Looking for an alternative to Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You?” GBH engineer Mike Wilkins has 26 songs that may take over your top holiday song spot!
Each year, Wilkins puts together a playlist full of new takes on old classics, quirky originals and contemporary tunes that are often overlooked. Many of his picks are rescued from the forgotten bins of overlooked B-sides or are one-hit-wonder 45s by little-known artists lost to music history. And some are just plain weird.
This year’s playlist features originals and covers from well-known names like “Groovy Christmas” by The Linda Lindas, “Psychedelic Christmas” by H.E.R. and “Blue Christmas” sung by the actor Jeff Goldblum.
It also features several songs under the theme of peace and harmony, including “Plea For The Holidays” by Marloma, “Let’s All Send Love on Christmas” by Guy Pastor and “Peace On Christmas” by Charles Brown.
And for more unusual picks, Wilkins has included an electronica cover of “Pretty Paper,” originally by Willie Nelson and performed by Dean & Britta & Sonic Boom, “Let Me Live 'Til Christmas,” a song by Ray Taylor about a man on death row, and “The Chinese Ghost of Christmas” by performance artist Gary Le Strange.
Listen to all these and many more — including Callie’s favorite new holiday songs — on this week’s special episode!
