"White Christmas" was written by Irving Berlin and originally recorded by Bing Crosby in the 40's. Not only is Crosby's version far and away the most popular version of the song, and the most popular Christmas song, it's also the best selling single worldwide of all time. Through this song -- Berlin's lyrics and Crosby's crooning -- I can experience a white Christmas while staying warm. It's a dream in the form of a song.
Among the over 500 covers of this song, the most covered Christmas song of all time, is the 89 version by the New Kids on the Block. I like this song better than I thought I was going to, but when I listening to it, I find myself dreaming of a white Christmas -- Crosby's "White Christmas".
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Wham! released "Last Christmas" in 1984; Taylor Swift covered it in 2007. The original is another one of my top 12 Christmas songs; it's also my favorite original 80's Christmas song, which is now a classic in its own right. The Christmas season doesn't begin for me until I hear this song on the radio. The music is somber for a Wham! song, but it's merrier than the lyrics. The lyrics are among the most depressing of any Christmas song. The singer gave "you" his heart on Christmas, but you gave it away the very next day, on Boxing Day. You couldn't even wait until December 27th? But there's some hope buried in the lyrics. There's always next year.
Although I prefer the original, I'm unembarrassed to say that Taylor Swift's version is my favorite cover of the song. It's the only cover that doesn't make me wish I was listening to the original. And who better to sing a song about heartbreak than Taylor Swift?
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One of the most popular and one of my favorite versions of "Winter Wonderland" is Bing Crosby's from 62. The 87 version by the Eurythmics, from the compilation album A Very Special Christmas, is not only my favorite version of the song, it's also one of my favorite Christmas songs (definitely in my top 12) and one of my favorite songs by the Eurythmics. The thoroughly original arrangement and Annie Lenox's voice capture, as no other version does, both sides of the snowflake: the warmth and merriment of the season, as well as the cold and loneliness.
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