So much of the Christmas season, for me, is all about the music. I have no problems with you if you want to start your Christmas celebrations a little early. After Halloween seems excessive. After Thanksgiving is fair game. Then let’s bring on the real Christmas songs and the fake ones, too. I don’t discriminate. From Dec 16-31, it’s all Christmas music playing on Mental Jukebox.

“Wonderful Christmastime” was the song that paved the way for synth-based holiday tracks and the chillwave genre. It has been ubiquitous for several decades now, to the point where it’s easy to forget how ahead of the times this track was when it was first released. There was an irony about it with its monotonous, repetitive nature. The drum machine was accentuated by bells, the synth parts evoked a futuristic North Pole vibe, and McCartney’s vocals were like a Christmas caroling choir at one moment and a grandfather clock at another.

“THE MOON IS RIGHT. THE SPIRITS UP. WE'RE HERE TONIGHT. AND THAT'S ENOUGH.”