Today is going to be short on words, heavy on tunes. Without further ado…

Let’s start with the one version that has never been done before. No other artist has attempted this genre, nor has anyone previously emailed me about this. I present, the Dead Cat Orchestra, performing Last Christmas done in the style of dead/dying cats, basically a dude wailing meows. (submitted by Jacob Nathan)

Dead Cat Orchestra – Last Christmas

Next we have a great banjo-led version by Stockholm’s The Linedance Fever. Man I really dig this version. I know it sounds like I say that a lot, but anything that doesn’t sound like a mimic of the Wham! version catches my attention. You have to remember, we’re going to break 500 covers of the same song this year. Anything that stands out from a crowd that large deserves some major credit in my book. And The Linedance Fever certainly stand out. If you took the Erlend Oye version from way back when, and then switched it over to a more raucous, foot-stomping version like the Boss Hoss version, you would get this. Really really good. Check out their Myspace page for a pretty rad cover of Wicked Game also.

The Linedance Fever – Last Christmas

Next we have a handful of tips we got from Guuzbourg from Christmas A Go Go, beginning with Colorado’s Emily Knurr. She does a pretty intriguing low key, somewhat lo-fi keyboard version that I quite like. Her non-LC tunes are great as well, no denying it. Girl can sing!

Emily Knurr – Last Christmas

We are Vapour deliver a cool little ditty, that’s close to the original and yet really distinct. It’s hard to describe unless you hear it.

We Are Vapour – Last Christmas

Lastly, Tiger House follows with a good follow up to We Are Vapour. You follow me? It’s great, although I don’t have anything super specific to call out about it. I think you’ll like it.

Tiger House – Last Christmas

Ok so this was still somewhat heavy on words. More from Christmas A Go Go to come later!

This is what it’s all about folks. Giving and sharing. And Mr. Kirkness himself was kind enough to send us his version of “Last Christmas” directly. The Canadian country crooner says it’s his long-time favorite Christmas song despite, George Michael’s un-countriness, and was the natural choice for his first holiday single. But I welcome this with open arms, we don’t get too many country influenced covers here at Last Christmas HQ!

Jason Kirkness – Last Christmas

More from Jason at his website linked above and you can find Jason’s debut album on Spotify, Rdio, iTunes and Amazon.

Ok so I debated as to whether this qualifies, and I am ruling that it does. It obviously borrows from “Last Christmas” musically. It’s called “George and Andrew.” And I’m the boss.

The Boy Least Likely To – George and Andrew

This comes from The Boy Least Likely To’s Christmas Special album, found at Spotify, Rdio, iTunes and
Amazon.

I’m such a fan of iLiKETRAiNS epic stuff. I love their song “Terra Nova.” So I was excited to hear this, and it’s good, though I was hoping for a little more epic, like it was recorded without time or place, by a wringed Christmas god. This is more personal and human, like the original, but with the iLT touch. For those not familiar, iLiKETRAiNS is kind of like Sigur Ros or Explosions in the Sky and the like, super sweeping in scope for the most part. This release was a free treat offered on their website last year.

iLiKETRAiNS – Last Christmas

Find more of them on Spotify, Rdio, and Amazon

Here we have an offering from The Twang, which is not this The Twang, but rather the German (!!!) Pioneers of Countrification as they like to call themselves. Their albums are full of countrified hits, like “Seven Nation Army”, “Oops I Did It Again” or the dazzling “I Just Called to Say I Love You.”

The Twang – Last Christmas

This track is available off their amazingly named tour holiday e.p. “A Fistful of Presents” now available here

Genetic Sequence aka DJ Mattrick was kind enough to send us his version recently. He explains that he made “a heavy techstep version in 2003, opinions were polarised but I have to say on the whole, people were into it.” So are we Matt! Visit his many sites and check out his many other projects and wish him a hearty “merry Christmas!”

Genetic Sequence – Last Christmas

Strap in, here we go:

We received this version the day after we ended our postings last year, so we didn’t get to add it to the count until now. It was brand new when it was sent to us, so it’s had a year to mature and here’s what we think…it’s great! You could probably call this pop and dance, though those terms aren’t mutually exclusive.

As far as we know, this is the only place you can find it! EXCLUSIVE


Cloud9 – Last Christmas xMix



This is a brand new cover for the ’07 season by Ms. Swift. I think she’s considered “country” at her day job, but her version doesn’t have that twang we’ve come associate with country music (there is a little violin (fiddle?) toward the end). It does sound country in it’s vastness though, if that makes sense.

This is found on her Target exclusive Sounds of the Season cd, which it appears you can only get in store. It’s only $6.99 though.


Taylor Swift – Last Christmas



Oh you’ve been so patient with us. We should have hunted further last year to bring this to you. Mr. Movtosky makes accordion based music…that’s right! Polka! It’s nothing new in terms of structure but just imagine all of George Michael’s vocals replaced with an accordion. He gets the Magical Snowflake Award for being the only accordion version we’ve found so far. Way to go Valentin! You can find this on his album Golden Accordion Vol.1 on itunes with ABBA and Celine Dion covers while his volume 2 album boasts covers by Berlin, Lionel Richie, and more Wham!



Valentin Movtosky – Last Christmas



Our first video pick was Pete Doherty singing Last Christmas acoustic(!) but embedding is disabled on that video.

So you get this instead: