10 Best Christmas Songs From Dash & Lily
Based on Rachel Cohn and David Levithan’s Dash & Lily’s Book Of Dares, Netflix’s Dash & Lily features some great Christmas songs for the holidays.
Based on the novel Dash & Lily’s Book Of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, the Netflix adaptation stars Austin Abrams and Midori Francis as two lonely teens in New York City at Christmastime.
With help from her brother, Lily leaves a notebook of dares at The Strand bookstore in New York. A self-proclaimed Christmas hater, Dash finds the notebook, and the two teens engage in a back-and-forth. Unlike Dash, Lily is a bubbly, optimistic Christmas enthusiast, but if her festive spirit isn’t enough, the eight short episodes are overflowing with their own Christmas cheer, a lot of it in the form of music.
10. Like It’s Christmas — The Jonas Brothers
In the final episodes of the show, Dash hurries to make up with Boomer, who is… at a Jonas Brothers concert? Boomer doesn’t know what to be more excited about — the Jonas Brothers’ performance of “Like It’s Christmas”, or Dash coming to a Jonas Brothers concert.
Either way, they make up, head to Nick Jonas’s trailer to devise a plan on how to find Lily, and are interrupted by Nick Jonas himself. He, of course, is here to offer Dash some advice. He’s also a producer of the series, which explains the cameo.
9. Everything’s Gonna Be Cool This Christmas — Eels
In the first episode, viewers see the events unfold from Dash’s perspective. He’s walking the aisles of the Strand, complaining about misshelved books, when he happens upon a red notebook. Of course, he’s intrigued.
He completes each dare, then sets off as the upbeat rock tunes of “Everything’s Gonna Be Cool This Christmas” start playing. He walks out of the bookshop, telling Lily (via voiceover) that he’s hooked.
8. What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? — Ella Fitzgerald
Lily has just made her great getaway from a cab on a busy road and ran all the way to the Strand to meet Dash. She finds the door locked, but luckily a Christmas elf is at hand to throw her the keys.
She slowly makes her way in, awestruck by the Christmas decorations Dash and his friends have strung up. Ella Fitzgerald’s incredibly controlled voice is soothing, gentle, and gives the scene a magical feel.
7. Fairytale Of New York (Feat. Kristy MacColl) — The Pogues
The melancholy, nostalgic, festive notes of this song start playing at the end of episode 2, which is a new beginning of sorts. Dash has just completed his dare of finding Lily’s name on a Santa’s hat at Macy’s.
Boomer hangs up a signed, framed photograph of the Christmas elf/actor at Two Boots, Lily puts on some music and reads Dash’s message promising no more sting operations, and Dash turns on his radio. Both Lily and Dash start singing along to “Fairytale Of New York” from their respective bedrooms.
6. The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas To You) — Nat King Cole
The gentle, swooping notes of this cinematic classic usher Dash into the magical world of Dyker Heights — a real place in New York, and one that would ordinarily be overcrowded at Christmas.
Lily sends him there on a dare in the hopes of swinging his perception of Christmas. He goes to the Nutcracker House, but only takes notice of how artificial it all is. Then he notices an elderly couple, and the word “believe” lights up in luminous red, and Dash starts to soften up a bit.
5. Christmas Wrapping — The Waitresses
Lily has just turned her mood around after learning she will be alone for Christmas. She’s put on a mask of Christmas cheer, gone out to get a Christmas tree, failed to set it up, and probably burned her cookies, but Cousin Mark texts her with good news.
She learns that someone has found her notebook and left her a message. The upbeat tune of “Christmas Wrapping” perfectly matches Lily’s mood as she bounces up and down before rushing off to the Strand.
4. Come On! Let’s Boogey To The Elf Dance! — Sufjan Stevens
Dash is a little upset when he finds no red notebook at the underground club, but Boomer isn’t ready to give up yet. The two boys trace the red boot back to a T.D.F. to the sound of Sufjan Stevens’ beautiful Christmas song.
The episode is aptly titled “Cinderella” as the boys try to find the girl who owns the missing boot, but it’s not as easy as they think it will be. Even though they get some help, they end up at the wrong Lily’s house — but Mrs. Basil E, as Lily calls her, proves to be the greatest mentor of all (for both Lily and Dash).
3. Home Alone, Too — The Staves
A gorgeous song that references Home Alone, the caressing voices of The Staves provide the perfect backdrop for Lily’s somber departure from Priya’s party. She arrives home in her Christmas tree sweater, where her grandfather is pleased that she’s home early.
Meanwhile, Dash has joined Sofia at the Morgan. According to Sofia, Priya’s father is on the board and she “owed” her. Sofia has dared him to leave the party and travel back in time with her, but Sofia wishes they could go back to when they were together.
2. Last Christmas — Wham!
Lily has just learned that her parents are going away on a “honeymoon” and that her grandfather is going to Florida to visit his “female friend who’s not a girlfriend”. She glumly listens to their excuses as they pack their suitcases and leaves.
Wham!’s Christmas classic starts playing as she watches her family pile into a cab, leaving her alone with her brother. Langston also has plans, so Lily is left to herself. She goes wandering the city streets, telling herself it’s okay that she doesn’t have a love story, when she has an idea: a caroling troupe.
1. River — Joni Mitchell
Lily’s first dare for Dash is to perform a dramatic reading of Joni Mitchell’s “River”. The Christmas ballad is brooding, gloomy, and perfect for Dash. He loves the song, as does Lily, despite her cheery demeanor.
Dash does a surprisingly good job of the reading once he gets the hang of it. It’s clear that he identifies with the lyrics, even if he doesn’t have Joni Mitchell’s voice. It’s the first insight into who his character really is.
[Originally shared with ScreenRant.]
