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

Oh my goodness. Six years ago, without much thought behind it, myself and a friend decided to offer to the world an unnecessary and unasked for gift in the form of an uncurated collection of covers of Wham!‘s holiday standard “Last Christmas.” Besides underestimating the number of people who’d be interested in such a thing, we never thought it would lead to various radio and blog interviews, an MTV news interview, hanging out with bands, or even being interviewed for a graduate thesis on the topic of cover songs.

Even more impressive is the fact that every year more and more covers are released and sent to us! Keep them coming! We are but a small crew with limited resources, so any help in corralling songs and leads is a great help. Additionally if any of you, dear readers, are up for the challenge of guest posting or even better, recording “Last Christmas” just for us, then by all means get in touch!

And before we get started with the grueling task of sorting and listening and delivering some Whamtastic gems to you throughout the month, we want to say a hearty and heartfelt thank you for your support going on six years now…six years! I still can’t believe it. We’re becoming as much a holiday tradition as fruitcake is.

Ok ok, I know you want me to just shut up already and get on with the tunes, but just one more second! The full sets to the right represent the ground we’ve covered in years past; there are no individual song links in old posts beyond links to the artists’ Amazon or iTunes respective stores or sites where applicable. All should be up to date, but as always, if you find something odd or weird in the sets or our numbering, please let us know! Here we go!

—-

At the end of last season, we got the tip on Element of Crime’s slow, easy going take on “Last Christmas.” I honestly can’t think of anything better than starting with a German band’s cover. It sounds optimistic, hopeful and jaunty. It’s as if over the course of the song, we’re traveling with them, away from the heartbreak of last Christmas toward a new year, the wailing guitar at the end crying as if to say “Don’t go! Sorry about being a jerk!” Tough shiz guitar, we’re moving on.

Element of Crime – Last Christmas

This comes from their Fremde Ferden album that has a bunch of other great covers. You can find more on the German Amazon MP3 store or iTunes store.

Now listen and listen good…there is no such thing as too many 8-bit versions of “Last Christmas!” you hear me world?! Every time I hear one, I picture an old NES Christmas game of some sort, with Santa trying to save Christmas or something, this song being the level 4 background jam. And like all old NES games, the enemies are all ridiculous. Like evil chomping gift-wrapped presents or reindeer possessed, and when Santa hits them with a candy cane they snap-to-it and you get points and stuff. Someone make that please.

Active Knowledge – Last Christmas

Well I’ll be. If Clare and her Reasons aren’t the cutest sack of stocking stuffers this side of the Mississippi. While this cover is great, I don’t think it’s representative of how great they really are! While researching them, I came across their album, Arrow, great stuff! Cute lady singing her heart out and a Genesis cover. Can’t go wrong there. This track is good though; she’s pretty endearing, oh that Clare. This track was part of a free download their label Frog Stand offered last year, which if anyone knows how to find, please comment!

Clare and the Reasons – Last Christmas

Find them on Amazon, iTunes, Spotify and Rdio!. I Especially dig the track “Ooh You Hurt Me So.” I wouldn’t be surprised to find out these guys have been tapped for a slew of advertising backing tracks.

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