Little Drummer Boy — Bad Religion
Bad Religion’s “Christmas Songs” album has been my absolute favorite Christmas album this year and is sure to be a staple in my holiday collection for years to come. It is everything I always want from rock covers of traditional songs — sped up, punked out versions that are still true to the classic compositions. Having a long history of anti-religious sentiment, frontman Greg Graffin explains the band’s decision to do a Christmas album, 20% of the proceeds of which benefit the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, in an NPR interview that’s worth a listen. “I think that all of these songs are secular, even though they have their roots in the church setting, virtually everyone who celebrates Christmas has heard these songs. And so it’s not Bad Religion that has made them ironic, it’s kind of the secular society that has made Christmas ironic,” he said. I’ve chosen “Little Drummer Boy” for this roundup because only Bad Religion could turn the charming classic into a battle hymn. Catch the band live on Conan on December 18.
