Thursday 2 December 2010

Diva's Xmas Playlist - CD2/5

01. Put A Little Love In Your Heart - Annie Lennox & Al Green
Essentially a Eurythmics production, Annie and her men are on rapturous form and I bet Annie was dead pleased with herself reaching those high notes.
02. Rhythm of The Night (Rapino Bros Sleigh Bells Version) - Corona
Hideosly contrived with sleigh bells, the dance beats are even faster than before.
03. It's A Christmas Day - Ice Mc & Alexia
See Corona.
04. All God's Children - Belinda Carlisle
Crimson cougar gets her Cher on for ill-faited compilation bonus track that did diddly squat.
05. All I Want For Christmas - Mariah Carey
If this had reached number one my Christmas tree fairy would have been called Mariah instead of East 17.
06. Maria - Blondie
Deborah is on fine form, 'walking on important air' and presumably a chugging guitar and dazzling chimes bells to boot. Has a comeback song ever sounded this good? Ahh yes, Believe, but still a mighty achievement.
07. The Holy River - Prince
Syrupy ballad from the underrated Emancipation (it was the original pick n' mix album years before Bionic)
08. Jingle Bless (Euro Mix) - En Vogue
You'd never guess the other (rock) version of this is basically the unnoficial follow-up to Free Your Mind for those who wanted it, but this Hi-NRG version is so god damned magnificent, makeshift and cheapskate, I literally listen to this on repeat for hours whilst getting ready sometimes. 'Oh what fun it is ... to ride wit you' - oh you can take the milfs out the hood but you can't take the ho out the milf. Or something. En Vogue even make being trashy sound classy.
09. Victim of Romance - Michelle Phillips
A torrent of doo-wop pathos and euphoria - it has nothing to do with Christmas and yet imbues the bittersweet party spirit of the season.
10. Always Have, Always Will - Ace of Base
Po-faced Swedes churned out the only serious Christmas commercial contender of 1998.
11. Waiting For That Day - George Michael
It's miserable anf gorgeous - what better mood to make it feel like Christmas? I feel so caught out when this song comes on as it's just too sad for words, and you never have any other option but to see it all through until it finishes whether you have your dignity intact whilst in public or not.
12. I Love Christmas - Fast Food Rockers
The best song Lolly never recorded.
13. Things Fall Apart - Cristina
The original miserable festive song: the emotional wreckage is ironic, but real, and addictively distasteful.
14. Christmas Wrapping - The Waitiresses
Has more bounce than a cheerleader having fun with a basketball team.
15. The Last Beat of My Heart - Siouxsie & The Banshees
Siouxsie's majestic ballad stands out as one of her very finest, and it sounds utterly spine-tingling live.
16. Count The Days - Girls Aloud
Well Kimberly sure isn't counting the calories.
17. I Am Blessed - Eternal
90s bible-bashers get godly.
18. Only Love - Sophie B. Hawkins
Dark, disney and delicious.
19. Heaven & Alchemy - Siouxsie
Solo Siouxsie's wintry after-hours torch ballad sounds like she is gargling vodka; so melancholic it burns your throat.
20. Human - Cher
One of her very best, understated and truly emotional such is her determination to reach those high notes.
21. Gift of Christmas (Motiv8 Edit) - Dannii ft. the Childliners
Dannii was so lazy that all she could manage was just the one solo line, so instead helps out a bunch of has-beens struggling for a mid-90s hit single.

2 comments:

H said...

Thank you for this list. As an American, I never heard of Fast Food Rockers' "I Love Christmas" before. What a lovely, saccharine sweet Steps/Alcazar-esque jam!

Diva Incarnate said...

You're so right - it's very addictive.

Thanks for the comment:)