MERRY KRISMAS 2024

A 42-song set of eclectic yule tunes you'll enjoy

KURATED NO. 233
MERRY KRISMAS 2024
42 Seasonally Tuned Songs

(Illustration by Jill White)

CONTENTS

PLAYLISTS
• Merry Krismas 2024 on Spotify

ONE SONG
• Joy by Tracey Thorn

TRACKLIST
• See the complete 42-song list below

MERRY KRISMAS 2024

A 42-song set of eclectic yule tunes you’ll enjoy

My first ever seasonally themed playlist starts with Joy and ends with Happy Xmas (War is Over). The first is sung by the golden-throated Tracey Thorn (Everything But the Girl); the latter a duet featuring Yoko Ono and psychedelic rockers the Flaming Lips. The collection is eclectic and jumps a few genres here and there. The mellow set is peppered with some soulful, upbeat funk, from-the-heart sincerity and a bunch of familiar songs which share that Christmas feeling.

You’ll hear songs which are older than you by artists you’ve known forever – Greensleeves, for example dates back to 1580; Bing Crosby (singing here with the Andrews Sisters on the somewhat Hawaiian Mele Kalikimaka) was born in 1903. Other tunes are new and played by musicians you’ve never heard of. That’s the fun of this brief exploration.

Over the years I learned from Vancouver Christmas music expert Mitchell Kezin (see Kurated No. 4) that the genre is unimaginably vast. One theme I wanted to explore was Christmas music from other places. So you’ll hear a moving string quartet piece from family’s homeland, Belgium (O keerstnacht, schooner dan de daegan / Oh Christmas Night, More Beautiful Than Any Day). And there’s indigenous music from Canada ( Florent Vollant from the Kashtin duo), Lebanon (Fairuz) and Africa (Angelique Kidjo, Soweto Gospel Choir, Alex Boyé). One step removed, the Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’s Brenda Lee shares a Spanish version of her big hit.

Besides the topical Happy Xmas (War is Over), the list includes political laments Someday at Christmas Time (Stevie Wonder) and World of Love (Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings). And then there’s the surprises (What? Amy Winehouse performed a Christmas song?) and unexpected mash-ups (The Blind Boys of Alabama and Tom Waits on Go Tell it On the Mountain).

And not to forget the sole Vancouver entry from Vox Rea‘s Kate and Lauren Kurdyak who offer a light jazz-sultry take on Santa Claus is Coming to Town.

There’s much more to explore! Enjoy and wishing best of the season to everyone.