TOP 10 ALTERNATIVE XMAS TUNES...

OK, it's time to get a bit festive, only a bit, mind.
So let's have a look at the better songs you may or may not hear this season. Aside from churned out shitty kids telly spin-offs to horrible glam rock which has bizarrely stood the test of time forced down our throats at every opportunity. Most definitely Cliff, Shaky and Band Aid free...

1. Darlene Love, Christmas, Baby Please Come Home. Great tune, it's also in the opening titles to not actually that scary, but great seasonal horror Gremlins. Remember in Goodfellas when Jimmy Conway decides he'd rather whack everyone than pay them the cash from the heist? this is also playing then. Magic.


2. Half Man Half Biscuit - it's cliched to be Cyncial at Christmas.
HMHB know the score, this is better than their other more famous 'Christmas' themed tune. Spot on, nice home made vid too.

3. Fairytale in New York - The Pogues and Kirsty Macoll, yes it's a cliche, yes everyone includes it in their lists, but it's a world away from Cliff or Macca's feelgood piffle. So for that reason it's in.


4. All Together Now - The Farm, a great tune from the baggyish era. Listen to it, based on the Christmas Day truce of 1914 where soliders from opposing sides, left their trenches and had a good old fashioned game of togger. If one situation could sum up the pity of War then that be it.


5. St Etienne I Was Born on Christmas Day - Manchester(ish) vibes in the area, live on the Word. St Etienne + Tim Burgess.


6. Gaudete Steeleye Span - Listen to this, it'll blow your socks off.


7. The Fall - Hark the Herald Angels Sing - Classic hymn, Mark E Smith style, what's not to like?


8. The Flying Pickets Only You - Teds singing acapella? bit gay innit? gay-good though.


9. Bert Jansch - In the Bleak Midwinter. If it's all getting a bit too much, put this on and have a little cry.


10. Jona Lewie Stop the Cavalry. Still appropriate this Christmas.

OK, if I'm not being a Humbug, with enough pints and spirits in my belly, I'd be secretly dancing (inside) to the likes of Slade and Wizzard and that Elvis one, no sorry Mud! We all do. Just sometimes it's the same shite, different year. Every year.