Christmas Favorites

[Bruce]

MY TOP 10 CHRISTMAS SONGS
1 - Jingle Bell Rock - Bobby Helms
2 - Mambo, Santa, Mambo - Enchanters
3 - White Christmas - Drifters
4 - Please Come Home For Christmas - Charles Brown
5 - Little Saint Nick - Beach Boys
6 - Blue Christmas - Elvis
7 - White Christmas - Ravens
8 - Sleigh Ride - Ronettes
9 - Winter Wonderland - Darlene Love
10 - Old Fashioned Christmas - Kenny Williams

[Blanco]

Hey Bruce, since you and I are from different cultures, I have to ask: With Christmas songs, do you mean a musical genre? Or are songs that were composed on Christmas Day? Maybe my questions seem silly, but I prefer to ask.

[Bruce]

Hey Bruce, since you and I are from different cultures, I have to ask: With Christmas songs, do you mean a musical genre? Or are songs that were composed on Christmas Day? Maybe my questions seem silly, but I prefer to ask.

I just mean songs that are about Christmas and/or the holiday season. I don't celebrate Christmas, I am Jewish, but the songs just sound good at this time of the year, and other times too.

[Listyguy]

My all time favorite Christmas song is "Happy XMas" by John Lennon. Out of character I also can't help but love "All I Want For Christmas Is You".

[Blanco]

It has to do with the lyrics, then? If not that, I would not know how to differentiate them from the non-Christmas songs.

[Bruce]

It has to do with the lyrics, then?

Pretty much, but there are Christmas instrumentals and also other characteristsics, like bells jingling.

Here's one with no lyrics:

[Jirin]

Back when I had a job where I spent most of my time in retail stores and they played Christmas music all day I was annoyed they only played secular pop songs and not the more religious Christmas songs.

Now, I'm an atheist. I just think the religious Christmas songs are musically way better. Silent Night is far less an assault on non-Christian beliefs than ten schmaltzy renditions of Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire is an assault on ear drums.

[luvulongTIM]

1. Like a Snowflake- Ride
2. Last Christmas- Wham
3. She Came Home For Christmas- Mew
4. Frosty the Snowman- Cocteau Twins
5. Fairy Tale in New York- The Pogues
6. Donna and Blitzen- Badly Drawn Boy
7. Oye To The World- No Doubt
8. Christmas Wrapping- The Waitresses
9. Winter Wonderland- Eurythmics
10. Christmas Time Has Come- Smashing Pumpkins
11. Silent Night- Sinead O' Connor
12. Little Drummer Boy- Harry Simeone Chorale

*Winter Related
Valley Winter Song- Fountains of Wayne
50 Words for Snow- Kate Bush
Winter- Tori Amos
Icicles- Lets Go Sailing
I Smell Winter- The Housemartins
December- Teenage Fanclub
Snow- JJ72
Frosti- Bjork

[DDD troll account]

Bach's "Weihnachtsoratorium" is essential. Many traditional German christmas songs are also very beautiful, e.g. "Maria durch ein' Dornwald ging", "Es kommt ein Schiff geladen", "Es ist ein Ros entsprungen", "Ich steh bei deiner Krippen hier", etc.

[t3t332]

Pop perfection:

[DocBrown]

Although I never worked retail, I have to agree with Jirin that the public ritual of Christmas muzak is what makes this season truly horrible, along with the lack of sunlight in the far northern hemisphere. For real holiday listening (and I'm a Buddhist - Bodhisattva Day has come and gone, alas) my favourite is Leontovych's "Carol of the Bells", particularly the London Symphony Orchestra version (1998). For non-traditionalists, I recommend Glasvegas' "A Snowflake Fell (and it Felt Like a Kiss)", a six-song EP from 2008.

And for the secretly Canadian among us (here's looking at you, JimmyJazz) "River" by Joni Mitchell is essential.

Edit: just thought of another one "Gaudete" by Steeleye Span from Below The Salt (1972).

[Charlie Driggs]

My favorites at the moment:

1. Sharon Jones And The Dap-Kings - Ain't No Chimneys in the Projects
2. De La Soul - Millie Pulled A Pistol On Santa
3. The Harlem Children’s Chorus - Black Christmas
4. The Durutti Column - One Christmas For Your Thoughts
5. Neko Case - Christmas Card From A Hooker In Minneapolis
6. Casiotone for the Painfully Alone - Cold White Christmas
7. Saint Etienne - 21st Century Christmas
8. Thea Gilmore - Listen, The Snow Is Falling
9. Diamond Rugs - Christmas In A Chinese Restaurant
10. Randy Newman - Christmas in Cape Town
11. Bahamas - Christmas Must Be Tonight
12. Suicide - Hey Lord
12. Feist - Lo, How A Rose E're Blooming
13. John Cale - Child's Christmas In Wales
14. Tuxedomoon - Weihnachtrap
15. Procol Harum - A Christmas Camel

[Matski]

Don't think I could make a list but when this subject gets raised here's the usual reply:

[PlasticRam]

Elvis, the Beach Boys and Phil Spector have each done a Christmas album that I would recommend.

[Sweepstakes Ron]

[Pierre]

When it comes to Christmas music, French people have a Pavlov reflex, the first song that pops-up is "Petit Papa Noël" by Tino Rossi. This is, for some reason, the best-selling French single ever. It premiered in the French movie "Destins" in 1946, here is the extract with the song (quality could be better, but I did not upload this):

[JimmyJazz]

When it comes to Christmas music, French people have a Pavlov reflex, the first song that pops-up is "Petit Papa Noël" by Tino Rossi. This is, for some reason, the best-selling French single ever. It premiered in the French movie "Destins" in 1946, here is the extract with the song (quality could be better, but I did not upload this):

Pierre, I think that most countries that celebrate Christmas usually seem to have Christmas tunes as among their all-time best selling singles, sometimes, as with this song, THE best-selling single. The holiday, and in effect, commercial attachments that come with them, as well as their inevitable overplay, ensure their massive commercial success. The best-selling single of all time, in fact, is Bing Crosby's "White Christmas".

[Pierre]

Pierre, I think that most countries that celebrate Christmas usually seem to have Christmas tunes as among their all-time best selling singles, sometimes, as with this song, THE best-selling single. The holiday, and in effect, commercial attachments that come with them, as well as their inevitable overplay, ensure their massive commercial success. The best-selling single of all time, in fact, is Bing Crosby's "White Christmas".

That makes sense. I thought that in fact the best-selling single of all time would be some ABBA, Céline Dion or Beatles song, but I obviously underestimate the Christmas effect. In France, few people have ever heard of Bing Crosby, but I admit many here can hum the melodies of "White Christmas", "Rudolph" or "Let It Snow" without even knowing who sang it, or even that they are English-speaking songs to begin with.

[JimmyJazz]

Actually, I think that there are many who would argue that Elton John's "Candle in the Wind" is the best-selling single, due to its association with Princess Diana's death and funeral, but this is a contentious debate involving sales in various countries and at various times, as well as potentially uncounted for sales.

[Henry]

Handel: Messiah, HWV 56 - Hallelujah Chorus - many versions are excellent. The version that I have is by Dowley, Kenneth: Westmister Church Choir & Orchestra

[DocBrown]

Handel: Messiah, HWV 56 - Hallelujah Chorus - many versions are excellent. The version that I have is by Dowley, Kenneth: Westmister Church Choir & Orchestra

It's always rather annoyed me that this has become a "Christmas" favourite; in Handel's oratorio, it falls after the passion and before the resurrection; clearly it is an Easter story. Nonetheless, a piece of music which should be celebrated at any time.

And while I'm being pedantic, I recently read that Elton John's Diana version of "Candle In the Wind" was the fastest selling single of all time. "White Christmas" may still be the sales leader. After all who still buys 'singles'?
The original "Candle in the Wind", a-side to Benny and the Jets, is the first single I ever remember owning... never was a singles guy. I actually wanted Benny and the Jets, but was way too cool to own an Elton John album in 1974. (I've since owned at least three copies of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road)

[luvulongTIM]

Speaking of Bing Crosby and Christmas there's a song about child abuse called Dear Mr. Jesus. Never mentions a single word of Christmas or anything to do with it yet it gets played a lot during this time of year. Would that be on the "honorary Christmas song list" like These Are a Few of My Favorite Things? The subject matter seems so morbid and ironic being played next to Bing but than again so is the subject of date rape and death and Baby It's Cold Outside and the Chistmas Shoes are such celebrated favorites especially in shoe stores;)

[Listyguy]

My all time favorite Christmas song is "Happy XMas" by John Lennon. Out of character I also can't help but love "All I Want For Christmas Is You".

This still holds true. The Mariah Carey song is probably one of my biggest guilty pleasures (albeit only for a month, but still)