Written By Paul George, 12 December 2024
If you’re like me, then every December you will be cranking up the dial on your music systems and enjoying all of those cheesy Christmas hits that get played across our radio stations, shopping centres, Supermarkets etc from 1st December right up until the big day some three and a half weeks later. Let’s face it, despite them stinking of Gorgonzola, they are an essential part of our festive celebrations. Where would we be without Slade’s ‘Merry Christmas Everybody’ or Wizzard’s ‘I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday’? I mean it’s not worth thinking about!
We might as well have fish and chips instead of turkey or not watch ‘The Sound of Music’ or ‘Jurassic Park’ on Christmas Day! (Yeah, that last one could be debatable) But we need them. They put a smile on our face… don’t they?
Now, being a budding Rock ‘n’ Roll twanger, I like to add a couple of them into our repertoire just to lighten the mood of our Chrimbo gigs which turns into a frantic week or so of practicing so I get them right. Most of them are easy peasey but some of them, in my opinion, are gits to play with a billion chords and angelic lead breaks that need Superman’s fingers to make sense of. (Yes, I’m talking about ‘In Dulci Jublio’). But in all seriousness, I love preparing to play them and having a little break from normality and acting like a total pillock for a few weeks, it’s very liberating.
Anyway, I thought I would pick out my top 10 Christmassy Guitar tunes just to see if our readers agree or whether you have your own preferences. So here we go, Paul’s Top 10!
10: Christmas Time – The Darkness (2003)
When I first heard this some 20 odd years ago, my first thoughts were that this was a blast from the past. About as close as we could get to the 1970’s from a band in the Noughties. Screaming lead to open the song with a really great 70’s fun feel.
Like the classic Christmas Songs, the chord structure isn’t too taxing but those lead lines, man they are very cool and festive. The only problem with adding this to our set list is I would need major throat and gonad surgery to sing it. Still a cracker though!
9: Step Into Christmas – Elton John (1973)
Here is one of our most prolific played Christmassy tunes. Written by Elton and Bernie Taupin and released in November ’73, this is a classic! Not the biggest guitar hit but I do love that intro. Again, this is a good jamming song for parties as the Chords are pretty basic but there are quite a few of them so prepare yourselves early if you want to wow your friends. But most of us can handle this without too many worries. Did I tell you I love that guitar intro?
8: Thank God It’s Christmas – Queen (1984) 
C’mon, this is Queen. It’s going to be good! Freddie on Vocals and the legendary Brian May on axe. Pure brilliance, yet once again any old strummer can manage this with it’s super simple chords around the key of G. But then again, to make it sound Queenish you have to study Brian’s magic a bit. Again this is another one I avoid singing as I ain’t Freddie nor will I ever be able to match his amazing vocal range.
7: Wombling Merry Christmas – The Wombles (1974) 
The Wombles? You’ve got to be taking the p***! I hear you saying. But this is one that I adore playing over Christmas. It’s bags of fun, easyish chords and a chance to let the inner child escape and cause havoc for three minutes or so. No lead breaks needed unless you feel the need to show off but a cracker for a bit of distortion and that 70’s Glam Rock feel. Go on, I dare you, give it a go!
I can almost feel every guitarist on the planet throwing things at me for that one but I don’t care, I’m a big kid at heart.
6: I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday – Wizzard (1973) 
Yeah, this one had to be included. Probably the second most played Chrimbo song we hear. A fun one to play if you can handle the tricky vocals. Chords are all easy but watch for that key change in the chorus’s from D to E and then back again for the verses. Lot’s of practice needed for this crowd pleaser. Thankfully for me, no lead breaks unless you really feel the need to throw one in instead of the horn section.
5: 2000 Miles – The Pretenders (1983) 
2000 Miles is a tribute to The Pretenders’ guitarist James Honeyman-Scott, who died from a drug overdose on June 16, 1982, at 25. It is a simple three chord trick in G but the guitar is really melodic with what I think is a chorus effect and picked strings. Quite lovely! I’ve never played this as my other half hasn’t learned how to sing it yet but definitely one we will attempt in the future. Nice one to play on the old acoustic, I think.
4: Happy Xmas War Is Over – John Lennon (1971) 
A guitar classic for acoustic strummers with this John Lennon anti war song festive song. A brilliant sing along thing with easy chords. Do watch out for that key change from A to G in the chorus but apart from that, an easy one to get to grips with.
This is one I haven’t played for reasons I won’t bore you with but it is a great party piece so don’t let my Grinchyness put you off. Get wailing!
3: Merry Christmas Everybody – Slade (1973) 
Another ’73 Classic and the daddy of all Christmas songs. Seriously, I wonder how much royalties this has raised for our Brummie lads? If your adding Christmas songs to your set, this is a must. Great chords around G and, again, easy to play and guaranteed to fill the floor with noisy party goers. This one has been screamed out by my lot for years and will continue to do so for many more to come. This is what Chrimbo is all about!
2: In Dulci Jublio – Mike Oldfied (1975) 
OK, here we go. The musical genius came up with this one from an old German Christmas Carol and turned it into a rock classic. The chords are simple around the key of C but that’s not what this tune is about. It’s about that lead break in the second half of the tune where you have to play at a million miles an hour. I really love this track but I’m buggered if I can get it right!
1: I Believe in Father Christmas – Greg Lake (1975)
And finally we get to our No:1 spot. I have loved this song since I was a kid and still love it today. The chords although easy in D are played with a drop D on the Low E string and has a beautiful acoustic guitar melody running through which takes practice to master. My favourite Christmas song of all time, bar none.
So there we have it my Festive Guitar top 10. Please feel free to comment and let me know yours. Merry Christmas all from the NE Guitars team.