Lopez Blogs

Ah the X Factor is over (you can see the voting statistics here), the race for the Christmas number two is on (clearly The Climb will dominate the top slot, but viva the Pet Shop Boys!!) and it seems suddenly Christmas got a heck of a lot closer than it was on Friday. So over the next couple of days, there are a few special Christmas playlists I'm making up for my annual bash on Saturday night that I thought I would share with you :) Hope you enjoy!! Now I have to pop out and get myself a brand new outfit for the big event... oh asos.com how I love you... (PS this list is dedicated to my friends Simon ampersand Mark, Elouise, Bobs and Cat who can't make it on Sat :/ You too Steve, Robbie, John, Jason, Nick, PPG, Aaron, Adem, Mike, the Dans, pymo, Larry F!)

1. Steps - Merry X-mas Everybody: Ah Steps - frankly the pop world was less confusing and more wonderful at the turn of the millenium and I didn't half enjoy it. This is a corking party starter of the Slade classic in that classic Steps style.
2. A*Teens - I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday: From Slade to Wizzard, this is another brilliant pop tune that represents what the genre sounded like 8-10 years ago. Frankly, I couldn't afford Christmas every day but it's still a nice sentiment all the same.
3. S Club 8 - Sleigh Ride: This is just before they matured into that rather good actually second album that took them precisely nowhere and it's full of enthusiasm, cheekiness and a healthy dollop of cheese. Still not quite as amazing as track 18 though.
4. Jump 5 - Wonderful Christmastime: I think I avoided the whole concept of Jump 5 as weren't they a bit religious? Whatever, their version of what Paul McCartney should have sung last night before he butchered Live and Let Die is as perky and poppy as the 3 tracks preceeding it on the list...
5. Aly & AJ - The Greatest Time of Year: Could they please stop pissing about renaming themselves and get back to making ace pop tunes with a hint of guitar edginess like Potential Break Up Song and this tasty mince pie? That would be my Christmas wish this year!
6. Bianca Ryan - Why Couldn't It Be Christmas?: Bit of a risky one this - I mean I quite like shrieky harridens like Diana DeGarmo, but this is pushing it a bit. Her winning America's Got Talent is as dull as Joe winning the X Factor. I love the song though - just wish someone else was singing it!
7. Girls Aloud - Christmas in a Nutshell: I already wrote about their Christmas album once this year, but any excuse to talk about the bish bash bosh bits in this original Christmas tune can not be passed up. They actually say bish bash bosh and it totally works. Should be in the top 40 every year like All I Want For Christmas Is You....
8. Kimberley Locke - We Need A Little Christmas: Kimberley remains one of my fave American Idol contestants ever, and her Christmas EP is so joyous and timeless it quickly became one of all time faves. This is just lovely, uplifting and she sounds heavenly! Come back to pop Kimber!
9. Mariah Carey - Santa Claus is Coming to Town: There is a very good reason I haven't featured the immense All I Want... on this list. It's having it's own sort of feature soon. But this is almost as ace. I love the lullaby start before the raucous Christmas party starts and Mariah just belts it out. Those were the days my friend, we thought they'd never end...
10. Play - As Long As There's Christmas: From one of my very favourite festive movies (Beauty and The Beast: An Enchanted Christmas), this is another glittery pop-disco makeover of a (sort of) classic Christmas tune. The video is one of the cheapest things I've ever seen, yet I think it just adds to the charm of the song :P
11. Cheeky Girls - Cheeky Christmas: God, remember when the Cheeky Girls sort of ruled the charts and had a more successful career than Michelle McManus, Leon Jackson and Steve Brookstein combined? This was the pinnacle/nadir of their output - basically just another reworking of We Are The Cheeky Girls, but it reminds me of snogging Darren in Route 2 so it comes out every year...
12. Bo-Selecta - Proper Crimbo: This is only funny if you have ever watched Bo Selecta and even then it's hit and miss. For some goshforsaken reason I really like it though. It just reminds me of all the crap novelty songs that get wheeled out each Christmas! All together now "so excited now you might wee..."
13. Pop Idol 2 - A Little Bit of Love: I know I already wrote about their version of Happy Christmas (War is Over) but this was their other group effort and equally as lovely. In fact I still think this would make a much better charity single for the show than Hero or You Are Not Alone. It's just as gooey and generic as those, but has a bit of Christmas sparkle in it...
14. Popstars - I Believe in Christmas: I'm sure someone will enlighten me, but I have no idea where this song comes from. I suspect it's the German version of the show. I do like how they've taken a doo-wop 60s style beat and weaved a few bells, beats and bows over the top to create a rather ace pop song all about believing. It's like an unofficial anthem for Miracle on 34th Street. Fizzypop Believes!!!
15. Fast Food Rockers - I Love Christmas: Part of me still secretly believes that D'Luv moonlighted in this group on his days off from blogging. Shame they weren't more massive but where do you go from naming your group after a novelty hit? This is a natural companion for the preceeding song - great singalong chorus and feelgood factor baked right into the melody. I do titter when they talk about Santa's sack though :P
16. Britney Spears - My Only Wish: Basically it is the melody from Darlene Love's All Alone on Christmas with some slightly different words and Britney singing it with her paper thin vocals. Somehow it totally works though. And she doesn't have to pay Darlene royalties. Score.
17. Spice Girls - Christmas Wrapping: If ever there were a girl group that could successfully cover this, it's the Spice Girls (and now perhaps the Dolly Rockers)... It suited their in your face girl power style perfectly and it's such a fun tune that it matched the ethos of the band perfectly. Plus for 3 Christmasses, they had the festive number one sewn up (2 Become 1, Too Much and Goodbye)...
18. Debbie Gibson - Sleigh Ride: 17 years old this year and still one of the best Christmas songs around :P Of course I am a little bit biased, but it works perfectly from the timeless production values that make it suit any era of pop to Debbie's vocal and the clip clops, tambourine shaking, bells, chimes and the whole kitchen sink thrown in for good measure.
19. McFly - Santa Claus is Coming To Town: It was all getting a bit generic disco pop beat and sleigh bells sound, so I thought I better throw in a bit of raucous guitar to mix things up a bit. McFly are often popping out decent Christmas covers, so here's a thrashy trashy version of this to cheer you up. Plus "slamming" guitar solo (does devil horn hands and the tongue thing)...
20. Mans Zelmerlow/Agnes Carlsson - All I Want For Christmas Is You: A nice ballad version of the Mariah classic? Works for me, particularly when it's the near perfect sounding and looking Mans on main duties. It suddenly changes from ebulliant declaration of love to romantic smooch in the corner ditty. And I will on Saturday night, i tells ya that for nothing. Plus I really like this picture of Mans...
21. S Club - Perfect Christmas: And to finish off with it's those lovely S Clubbers with this rather delightful aural Christmas card that sums up those cosy festive mornings curled up with your loved one perfectly. I still quote aspects of this song in Darren's card every single year. Heavenly.

Coming tomorrow - The Fizzypop Grown Up Christmas List Chronicles!
Coming soon - Mariah's Christmas album! Love, Actually! And this!!!!!