Countdown To Christmas (07)

Snowden - White Christmas

White Christmas is interesting for a few reasons.

For one, we know its history; the exact origin of most Christmas carols are long forgotten. Its context is really compelling too, conjuring up images of GIs stranded in some remote, sweltering Pacific island, listening to it and dreaming of snow, the holidays and their loved ones.

I think it's one of the better Christmas standards. In a season that gets really over-saturated, here is a song that pretty much demands an understated delivery. It's one of the few traditional songs I can hear on a PA system the week before Christmas and not want to stab ice picks in my ears.

So covering this one is the holiday song equivalent of pizza and sex (even when it's bad, it's still pretty good), but Snowden's version is out of this world. I won't include any spoilers, but just listen for little elements that distinguish it from the original. It really stands out from the rest.