It’s Getting Chilly in Here: 4 Wondrous “Winter” Songs That Will Warm Up Your Holiday Playlist

Wherever you’re living, we hope that it’s been a pleasant autumn in terms of the weather. In many parts of the country, you’re probably gearing up for the intensifying frigidity of the coldest season.

But winter isn’t all bad. For starters, there are these four fantastic songs with the word “winter,” or some derivation of it, in the titles. And they’ll warm your heart, if not your body.

“A Hazy Shade Of Winter” by Simon & Garfunkel

They were categorized as folk-rock. In truth, Simon & Garfunkel didn’t do a ton of rocking. “A Hazy Shade Of Winter” might have been as close as they ever came to it. The duo released the furiously-paced song as a single in 1966. They later included it on Bookends, their sterling 1968 album. Paul Simon’s lyrics concern themselves with the inevitable march of time, a topic to which he often returned during those S&G days. Even as they have to huff and puff a bit to keep up with the pace of the song, the pair’s harmonies remain pristine. Two decades later, The Bangles would add some electric guitar to the mix so the song could reach its maximum rocking potential.

“Winterlude” by Bob Dylan

It’s unlikely that too many folks would call New Morning one of Bob Dylan’s finest albums. But you could make the argument that the 1970 is one of Bob’s most likable records. There’s an easy-going ramble to it that endears it to listeners in a musical sense. Dylan’s lyrics also leave some of the tortured emotions and verbiage behind to focus on simpler pleasures and wordplay. “Winterlude” exemplifies this. Just the fact that Dylan uses the word “dude” to rhyme with the title should tell you something. The fact that the title represents a woman’s name is also a good indication of the levity at play here. One of Dylan’s most charming unheralded tracks.

“Winter” by The Rolling Stones

You’ll hear a lot of folks complaining that the albums The Rolling Stones released in the mid-70s were somehow subpar. If you compare them to the hot streak that the band enjoyed prior to that, the one that ended with Exile In Main St., maybe you have a point. But records like Goats Head Soup, released in 1973, would be masterpieces for most bands. Even if the LP isn’t as musically dynamic as some of its predecessors, the writing on songs like “Winter” is sharp. On this track, Mick Jagger can’t quite get in step with the seasonal sights and events, so beset is he by his loneliness. Mick Taylor stands out, as he often did during his time with the group, with his lyrical slide guitar work.

“White Winter Hymnal” by Fleet Foxes

The indie rock boom of the early 2000s featured a variety of intriguing bands, each one carving out their unique little niche. Fleet Foxes, led by chief songwriter Robin Pecknold, focused on songs that proselytized about nature. They also brought chills with their ability to layer harmonies on top of each other to give their songs a majestic feel, even when they were singing about simple pleasures. Of all the songs on this list, “White Winter Hymnal” might be the one that most evokes the season it mentions via its sound. Chances are you might be reaching for a sweater when you cue this one up on your listening device of choice.

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