We’ve gotten several emails asking about a version by Japanese opera singer Yoko Watanabe (no relation to Gedde Watanabe). Well it seems this version is misidentified and it’s really the Sailor Moon version. It seems like a silly one to mislabel, but it’s earned Ms. Watanabe an addition to the list of Artists That Have Not Covered “Last Christmas.”

And the biggest news… after 20 years apart, Wham! finally played “Last Christmas” this past Sunday, and someone caught part of it on video! The quality is not as nice as one would hope, but we hope you enjoy it nonetheless!


In case you didn’t know, BoA is a star. She has three official homepages and about thirty albums! She sounds sassy, too. This version comes from her Japanese Winter Love album released just this year and available at amazon.com.




BoA – Last Christmas






Jo Sung Mo delivers a fairly traditional take, with just a little bit of funk. And it also has a mysterious guest rapper come in half-way through. We couldn’t decipher much from the fan page we found; this might be from his Happy Christmas/Last Christmas “soundtrack,” but if it is, it’s not in the tracklisting.



Jo Sung Mo – Last Christmas



This sounds like it’s recorded over a karaoke track of the song. And that certainly is not a dis, because this guy has potential. I would say Jason Duong is just a bit inexperienced. Wet behind the ears, you might say. Searches produced a number of “Jason Duong“s, but none appeared to be our main man here.



Jason Duong – Last Christmas



This one comes to us unlabeled, Thanks mystery person! Here’s what we know: it’s hip-hop, it’s in a language we aren’t familiar with, and it’s a nice change of pace (even if there are a lot of hip-hop versions).



Honey Family – Last Christmas

This is another version whose authenticity is in question with us. Well, I mean we obviously know it exists, but maybe it’s not DJ Harry. It sounds like a remix of the Benny Benassi remix. Anyone know for sure?

DJ Harry – Explosion Last Christmas (Hardstyle Remix)

I think that’s Maarja’s website. It certainly looks like it should be. But more info is found on her wikipedia page. Her version is pretty traditional, but with a poppier opening than the original Wham! version.


Maarja-Liis Ilus – Last Christmas


Ok, we’re pretty sure this next one is not Amy Grant. Her voice is too deep. So that leaves us with another misattributed track. Our apologies, dear readers, but if anyone can identify this version’s performer, please do get in touch.


Amy Grant – Last Christmas


This was quite an unexpected find, which came to us through a link from Tomorrow Twoday. This is almost like a Portishead cover. Very creepy and very awesome. Though the orchestral versions played a strong game earlier today, Ezio earns the Magical Snowflake award!



Ezio – Last Christmas


Reader Sebastian also sent us this great video saying, “It is a german version of Last Christmas. It is said that it is the only german cover which is approved by George Michael.

“The first lines are:‘Weihnachten/ Ist mir doch egal/ Ich bin 3 Karat Kaugummiautomat/ Schenk dir/ Ohne Papier/ Mein billiges, billiges Herz.’

“In english:
‘Christmas/ I don’t care/ I am 3 carat chewing gum automat/ give you/ without paper/ my cheap, cheap heart.’”

This really is a good, Badly Drawn Boy-like cover, though the translated lyrics are absolute nonsense. And what to make of the notion that it’s the version “approved by George Michael?” I personally like this version and video, so let’s give our first video Magical Snowflake Award to Erdmöbel’s “Weihnachten”

More info (in German) is available at the amazon page for the single.

First of all, we have neglected to mention this up ‘till now, for no other reason than simply overlooking the fact that we haven’t said it before, but Wham! is reuniting for a one-time show TONIGHT in London. Amazing. I would bet, being so close to Christmas, that the boys from Watford will bless the world by performing “Last Christmas” in front of the many lucky fans in attendance. Dear readers, if any of you happen to have tickets, let us know how it goes!

Also, we would like to thank Wikipedia user SimonLyall for stepping up to the plate and tidying up the Wikipedia entry for “Last Christmas.” He even used us as a reference in justifying his edit! Truly, an honor. Finally the Rubber Band can get the credit they deserve for doing their own version of the song, without being labeled hoaxters.

But you know what… on the main Wham! Wikipedia entry, it says that, “it took until 1995 before a WHAM! song was given the cover version treatment” which is also false. Though we haven’t posted it yet, the earliest version that we can find dates back to 1989.


Alex To gives his fans a pretty traditional cover of “Last Christmas,” beefed up ever-so-slightly. He adds some 90’s R&B “screech” sound effects you’d find in songs by early TLC or Boyz II Men. You know what I mean. It rules. His version was released in 1995, after all, so he was right in step with the times. I couldn’t find a whole lot of info on Mr. To, but someone named Alex To was in Jackie Chan’s breakout movie for the West, Rumble in the Bronx. Until I find out otherwise, I’m going to imagine that they’re the same person.

Alex To – Last Christmas

This version comes from his Best Love LP, available on itunes.


This version’s appeal is that it sounds exactly like a man caught singing in the shower. Or like catching your dad busting a move when he thinks no one is watching. Except that your dad has back-up singers. No disrespect; it really sounds like they’re having fun with the version. Besides, I love my dad!

Smokey – Last Christmas

You can find more from Smokey’s album Weihnachten Meisters at itunes. I particularly recommend their version of “Frosty the Snowman.”

We’ve gotten quite a bit of traffic from folks looking for versions of “Last Christmas” that don’t exist. A version by the Backstreet Boys, for instance. No such thing. The Backstreet Boys have never covered “Last Christmas,” even though there are several files out there misattributed to them. Same thing with U2. And the Beatles (see The Rubber Band, or Wikipedia). As a service to you, dear reader, we’ve begun compiling this list of Artists That Have Not Covered “Last Christmas.”

98º
Christina Aguilera
Backstreet Boys
The Beatles
Black Sabbath
Mariah Carey
The Futureheads
George Thorogood & the Destroyers
The Glenn Miller Orchestra
*NSYNC
Prince
R.E.M.
Soundgarden
Britney Spears
U2
Weezer

If you discover (and verify the authenticity of) a version by any of these artists, please send it to us. We will at once remove their name from this list, and add their version to our archive.

American Idol winner and country music sensation Carrie Underwood performed this version on Christmas in Washington last year.


Carrie Underwood – Last Christmas (Live)


And just in case you don’t believe me…