Your favourite rock and/or soul one-off CHRISTMAS/HOLIDAY songs?

This is sort of the opposite of the 'Christmas Songs On Non-Christmas Albums? ' thread.

I'm starting to get my festive playlists together (specifically one indie-centric, another more classic rock and soul but anything really), and am looking for new stuff to add for this year.

I'm wondering what you all hold dearly as festive favourites from non-album singles, B-sides or compilation tracks? Stuff basically that doesn't come from Christmas-themed albums.

I'm thinking stuff like 'Home For Christmas' (B-side to 'Moments of Pleasure') or 'December Will Be Magic Again' (a non-album single) by Kate Bush, Macca's 'Wonderful Christmastime' (self-explanatory), or The Shins' cover of it from that Christmas compilation. Think 'Santa Claus Is Coming To Town' by Bruce, or more obscure stuff like 'Christmas Is Cancelled' by The Long Blondes (a one-of single), Tori Amos' original 'Purple People (Christmas In Space' (B-side of 'Spark')...you get the idea.

Hit me with some recommendations for either list!

 

John & Yoko - "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)"
Elton John - "Step Into Christmas"
Joan Jett - "Little Drummer Boy"

to start...

 

The Dogmatics - X'Mas Time (It Sure Doesn't Feel Like It)

 

Charles Brown - Please Come Home For Christmas

 

Just remembered I bought this last year...one to throw on the list!

 

I recommend the studio version of 'Christmas Bug' by Aussie 70s legends Daddy Cool. It's on their mid 2000s one-off reunion album. Here's a live performance:

 

And Bert Jansch, non-LP 1974 single: 'In The Bleak Midwinter'.

 

I highly recommend digging up this Yuletunes CD from around 1991 on Black Vinyl Records (Shoes label)
It's a Christmas themed album, but a comp.... bands doing mostly original songs, not one artist doing the same old standard songs.

 

XTC (as The Three Wise Men), Thanks for Christmas

 

Grandaddy Alan Parsons in a Winter Wonderland

In the meadow, we can build a snowman.
And pretend that he is Alan Parsons...

 

Keith Richards

 

Canned Heat jamming with...The Chipmunks:

 

One more from the Yuletunes CD.
The Spongetones

 

The Pogues: Fairytale of New York
John and Yoko: Happy Christmas war is over

 

Christmas Wrapping, The Waitresses

 

Jethro Tull Ring Out Solstice Bells
Greg Lake I Believe In Father Christmas
Kate Bush December Will Be Magic Again
Bruce Springsteen Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Queen Thank God It's Christmas (just for Freddie saying, "A very merry Christmas to you all!" in the fade out)
Elton John Step Into Christmas
Wham! Last Christmas

 

Lovely that this should be the first recommendation you thought to type. I always feel a bit drained emotionally after this one.

I don't care for re-fashioned novelty standards and I don't much tolerate sectarian proselytization. Yet, Ian Anderson has proven a different matter altogether. Perhaps his vast intelligence, keen humour, transparent doubts, and apparent disdain for hypocrisy are the passport to my appreciation. In any event, I think JT's "Christmas Album" is terrific and the spirit of much of what I just said is no better summarized than in "A Christmas Song"....

"So how can you laugh when your own mother's hungry..."