Christmas, Without a John Lewis Cover?!
It’s that time of the year again. John Lewis has released their 2024 Christmas advert, marking the first time in 17 years they haven’t used a custom soundtrack or a cover of a well-known song. This year, the advert showcases Sonnet by Richard Ashcroft, presented in its original form.
Over the years, John Lewis adverts have churned out some exceptionally sentimental stories and evocative covers, often adopting themes of childhood and imagination. From Moz the Monster to Edgar the Dragon, these characters were not just annual mascots, but tackled emotional journeys of loneliness, persistence, and connection.
What is particularly significant about the John Lewis Christmas adverts are their powerful storytelling through their choice of music. Music has always been central, with covers like Ellie Goulding’s rendition of Elton John’s Your Song (2010) and Lily Allen’s take on Keane’s Somewhere Only We Know (2013). These familiar songs not only bring a sense of nostalgia, but they are selected and adapted to the advert’s emotional journey. That’s why it was quite surprising to hear them use an original song this year.
The Gifting Hour (2024)
Sonnet by Richard Ashcroft
A woman is rushing through the Oxford Street John Lewis store to find a gift for her sister. After travelling through a clothes rack, she uncovers various memories from their childhood and teenage years, and as adults.
Interestingly, the song is presented in its original form, an unexpected move. While its acoustic guitar and heartfelt lyrics have an uplifting, sentimental feel and align with the storyline, some may feel it lacks the emotional crescendo typically associated with John Lewis adverts.
To complement this change, John Lewis has launched the My Sonnet competition on TikTok. Entrants can submit their own cover of Sonnet, with the winning version airing exclusively on Christmas Day. This bold shift invites younger audiences to engage with the brand through social media, potentially making the campaign more interactive and inclusive.
Cover to Cover: Iconic John Lewis Advert Music
This departure from tradition inspired me to revisit past John Lewis covers. I opened Spotify and started reminiscing on some of the great covers from past adverts. It's almost impossible to choose your favorite John Lewis Christmas advert since there are so many iconic years. I managed to narrow it to four standout examples where music transformed the storytelling:
The Journey (2012): The Power of Love by Gabrielle Aplin (Original: Frankie Goes to Hollywood)
This advert follows a snowman who embarks on a heroic adventure in search of a gift for his snow-wife. After a lengthy journey, climbing mountains, crossing streams, and facing heavy traffic, the snowman finally makes it to the city and finds the perfect gift.
In this version, The Power of Love became musically much lighter and more fluid. The original adopts a synth pop style with a slow, heavy drumbeat. Aplin’s cover is reduced to a ‘floatier’ ensemble for piano and strings. Beginning with a bare piano, the song gradually builds in texture, adding sustained strings as the snowman progresses in his journey.
The song is also transposed up from F minor to B minor, providing a more delicate feel, and the tempo is slightly increased to add more momentum to the flow. The fluidity of the cover comes from how it plays around with tempo, pushing and pulling it to slightly blur a sense of pulse and pull on our heartstrings.
The Man On The Moon (2015): Half the World Away by Aurora (Original: Oasis)
A few years later, a little girl discovers an elderly man through her telescope, living alone on the moon. To show him he is not alone, she sends him his very own telescope for Christmas.
The theme for the British sitcom The Royle Family, this Oasis song is characterized by its swaying acoustic guitar and swung riffs. However, Aurora completely pulls these features from underneath, reducing the song’s texture to sustained chords and allowing its major sevenths to really resonate. Combined with a deep beat and shimmering tambourines on top, the song has a very earthy feel.
While the tempo has stayed almost the same, moving the song into half-time gives it a completely different, mystical vibe. This song feels quite isolating at first, but warm strings and backing vocals come through when the man receives his telescope, creating a real ‘feel good’ moment.
Moz The Monster (2017): Golden Slumbers by Elbow (Original: The Beatles)
A little boy is struggling to sleep because there is a monster living under his bed. They eventually become friends, but the boy is too tired during the day after playing with his new friend all night. He then gets a nightlight for Christmas and Moz the Monster disappears.
For me, this was one of the most fascinating musical transformations. The cover’s tempo and key stayed the same, but the overall sound has been mellowed, feeling warmer and gentler.
One of the biggest factors in this change is the choice of voice. In the original, McCartney’s voice goes through some drastic changes: the verses are gentle and restrained, but the chorus is quite intense where he’s almost belting. However, Garvey’s voice is rich and open, really adding warmth and comfort to the song.
The overall sound of the music has also been mellowed – the harsh sounds of the cymbals have been reduced and there is more power behind the complete texture, rather than focusing on the voice. This cover really feels like a big hug from Moz the Monster.
The Beginner (2022): All The Small Things by Postmodern Jukebox ft. Puddles Pity Party (Original: Blink-182)
During the run-up to Christmas, a man is trying to learn how to skateboard. Many bruises and scratches later, he seems to be getting the hang of it. He later answers the door to a young girl holding a skateboard, where we discover he was learning to skate to have something in common with his new foster child.
This is my favorite John Lewis cover to date. Originally an upbeat, pop punk song that we’ve all danced to, this track has completely changed in tone and is incredibly touching. Once again, both songs are in similar keys and tempi, but the new version is played in half-time. Geier’s deep, baritone voice is captivating and really resonates through the track.
But it doesn’t stop there. The cover cleverly spaces out the lines of the pre-chorus and elongates the final line, ‘carry me home’, in a descending melisma, really emphasizing the emotional moment of a young girl arriving at her new home for Christmas. Meanwhile, the ‘na na na’s of the chorus are now heard as subtle backing vocals. This is a really interesting restructure to bring through the core message of the advert.
Are John Lewis Making a Change for the Better?
While some fans may miss the classic covers, John Lewis’s decision to innovate deserves applause. Using TikTok to engage Gen Z while promising a new cover for Christmas Day reflects a smart and inclusive marketing approach to engage with different generations that might be younger than their usual target audience. I, for one, am eager to hear the Sonnet cover and see how this interactive strategy evolves in future campaigns.
