3 Classic Rock Christmas Songs From the 1970s That Don’t Sound Like Chestnuts on a Roaring Fire

In the 1970s, popular music was getting a little … well, weird. Rock and roll was arguably at its peak. Disco and rap music were coming into fashion, as was punk. Suddenly genres were splintering out and experimentation was key. And some of those methods began to enter holiday music, too. No longer was the stuff meant to sound like chestnuts on a roaring fire. Now they were electrified.

Here below, we wanted to explore three examples. A trio of songs from rockers who wrote Christmas songs for their fans. Indeed, these are three classic rock Christmas songs from the 1970s that are as good today as they were then.

[RELATED: 3 Eternal Songs by Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons That Recall the Early Days of Rock and Roll]

“Feliz Navidad” by José Feliciano from Feliz Navidad (1970)

A simple but bright and beautiful bilingual Christmas song from the Puerto Rican artist José Feliciano. The songwriter was feeling homesick when he wrote the tune and while it only contains 19 words in total, the song expresses exactly what Feliciano wanted. It’s warm and welcoming and has since stood the test of time. It will be a song played for decades to come. And on it, he sings,

Feliz navidad
Feliz navidad
Feliz navidad, prospero año y felicidad

Feliz navidad
Feliz navidad
Feliz navidad, prospero año y felicidad

I want to wish you a merry Christmas
I want to wish you a merry Christmas
I want to wish you a merry Christmas from the bottom of my heart

“Wonderful Christmastime” by Paul McCartney (Single, 1979)

This standalone single released by the former Beatle is remarkably one of his most famous songs. That’s what happens when it comes to holiday tunes—because they have a place in culture literally every year, they are repeated and repeated even beyond more creative or groundbreaking works. And on this simple tune from Paul McCartney, he sings about Christmas, the moon in the sky, and having a wonderful time. But thanks to his ear for melody, it has become a classic. On it, he sings,

The mood is right
The spirit’s up
We’re here tonight
And that’s enough

Simply having a wonderful Christmastime
Simply having a wonderful Christmastime

“Happy Xmas (War is Over)” by John & Yoko/The Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir (1971)

Speaking of former Beatles, this song from John Lennon and Yoko Ono is another Christmas classic. On it, he espouses peace and tells us war could be over right now if we, as a people, wanted it. And while that has yet to come to pass, the thought, like the song, is timeless. And on this tune, Lennon sings about Christmas, offering,

So this is Christmas
And what have you done?
Another year over
And a new one just begun
And so this is Christmas
I hope you had fun
The near and the dear ones
The old and the young

Photo courtesy 42 West