MUSIC
What Makes the Perfect Christmas Pop Song? There’s no better way to celebrate the holidays than with the perfect playlist, so let’s take a look at what makes a Christmas classic… As the festive season is upon us, it had me wondering what it is that makes a timeless Christmas classic. Is it heartbreak and betrayal that somehow manage to captivate the holiday spirit? Maybe it’s flawless vocals and a lyrical wishlist? Could it be the reminder that Christmas is a time to reflect and take care of each other? Or perhaps simply a sweet song The 80s laced with festive traditions! To best answer Wham!’s 1984 release ‘Last Christmas’ is arthis question, I had a peek at the Christmas hits of the past few decades, to work out what guably one of the most popular Christmas makes them such well-loved, timeless tracks. songs of all time. The bouncy intro to this festive track would have you think it’s a celebration of the joys of the holiday season. But what perhaps made this single the success it is, is its melancholy themes of loss and heartbreak, with a glimpse of hope. Contrasted with the soft, melodic beat, George Michael’s lyrics bring a relatable tone to this classic.
“ Last Christmas, I gave you my heart
But the very next day, you gave it away This year, to save me from tears I’ll give it to someone special
”
Illustrations by Saif Ul Alim Ahmed
As Wham! puts it, whether it’s heartbreak, betrayal, or just a bad Christmas, you can spend the rest of the year looking forward to the next one, and perhaps finding your ‘someone special’. I suppose that’s the ultimate message of the song; no matter what goes wrong throughout your year, you’ll always have next Christmas… and Wham!’s 1984 classic, to get you in the spirit!
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