Christmas music isn’t for everybody. We acknowledge that there are a fair few out there who would prefer to never hear “All I Want For Christmas Is You” or “Jingle Bells” ever again. If you fall into that persuasion, find five songs below that will help you switch it up this holiday season—all while maintaining an edge of disdain for Christmas.
Videos by American Songwriter
1. “Christmas Will Be Just Another Day” (Brenda Lee)
It’s hard to imagine the same person who sang “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” would also have this song in their repertoire. Nevertheless, Brenda Lee has one for all the lonely hearts out there this holiday season: “Christmas Will Be Just Another Day.” The melody is in a minor key (a slap in the face to all the upbeat Christmas songs out there) and decidedly dejected. This is the perfect track for those in need of a little commiserating this Christmas.
2. “I Won’t Be Home For Christmas” (Blink–182)
Blink–182’s “I Won’t Be Home For Christmas” is a play on a Christmas classic. The rockers bring a punky edge to this track, creating the perfect anti-Christmas tune. Outside the carolers start to sing / I can’t describe the joy they bring / ‘Cause joy is something they don’t bring me, the opening line reads. Elsewhere they flub Santa’s name for Satan and even wind up in jail. You couldn’t ask for much more from this debaucherous trio.
3. “is it new year’s yet?” (Sabrina Carpenter)
Among the tracklist for Sabrina Carpenter‘s recently released EP, fruitcake, is this cry for Christmas to be over. In “is it new year’s yet?” Carpenter sings, I’m sick and tired of this holiday / Not good at bein’ present anyway. She looks ahead to the promise of a new year when she can leave all the troubles of this one behind. I’m gettin’ bored, so can we skip ahead, she sings with her trademark humor.
[RELATED: Review: Sabrina Carpenter Brings Her Own Kind of Holiday Spirit with ‘fruitcake’]
4. “Another Lonely Christmas” (Prince)
Much like “Christmas Will Be Just Another Day,” Prince bands together with those without a darling to spend the holidays with in “Another Lonely Christmas.” You can feel the pain in Prince’s emotive vocals while he wails out the line, Last night I spent another lonely Christmas / Darling, darling, you, you should’ve been there.
5. “That Was the Worst Christmas Ever” (Sufjan Stevens)
If you’re looking for something that truly holds no resemblance to traditional Christmas songs, try “That Was the Worst Christmas Ever” by Sufjan Stevens for size. The lush strings that normally accompany holiday tracks are replaced by a sparse banjo. Moreover, there is nary a reference to Santa in sight. The only two things that even key the listener in that Stevens is singing about the holidays are the title and the final line: Silent night, holy night / Silent night, nothing feels right.
Photo by Vinnie Zuffante/Getty Images
