We’re starting today with, well, a gummy bear. That sings. In yellow underpants. Gummibär is some kind of international kids singing sensation. Reminiscent of Crazy Frog, but a little less annoying kind of. I am just more perplexed by Gummibär than anything else. Why is he always in underwear? And if it’s for kids, why is he singing “Do you think I’m sexy?” Is this for adults? Maybe, there are a ton of club mixes for his songs…And why did Felix the Cat agree to do a duet with this whippersnapper? His videos have millions of hits but I have never heard of him, I don’t know if that makes me uncool or not.

Gummibär – Last Christmas

Gummibär’s music is available on iTunes and Amazon.

And I’m pleased to present what I believe is our first ever bagpipe version! And while stylistically, it’s close to the original, there is something really interesting going on here. The Munros’ full album is great for you bagpipe lovers out there. They shine more on traditional tracks than pop covers in my opinion, but some of you may enjoy the novelty.

Munros – Last Christmas

The Munros Bagpipes at Christmas album is available on iTunes, Spotify and Amazon.

And finally we’ll let Uschi Blum play us out with this German chilled out pop/dance version. Uschi Blum is the alter ego of Hape Kerkeling, a German comedian and actor. I’m not sure how this character, who first appeared in 1993’s Kein Pardon has a life outside of the movie. I guess Hape does appearances as Uschi? Or all his characters I guess. Who knows, but Hape make for a very unattractive woman.

Uschi Blum – Weihnachten Ist Mir Doch Egal

You can grab Hape’s full Christmas album with songs by all of his other character’s over at Amazon.

If you were seeking answers regarding Gummibär, this video will not help.

Good day to you! Let’s get started, shall we?

We start with Japanese duo Q;indivi and their cover from 2009’s Winter Celebration album. Fan and LC reader wohdin sent this last year, and we’re just now getting to it, the shame! It’s an upbeat, fun version without being obnoxious, which as we all know is a fate that many a cover song can suffer. Wohdin would like it to be know that this duo is worth more attention than they receive, so please check them out and support their music! I have to say their site is a bit trippy when you first get there, almost like an art installation. Reminds me of sites before the whole web 2.0 social media boom. Anyone remember how awesome the Donnie Darko movie site was?

Q;indivi – Last Christmas

Visual Moon is up next, with a genre crossing version. It has parts of smooth poppy beats, autotune, crunchy guitars, and a sincere aim to please. It appears they are a young Mongolian band, but I was having a little trouble finding an official site of theirs. If you have any info, please comment!

Visual Moon – Last Christmas

Pittsburgh’s Ennui give us a fun version, I’m not quite sure how to define it though. It’s not dissimilar from Wham!‘s original, but it also has a lo-fi vibe to it, but not overly so. Their non-Last Christmas music is part of the hazy, lo-fi grouping, which I particularly enjoy (think Washed Out, Youth Lagoon, etc). You can grab a free download of the awesome Coconino here, as well as find the rest of their music. Don’t miss “We Are Young,” great stuff as well!

Ennui – Last Christmas

And lastly for today, we have a way relaxed out hip-hop version from Mr. Gikko and Mosch. There’s something about hip hop versions that usually work, and this is no exception. Mr. Gikko has a bit of an Eminem thing happening, with his intonation but the part by Mosch isn’t in English, and I can’t make out the language actually, I would think Austrian, but I can’t say for sure. But I think I’m right. Don’t be mad at me if it turns out to be German. Please note this version has EXPLICIT LYRICS!

Mr. Gikko & Mosch – Last Christmas

And holy crap! Check this out! Please someone get me this for Christmas!

Apologies for the small break while we were right in the thick of things! While most of you will have little concern for this tiny bit of news, my brother recently graduated from UK with a PHD in food science, so we took some time to celebrate his new doctor-hood.

However, during that time, I was lucky enough to talk with Afentra from 96.5 the Buzz in Kansas City during her Big Fat Morning Buzz show. Thanks so much for the opportunity and the support over the years! Longtime readers will note Afentra contributed a version back in 2007 in a competition with then co-host Bam Bam. We’re reposting her version here again for awesomeness’ sake. And no, we have no intention of reposting Taylor Swift’s version.

Afentra – Last Christmas

Check out her blog and if you’re feeling super saucy listen live in the mornings via the 96.5 website!

And since we left you hanging for a few days, here’s a huge smattering of covers for your ear bleeding pleasures.

We start with the second most requested cover this year, Florence + The Machine. This haunting acoustic performance was recorded for a live BBC special from last year that got plenty of airplay over seas.

Florence + The Machine – Last Christmas

After Auryn alerted us to Oh Bijou’s version available at chromewaves, we were met with both joy and shame, as we were publicly called out for not posting this version sooner! While I certainly wish my eyeballs could see everything on the wires of the Inner-net, this is where you good folks come in by sending us what your eyeballs find that our eyeballs have yet to find. We’re all in this together! So enough of that, Canadian indie outfit Oh Bijou offer an indie, almost jazzy cover, that is definitely easy on the ears. Lead singer Casey Mecija has the voice of a pixie.

Oh Bijou – Last Christmas

Not to be outdone by the Celtic Woman Christmas phenomenon a few years back, dude crew, Celtic Thunder, volley with their own set of Holiday Tunes including none other than our beloved namesake.

Celtic Thunder – Last Christmas

Next we have a couple of Matt’s who are adding festive treats to our archive. Matt Cab does smooth…and I mean SMOOTH…covers of songs, and his LC is no exception. And Matt Foley confuses me, because it’s definitely a female singer…named Matt I guess…

Matt Cab – Last Christmas
Matt Foley – Last Christmas

And if you haven’t had your brain melt with awesomeness yet, may I submit our first ever Italo Disco version! This is by the aptly named Synthesizer Dance off the Christmas Edition album available in full here.

Synthesizer Dance – Last Christmas

These next two comes via tips from Martin, whom from now on I’ll refer to as Mr. Christmas. So Mr. Christmas sent not one, but two new covers to us! The first is by 3773 from the huge Christmas collection available at Suburban Sprawl Music and the second is by Chancellor Arnold over at Arbor Christmas. If those collections don’t fill your playlist stockings for years to come, then you haven’t tried enough of the tracks! Don’t thank us, thank Mr. Christmas!

3773 – Last Christmas
Chancellor Arnold – Last Christmas

So I was not familiar with the stylings of Swearing at Motorists prior to hearing their slow, melancholic version they offered last free last year and thought they offered a nice version. So I looked them up on Wikipedia and I think someone in the band is having fun with their entry, otherwise I have no idea what this means:

Doughman mixes trace amounts of his own blood into the ink used in the disc printing process, pioneering the concept of the GrisD. Rumors persist that there was confusion over the term “serious chops” in his contract with Ol’ Scratch, and after some antics over semantics, can now grow sideburns to equal any cartoon samurai at will. Doughman’s documented penchant for sleeping in a topknot may be the source of such speak.

Swearing at Motorists – Last Christmas

You can find their most recent album, Last Night Becomes This Morning, on Amazon.

I’m always taken by the fact there are some huge international superstars that just never seem to hit ground in the US, but are serious business everywhere else. Swedish disco/dance group Alcazar has been making mega hits since 1999, and no one told me! While their cover of “Last Christmas” certainly remains faithful to the original arrangement, sadly it’s not nearly as interesting as the rest of their catalog. That is if you like to dance your face off! Which we certainly do here at LC-HQ.

Alcazar is a type of Spanish castle by the way.

Alcazar – Last Christmas

You can find this on the Deluxe edition of their album Disco Defenders.

And just when you thought we were all out of surprises…Polish label Wielkie Jol gives a pretty raucous rap-over of Wham!‘s version. I speak no polish, so I don’t know who for sure raps on this, but rapper TEDE owns the label, so he is probably on this, but I’m not certain. I feel like I already too much about this.

Wielkie Jol – Last Christmas


And you can watch Alcazar do a toned down version below: