Exclusive: Stream The Good Lovelies’ New Curated Christmas-Themed Spotify Playlist

By: Staff –

To celebrate the The Good Lovelies‘ upcoming 2021 Christmas Tour, Sue Passmore, a member of the Canadian folk/country harmony trio, curated a brand new exclusive Christmas-themed Spotify playlist featuring her favourite holiday songs that you can stream exclusively below.

Mills Brothers – “You Don’t Have to Be a Santa Claus”

We love tracking down lesser known Christmas songs to sprinkle into our concerts, and this one is fabulous. The sound of the vibes is icing on top of an otherwise fabulous arrangement. The vocal delivery is smooth and relaxed, and the lyrics are a perfect reminder of the giving aspect of Christmas. And… the harmonies. Sigh. We adore The Mills Brothers’ recordings.

The Beach Boys – “Little Saint Nick”

We are suckers for the delicious harmonies The Beach Boys gave us – there’s also a distinct, tight sound you get from their mono, and fake-stereo recordings, and we love that aesthetic. This simply sounds like Christmas on the beach – love it.

Boston Pops Orchestra – “Sleigh Ride”

For me, Christmas isn’t complete without this rendition of “Sleigh Ride”. It played during the decoration of my family tree without fail for decades, and the vinyl copy we have is still in good shape, which is a good thing, considering the current vinyl renaissance.

Ella Fitzgerald – “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”

I have admired Ella Fitzgerald since my early teens. Her mastery of her voice is something I still can only dream of, and her delivery of this seasonal classic is playful perfection.

Leon Redbone – “Winter Wonderland”

If Leon Redbone’s album Christmas Island is not yet part of your collection, I urge you to seek it out. He’s had such a rich voice with such unique character, and brought such a nostalgic quality to these arrangements. This version of “Winter Wonderland” has become a household favourite.

Frank Sinatra – “Jingle Bells”

When you get so familiar with a song, from age three and up, it’s refreshing to hear a “new” take on it. While obviously not a new recording at this point, not everyone has heard this yet, and it’s hands down our favourite version of this Christmas classic. We love those J-I-N-G-L-E Bells.

Nat King Cole – “The Christmas Song”

The incomparable Nat King Cole, sings this most familiar performance of “The Christmas Song”. There’s so much tradition wrapped up in this song for me personally – it’s the only song I ensure I play on piano year after year, reading the sheet music and never really improving, but loving it all the same. Something about it, always makes me feel a little teary and nostalgic for my childhood Christmases.

Gordon Lightfoot – “Song For a Winter’s Night”

Here in Canada, Christmas means winter – the two go hand in hand. So while not a holiday song, it’s a beautifully written piece that captures the feeling of solitude and isolation we can sometimes feel through the long winter months, and has made its way into our annual holiday music roster.

The Andrews Sisters – “Jing-A-Ling, Jing-A-Ling”

The iconic harmonies of The Andrews Sisters have undeniably had an influence on some of our arrangements over the years. We love this tune because it’s kind of ridiculous, and really just a lot of fun. Oh, and the orchestra is fantastic!

Burl Ives – “Silver Bells”

This song always makes me think of late-night shopping in my small, hometown downtown, in December when I was a kid. It was also part of annual childhood tradition – I would scour the tv guide every December to find Rudolph, because I never felt Christmas was complete until I had seen it – I LOVED the stop motion animation style, and still do. Burl Ives’ recording of Silver Bells was a part of the Rudolph soundtrack, and a favourite part for me as the animals decorated the forest trees.