Hang the DJ 30/7/08 14:01 Page 304
Follow that Star! Alternative Versions of
Christmas Classics
JOHN GRINDROD
HANG THE DJ
Since the days of Tin Pan Alley, an evergreen Christmas
song with non-drop needles is something that most pop
musicians aspire to produce. And if you can’t manage
your own then there’s always a canon of seasonal greats
to call upon. This Top 10 celebrates some of the best and
worst versions of Christmas classics, while trying to
avoid all the usual remarks you’d get on TMF about
turkeys and crackers.
10 ‘Blue Christmas’ – Elvis Presley (1957) and Low
(1999)
This old American country standard was recorded by
Elvis in his golden period in its most famous version.
Like many of his early(ish) hits, it’s a beautifully simple
and driven arrangement, with the backing singers
whistling like the wind through the verses while he
laments his lost love in that gorgeously warm and sexy
voice. It’s such a definitive rendition that one might imag-
ine that other performers would have been scared off; far
from it. The list of covers includes those by Engelbert
Humperdinck, Billy Idol and Shakin’ Stevens.
Remarkable though they are, my favourite has to be
Low’s pre-millennial version from their astonishing
Christmas album, which seemed to arrive with instant
nostalgia attached. This slower, more tremulous take is
as delicate as newly fallen snow, Mimi Parker haunting
the song like the ghost of Karen Carpenter.
304
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7