Alex Lahey has become the latest Aussie artist to spread some festive cheer, sharing her cover of the Ramones’ “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight Tonight)” as December 25th creeps ever-closer.
Released today, the track is a faithful recreation of the original, complete with the addition of apparent sleigh bells, and Lahey’s now-iconic vocals.
“A fun fact about me is that I love Christmas songs,” Lahey explained of the track. “I’ve always wanted to do one and I’m pleased to say that I’ve finally dipped my toe into the pool of yule and have created my very own version of the Ramones festive classic ‘Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight)’!
“This one goes out to the kid in high school who made fun of my HEY HO LET’S GO tshirt I wore on casual clothes day in year 8.”
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First released as the closing track of 1989’s Brain Drain, the Ramones’ original version was undoubtedly something of an unexpected occurrence for punk purists, though it’s since become a favourite amongst fans of modern-day Christmas songs.
Lahey’s cover of “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight Tonight)” serves as her second release of 2020, having previously shared her Between the Kitchen and The Living Room EP back in May.
Likewise, this isn’t the first cover that Lahey has taken on in recent years either, with her rendition of My Chemical Romance’s “Welcome to The Black Parade” becoming a highlight for many following its debut on triple j’s Like a Version segment last year.
Though it remains to be seen whether this could be an indicator that new material is on the way from Alex Lahey, it goes without saying that the holiday season would be all the more festive in other artists followed in her footsteps.
Alex Lahey’s cover of “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight Tonight)” is out now.
