Feeling the Christmas spirit from our heads to our mistletoes: Christmas music videos with fun storylines
Savannah Williamson, Staff Writer
The smells and sights of Christmas wouldn’t be complete without music.
What about Christmas music tells a story? We are going to take a look at three classic Christmas tunes that tell a story in their music videos. The stories should be related to Christmas right?
If you’re looking for a rock and roll Christmas song, Run Run Rudolph by Chuck Berry is the piece for you. This song was released in 1958, however the music video is relatively new, as it was released in 2020 on the official Chuck Berry YouTube channel.
The story in the music video opens on Berry as he starts up a car being pulled by reindeer. It switches to Berry playing the guitar as he passes through the Saint Louis Arch. Then the car is suddenly zooming on the freeway. The scene changes again and we’re in the mall.
A child is sitting on Santa’s lap asking him for a “rock n’ roll electric guitar”, and the guitar magically falls through the ceiling and right into the kid’s lap, and he immediately starts playing it.
The scene shifts back to Berry in the car being pulled by reindeer. Berry looks down and sees people not in the spirit of Christmas. So he pushes a button and speakers come out the back of the car and Berry jumps out of the car and lands on top of a skyscraper and he starts playing his guitar, drawing crowds in and getting them into the Christmas spirit. Once everyone is in the Christmas spirit, he jumps off the building and lands back in the reindeer pulled car.
He then pushes another button and the trunk of the car opens, spilling presents out. One falls down the chimney of a little girl wanting a doll. She immediately opens the present and instead of the doll she wants, she gets a Chuck Berry figurine and she starts playing the air guitar.
Berry is satisfied with his work, and the music video ends with him rocking out in the reindeer pulled car going around the entire earth. The music video is drawn in a comic book style. If you find yourself with extra time on your hands, go check it out.
If you’re looking for a funky, groovy-type beat, we have Wonderful Christmastime by Paul McCartney. This song was written and released in 1979.
The story in the music video opens on an older couple watching TV. Suddenly, Christmas magic happens and their living room is full of people celebrating Christmas. The scene pans back to the TV, and then back to the living room and there’s a band playing.
Everyone is still partying and enamored by a singular plastic Santa. Then they go back to talking and partying with everyone. The piano is being played and Christmas magic comes from the piano and three angels wearing sunglasses appear singing.
Then the party of people look outside and it’s snowing. They all run outside and up in the sky are giant floating lights and a man riding a sky horse. The band appears outside. Several Santas get out of a van. A guy wearing angel wings and sunglasses moves and there is a sign saying “Merry Xmas”.
The scene pans back to the band playing their instruments around a bonfire. They start a conga line. Then a giant floating present falls out of the sky and explodes. The band has once again teleported and they were inside the present. The older couple is still having a blast. The music video closes on the band and them singing.
If you’re in the mood for a power ballad, don’t worry. Last Christmas by Wham is the piece for you. This piece was released in 1984. The story in this video opens on two jeeps driving up into snow covered mountains. A blonde man jumps out of one jeep and waves up to his friends who are on a balcony. Everyone is overjoyed at seeing each other, except for the black haired woman in a red jacket and the blonde man who jumped out of the jeep. There is tension there.
Everyone hugs each other, and they all get ready to go on a ski trip. The ski lift arrives and they all get on board. The lift takes them to the top of the mountain where they have a cabin. They all walk inside and start decorating for Christmas and they start setting the table.
The blonde man and the black haired woman have a tense moment of eye contact when the blonde man drops tinsel. The scene pans back to the door and a man walks in with firewood. After decorating, everyone rushes outside to play in the snow. Everyone is having fun, except for the blonde man. He is being moody.
A snowball fight ensues, and the black haired woman makes a snowman. Time passes and it’s night. Everyone is sitting at the dinner table laughing and enjoying themselves, and the blonde man looks across the table and sees the black haired woman talking to her current romantic interest. The blonde man touches a pin on his lapel. He has a flash back to the year before where he and the black haired woman were in a relationship. He misses what he had.
They spend the night at the cabin, and the next day they pack up all of their things and head back down the mountain. The ski lift picks them up and carries them back down the mountain to their cars.
