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20 YEARS OF CAGG, PARTY IN PARADISO DECEMBER 22

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We started blogging about Xmas songs in November 2006 ( see? ). So to celebrate 20 years, it’s time (again) for the Netherlands’ biggest Christmas blog, Christmas A GoGo, to throw its annual Christmas party. Blackbird, Blanko, Talking Trees - a duo that transforms tree pulses into synthesiser music -, The Mieters, The Lasses and The Heck will be performing at the Bovenzaal of Paradiso in Amsterdam . It’s the perfect fit for a Christmas site that claims to showcase ‘the weird and the wonderful.' On Monday, 22 December, the musical pine tree waft will be spread by: Blackbird. In the past, Merel Koman gave us her own Christmas hits, such as the smash ‘Christmas Getaway’. On her new EP (on green vinyl ), ‘Mama Made Christmas’, you’ll hear Het Metropole Orkest backing her up. Paradiso plans to be the tree-topper of her Christmas tour. The Lasses. This duo met at an Irish pub in Amsterdam. They’ve put out four albums, performed countless shows, and now they have a Christmas a...
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Limited Christmas With Dr. John

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A special and limited 7-inch single has been released by Sundazed : Dr. John playing 'Silent Night' on piano. The single contains two takes, both recorded sometime in 1981–1982. On side A you can hear him start over a few times. This version was previously released on the CD edition of ' Dr. John Plays Mac Rebennack ' (1989). On the other side is 'Silent Night Take Two', which has never been released before.
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Rum Bar Records Celebrate Christmas

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As far as I could tell, we at CAGG have never written about the American label Rum Bar Records from Boston. I could only find this post   on their band Beebe Gallini. They’ve been releasing punk/rock ’n’ roll Christmas music for a few years now. This year no fewer than three vinyl singles have been released. First up is a fast, punk-like version of Darlene Love’s ' Baby Please Come Home' by a bunch of old punks: Greg Antista and the Lonely Streets. Christmas, Baby Please Come Home by Greg Antista and the Lonely Streets At Rum Bar Records they also venture into lounge, with this soft jazzy, pink-tinted single ' It’s Martini Time' by the duo Velveteen Lounge, which instantly transports you into the world of kitsch, Martinis, and Tiki bars. Velveteen Lonunge Kitsch-en Christmas (Velveteen Lounge Records) by Velveteen Lounge Kitsch-en The third single features two bands. On one side you’ll find Hilken & Melissa (feat. Kay Hanley) with the country-tinged ' Wh...
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Shapes Like People

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Christmas for a good cause. 'A Wild Christmas, We Broke Santa' by Shapes Like People is raising funds for the Stars Appeal with this awesome track. Indie pop couple Kat & Carl Mann originally wrote it for their new album, "but it didn't quite fit, so we've given it a Christmas makeover". Cheerful jangle-pop, sleigh bells, a late eighties crystalline sound with great singing (think Miki Berenyi and more recent Lana del Rey) and that typical Christmassy feel. But as sweet as the song is, so hard is their Christmas. Grandma is so drunk, her teeth fell out and who put tequila in the turkey brine anyway? Merry Christmas, great song!   Stars Appeal are aiming to raise £2million this calendar year to enhance care for patients across all wards and departments at Salisbury District Hospital, and support the NHS staff who care for them.  Donate via Bandcamp .  Shapes Like People Insta over there .  A Wild Christmas, We Broke Santa by Shapes Like People
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Die Hard is a Christmas Movie, for sure

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No reason to stop posting songs that prove that Die Hard is a Christmas movie. Sure, the proof is overwhelming; see here , here , and here . And the songs about John McClane, Nakatomi Plaza, Hans Gruber and the movie just don't stop. We had this one recently. And there's still more. Yippee-ka-yay! From a Very Cherry Christmas Vol. 16 (2022), and now available on the Bandcamp of Get the Fuck Outta Dodge themselves, this tornado of a track: Well, if Die Hard is a Christmas film, then this is definitely a Christmas song by Get The Fuck Outta Dodge In Spanish, and no lyrics to translate, but McClane and Yippee-ka-yay are mentioned, so this gotta be good: Famoso cantante norteamericano by Patada Voladora From 2014, and somehow overlooked in earlier posts, this Iron Maiden-inspired track that just take a minute of your time: Shit We Learned From Iron Maiden by Al Bundie's Army From 2012, proof that repetition works best if you want to make an uplifting punkrock song:...
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Hit me Santa Baby, one more time

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Straight from Santa Guuz' corner this tip for another 'Santa Baby' cover. Less loud than the one in the previous post by ugly ozo, but yet not to be missed. This one's done by Rosie Mac and is slow, jazzy mellow, and sexy. The actress, model and singer from England made this smooth version that can easily compete with the seductive versions recorded by Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Taylor Swift, Trisha Yearwood, Ariana Grande and Gwen Stefani, to just name a few.  Rosie Mac Insta over there . 
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ugly ozo - Santa Baby

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Oh noes! Not another Santa Baby cover, right?! Sorry... But hold off on switching channels for a moment, give it 2 minutes and 7 seconds and let yourself be carried away. Because what Jessica Baker, a.k.a. ugly ozo from the Isle of Wight, UK does with this 1953 classic by Joan Javits and Philip Springer is truly ultra seductive and deliciously mean, especially halfway when the loud shoegazey guitars start to interfere. Forget about Madonna , Kylie Minogue , Taylor Swift , Trisha Yearwood , Ariana Grande and Gwen Stefani , this is da Santa shit!   The ugly ozo Insta over there . 
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More Short Notes

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December is just around the corner, so the Christmas releases increase. Here's another quick round-up: Wake Up & Smell The Sun is a regular on this blog, and the new trilogy of songs is mighty strong. For a big review, go over to Jim/Christmas Underground . Here at CAGG, we bang our heads to this sweaty buffalo of a Christmas rock song: Icicle Miner Key Yuletide Trilogy by Wake Up And Smell The Sun Marta Arpini is Italian, lives in Holland and writes pretty folksy dreampop songs. This Christmas is her first Christmas song, it's inspired by Santa Baby and Marta says: ' I hope This Christmas makes you feel light, sparkly and soft, warmly mysterious, like a half-smile or a gaze that holds eye contact, sweet and inviting. Maybe it will make you sway, or swoon, or float a bit.' This Christmas by Marta Arpini Canadian singer-songwriter Dan Mangan wrote this beautiful Christmas song with great brass and strings, and very smart lyrics: 'Maybe that’s just C...
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Short Dutch Notes

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Quick round-up of recent Dutch additions to the Christmas canon: Blackbird, she who will shine like a diamond on the upcoming CAGG Night in Paradiso , released her Christmas EP on green vinyl today . It features tracks that we know (like this one , and this one ), and also an acoustic version of this New Year's song: Douwe Bob & Miss Montreal's Please Just Come Home is a ballad with a slight country-vibe, with a universal feeling of longing (all good Xmas songs are about longing, as you know) and the bells to make it seasonal. Miss Montreal knows a thing or two about writing original Christmas tunes, her 'Being Alone at Christmas' is considered a Dutch Xmas classic. She also wrote Christmas Hearts . Not an original, but a Mexican rocking version of the ole Feliz Navidad by Dutch Xmas queen Judy Blank (she of California Christmas ) from an EP called Season's Beatings with more covers, by the Beach Boys for instance. Blanko & Ellen ten Damme, th...
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Freshly baked Christmas memories from MLou

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Not only does Québec's MLou have her cover version of 'Marie-Noël' , 'Le Sentier de Neige', 'Noël Blanc', and 'All I Want for Christmas' (banjo alert!), 'Magie d'antan' just dropped. The song brings up the good old days of Christmas when we were young, the food smelt delicious and everybody was happy enjoying the moment. Nostalgia is hot this year: comfort food is in, and MLou's mellow voice pairs extremely well with it. Dessert: 'Souvenirs enneigés'. Bon appétit! Magie d'antan by MLou Souvenirs enneigés by MLou
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Christmas with Black Friday Record Store Day & Devo

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I didn’t know that Devo had ever released a Christmas song: ' Merry Something To You' . I had completely forgotten that we already covered it back in 2010. Read here . The track first appeared on the compilation ' Gift Wrapped Vol. II: Snowed In ' . On November 28 it’s Black Friday Record Store Day, and among the many special releases is a 12" picture disc with four versions of Merry Something To You . The drawing on the record is by Mark Mothersbaugh (Devo).  Mark also released several Christmas songs himself, such as the album ' Joyeux Mutato ' (1999) and the single ' I Don’t Have A Christmas Tree' . On the Black Friday Record Store Day lists there’s another Christmas album: a reissue of ' A Very She & Him Christmas ' (2011) on snowflake white vinyl. We already wrote about this one, here , in 2011 and again in 2021 (reissue). At the same time Blood Records drops a special coloured vinyl of this album with an extra star-shaped bonus...
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THEME TIME: Christmas Cards

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Sending Christmas cards is a tradition that is slowly fading thanks to modern media. Despite this, it remains a beloved subject of hate, longing, and everything in between in Christmas music. The result: a huuuuge number of songs about it. We cherry picked a few. Take Ethan James Young for example, who wrote a song back in 2023 in which he, not too kindly, asked someone to stop sending him Christmas cards. Tough lyrics, sweet song.  Christmas Card [Explicit] by Ethan James Young John Dunbar sees it differently. At this time of year, he longs for a card from that special someone, though that's not always a resounding success either. There's no shortage of bells in this quiet indie rock song with a catchy organ. Send Me A Christmas Card by John Dunbar One of the most famous Christmas cards ever sent is, of course, the one from a hooker in Minneapolis to Charlie. This fragile yet indestructible Tom Waits classic has been featured here several times. Deschtuco from Tucs...
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THE FULL SABERTOOTH UNICORN

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Happy Thanksgiving, and Happy SABERTOOTH UNICORN RELEASE DAY! Yes, THE TOOTH, as we like to call the Californians  affectionately , added yet another seasonal EP to their impressive Christmas canon. With some recurring themes. 'Same letters, same guy' , they shouted on their first Christmas record, because in TOOTH-land, there's only a fine, almost invisible line between the two S-masters. This time, they're opening the gates of hell to let Santa/Satan out: Human Santapede by Sabertooth Unicorn Excusez le mot, but that's one HELL of a way to start an album, no? Another theme the fans will spot right away, is that of the mother. This also started in 2020, with the dark singalong ' Hey Mommy, Where's Santa ', then we moved from the even darker folksy singalong 'Mommy died on Christmas' to, well, this story you have to hear for yourself. Warning, it's dark as a coal: Human Santapede by Sabertooth Unicorn But Guuzbourg, you ask, is it al...
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Short notes

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Let's do a quick round-up of recent faves: Glasgow quartet Supernaturals released their 3rd Christmas EP, and this is the very hopeful, surefire indierock hit: Christmas EP #3 by The Supernaturals From a very versatile 13-song Christmas album, this country song about remorse: Bah Humbug Supper: A Very Bug Supper Xmas by Bug Supper The Assist wrote this duet that is more retro/60s than their other songs, but no complaints here, love the Birmingham accent, love the clap clap clap: The Assist · Divorced For Christmas Major Metals, who was on this blog earlier with his VERY good song about Die Hard & Eyes Wide Shut, has released a few more xmas trax, including a sequel to The Christmas Shoes (called The New Year Shoes), and this a'rocking version of the ole Donny Hathaway song. Hold on, for it's a bumpy ride: Tinsel by Major Metals
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Lemonade Sin

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Lemonade Sin from London and Devon was founded in 2019 by Lee Friese-Greene and Simon Aldous. Not only is the band's name an anagram of 'Lee and Simon', but you could also say their music is a kind of anagram too, an eclectic mix inspired by the diverse bands they love. To mention just a famous few: Abba, Buzzcocks, The Velvet Underground, Blondie, The Human League and The Beatles.  This cocktail of influences creates a beautiful alt-pop indie style that they effortlessly carry over to this delicious Christmas track which is described as an anthem to dubious yuletide behaviour.  Anyway, enjoy this cheerful and Christmas cheating janglepop with great boy & girl duet singing for over three minutes "while standing by the mistletoe, next to someone I don't know" .  Oh la la, fingers crossed for that all goes well!  Their Insta over there .  
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THEME TIME: Walking in the air covers

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Walking in the air is a recurrent on this blog, the song from the 1982 animated film 'The Snowman' popped up several times, even recently in a version by La Nouvelle Musique ( here! ). The track, written by Howard Blake and used famously in a commercial later on, has been covered MANY times. Tis a classic! The classic status is, I guess, partly because the movie made a profound impression on many in their youth, and is still worth watching. The dreamy, angelic atmosphere, tis sung by a boy soprano, or treble voice range (or 'castrato'), the fantasy of flying with a snowman to the North Pole to see Santa Claus, it all helps. I've selected some popular, and odd, offbeat cover versions, for this is of course yer favorite offbeat Xmas music blog! But we also made a Spotify playlist with mostly conservative covers, HERE . This is the metallified cover by Finnish band Nightwish. This guitars-with-female soprano-vocals mould was copied a lot: Also quite popular,...
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Fightmilk

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Ah, Fightmilk from London report for Christmas duty. The quartet, who mostly play jinglejangle indie rock but add synths, beats and comedy ( yes ) too, released their first seasonal single in 2016. Then, an EP followed (with beats and comedy), and now there's a very cool, 80s referring new wave-ish 'sad banger' that warms the coal in our stocking. 'It's a song about how you're meant to feel at Christmas compared to how you actually do, with added sleighbells!' We Only Kiss At Christmas feat. Sox by Fightmilk Still killer, from 2020: Fightmilk & Cookies by Fightmilk That first Fightmilk xmas track: The Fight Before Christmas by Fightmilk Thanks to Randy/ Hip Christmas , I can add the song Fightmilk's Lily made with Brutalligators: A Very Brutal Christmas by Brutalligators Fightmilk instagram HERE
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Christmas is supposed to be nice, right?

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Who would have believed that Québecois-Acadien-Irish-Cajun-esque band Quimorucru would have more Christmas songs for us? They've been swinging for quite some time now , and this year, their album 'Noël, c'est supposé être beau' features 10 party songs that go through all the stages of Christmas. It starts in November (just like Christmas a Go Go), then they go through family issues, woman troubles, a party grandma, blues, nostalgia, the whole shebang. Put Quimorucru on your Christmas party playlist tout de suite ! Here's the title track below to get you started, and a Gen X topic if ever there was one, 'Catalogue Sears' (in the UK, Argos), a paper catalogue used for Christmas shopping with a lingerie section. And if you have any philological questions about their Gaspesian lyrics, drop them in the comments - we're here all season. Noël, c'est supposé être beau by Quimorucru Noël, c'est supposé être beau by Quimorucru
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Grape Christmas

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Is it just me, or do y'all feel the urge too to hum Laurie Anderson's classic quirky pop single 'O Superman' whilst listening to this very Britpop single by 'supergroup' Grape? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha . It's a slighty distracting part of a very good Christmas single, that really opens up along the way. Starts easy, gets loud. The 'supergroup' consists of members of Alt-J (Gus Unger-Hamilton), Tellison (Henry Danowski), Gang of Youths (Max Dunn) plus Nat Jenkins (& the Heartcaves). There is ONE physical copy of the vinyl single: "A Christmas song released in aid of St Mungo's, a charity whose purpose is to end homelessness and rebuild lives after homelessness. Please check our 'merch' tab for your chance to own the only physical copy of this single on 7" vinyl, including an exclusive festive B-side... St Mungo's is a leading homeless charity with national influence and has worked on the frontline of homelessness for 55...
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Snowflakes Christmas Singles Club - 2025

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Regulars since a long time at CAGG, the great Amsterdam Snowflakes Singles Club . We've had so many earlier posts about them, we stopped counting. But just click here and be amazed.  Real fans already know what this means: four current bands record a Christmas original and a cover, both pressed on a wonderful 7" Christmassy white vinyl.  First up:, the heavenly vocals in the Massachusetts-based indie duo Jeanines . Their ' Till I See Your Star Tonight' sounds like a kind of contemporary sunshine (indie) pop. Remarkable is their bold, up-tempo, hippie version of ' Listen, The Snow Is Falling' , the Yoko Ono song that appeared first on the B-side of ' Merry Xmas (War Is Over)' . Till I See Your Star Tonight by Jeanines Silver Biplanes ("post-punk psychedelic krautrock glam band from the UK") touches a strange but well-known theme ( you see? ) in  their track: 'Christmastime In Outer Space'. It is the band of Tim Vass, who was in Th...
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Aphrose

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Aphrose is the stage name of Joanna Mohammed, a Canadian soul and rhythm and blues singer from Toronto, Ontario. She is most noted for her 2023 album Roses, which received a Juno Award nomination for Adult Contemporary Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2025. So says Wikipedia . Aphrose has a powerful voice, that really fits the soulful, Stax/Volt-backing on You Ain't Mine. The flip is a more upbeat, more Motown (more Marvin Gaye) side, better for dancing around the Christmas tree. It's out on vinyl too. You Ain't Mine (At Christmas Time) / The Other 364 by Aphrose Aphrose is on the same British label that brought us xmas singles by Bella Brown ( here! ) Hat tip to Stubby for unearthing this on the Falalalala forum.
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Casiotone Christmas

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Next year marks the 20th anniversary of Cold White Christmas, a fairly depressing seasonal track by Casiotone for the Painfully Alone . Basically, it's a song about a college graduate, who lives on her own in Saint Paul (Minnesota), works as a fry cook and who feels 'painfully alone' during the holidays. One for a Saddest Christmas Songs playlist ( hmmm ). & you trudge to work through the snow in a coat down to your knees & you linger at the twinkle lights as you pass by the mall & count the days to a cold white Christmas in St Paul Etiquette by Casiotone for the Painfully Alone What I missed, is that this song has slowly grown into a bit of an alternative Xmas classic. Sure, I knew about Catholic Action's shoutout to Casiotone on their No Angels-track ( HERE ). I bumped into a Cold White Christmas cover version, checked if there were more and whoa, found more than a bunch. Here's a selection (so there are more): This is the first version I h...
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THEME TIME: Christmas in the desert

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Christmas in odd, unlikely locations. Like hell (we did that! ). Or the looney bin ( here! ). Or space ( here! ) Or, in this case: the desert. When i started looking for xmas desert songs , I bumped right into this GEM of a song by one Kelsey Scott from Arizona, where they know a thing or two about deserts of course. Minimal song, just guitars and drums. When Kelly sings that 'Christmas in the desert makes me lonely', with that languid voice, you believe her: Christmas In The Desert by Kelsey Scott She stopped making music after 2021, alas. From a compilation that also contains the song 'Not all Jews are Zionists, Asshole', this more jingly-jangley song (love that organ!) about spending Christmas alone with beer and videos: ASBF Christmas Forest Vol. 8: Feast Of Dedication by Thrifty Astronaut From an album from 2012, curated by Alice Cooper, this now defunct band, also from Arizona, that sound a bit emo-grungey: Flying Standby · Christmas In The Desert...
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The Harpers & Kathleen Frewin

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There's a first time for everything, so why not add just one more Christmas song to the thousands already written before us, that was about The Harpers's reasoning for writing their first Christmas track ever. And the result of this exercise is certainly impressive.  After hearing a small piano part of 'O Christmas Tree', some violins and an almost Disney-esque (don't stop reading now!) intro, the actual song starts. It's a very compelling and bluesy singer songwritersong that slowly turns into a kinda polka-brass ballad towards the end, with a tuba and honky-tonk bar piano, that finally fades out with the same Disney-esque sound, this time followed by a part of 'Jingle Bells'.  A beautiful, surprisingly original, richly arranged and very Christmassy track from this Utah-based Americana/psychedelic rock band with Jacob Beck and Kathleen Frewin in absolute vocal lead roles. Just sit back for 4:50 minutes, cause this 'Christmas Tree Blues' is a mus...
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Wonderful Christmastime?

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Two recently released, very different versions of Wonderful Christmastime. What's your favorite? Oh, and if you don't like Paul's original, I suggest you read THIS Polish Club release a RAWKING Christmas cover every day, until the album Christmas Stinks! is complete: Polish Club · Wonderful Christmastime Futureheads wrote the still fantastic Christmas was Better in the 80s, and now release an album with one new original and, I must say, fairly original covers: The Futureheads · Wonderful Christmastime
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