Christmas songs: Stars name their favourite tunes

Sounding festive: Snoop Dogg. Picture: Ian Georgeson

I ASKED the experts – some of the year’s most successful musicians – to suggest favourite Christmas songs, and they unearthed a treasure trove of impressive sounds. Who knew there was a gangsta rap Christmas album?

Katie Melua

Oh Holy Night (carol, composed in 1847)

“When I was about 12 I joined the school choir a few years after my family moved to Belfast. The first time I took part in the Christmas carol performance was in the school chapel. When we first sang Oh Holy Night and got to the part where the A minor chord first happens over the lyrics (“Fall on your knees ...”) that melodic and musical change just blew my mind. It’s subtle but a real spine-chiller.”

James Blunt

I Believe in Father Christmas, Greg Lake

“I love the lyrics: ‘They sold me a dream of Christmas/They sold me a Silent Night’. It may be Christmas but the reality is there are still troubles in the world.”

Alex Trimble

Two Door Cinema Club, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus (originally recorded by Jimmy Boyd, 1952)

“It’s a song that opens up the imagination to why Santa performs all these ‘selfless’ deeds. It reminds of me of playing in the school concert band at Christmas time in our local shopping centre in Bangor.”

Amir Amor, Rudimental

Snoop Doggy Dogg, Santa Claus Goes Straight to the Ghetto

“From the dying days of classic Gangsta Rap, this 1996 track features the late and great Nate Dogg. It’s from the Christmas On Death Row album which features a whole bunch of festive tunes for your gangsta party.”

Leona Lewis

White Christmas, Otis Redding

“His rendition is incredible and gave me goosebumps the first time I heard it. His performance is what inspired me to record my own version for my Christmas record.”

Frank Turner

Christmas Is Awesome: Reuben

“Reuben broke up many years back now (though Jamie Lenman, their singer, has just released a new record) but this one still stands out to me as the best Christmas song I know. It rocks hard, and it’s pretty funny. Worth tracking down.”

Felix White, The Maccabees

It Must Be Santa, Bob Dylan

“I love the fact that he thought of this, wrote it, made a video for it and put it out, all with a straight face, and got away with it.

Everyone knows The Pogues and Slade are the true Christmas song champions but I feel Bob deserves special mention for his effort, especially as it was only a couple of years ago.”

George Shelley, Union J

All I Want for Christmas Is You, Mariah Carey’s

“Growing up, this was always the Christmas record that got me dancing around the room and the video is something that makes me feel like it’s Christmas. Mariah Carey’s also almost as much of a diva as Jaymi in the band!”