Xmas Music Q: Help me identify a cover...

Cafe Society
1

This is something I’ve wondered for a couple of iterations through the 24/7 Christmas radio season, but was just reminded of by Euty’s I Love Christmas Music thread.

There’s a cover of “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” that MAY be from the mid-to-late-80s. It’s a female vocalist, and a slightly jazzy swingy style (VERY mildly swingy). The most salient quality of the recording, though, is that it sounds like the recording equipment was malfunctioning just a tiiiiny bit…it almost sounds like the tape speed is fluctuating in tiny, tiny amounts, so that it’s noticeable but not to the point where you’d look up and go “WTF?” when it comes on.

I don’t know if that’s just the copy that my local 24/7 Christmas radio station has or if it’s universal for this recording.

I have a vague feeling that it may be the Pretenders, but I don’t know and I can’t check things like YouTube to actually hear it here.

Thanks.

2

Just listened to the Pretenders do this on YouTube, and while I’m not noticing anything particularly “jazzy” or “swing” about it, the hint of poor speed control on the backing track makes me suspect you’re right.