Since we’re smack dab in the middle of the year-ending Christmas/New Year’s holiday combo week, I felt that I’d be remiss if I didn’t cover U2’s contributions to the annals of Christmas music.

U2’s first Christmas song was recorded back in 1987 for the first volume of Jimmy Iovine’s Very Special Christmas series of records benefiting the Special Olympics. The song was a cover of The 1963 Phil Spector penned Darlene Love classic “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)”, which fit perfectly with the old school inspired rock ‘n’ roll style which the band were cultivating and which would be brought even more to the forefront for the following year’s Rattle and Hum, which was also produced by Jimmy Iovine. I’ve always felt that the song was a great showcase for Bono’s voice, and a strong performance by the whole band. The song has only been performed once by U2 live in concert, during the last show of 1987 on December 20th.

The second of U2’s two Christmas songs came 21 years later when they covered Greg Lake’s “I Believe in Father Christmas” for Project (RED). “I Believe” is an interesting piece of music, at times feeling almost worshipful, at others as playful as kids on their first snow day of the year. It contains lovely contributions from each member of the band, and feels different enough from “Baby Please Come Home” to hold a special place in U2’s catalog on its own right. Whichever of the two you personally prefer, I hope you won’t mind if I close today’s article with a quote from “I Believe in Father Christmas” – “I wish you a hopeful Christmas; I wish you a brave new year.”