I just realized I had never posted previously posted in this thread. Mine would have to be ...
O Holy Night
Please Come Home for Christmas
I'll Be Home for Christmas
Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
Blue Christmas
I just realized I had never posted previously posted in this thread. Mine would have to be ...
O Holy Night
Please Come Home for Christmas
I'll Be Home for Christmas
Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
Blue Christmas
"People don't run out of dreams: People just run out of time ..."
Glenn Frey 11/06/1948 - 01/18/2016
Given that we're into December now I thought this seemed like a good time to bump this thread. I will go into a bit more detail about some of my favourites later when I have more time, but for now I will say that I think my tastes are perhaps a bit unusual because I like a lot of the traditional songs but also like a lot of the rock songs, whether they are on the quirkier side or more straightforward. The big production pop songs don't do that much for me, although there are a few exceptions that I do enjoy.
One amusing story I do have is that when I was on holiday in Italy this summer on a coach trip on an extremely hot day (35+ degrees Celsius). There was music on in the coach, mostly 'oldies' but then Dean Martin's Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow starting playing. Rarely has a lyric seemed less appropriate or resonant as 'the weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful' did!
I noticed there were a couple of threads on this subject, but I decided to bump this one because I felt it opened discussion for all types of Christmas songs, not just pop and rock.
I'm also odd in my favorite Christmas songs. My favorite one is You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch. I'm not a big fan of traditional carols. I grew up singing them, and they strike me as dated. I don't like pop Christmas songs much. I like ones like Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer etc. The classic songs from the 30s-70s. I also like some of the stuff like Trans Siberian Orchestra.
-Kim-
People don't run out of dreams, People just run out of time
I have another one I forgot to mention when the thread was started - Greg Lake's I Believe In Father Christmas; but it's not really a celebration song.
^ I love that one too FP. I agree it's not a celebration song, but it's a great tune as well and is one of my favourites. He was also unlucky to release it when Bohemian Rhapsody came out.
I mentioned that I like traditional songs and I like the rockier Christmas tunes as well, so perhaps it's unsurprising that one of my favourites is Mike Oldfield's instrumental version of In Dulci Jubilo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIUlEUWKloM
I might as well admit this honestly now... I actually really like Bob Dylan's Christmas album! I will admit he does mangle one or two of the carols, but I love his versions of Must Be Santa, Christmas Island and Here Comes Santa Claus in particular.
I also have to say I really enjoy this 'Yuletide Zeppelin' mashup that someone has put up on Youtube - essentially it's a mix of Led Zeppelin riffs with the melodies of traditional or classic Christmas tunes (mostly carols). It's definitely not for everyone but I love it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCXuyIXOj08
I actually have a separate iTunes library where I keep my Christmas music, I currently have about 44 songs. I think I need to add some more but I usually add a few each year, either songs I've not heard before or old favourites I've remembered about. Additionally, my old 8GB iPod nano has also found a second life as a festive MP3 player which I only sync with this library, leaving my other library (which has over 1100 tracks in) and main iPod untouched. There are a couple of non-festive tunes on there - these are Pink Floyd's Another Brick In The Wall Part 2 (my flimsy justification for this is that it was a UK Christmas number one single!) and Mark Knopfler's Local Hero theme.
After noticing that the Christmas version of the Never Ending Song Game was restarted, I thought it might be timely to reboot this thread too! Although I posted in this thread last year, I didn't post a 'favourites' list as such, so I'll try to change that.
One thing that does slightly depress me to think about is that there used to be more Christmas songs that I enjoyed - as I've listened to more music and better music during the year than I used to stuff that. The ones that I do love though, I love as much as ever.
A few particular favourites of mine:
Must Be Santa - Bob Dylan (seriously, yes! I don't care what anyone says, it's great!)
Please Come Home For Christmas - Bon Jovi, obviously. NOT! Eagles all the way!
I Believe In Father Christmas - Greg Lake
Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee
Fairytale of New York - The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl
Driving Home For Christmas - Chris Rea
I like Ring Out Solstice Bells by Jethro Tull a lot, but I think it's more 'Winter' than strictly 'Christmas'.
As far as I'm concerned, Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without White Christmas by Bing Crosby or Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow by Dean Martin though!
A few interpretations of traditional songs/carols that I really like:
In The Bleak Midwinter - Bert Jansch
In Dulcio Jubilo - Mike Oldfield
Gaudete - Steeleye Span
As for carols, I've never really thought about ordering them as such, although I am fond of Once In Royal David's City, Silent Night and O Come All Ye Faithful.
Blood On The Rooftops by Genesis is an EXTREMELY British song about Christmas.
Dark and grey, an English film, the Wednesday play
We always watch the Queen on Christmas Day
Won't you stay?
Though your eyes see shipwrecked sailors you're still dry
The outlook's fine though Wales might have some rain
Saved again.
I won't post the rest of the lyrics because some may not find them very 'seasonal'.
Call me corny but I like the more traditional Christmas songs. There are some versions I prefer.
In no particular order,
1. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee
2. Oh Holy Night - Martina McBride
3. It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas - Kate Smith
4. A Holly Jolly Christmas - Burl Ives
5. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow - Lee Greenwood
6. O Come O Come, Emmanuel - lots of good versions, inc. Sovereign Grace
7. Mary Did You Know - lots of good versions, a fairly recent one by Pentatonix is just beautiful
8. I'll Be Home for Christmas - the Carpenters
9. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Judy Garland
10. Hard Candy Christmas -Dolly Parton (though not really a Christmas song per se)
11.Selections from "The Nutcracker": Overture Miniature, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies, Valse Des Fleurs - the Carpenters
12. Run, Run Rudolph - Kelly Clarkson
Honorable mention: that all-time classic, "Redneck 12 Days of Christmas" - Jeff Foxworthy
Right or wrong, what’s done is done
It’s only moments that you borrow...
I tend to prefer the classics too and even more so since I was in choir from 3rd grade (when I was 8 ) till my senior year of high school and our Christmas concerts were some of my favorites. For most of these I prefer the 40s/50s version but for others I'll write the artists of the version I do like better.
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (My personal favorite no matter who sings it.)
White Christmas - Bing Crosby
Let it Snow - Dean Martin
Blue Christmas - Elvis
Please Come Home for Christmas - Eagles
The Christmas Song/Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire -Nat King Cole
Winter Wonderland - Annie Lennox
Wonderful Christmas Time - Paul McCartney
Happy Xmas/War is Over - John Lennon and Yoko Ono
Silent Night
O Holy Night
O Come All Ye Faithful
I'll Be Home for Christmas
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
Do They Know it's Christmas - Band Aid
You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch
Frosty the Snowman
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
Rockin Around the Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee
Sleigh Ride
Do You Hear What I Hear
Jingle Bell Rock
Little Saint Nick - The Beach Boys
Here Comes Santa Claus - Elvis
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus - John Mellencamp
Christmas Time is Here - The Chipmunks
Run Run Rudolph - Chuck Berry
Father Christmas - The Kinks (This song cracked me up as a kid and is one of my Dad's favorites.)
Glow - Brett Eldredge (New song he released this year but done in the style of Frank Sinatra/Dean Martin/Bing Crosby.)
~*Amanda*~
"So often times it happens that we live our lives in chains and we never even know we have the key."
One that I have really latched onto this year is 'Christmas Sfuff' by Nathan Carter
'I must be leaving soon... its your world now'
Glenn Frey 1948-2016 RIP