Music
THE HOLIDAYS are characterized by homes embellished with splendor, sumptuous feasts, and most importantly, the culmination of a year well spent. However, while this season usually overflows with festivities, it also notoriously stirs melancholy and apprehension.
Whether these feelings stem from time marching by too quickly, celebrating alone, or ending the year with unfulfilled resolutions, Vantage Magazine has prepared song recommendations that may soothe your current bout of the holiday blues.
Landslide by Fleetwood Mac
Life’s impermanence doesn’t show until we realize how much time has already passed. Fleetwood Mac’s Landslide reflects on letting go, forming individuality, and facing the uncertainty of what lies ahead. Though released in 1975, the track continues to win the hearts of many by evoking nostalgia and understanding how one can navigate the complexities of life on their own.
Whether it’s the aftermath of a breakup, leaving home for college, or understanding oneself, it’s difficult to stray away from what was once familiar. Those heavy emotions feel like a landslide, crushing everything down—but it could also open an opportunity for a new path no one had seen before. The listeners are reminded that we all change constantly, and as Stevie Nicks said, “And if you see my reflection in the snow-covered hills / Well, the landslide will bring it down.”
Bless the Telephone by Labi Siffre
With its bouncy melody and irresistibly clean vocals, Bless the Telephone captures the joyful essence of hearing the voice of someone you love. The song’s intimacy not only stems from its instrumentals, but also from its backstory. As Labi Siffre shared on his YouTube channel, this song was written after he spoke to someone special on the phone. This warmth is felt throughout the song, thriving because of its simple, honest, and tender storytelling. As one of his most beloved songs, Siffre expresses gratitude that the song is still being listened to today, stating that, “love is such a wonderful thing.”
The song’s charm lies in how it transforms an ordinary moment into something precious. For anyone spending the holidays far from home or the people they miss most, Bless the Telephone will serve as a reminder that a brief call can be enough to lift the weight of long distances.
A Couple Minutes by Olivia Dean
Perhaps all we need is one last moment of intimacy with a person we once loved. A Couple Minutes by Olivia Dean is a ballad that takes you through deep, bittersweet emotions of reuniting with an old flame who once knew you like no one else.
The violin melody in the intro evokes a familiar feeling, like recognizing someone across the room and watching everyone else fade away. The song’s lyrics reveal little changes and hints of a new life—small reminders that people can grow apart without realizing it. Through this song, Dean shares the melancholy of what could have been and the beauty of letting things be; after all, “In your heart / Every part of me / We’ll let go / And let it start to be.”
Merry Christmas, Please Don’t Call by Bleachers
The quiet pains of yearning are reimagined in Merry Christmas, Please Don’t Call by Bleachers. Though left open for various interpretations, the ballad brings out a longing for someone—a parent, friend, or lover—but with an ache that reconnecting no longer feels right.
The song begins with a silent anger, as it speaks of feeling trapped in a place that could have been called home. However, as it progresses, the tone and melody suggest otherwise—that the presence of love is still lingering in the background. Merry Christmas, Please Don’t Call reflects a sense of emotional maturity as we come to realize that no matter how familiar or painful, what we cling to may not always be meant for us. In the end, maybe the best thing we can do is to let go and part ways.
Vienna by Billy Joel
Decades after its release, Billy Joel’s Vienna continues to trumpet a message that listeners from any generation can resonate with. The song is kept relatively simple, with the notes of a piano and a light drum beat accompanying Joel’s voice for the majority of his crooning.
Vienna can be understood as an open letter to anyone who is relentless in their pursuit of success, stretching themselves thin just to amass achievements and meet the expectations people saddle onto them. The chorus line “When will you realize Vienna waits for you?” assures listeners that, despite how rapidly the world spins, allocating time to slow down will not hinder them from reaping what life has to offer.
With New Year coming up, people may feel a source of guilt upon remembering their unfulfilled resolutions. Still, Vienna reminds us to give ourselves grace regardless of the pressure that comes with the calendar’s turn.
So Much Wine by Phoebe Bridgers
Phoebe Bridgers’ remake of The Handsome Family’s So Much Wine is transformed into an indie-folk ballad where its somber instrumentals displace the original’s southern-gothic quality. The lyrics remain unchanged, yet Bridgers’ version sounds more poignant as she laments about watching a loved one struggle with substance abuse.
“Listen to me, Butterfly,” Bridgers implores, “There’s only so much wine / That you can drink in one life.” This single demonstrates Bridgers’ ability to morph the festivity of Christmas into something so gutting, reminding listeners that the vices they cling to serve as nothing but reprieves from the inherent pain of existence. Temporary solace derived from destructive tendencies “will never be enough / To save you from the bottom of your glass.” So Much Wine reminds us that we must treat the aching parts of ourselves with gentleness, for even our most fragile parts deserve room to breathe.
Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now by The Smiths
The catchy melody and simple lyrics of the classic Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now by The Smiths capture the heavy feeling of trying to move through life while weighed down by misery. Its upbeat instrumentals stand in sharp contrast to its bleak lyrics, yet the combination blends seamlessly. With its raw, unfiltered portrayal of life, the song continues to resonate with generations of listeners who yearn for something real.
Despite its moody verses, the song reflects the complexity of human emotion—whether it’s irritation toward happy couples or feeling oddly miserable after finally getting a job. Some days, happiness simply isn’t an option, and with this song, listeners are reminded that these intrusive feelings aren’t abnormal; being deeply affected by the world doesn’t make anyone weak.
All the Things… by The Milk Carton Kids
From the very first pluck of the guitar, All the Things… pulls listeners into a beautifully somber atmosphere. Quiet, measured, and heavy with everything left unsaid, The Milk Carton Kids bring emotional depth through clever rhymes and conversational lyrics. The blend of soft instrumentals and steady vocals create a rhythm that recalls memories through melodies, structured like a journey that adds new layers of clarity as it builds toward a cathartic bridge and gentle resolution.
Lyrically, the track unfolds like a narrator looking back on their life, recounting the things they’ve done and lingering on the things they wish they did. Revealing how memory has a habit of bridging regret and gratitude, the song’s beautiful complexity captures the deeply relatable experience of looking back and realizing how many choices are still felt and echoed in the present day.
Honey, It’s Alright by Gregory Alan Isakov
Honey, It’s Alright is the kind of song that doesn’t explicitly announce its intentions. Rather, it settles under your skin and leaves you with a mix of emotions that soaks you from head to toe. Beneath its gentle lyrics runs an undercurrent of longing and acceptance. Isakov’s tranquil fragility erupts a stirring of strong emotions as he assures listeners that it’s normal to just feel.
The verses lift you up with muted optimism before the chorus loosens the floor and plunges you into something heavier and heartfelt. Honey, It’s Alright is a sad yet hopeful rollercoaster, one that glides through its highs and lows with a kind of weary grace. It is not a song you consume quickly, but one you breathe in, letting every strum and syllable settle into your very being. The effect is quiet but powerful, perfect for anyone needing a soft space to break down during the holidays.
I Found A Reason by The Velvet Underground
I Found a Reason radiates hope from its opening chords to its final whispered lyric. The Velvet Underground keep their signature stripped down emotional edge to create a fleeting soundscape that feels like it’s suspended between melancholy and absolute bliss. The song captures the moment when love shifts from something abstract to something anchoring—a reason to keep going.
There’s a transient and loose warmth in the instrumentation, as if the band was trying to hold onto a feeling they know might disappear if held too tight. For listeners, this song offers a tender and profoundly human kind of comfort and clarity remaining in a single sentence, “I found a reason and the reason is you.” It reminds us that even in the darkest seasons, a simple connection can feel like everything.
Graceland Too by Phoebe Bridgers
Phoebe Bridgers’ Graceland Too is a homage to somebody who struggles with self-destructive tendencies. The country-tinged ballad reads as a love letter, with the lyrics serving as wishes for them to get better. It carries an air of optimism most distinguishable when it dwindles to a close.
However, the song can also be understood as consolation. While everyone is grappling with something that threatens to pull them asunder, Bridgers assures that there are brighter days ahead. There will inevitably come a time when we can say that we’ve “lived through it to get to this moment,” but there are people who would gladly help bear our crosses in the meanwhile. Overall, Graceland Too houses a beautiful message that imbues listeners with hope, regardless of their song interpretations.
Girls Against God by Florence + The Machine
Florence Welch’s Girls Against God revolves around frustrations during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting listeners to envision a barrage of girls warring with divinity from the confines of their bedrooms. However, it also perfectly captures the double-edged nature of nostalgia. Welch simultaneously finds comfort in the tunes of her childhood while reeling from the knowledge that those times are long gone. She blames the metaphysical for her grievances, warning an indifferent god that “You’ll be sorry that you messed with me.”
The holiday blues exemplifies how nostalgia can shift from something pleasant to a source of mourning. They simultaneously reminisce about memories from years past while struggling to accept that they can’t be experienced again—a feeling that Girls Against God perfectly captures. And yet, through the fusion of hauntingly mystical vocals and delicate melodies, there is a sliver of buoyancy laced into the song’s bittersweet atmosphere, searing that “It’s good to be alive.”
Soundtrack for the holiday blues
As the last notes of the year wind down and settle in, allow these songs to offer you a place to land—whether that be through quiet reflection, gentle reassurance, or the soft glow of hope. They may not promise to erase the holiday blues entirely, but they will offer company for the moments that feel too heavy to carry alone.
While you navigate the stillness between holidays, New Year’s resolutions, and letting go of old memories, let these melodies remind you that it’s normal to slow down, to feel deeply, and to find comfort in the small things that endure. After all, even in the bluest seasons, there will always be music waiting to soothe souls that need warming.
Click the link to this playlist and carry these quiet comforts with you for whenever you need them most.
