While there were plenty of reasons for fans to be excited about the “Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special,” one was certainly the soundtrack. Writer/director James Gunn took great pride in putting together the curated soundtrack for the first “Guardians” movie in 2014, which not only became a hallmark of the franchise but also kicked off a slew of imitators.
Gunn took the same care in choosing the songs for “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” and, of course, this holiday special for which he put his Christmas music knowledge to the test.
Below, we’ve put together a complete list of all the songs in the “Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special,” which includes an original song written by Gunn and performed by Old ‘97s called “I Don’t Know What Christmas Is (But Christmastime Is Here).”
The special is currently streaming on Disney+, and the 42-minute interlude between “Thor: Love and Thunder” and “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” finds Drax (Dave Bautista) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) heading to Earth to kidnap Kevin Bacon (played by Kevin Bacon) to cheer up Peter (Chris Pratt), who gets gloomy around the holidays.
The special was shot during the production of “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” which Gunn has teased is a culmination of the franchise and a concluding chapter for this specific team. That sequel opens in theaters in May 2023, after which Gunn will be devoting his full-time attention to his new role as co-CEO of DC Films, spearheading the upcoming slate of DC Comics adaptations for Warner Bros.
Which is all to say, the “Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special” and its soundtrack are to be savored – this could be the penultimate Marvel entry from James Gunn ever.
Here are all the songs that appear in the special, followed by a Spotify playlist through which you can have a listen yourself. The soundtrack (and score by John Murphy) are currently also available to purchase.
“Dead by X-Mas” by Hanoi Rocks
“Christmas Treat” by Julian Casablancas
“Mrs. Claus” by Little Jackie
“Just Like Christmas” by Low
“Christmastime” by The Smashing Pumpkins
“Fairytale of New York” by The Pogues feat. Kirsty MacColl
“Christmas Wrapping” by The Waitresses
“Is This Christmas?” by The Wombats
“I Want an Alien for Christmas” by Fountains of Wayne
“I Don’t Know What Christmas Is (But Christmastime Is Here)” by the Old 97’s
“Here It Is Christmastime” by Kevin Bacon & Old 97’s