Country fans, when do you get into Christmas mode? I resisted the temptation to join my neighbours on both sides who’ve had their decorations up since mid-November, but I’m switching into full Cowgirl-Elf mode this weekend. There’ll be hot chocolate spiked with cherry bourbon while I hang my mix of nativity and western-themed ornaments and now I need to decide which new songs should make it onto my festive country music soundtrack.
This year there’s been a raft of Christmas Country releases (yep, it’s a whole genre). Albums include Little Big Town’s The Christmas Record and Rascal Flatts’ The Greatest Gift of All. For singles some artists have given us perfectly nice covers of classics, like George Birge’s Have Yourself a Merry little Christmas. Others have penned new songs they’re hoping will become future classics.
But not all songs are bringing me Christmas cheer, so here’s which are on my Naughty and Nice lists, including videos of the favourite songs.
Country Christmas Songs: Naughty List
1. Chris Janson’s Christmas in Dixie is surprisingly old-fashioned in both sentiment, vocals and with music production that reminds me of the auto bosa nova button I had on my childhood electric keyboard. I’ll stick to Jim Reeves or Brett Eldrigde to his that schmaltzy spot.
2. I’ll also be skipping Hillary Scott’s Hard To Wait For Christmas, a saccharine duet featuring her 11-year-old daughter. Yes, she’s still the Lady A icon, but my sugar intake is already too high with the Hallmark movies I can’t stop watching.
3. Oddly for the naughty list, I’m including a beautiful story-song that has perfect, haunting country vocals. Belle Frantz’s If We Make It Through December slows down the Merle Haggard classic, enhancing it’s already heartbreaking nature. I usually love how country doesn’t shy away from sadness and the realities of life, so this melancholic ballad may really land with some people this Christmas. But I’m personally not ready to cry over my advent calendar this early.
4. Lee Brice has given us Single Bells, a reworking of Jingle Bells. Lee’s voice can make me forgive most things (even, almost, the creepy stalker undertone of his catchy hit One of Them Girls). But this? While it might throw in some faux-positivity with lines like “it’s fine to be alone like me” and “that’s OK, hell it’s still the holidays”, singing those over a dragging, depressing melody, in a song contrasting your life couples outside the window, and with his trademark emotive rasp… Nope, this has the very opposite effect. If I’m single at Christmas please don’t play me this.
Fortunately there are enought other songs that sparkle to me….
Country Christmas Songs: Nice List
1. Let’s counter Lee Brice with Megan Moroney’s All I Want for Christmas is a Cowboy. She deliver’s her trademark witty lyrics in a catchy song with all the fun of a classic like Santa Baby and makes me think of the fun and potential of being single at a time of year filled with parties and booze.
2. While a lot of this year’s offerings are too sweet for my Grinch side, I’m softened by Riley Green’s Christmas to Me. The song paints a vivid, nostalgic picture of the big family reunions and although his is about that all-American family vibe, it resonates with my British Caribbean memories of a billion cousins crowded into my nan’s house in east London, with us kids eating Christmas dinner sat on the steps.
3. It’s evidently hard to find a fresh concept for a Christmas song but The Voice alumni Brittany Kennell’s Cowboy Santa does it brilliantly. It feels like a 90s country classic Terri Clark or someone would’ve released.
4. Finally, much love for underrated guilty pleasure Walker Hayes for always bringing the joy and cheer. Last year’s hit Fancy Like Christmas has already become a Christmas Classic for me. Now, that song’s the first track on his new Christmas EP, which shows off surprising range from the vocals on Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas to the moving Come On Christmas that will appeal to those of us who love his more grownup songs like Briefcase. But fear not, there’s more on-brand comedy with the EPs title track, Christmas Vacation which talks about jingling all the way to AA.
This can be a hit or miss time of year for music, so please do share country songs recommendations for the Christmas playlist and any other ways you’re keeping it country during the holidays.
CJ
Brits in Boots 
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