No one does Christmas quite like Sufjan Stevens. Over the past 10 years, he has released 100 Christmas songs between two releases. Naturally, one might assume that he clearly can’t get enough of the Christmas spirit, but his songs tend to lean more towards the existential than the celebratory. Below are some of the cream of the crop, tracks that ask “has society placed more importance on disposable trees and consumerism than love itself?”
“Justice Delivers Its Death”
“Justice Delivers Its Death” is Sufjan at his finest. The song turns its back on the glossy and romanticized sentiments that accompany the Christmas season. Rather, it opts for introspective lamentations about aging and the emptiness of placing worth in the material possessions of the holidays. “Lord, come with fire,” the lyrics beg – a plea to do away with misplaced priorities and the replacement of love with consumerism.
“The Child With the Star On His Head”
Like “Justice Delivers Its Death,” “The Child With the Star On His Head” is filled with disillusionment. The dense, 15-minute track questions the significance culture places upon the holiday and the escapism offered with rituals of tree lightings and ugly sweaters. All the while, the chorus points back to Jesus’ birth, but quickly questions “Does all the world know better than/When Christmas comes the troubles end,” before jumping into 10 minutes of guitar solos, electronic blips and white noise.
“Christmas Unicorn”
In the world of whimsy, there is a special place reserved for “Christmas Unicorn.” A blissful array of flutes, bells and other flurrying sounds are paired with lines upon lines of dark ironies and obscure statements, not limited to “Oh I’m hysterically American/I’ve a credit card on my wrist” and “You may dress in the human uniform, child/But I know you’re just like me/I’m a Christmas Unicorn!” After droning on about mythical Christmas creatures for an extended period, the song shifts into a new wave dance party as a choir sings the tragic Joy Division refrain of “love will tear us apart.” It is morbid, yet if the ingenuous lyrics were set aside, one would never have a clue.
“Christmas In The Room”
“Christmas In the Room” is a heartbreaking, delicate track that strays from some of Sufjan’s more elaborate arrangements, opting instead for a gently plucked guitar and a piano that sounds like it is miles away. A story of spending the holiday with a significant other with no special plans or parties to revel at, there is a hint of bittersweet, but also a silver lining. While the people depicted have no decorations and even scoff “it’s just an ordinary day,” they still find joy in the true meaning of the season –– love.
“Happy Karma Christmas”
Utilizing pulsing, woozy synths as musical representation of melancholy and regret, “Happy Karma Christmas” is a mopey breakup song. While there seems to be a feeling of “I still love you even though you don’t love me” throughout the verses, the chorus cleverly juxtaposes the ideas of karma and Christmas, suggesting a bitter “goodbye and good riddance.”
“Alphabet St.”
A Prince cover? Logically, the concept makes no sense, as “Alphabet St.” is not even a Christmas song. Yet, a Sufjan pop song is a gift that keeps on giving, and in the context of a Christmas album, it’s brilliant.
