When it comes to holiday classics and their covers, any song sung by Whitney Houston, Ella Fitzgerald, Stevie Wonder, or John Legend is going to be an improvement on the original. With these tried and true standards, black artists take holiday song traditionsโremixing and redoing themโand create new classics out of something old and staid.
Suggested Reading
Whether through Motownโs Northern Soul or putting the funk in a holiday function, Black artists are known for taking these standards and making new soulful traditions. From The Temptations to the Jackson 5, there is so much jazz and R&B influence in each rendition that no matter how many times you listen to them youโre always going to find something to love. You can bump the โclassicsโ as much as you like, but itโs undeniable that these 12 recreations blow them out of the water.
โJoy To The World (with Georgia Mass Choir),โ Whitney Houston and The Georgia Mass Choir
โJoy To The Worldโ is not a song that I would normally associate with dancing. Itโs more of a swaying type of church song, and not the gospel genius that Whitney Houston creates in her rendition. This song is the superior version because of the way she uses funk and soul while also maintaining the midnight mass feel. The breathy opening before the first beat drop could make anyone skeptical of what was to come, but it quickly becomes a gospel ballad that makes you want to get up and dance.
โHave Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,โ Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald makes this rendition of โHave Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,โ feel like a jazzy hug. Judy Garlandโs original in Meet Me In St. Louis (one of my favorite movies), is full of longing and disappointment like itโs a sad song. Fitzgeraldโs version is one you could put on in any festive setting and hum along with the words as they danced through the air. Unlike other Christmas songs, whether they be originals or covers, โHave Yourself A Merry Little Christmasโ doesnโt rely on excessive use of sleigh bells or other percussion and we as listeners know that this is a Christmas song based on lyrics alone.
โWhite Christmas,โ The Supremes
When โWhite Christmasโ opens and the first notes roll out, the melody is so comforting and the sultry yet somehow innocent voices pull the listener further in. It feels like the song is giving you a hug and then wrapped it in a pretty bow. There is no sense of urgency in this song. The slow melody, rhythm, and lyrics make it feel exactly like what Christmas is supposed to be. The Supremes end the bridge with harmonizing notes and bring back the chorus in a slow and almost faded tone. The fact that it still instills the spirit of other renditions within the song while still standing out as something of its own.
โRudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer,โ The Temptations
So I might be the most biased person here because โRudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeerโ is my favorite Christmas song ever. I first heard this song when I was about eight years old. My dad would play it on a record he had and would yell out โHey Rudolph!โ at any and all opportunity, continuing even after the song had ended. Itโs also the definition of throwing a party. Thereโs nothing holding you back from dancing like a fool. It reigns supreme because no matter what part you pay attention to, youโre going to find something that makes you smile. Can you seriously say that you donโt want to punch the air with glee at each โHey Rudolph?โ
โSilver Bells,โ Stevie Wonder
Sixtyโs era Stevie Wonder brings soul to the table regardless of what heโs singing. From originals to โSilver Bells,โ he just can do no wrong. With that in mind, this rendition of โSilver Bellsโ is just straight soul from the strings to the high-hat beat. I had never really paid attention to the lyrics of the song until I heard this version. It feels similar to that of โHave Yourself A Merry Little Christmasโ because it could be played in the background and hummed along to or belted out with those around. Iโm not sure what it is about Christmas music that when the lyrics and rhythm are slowed down makes it feel more like the artist is singing to the listener.
โSanta Claus Is Coming To Town,โ The Jackson 5
My whole childhoodโbefore my father told me he was โsoul brother SantaโโI was reminded every day that Santa was going to come and if I wasnโt nice I wouldnโt get any presents. Which as one could imagine, caused an uproar in a house of three girls. At this point, it feels like The Jackson 5 are the ambassadors of falsetto Christmas music. Regardless, this song ranks miles above the rest of the renditions because of the undeniable catchiness, powerful chorus, and danceable qualities.
โJingle Bells,โ Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
The beginning of this song sounds like the opening of โRudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,โ but Smokey Robinsonโs voice cuts through the noise of some of the other renditions. The original tune is so damn catchy that sometimes I start singing it randomly in July and wonder what the hell is wrong with me. This version doesnโt do that to me, in fact, it makes singing it and listening to it an enjoyable experience because of its originality. Usually, I tune out the second verse of the song if I am not listening to this version because it doesnโt matter to me. However, I actually know the words to this one because there is nothing more satisfying than being able to sing a whole song from beginning to end, especially if itโs really good.
โSilent Night,โ Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey practically owns Christmas, thatโs just a fact. I associate some renditions of โSilent Nightโ with parts of Hallmark movies where the main character has some sort of epiphany or when my grandmother would take me to midnight mass in St. Louis. But this song feels like a slow burn R&B version of a Christmas song and Carey seems to be transitioning into more of an R&B singer as she becomes less of a pop-star. Keeping in mind that this version was originally released in 1993, Carey somehow makes it still exude sexy-Auntie-Claus energy in 2020.
โMy Favorite Things,โ John Legend
As someone who grew up in the early 2000s and lived in the beginning of the Instagram era, I, for a very brief second, forgot that John Legend had a career outside of being Chrissy Teigenโs husband. I associate โMy Favorite Things,โ with that scene in The Sound Of Music. Part of me does wonder why this is a Christmas song. Other than the fact that it talks about the things that the person wants, all it really does, for me at least, is bring me back to a soaking wet Julie Andrews. But because it is a Christmas song, it ranks at the top of the list of renditions because of Legendโs jazzy tones morphed into his 2019 pop transformation in 2018.
โFrosty The Snowman,โ Nat King Cole
This song is the epitome of fun, childrenโs Christmas songs, and Cole does a fantastic job at delivering. It opens with pitched-up voices that weave their way back into the song during the chorus, giving a throughline of childlike joy. Coleโs voice is light and airy as if you could see him smiling while recording. His use of big brass instruments like trumpets and tubas emphasizes the movements of Frosty. Itโs brilliant.
โItโs Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas,โ Johnny Mathis
This version โItโs Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmasโ has always made me feel like I was the main character in a Christmas movie. I can see and feel and hear the holly on the doorstep of my non-existent house. If you close your eyes and listen, everywhere really does look like Christmas in Mathisโs rendition. This year has been difficult in getting into the holiday spirit. There isnโt much walking around and gazing at the lights for fear of spreading or catching Miss Rona. But, if we canโt walk around and actually see how it actually looks a lot like Christmas, we can at least close our eyes, listen to this song and pretend.
โWinter Wonderland,โ Louis Armstrong
Anything that Louis Armstrong does is at the top of a list, especially โWinter Wonderland.โ One of the most recognizable things about this song is how easy it is to harmonize with it. It is comparable to Ella Fitzgeraldโs version of the song, but it has a deeper and almost comical twist to it because of his unique voice and cadence. His voice beautifully melds with the repetitive melody in the background and new layers are added at each new verse and chorus. Armstrong is able to take a very upbeat and almost pop-like song and turn it into a smooth jazz Christmas tune.
ย
Straight From
Sign up for our free daily newsletter.