Last week, I put on some music. Amazon Prime had a Christmas list and I figured I’d give it a try. A few songs in, Wham’s ‘Last Christmas’ came on and I did a desperate grab to click it off before it gut stuck in my head. Again. All day. That song has to be one of the single most annoying Christmas songs ever made. And it’s been haunting us since 1986! That’s a looooong time to be annoying.
It made me wonder what Christmas songs my friends couldn’t stand anymore, so I did a little completely unscientific and unreliable poll on Facebook. Here’s the top 3 of most annoying Christmas songs (and surprisingly: Wham did not win!):
3. Santa Baby
To be fair: there was some healthy debate about this one. The original version is from Eartha Kitt from 1953. Granted, the lyrics are absolutely horrible by today’s standards, but it was a different time back then. Still, it still rubs many people the wrong way and more or less ‘popular’ versions from Ariande Grande or Taylor Swift haven’t changed that. Personally, I can appreciate the jazzy sound of the original version, but those lyrics…yeah, not good.
http://youtu.be/jFMyF9fDKzE
[Video via YouTube]
2. Wham: Last Christmas
I felt confirmed in my utter annoyance over this song since many people mentioned this one was high on their list of horrible Christmas songs as well. If you really want to, you can watch it here, but be warned: it will be stuck in your head for the rest of the day.
[Video via YouTube]
1. Christmas Shoes
The winner is Christmas Shoes! As to why this song is so annoying, one friend put it like this: “morbidly depressing”. There you go, just how you want to feel around Christmas, right?
[Video via YouTube]
Honorable mentions were: Driving Home for Christmas (Chris Rea), All I want for Christmas (Mariah Carey version), Mary Did You Know (‘theological twaddle’, one friend described it, which is funny because I love it and even blogged about it!), The Little Drummer Boy, I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas, Grandma Got Hit by a Reindeer, and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (one friend rightfully lamented the lyrics, I quote: “the ridiculous line “next year all our troubles will be out of sight”. It utterly trivializes Christmas, when it is deep and meaningful and world-changing.” Spot on, bro!)
So, of course I have to ask: What is your single most annoying Christmas song?
Share in the comments!
[Image via Free Images STXC, cc]
Greg says
Definitely Christmas Shoes! Hey….my mom is dying, but I’d rather go Christmas shopping than spend time with her. Really?
Rachel Blom says
I know, right? I couldn’t believe it when I first heard this song how unbelievably depressing the lyrics were…totally ruins Christmas for me!
Sipech says
Never heard of Christmas Shoes. For sheer theological ineptitude, I would have to say that Away In A Manger takes the biscuit.
Rachel Blom says
Oh my, yes, those lyrics are awful:
The cattle are lowing
The poor baby wakes
But little Lord Jesus
No crying he makes
Very Biblical. Not. The melody is acceptable though and you have to admit it’s not being played in stores that much. Not enough to totally get on your nerves…
Jenna says
Baby It’s Cold Outside. I think it’s the most covered version by other artists in history.
Rachel Blom says
Did you know there’s a whole discussion going on right now about the lyrics of that one? Some consider the lyrics to be sexually aggressive, abusive even since the guy doesn’t seem to accept the word no. There’s even a politically correct version now 🙂