Welcome to Buttkickin’ Holiday Songs, my yearly dive into the warm, strange, nostalgic, and soulful soundtrack of the season.
Every December, we’ll revisit music inspired by or evocative of the Season. Perhaps both? Maybe neither? No real rules here, just whatever feels right.
But great songs are just great songs, especially when they make the Season that much more Seasonal.
Each entry is a small musical love letter, part reflection and part joy, part memory and part discovery, all wrapped in lights and snow and swing and jazz and prog and soul and whatever else December stirs up in this slightly cluttered brain of mine.
| Album | Artist | Genre | Release Date | Summary | year | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | What Child Is This/The Holly and the Ivy | Bing Crosby | Christmas Carol | A Christmas Day reflection anchored by Bing Crosby’s “What Child Is This / The Holly and the Ivy,” a medley that unfolds with gentility and warmth. Timeless carols, a familiar voice, and an invitation to pause, reflect, and share gratitude for the season and those listening along. | 1961 | ||
 | Mistletoe and Wine | The Darkness | Glam Rock | The Darkness approach “Mistletoe and Wine” with sincerity and restraint, letting the song’s hymn-like warmth unfold through shimmering guitars and Justin Hawkins’s controlled falsetto. A reflective, dramatic cover that respects the original while filtering it through modern glam rock confidence. | 2025 | ||
 | Back Door Santa | Clarence Carter | 60s Funk | Clarence Carter’s “Back Door Santa” is a funky 1968 Christmas classic built on cheeky entendres and Southern soul swagger. Naughty without being obscene, it turns holiday innuendo into an art form, delivered with groove, charm, and a knowing grin. | 1967 | ||
 | It Doesn't Have To Be That Way | Jim Croce | Acoustic Folk | A melancholy Christmas song without bells or cheer, Jim Croce’s “It Doesn’t Have to Be That Way” walks through holiday loneliness with honesty and restraint, offering empathy instead of despair and a fragile hope that what’s broken might still be repaired. | 1973 | ||
 | The 12 Pains of Christmas | Bob Rivers | Novelty | Bob Rivers’ “The 12 Pains of Christmas” isn’t a parody so much as a holiday stress test. With escalating voices and mounting frustration, it captures the slow emotional collapse of December better than any peaceful carol ever could. A loud anxious and endlessly funny seasonal classic. | 1987 | ||
 | Shake Hands With Santa Claus | Louis Prima | Jump Blues | Louis Prima turns Christmas into a swinging jump blues party with “Shake Hands With Santa Claus.” Released in 1959, it’s loud, goofy, joyful, and bursting with New Orleans energy. A big band holiday tune that celebrates unrestrained fun, charisma, and pure seasonal momentum. | 1959 | ||
 | Nut Rocker | B. Bumble and the Stingers | Instrumental 60s Rock | “Nut Rocker” by B. Bumble and the Stingers is Christmas at full throttle. A 1962 instrumental that fuses The Nutcracker with pounding piano and early rock energy, it’s joyful, ridiculous, and guaranteed to wake up any holiday room. | 1962 | ||
 | Miracle | Matisyahu | Reggae/Hip-Hop | Matisyahu’s “Miracle” is a rare modern Hanukkah song that actually grooves. Warm reggae rhythms, sincere lyrics, and infectious energy turn the holiday into something alive, contemporary, and celebratory. | 2011 | ||
 | (Everybody’s Waitin’ For) The Man With The Bag | Kay Starr | Swing | Kay Starr’s “(Everybody's Waitin' For) The Man with the Bag” turns Christmas into motion and momentum. Bright big band swing, warm vocals, and shared anticipation make this 1950 classic a joyful holiday essential. | 1950 | ||
 | Merry Xmas Everybody | Slade | Glam Rock | Slade’s 1973 hit Merry Xmas Everybody is pure singalong joy. Warm guitars, melodic lift, and Noddy Holder’s welcoming voice turn this glam rock anthem into a communal celebration that still feels fresh and heartfelt every December. | 1973 | ||
 | Pavane | Jethro Tull | Progressive Folk | Jethro Tull’s Pavane turns a Renaissance dance into a peaceful winter journey. Warm flute, flamenco guitar, and drifting textures create a quiet seasonal calm that moves like a train through snowy December landscapes. | 2003 | ||
 | God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen / We Three Kings | Barenaked Ladies/Sarah McLachlan | Acoustic Folk | Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan deliver a quietly stunning live take on two classic carols, recorded backstage in 1996. Warm acoustic guitars, effortless harmonies, and Sarah’s luminous entrance make this a rare moment of shared joy that feels both intimate and timeless. | 1996 | ||
 | What Christmas Means To Me | Stevie Wonder | R&B | Stevie Wonder’s 1967 classic “What Christmas Means to Me” is three minutes of pure Motown joy. Bursting with energy, warmth, and Stevie’s unstoppable exuberance, it turns the holiday season into a celebration that feels alive, immediate, and irresistibly joyful. | 1965 | ||
 | Christmas | The Smithereens | Power Pop | The Smithereens take The Who’s “Christmas” is a crunchy holiday powerhouse; part 60s power-chord rock, part 80s Jersey bar band, all heart. A perfect blend of power pop melody and rock opera swagger with a holiday overlay. | 2007 | ||
 | Bears | Zebra | Prog Metal | Zebra’s 1984 single “Bears” isn’t a holiday song, yet its icy atmosphere, emotional depth, and quiet ache make it feel unmistakably wintry. A shimmering, prog-tinged meditation on vulnerability, compassion, and the cold nights we all weather. | 1984 | ||
 | I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm | Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong | Jazz | Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald’s 1957 duet turns winter chill into pure swing delight. Playful, warm, and effortlessly joyful, “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” feels like the holiday season winking at you from across a cozy cocktail lounge. | 1957 | ||
 | Christmas Time's a-Comin' | Emmylou Harris | Bluegrass | Emmylou Harris’s 1979 take on “Christmas Time’s A-Comin’” is pure bluegrass joy: bright, warm, and full of that unmistakable feeling of heading toward home. An uptempo shot of holiday heart, rich with sincerity and seasonal glow. | 1979 | ||
 | Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth) | George Harrison | Classic Rock | George Harrison’s 1973 classic “Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)” blends spiritual yearning with gentle classic rock warmth. A simple, powerful plea for clarity, compassion, and inner peace, and an unexpectedly perfect fit for the holiday season. | 1973 | ||
 | A Remark You Made | Weather Report | Fusion | Weather Report’s “A Remark You Made” may not be a holiday song, but its quiet warmth, delicate beauty, and nostalgic serenity make it the perfect soundtrack for a peaceful Christmas Eve walk. A tender fusion ballad that glows like soft lights on a winter night. | 1977 | ||
 | Merry Christmas Baby | Lou Rawls | R&B | Looking for a holiday song with velvet swagger? Lou Rawls’ 1967 version of “Merry Christmas Baby” delivers a bluesy, midnight-smooth groove that warms the room well before the fireplace starts crackling. With Rawls’ unmistakable baritone, a sauntering blues shuffle, and mood-drenched Christmas soul, this track is holiday fire and magic. | 1967 | ||
 | A Marshmallow World | Dean Martin & Frank Sinatra | Jazz | Dive into the giddy holiday charm of Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin’s 1967 performance of “A Marshmallow World.” A joyful, boozy, Rat Pack classic that blends swagger, nostalgia, and irresistible Christmas warmth. | 1967 |