Ten Christmas Rock Songs

If you’re into head banging rather than into Christmas softies…

 

When you grow up as a rocker, you’ll learn that rockers love to head bang, and also love everything that is noisy and loud. The louder, the harder, the better! In this blog post you will find ten Christmas rock songs which made history, well at least some of them. Dedicated to all those who don’t want to listen to Mariah Carey or some other horny and money making machine moaning about Christmas. We want it loud, wild and great! Please note that the below tracks are in no particular orders, or better, they are in a random order. Merry Christmas and a happy new year to all  of your out there!

Slade – Merry Christmas Everybody

Released in 1973 by English rock band Slade, Merry Christmas Everybody is one hell of head banging song. The song was recorded during Slade’s east coast US tour at the Record Plant in New York. It took five days to finish, but the band disliked the first completed version. It ended up being rerecorded, with the corridor outside used to record the chorus, as it provided an appropriate echo.

Eagles – Please Come Home for Christmas

This song was originally released in 1960 by the American blues singler and pianist Charles Brown. In 1978 the rock band Eagles gave it a shot and released this song as a single. A very quiet mellow track, and is a perfect fit to enjoy a glass of Blue Label Johnny Walker while snowing outside.

Wizzard – I wish it could be Christmas everyday

Released in 1973 by English glam rock band Wizzard, I wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday remained nine consecutive weeks in the UK singles chart, only to be beaten by Slade’s Merry Christmas Everybody. As downloads as well as physical sales became eligible for the weekly Top 75 as from January 2007, and it was one of several Christmas oldies to chart again in November and December 2007.

Band Aid – Do They Know It’s Christmas

One of the most influential Christmas songs, Do they know it’s Christmas was written by Bob Geldof (who doesn’t know this guy) and Midge Ure, a Scottish guitarist, keyboard player and song player, mostly known as Ultravox’s frontman. Released in 1984 to raise money for the relief of the 1983 – 1985 famine in Ethiopia, the song raised many millions of pounds and became the biggest-selling single in UK singles chart history, only to be passed by Elton John’s Candle in the Wind. Band Aid consisted of:
Adam Clayton, Bono (U2)
Phil Collins (Genesis)
Bob Geldof, Simon Crowe, Pete Briquette, Johnny Fingers (The Boomtown Rats)
Steve Norman, Tony Hadley, Martin Kemp(Spandau Ballet)
Midge Ure, Chris Cross, John Keeble, Gary Kemp (Ultravox)
John Taylor, Roger Taylor, Andy Taylor, Nick Rhodes, Simon Le Bon (Duran Duran)
Paul Young
Glenn Gregory, Martyn Ware (Heaven 17)
Marilyn Keren Woodward, Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey (Bananarama)
Jody Watley (Shalamar)
Paul Weller (The Style Council)
James “J.T.” Taylor (Kool & the Gang)
George Michael (Wham!)
Francis Rossi, Rick Parfitt (Status Quo)
Robert ‘Kool’ Bell, Dennis J. T. Thomas (Kool & the Gang)
Jon Moss, Boy George (Culture Club)
Sting (The Police)
David Bowie
Holly Johnson (Frankie Goes to Hollywood)
Paul McCartney
Stuart Adamson, Bruce Watson, Tony Butler, Mark Brzezicki (Big Country)

Smashing Pumpkins – Christmastime

It doesn’t exactly happen every day that an alternative rock band such as Smashing Pumpkins releases a Christmas song, but here it is for you to enjoy. The song still delivers the Smashing Pumpkins spirit, with Billy Corgan unique vocals, yet it is a “jolly” Christmas song. Enjoy

U2 – Christmas (Baby please come home)

“Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” is a Christmas holiday song originally sung by Darlene Love and included in a 1963 Christmas compilation album released from Philles Records. In December 2010, Rolling Stone magazine ranked “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” first on its list of The Greatest Rock and Roll Christmas Songs, saying that “nobody can match Love’s emotion and sheer vocal power.” And for you, below is the rock version of this song from the most famous Irish rock band, U2.

The Ramones – Merry Christmas (I don’t want to fight tonight)

What about a punk Christmas song? Yes you’ve heard well. The Ramones, an American 70′s punk band even tried to give it a shot at a Christmas song and managed. Although the song is not so popular with the generic Christmas public, it’s a head banging Christmas song.

John Lennon and Yoko – Happy Xmas (War is over)

I am sure John Lennon needs no introduction. If you’re reading this blog post and you don’t know who is John Lennon, I suggest you stop reading it now, and go to the nearest record shop and buy some The Beatles records. Don’t order from any online store, snail post is really slow in Christmas. Happy Xmas (War Is Over) is written by John Lennon and Yoko Ono. It was released in 1971 as a single with the Harlem Community Choir. The song reached number 4 on the UK Singles Chart. Orignally it was a protest song about the cruel Vietnam War, but has become a Christmas standard, appearing on several Christmas albums and compilations. It was also voted the ninth favourite Christmas song in a poll by music channel VH1. The song was re-released in the UK on 20 December 1980, shortly after John Lennon’s murder on 8 December, and peaked at number 2 in the chart battle for the Christmas number one.

The Darkness – Christmas Time (Don’t let the bells end)

Another head banging Christmas song by the flamboyant British glam rock band The Darkness. The song was released in 2003 and according to bookmakers it was the favourite song to reach number one in the official UK singles chart. Though in Christmas of 2003 it was beaten by relative unknown artists who covered Tears for Fears’ Mad World. Indeed, it is a mad world!

Queen – Thank God it is Christmas

Last but not least, one of the most famous British rock bands Queen, also gave it a shot at Christmas and released Thank God it’s Christmas. The song was written by Queen’s guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor and unfortunately it only reached number 21 in the UK singles chart. The song was never released on any Queen studio album, but was included in Queen’s Greatest Hits 3. No official music video was recorded for this track, hampering its future use on music television stations, hence it is a lesser known Christmas single.