It’s about time for some Christmas music! Christmas is a time of joy, family, and of course creativity. Switching Styles has reached out to our very own guest writer, Jason Greiner to get his take on Christmas cover songs.

Introducing Jason

Author Jason Greiner has written several printed books as well as eBooks. Jason, who is originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, currently resides in Mebane, a tiny but rapidly expanding city in central North Carolina. He has experience as a professional blogger and writer in the communication industry. But there’s more! Additionally, he offers freelance graphic design and photography services. He’s been a longtime music lover and enjoys finding new talent and discussing their creation. But that’s not all; he is also a musician in his own right.

Jason’s Christmas Songs

What are you listening to during the Christmas holiday? Something hip and trendy or something more traditional? Switching Styles has so much to offer in terms of holiday music. Check out our traditional Jingle Bells Covers Songs, Punk Goes Christmas: Deluxe Edition, Classic Silent Night Covers, and of course, Metal Christmas Songs.

He has given the holiday tunes a fresh sound with songs like “I Want a Lobotomist for Christmas,” “Jingle Bell Spock,” “Frosty the Glow Man,” “Circlin’ Around the Parking Lot,” and “Silver Hair.” To add to your Spotify Christmas playlist, choose from the selections below. Visit here to listen to these songs and many more.

Interviewing Jason

Below we’ve dived deeper into the meaning of Christmas Covers from an interview with our musical guest writer, Jason Greiner.

What inspired you to cover Christmas songs?

To be honest, I can’t remember how I got started. I guess part of it is having been a long-time fan of the nutty stuff from Weird Al Yankovic. In high school, I made some attempts to write my own mainstream songs, but I found it wasn’t for me. I thought that if I could make people laugh (hopefully) and do so with creative writing, why not give it a try? Some of the original inspirations to try my hand at Christmas songs come from the classic “Grandma Got Run Over by A Reindeer” and newer titles like the work of Bob Rivers in “Walkin’ Round in Women’s Underwear parodying “Walkin’ Round A Winter Wonderland” and “Didn’t I Get This Last Year?” parodying “Do You Hear What I Hear?”

Which one of these cover songs was your favorite to write? Why?

I’d say my favorite, which was also probably the most difficult one to write, is “Silver Hair.” First off, it was one of the longest ones so far which made it more of a challenge as opposed to simpler songs like “Fleas on My Dog” for example that have a lot of repetition in a very small number of lyrics. Personally, I just think it flows well and provides humor in a high-brow sort of manner. I know high-brow and comedy may not sound like concepts that mesh well but you need not look any farther than classic plays to know it can work.

Tell me about the process of creating a Christmas cover song?

I start out with either a song I want to focus on or a concept and work around that. It is different every time I do it. I usually start off with one line and build the rest of the song around that. Sometimes it is the title of the song like in the case of “Frosty the Glow Man” and in other’s it’s a theme.

What was the process of writing your newest one, “Santa Claus Is Blitzed Tonight”?

I was trying to figure out which song to use and my mother actually said, “you haven’t done ‘Here Comes Santa Claus yet have you?” I had the wheels in my mind start turning right away. The first line about being drunk on cheap champagne came to me almost instantly. After I had that I simply needed to build around it and keep the same rhythm.

Is the process different from other non-holiday covers?

While I have joked around with non-holiday covers, in terms of titles and lines here and there, I have yet to write any. One of the ones I have toyed with is “French Fries” instead of “Fresh Eyes” by Andy Gammer. I assume the process would be very similar.

Why is Christmas music so popular when compared with the music of other holidays like thanksgiving, or Easter?

To be honest, I’m not sure I’ve heard any Thanksgiving songs. There are songs for Halloween, but the quantity is small compared to the options for Christmas. I tend to avoid primarily religious-themed songs so that is really all there is for Easter. I think the secular and child-friendly element of many Christmas tunes is what makes them so popular.

What benefit does music bring to the holiday?

Holiday music is one of the many things that come together to give people the full and wonderful experience of the season. Decorations, food, gift giving, they all have their part and music is no different.

What is next on your list of projects?

No idea in terms of parody tunes. I usually get on my annual holiday-themed tune in late November, so I probably won’t give that much thought until around this point next year or so. As far as other creative ventures, I am always working on poetry when I have something that inspires me to do so. And I work a lot with photography and graphic design.

What would you like to say to your listeners?

Thanks. Thank you for being as goofy and silly as me, or at least to the point that you can appreciate my efforts.

What advice do you have for other musicians?

I certainly don’t consider myself a musician. I can’t play any instruments and my voice leaves a lot to be desired. I’m a writer at my core and much of my writing is poetic. Poetry lends itself to music. For those pursuing careers or even serious hobbies in music, I would first say to be realistic about what you have to offer. Don’t take on too much and develop the area(s) you excel most. You will most likely be your own worst critic at times so make sure to be as confident as you can without hitting the point of cockiness.

Christmas Music Conclusion

Want to learn more about Jason Greiner? We’d love to share it with you. His work includes a wide range of fantastic music and writings. Check his work out here.