Christmas is almost here and all season long shopping malls have been playing the Christmas tunes almost everyone loves to hear…unleashing my inner Grinch. So here’s five of the most annoying Christmas tunes that are either over-played or covered terribly.
Jingle Bells – Composed by James Lord Pierpont
The trend setter song. The song that is the ‘Christmas Old Mcdonald Had A Farm’ equivalent. As soon as those chimes and church bells set in you know what’s coming. Jingle Bells is the Christmas song that has been annoying adults and children since late 1857. I can listen to ‘Feliz Navidad’ any day during the Christmas period, that song does not go out of style, but ‘Jingle Bells’ wants me to jingle my way to oblivion after hearing it again and again.
Below is a more haunting rendition of the Christmas classic which I would imagine film director Tim Burton listening to.
Frosty The Snowman
Now I actually like this song for a Christmas tune. I just find the song so annoyingly good that it gets stuck in your head for the next 24 hours. The popular ‘Frosty The Snowman’ was written by Walter Rollins and Steve Nelson and was conceived after the success of Gene Autry’s version of ‘Rudolf The Red Nose Reindeer’. The Bing Crosby version of ‘Frosty The Snowman’ is wickedly hypnotising. Somehow Crosby’s voice has a magical power to besiege your mind into the soothing Christmas holiday mood.
The Scottish dream pop band The Cocteau Twins gave a more modern alternative rendition of this Christmas classic in their 1993 EP Snow.
Wonderful Christmas Time – Paul McCartney
I don’t think anyone can deny how brilliant a musician and songwriter Paul McCartney is and what he has given to the world by being one of the Beatles and as a solo artist but this Christmas song I find is one of the most annoying to listen to at Christmas. I don’t hate the song but I personally feel the song is my least favourable Paul McCartney song. The song was included in McCartney’s second solo album McCartney ii after the dissolution of his band Wings. Even Paul’s face on the album cover suggests the ‘Oh shit what have I done’ look.
What I do like about the song though is the cool use of synthesisers, it also sets the Christmas mood with the use of adding Santa’s sleigh bells. The combination makes Paul’s voice magical and nostalgic.
What’s really bothersome is the repetitive ‘Simply having a wonderful Christmastime’ chorus, and the choir’s chanting of ‘ding dong ding dong’ driving people’s eardrums up the wall.
Thanks Paul.
It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas – Michael Buble
As the ‘Bube’ begins crooning those iconic words ‘It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Everywhere you go.’ You know the Christmas period has begun. Known to many people who work in retail industries, Buble only comes out once a year thanks to his successful 2011 Christmas album simply titled Christmas.
Recently on The Graham Norton Show, Michael Buble has commented his regret and humorous acceptance in acknowledging his image and namesake being an internet Christmas meme. Norton goes on to say that Buble’s Christmas has been the number one selling Christmas album in Australia since its release. So as The Buble is rolling in that cash money royalty, haters can keep on hating.
Santa Baby – Madonna
In sparing Mariah Carey’s beloved ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’, I have chosen Madonna’s cover of ‘Santa Baby’ as the top contender for the most annoying Christmas song ever known.
Madonna’s voice is going too far in trying to mimic a Eartha Kitt/Marilyn Monroe/Betty Boop personae. If you know the tune you would know how the classic song begin’s in an alluring sultry manner, but as soon as Madonna starts singing in that ‘cute baby’ voice and demanding the items she wants for Christmas the tune becomes unbearably cringe.
Below is the 1953 original, Eartha Kitt’s timeless version of the classic Christmas song. You can be the judge which version sounds better.
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