection to Christmas can be found, but it is amusing nonetheless.

The Raveonettes- The Christmas Song

This surf-rock inspired Christmas song from Denmark indie rock group The Raveonettes is sung by one male voice and one female voice in perfect harmony, crooning the catchy verses over a rhythm that includes sleigh bells ringing throughout the song.

Non-Traditional Christmas Music

These songs, among many others, make for good fun around Christmastime. At the very least, they can be interesting listens as one is exploring different types of Christmas music. For the indie pop or indie rock fans, Sufjan Stevens, Stars, and The Raveonettes holiday jingles may be the best bet. Fans of dance music or electronic music might be more inclined to Lee “Scratch” Perry’s tune, while classic rock fans or anyone who likes guitar improvisation will likely be impressed by Hendrix’s Silent Night/Little Drummer Boy.