In honor of the late Shane MacGowan, Christmas music that makes you sad
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
For most people, Chiristmas was a time for joyful songs.
Shane MacGowan went a different route.
MacGowan, the lead singer of the Pogues, had plenty of hits, but the one that gets the most airplay, at least in the "United States is Fairytale of New York." And it's one of the saddest holiday songs out there.
MacGowan died early Thursday morning, according to the The Pogues' official Instagram page, who announced his death in a joint statement from his wife Victoria Mary Clarke, sister Siobhan and father Maurice.
"Prayers and the last rites were rites were read which gave comfort to his family," the statement added. "Further details will be announced shortly but the family ask for privacy at this very sad time."
In honor of MacGowan, let's take a look at the saddest Christmas songs out there.
1. 'Fairytale of New York,' The Pogues with Kirsty MacColl
Co-written by MacGowan, he sings this song with the late Kirsty MacColl, and it continues to be a popular holiday song despite its very dark meaning. I guess everyone interperts music differently, but it's hard to find joy in a song about a guy who winds up in jail on Christmas Eve knowing that his partner wants nothing to do with him. I'm sure we've all been there!
2. 'Blue Christmas,' Elvis Presley
With the exception of "In the Ghetto," Elvis Presley rarely sang dark music. He was always about fun, parties and being in love. You'd think his Christmas song would be about holly jolly stuff, but it isn't. Poor guy is sad on Christmas.
3. 'Do They Know It's Christmas,' Band Aid
The reason for this song when it was released by a star studded lineup was to raise money for people in Africa. The lyrics alone can make you cry, but when they're sung by greats like Phil Collins, U2, Sting among others. The video is odd because it's them having fun while singing about sad stuff. As you get older, you realize that's what the song is about.
4. 'Dominick the Donkey,' Lou Monte
It's not really sad, it's just terrible and makes me sad when I hear it.
5. 'I'll be Home for Christmas,' Bing Crosby
It's always hard to be away from the ones you love. It's even harder around the holidays. When you can only be with loved ones in your dreams at Christmas, that's sad.
6. 'Someday At Christmas,' Stevie Wonder
It's a sad state of affairs when a song can spell out a blueprint for stopping war and hate, but we know we aren't going to see it in our lifetime.
7. 'Christmas Shoes,' NewSong
On the surface this song should be the saddest. It's about a kid who needed money for shoes for his dying mom, but he doesn't have enough money, so the guy behind him pays for them so mom can look beautiful when she meets Jesus tonight. It's sad, but very far fetched. Why is the kid out alone? Why is he taking money from a stranger? Why is the guy selling the shoes not cutting the kid a break? And why does the hero feel the need to tell everyone? I bet his Facebook is full of this kinda stuff. Gloryhound.
8. 'Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,' Judy Garland
I don't know that the lyrics are sad, but if you listen to it, it'll bring a tear to your eye. She sounds so sad singing it.
9. 'Last Christmas,' Wham!
Imagine giving your heart to someone and them throwing it away 24 hours later? Sounds painful. Also sad because George Michael, the lead singer of Wham! passed away on Christmas Day, 2016.
10. 'Father Christmas,' The Kinks
They sound like punks who terrorize the neighborhood with their shenanagins, but they didn't get any gifts. Plus there's the whole reindeer getting knocked over thing that annoys me.
USA Today's Naledi Ushe contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Shane MacGowan's Fairytale of New York and other sad Christmas songs