Updated Versions Of Christmas Carols

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Christmas music is everywhere at this time of the year. We cannot avoid it, no matter how hard we might try. Now, many times we will be hit with new songs that have entered the Christmas canon, but more often than not, it is the old songs sung by choirs or in their traditional format by artists such as Michael Bublé. And that is all well and good, but sometimes, people just want a different version of the old favourites from their childhood.



So, this list is of traditional Christmas carols and songs, written before the modern rock/pop eras of music, recorded and presented in a different manner. The differences could be updated instrumentation, change in genre, or something else that makes it not like the original. So, what constitutes a traditional Christmas song? In my mind, it was written more than a hundred years ago, so before 1924.

‘White Christmas’ was written in 1940… and cover versions of that song are right here . And ‘Little Drummer Boy’ is from 1941. Which leaves out some great covers, but there you are.

I am changing the rules for this one! So long as the song was written before 1924, is a recognised Christmas Carol, and the cover version here is different and was released after 1955, the song is fair game. Live versions, more than one song per artist – it’s all on the table here! I do need to like the song, though, so no singing dogs in this list…

Anyway, here’s 12 Updated versions Of Christmas Carols.


’In Dulci Jubilo’ by Mike Oldfield (1975)

A little more upbeat than the traditional version, an instrumental here, done in Oldfield style – with him playing every instrument and making it guitar-focused. While not a personal favourite Oldfield song, it is still a fine version.


’Jingle Bells’ by Yello (1995)

There are elements of the original in there somewhere, but this version is what you would expect from Yello… even if you only know them from their one hit song ‘Oh Yeah’. I have maybe ten albums by the band, and, yeah, this is typical Yello. And I mean that in a good way.


’Jingle Bells’ by The Brian Setzer Orchestra (1996)

This takes BSO’s big band sound, mixes it with the rockabilly of Brian’s old Stray Cats band, and produces a rocking version of a traditional Christmas song. Setzer is vastly underrated. Oh, and the live version from 2010 is even better.


’Jingle Balls’ by Korn (1999)

This will be the most polarising track on this list – this is Korn at their heaviest and dirtiest… and I love it. Yes, they change the lyrics, but you know the song it is, and the chorus is growled at you with such menace you fear that Santa might come for you…


’God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings’ by Barenaked Ladies feat. Sarah McLachlan (2004)

Folk? Acoustic rock? Vaguely country? This version is just a stripped-back version that sails along, and then McLachlan’s voice joins in and it soars. This is such a good version of these songs, and I am surprised it is not more widely known.


’Angels We Have Heard On High’ by The Brian Setzer Orchestra (2005)

The BSO is a sort of big band style of music, but their version of this song sounds like it would have fit in on the soundtrack of a Sergio Leone spaghetti western movie. It’s definitely the song, but that arrangement is so different.


’O Come All Ye Faithful’ by Twisted Sister (2006)

This keeps coming up in my lists because this is brilliant! In the style of the band’s mega-hit ‘We’re Not Gonna Take It’, this version rocks harder than some so-called rock bands do with their own works. This is great!


’Away In A Manger’ by Brad Paisley (2006)

While the tune is recognisable straight away, the country music stylings Brad Paisley puts over the arrangement does change it enough to be distinct from nearly every other version of this song I have heard.


’Deck The Halls’ by Twisted Sister (2006)

While this follows the traditional tune, the “oi” chorus doing the “fa-la-la” sing-along and the guitar work makes this so unlike the traditional arrangement that it stands on its own.


’Deck The Halls (With Boughs of Longboards)’ by Rick Springfield (2008)

Close to the original, yes, but an instrumental done in the style of surf music. Because… why not? The sax solo makes this for me (as well as the guitaring), and is one of those versions that is just odd, in a good way.


’Silent Night’ by Christopher Lee (2012)

Yes, that Christopher Lee, star of more films than can be reasonably recited, lead singer on a heavy metal version of the song. While the tune might be similar to the original, it’s heavy metal! It’s Christopher Lee! What more do you want?


‘Jingle Bells’ by Eric Clapton (2018)

From Clapton’s Christmas album , this was dedicated to Avicii and sounds more like Clapton’s work with TDF. Again, it is so different from any version of this song I’ve ever heard, and a highlight of the album.


And there we are, a dozen Christmas Carols and traditional Christmas songs, re-interpreted for a more modern audience. I was going to try and stick with the 1990s onwards, but I really do like the Mike Oldfield track, so there is that one outlier there.

I know the Korn track is not going to be for everyone’s taste, but as for the rest – I hope there’s something here you can enjoy!

Happy holidays everyone!



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