From Mariah Carey to Wham!, Michael Bublé to the Pogues, Christmas songs are an unavoidable part of the festive season.
While some of the most popular Christmas songs evoke unfamiliar northern hemisphere traditions involving snow, Australian musicians have always found ways to adapt the Christmas canon to our own summer-infused celebrations, from Aussie Jingle Bells to that one about making gravy.
Tom Cardy, Montaigne and G Flip are among the artists we spoke to about their Christmas playlists.Credit:Anna Kucera, supplied, and Getty
We asked 10 Australian musicians for their favourite Christmas songs and the stories behind them.
Some went for tunes from their favourite Christmas films, others went more rock ‘n’ roll, and a few picked some all-time classics. We’ve collected them all in one convenient playlist for your Christmas listening.
We hope it’s a list that, to paraphrase Paul Kelly, makes you want to push the tables back.
Fairytale of New York, the Pogues
Mum told me to put on Christmas music when I was like 14, and I didn’t have any Christmas songs on my iPod, so I just put Fairytale of New York on repeat until my older sister noticed.
42 Degrees, Matty Took
My brother wrote this a few years ago for a compilation, and it’s become my favourite Australian Christmas song ever since. I have to play it every year and will forever – ‘It’s that time of the year again’.
Merry Xmas Everybody, Slade
It’s the only real rock ‘n’ roll Christmas song. Also, Home for Christmas by Tinkicker. It’s about touring and being home for Christmas, and it’s super relatable.”
Santa Baby, Vulfpeck
It’s a classic Christmas song that has been covered a trillion times, but this version is my favourite because it’s got some extra slinky Motown groove and funk.
White Winter Hymnal, Fleet Foxes
I am partial to a song which becomes a Christmas classic unintentionally, maybe even didn’t set out to become a perennial at all, like [Paul Kelly’s] How to Make Gravy or [Tim Minchin’s] White Wine in the Sun.
My new favourite is White Winter Hymnal by Fleet Foxes. It has no reason to be a festive staple, but the instant repetition, gently encouraging you to join their choir, to the imagery of “scarves of red tied round” kids throats to keep them safe and warm just hits me in the holiday feels.
Pennies from Heaven, Louis Prima
It’s not actually a Christmas song, but I listen to Pennies from Heaven by Louis Prima a lot because it features in family’s favourite Christmas movie, Elf. I also love Louis Prima independently, his music is so joyful.
You’re a Mean One, Mr Grinch, Tyler the Creator
The Grinch is my favourite Christmas movie, and so I like experiencing as much as I can of it during the festive season.
Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, NSYNC
I’ve always been a Christmas kid at heart, growing up in the ’90s with cult films like Home Alone. But it was this song by NSYNC that every year my brother and I would create a signature dance routine to be performed at the annual Sewell Christmas Eve party. Over the years this has turned into me now hosting the Christmas Eve party instead Of my parents and about 10 lads joining in on the signature boy band dance moves we once created.
Ella Hooper
Come On Up To the House, Tom Waits
This song sparks feelings of reflection. In original context, it’s about end of life and that release, but holidays with all the time to think, appreciate and grieve feel like a similar kind of window to me.
And from G Flip…
All I Want for Christmas is You, Mariah Carey
No-brainer, Mariah.
Follow the full playlist on Spotify:
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