By Honey Ryder, Fourth Year, English
If your ears cannot take another Mariah Carey whistle note this year, I have curated thirteen songs that explore all the romance, frustration and nostalgia of winter. From folk to soul, there will be something even for the biggest music Grinches among us.
‘Bless the Telephone’ by Labi Siffre
‘It's nice to hear you say "hello"/ And "how are things with you?/ I love you.”’
Ever since ‘Crying Laughing Loving Lying’ featured in The Holdovers (2023), Alexander Payne's poignant holiday film, Labi Siffre’s gentle vocals have reminded me of the wintertime. ‘Bless the Telephone’ is about calling a lover over a long distance. It captures the fleeting bliss of the phone call and the sorrow that returns once the call ends. It is the perfect simple, bittersweet melody for those of you away from loved ones over the Christmas holidays.
‘Glory of the Snow’ by Clairo
‘Glory of the snow/ I'm waking up and now I know.’
Clairo’s mellow tones will carry me through winter into spring with ‘Glory of the Snow,’ a charming song about finding peace after parting with someone, like seeing the first spring flower blooming through the snow. The end of the year is always a time of reflection, and this song captures that sense of nostalgia, whilst maintaining hope for the future.
‘Sometimes it Snows in April’ by Prince
‘Sometimes I wish that life was never ending/ And all good things, they say, never last.’
This moving song showcases a rare side of the Prince of Funk. ‘Sometimes it Snows in April’ muses on life’s impermanence in a song that feels like a winter lullaby. When families gather over the yuletide, it is natural to remember those no longer with us. Prince softly vocalises the emotions that we might struggle to express.
‘Winter’ by Tori Amos
‘Years go by and I'm here still waiting/ Withering where some snowman was’
From the haunting piano motif, which sounds like cascading snowflakes, to the dramatic horns and violins that evoke a violent snowstorm, ‘Winter’ by Tori Amos is necessary for every December playlist. Many songs I have mentioned focus on the wistfulness of winter, and this one is no different. Amos ruminates on a father-daughter relationship, recalling her lost childhood whimsy to a stirring melody that would not feel out of place at a carol service.
‘Still Cold’ by Cleo Sol
‘And the wind blows- so slow I feel it down my spine/ Travel slowly- so slow/ It penetrates my mind’
A standout on her Winter Songs Album, ‘Still Cold’ by Cleo Sol captures her cold and empty feelings about a relationship gone sour. The gorgeous violins and soulful vocals make this the perfect song for those who are out with the old and in with the new this December.
‘Misty’ by Ella Fitzgerald
‘Never knowing my right foot from my left/ My hat from my glove/ I'm too misty, and too much in love.’
Nothing says Christmas like jazz, and nobody does it better than the iconic Ella Fitzgerald. If you are sick of Michael Bublé and you have played Nat King Cole to death, I would recommend Fitzgerald’s rendition of ‘Misty’ to accompany you through those romantic Christmas nights.
‘Love Takes Miles’ by Cameron Winter
‘Watching the bells, watching the lights/ What I want is far away.’
Surname aside, Cameron Winter’s incredible single ‘Love Takes Miles’ will be on repeat this winter. His unique vocals bleed with emotion as he sings about the trials and tribulations of love. If you are feeling distant from loved ones this Christmas, these aching violins will be sure to tug on your heartstrings.
‘The Frost’ by Mitski
‘With no one/ To share the memory of frost/ Out the window this morning/ After you're gone.’
Mitski’s haunting vocals, accompanied by a mournful mandolin and a catchy, folk melody, are the heart of ‘The Frost’. She laments the experience of making happy memories without anyone to share them with. If you are a fan of ‘The Frost’, ‘My Love is Mine All Mine’ and ‘When Memories Snow’ are some more wintry classics that appear on Mitski’s sophisticated seventh album, The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We.
‘Sadness as a Gift’ by Adrienne Lenker
‘Snow fallin'/ I try to keep from callin'/ Watch the spring turn to winter/ Fireflies all frozen.’
From one of our generation's greatest lyricists to another, Adrienne Lenker’s ‘Sadness as a Gift’ will encourage everybody to hold their lovers close this wintertime. This touching folk tune teaches us to appreciate the sadness that follows splitting from a loved one, because it means theirs was a love worth mourning. At a time of present-giving, this song is a necessary reminder of what life’s true gifts are
‘The Sweetest Taboo’ by Sade
‘Every day is Christmas/ and every night is New Year's Eve.’
Pour yourself some mulled wine and let Sade’s honeyed vocals keep you warm through the chilly winter months. ‘The Sweetest Taboo’ is the perfect song to get the Christmas party grooving, or to set the mood for whoever you are admiring this cuffing season.
‘seasons’ by wave to earth
‘While the leaves withered away/ And grew again/ You have gone far away.’
Though it appears on an EP entitled summer flows 0.02, ‘seasons’ by wave to earth, is the perfect unrequited love song for the winter months. This tender ballad by the South Korean indie rock band has heart and plenty of soul as Kim Daniel proclaims his love throughout every season.
‘Oh You (Christmas Blues)’ by LCD Soundsystem
‘I want to forget/ I get what I get/ These Christmas blues/ And that's the truth.’
If you have run out of Vitamin D tablets and the seasonal depression is encroaching, ‘Oh You (Christmas Blues)’ is the song for you. Let LCD’s blues-y guitars and crooning vocals be an outlet for all your Scrooge-ish frustrations this yuletide.
‘My Red Little Fox’ by Sufjan Stevens
‘Won't you kiss me like the wind that flows within your veins?’
Wrapping up with the unofficial indie king of Christmas, Sufjan Stevens’ ‘My Red Little Fox’ has every component of a Christmas classic, from the choir’s chorus to the chiming bells and the waltzing rhythm. His rich imagery transports listeners to a forest of snow-covered pines as he sings to nature’s sublimity and the lover he longs to understand.
Featured image: Arianna Balsamo
Which songs will make the soundtrack to your December?
