50 Things You Ought to Have on Your Christmas Playlist
‘Zat You, Santa Claus?, Louis Armstrong
All I Want for Christmas Is You, Shania Twain
Baby, It’s Cold Outside, Al Hirt & Ann Margaret
Blue Christmas, Jon Bon Jovi
Boogie Woogie Santa Claus, Dave Koz
Carol of the Bells, Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
Christmas Day, Dido
Christmas Is, Law Rawls
Christmas Night in Harlem, Louis Armstrong
Christmastime, Smashing Pumpkins
Coventry Carol, Scott Miller
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies, Eugene Ormandy & His Orchestra
Deck the Halls, The Platters
Do You Hear What I Hear?, Vanessa Williams
Face of Love, Jewel
Frosty the Snowman, Leon Redbone
Go Tell It on the Mountain, Aaron Neville
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Chicago
Greensleeves, Scott Miller
Hallelujah Chorus (from “Messiah”), Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Hark! The Herald Angles Sing, Frank Sinatra and Orchestra
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Diana Krall
Here Comes Santa Claus, Elvis Presley
Hey Santa!, The Brian Setzer Orchestra
I’ll Be Home for Christmas, Tony Bennett
I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm, Dean Martin
I Love You More, Steve Wonder & Kimberly Brewer
I Wonder As I Wander, Arthur Fiedler, The Boston Pops, and Leontyne Price
It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas, Bing Crosby
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear, Rosanne Cash
Jingle Bells, Sammy Davis, Jr.
Joy to the World, Cedarmont Kids
Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!, Harry Connick, Jr.
Make Someone Happy, Seal
Merry Christmas, Baby, Duke Ellington & His Orchestra
My Favorite Things, Tony Bennett
O Come All Ye Faithful, Nat King Cole
O Holy Night, Tracy Chapman
Peace, Norah Jones
Russian Dance, Boston Brass
Santa Baby, Eartha Kitt
Silent Night, Dinah Washington
Silver Bells, Lou Rawls
Sleigh Ride, Harry Connick, Jr.
Snowfall, Henry Mancini
The Christmas Song, Mel Torm
Ahem, but I’m rather partial to the Nat King Cole version of “The Christmas Song.” I also have a soft spot for “Christmas in Killarney” and “Mele Kelikimaka,” and Greg Lake’s “Father Christmas,” though the last doesn’t really fit the spirit of the season, as generally perceived.
Don’t forget ‘No Presents for Christmas’ by King Diamond
After 20 years, is it safe to call “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer” a classic? And why isn’t it on the list?
J.
Last Christmas by Wham??
C’mon!
“Christmas Wrapping,” by The Waitresses.
>>Baby, It’s Cold Outside, Al Hirt & Ann Margaret
Umm, I’ve got to respectivly disagree. No version of “Baby” can hold a candle to the one done by Ray Charles and Betty Carter.
Excuse me? No “Twelve Days Of Christmas” by Bob & Doug McKenzie?
I don’t even know who you are any more…
Wrong version of Frosty the Snowman. It’s gotta be the Ronette’s Frosty, complete with Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound.
I’ll second “Christmas Wrapping” by The Waitresses and add “Back Door Santa” by Clarence Carter.
Also, “The Jackson 5 Christmas Album” is practically perfect in every way. Every song is a gem.
One more, Duke Ellington’s rearrangement of the Nutcracker Suite.
I’ll Third Christmas Wrapping and add Christmas Sucks by Peter Murphy.
Ray Charles’ version of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer is an all-time favorite.
He saves the best “sweet little Rudolph” for the very end, so listen all the way through.
And Montgomery Gentry’s cover of “Merry Christmas From The Family” will make you howl. I try to put off listening to it until Christmas is closer–the anticipation of hearing it for the first time each year is that terrific.
Damn–cirby, bill and alan beat me to it. Christmas Wrapping needs to be on the list.
I have never bought any Christmas music, or any music for any holiday, ever, and I have no intentions to ever do so.
Because, honestly, after six weeks of non-stop holiday music everywhere you go in public, who wants to willingly submit themselves to the crooning of Christmas tunes in their own home?
Not me.
And I’m one of the few people still brave enough to admit to unabashedly liking Christmas.
But Christmas music? No friggin’ way, no friggin’ way. Through that door madness lies…
I think I’ll stick with the Christmas music that I like. But thanks.
More nominees:
Blue Christmas, Mel Blanc (as Porky Pig)
Mistress for Christmas, AC/DC
Merry F***ing Christmas, Dennis Leary
Also missing from the list are two of my recent favorites:
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen by the Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLaclan
and
Christmas by Blues Traveler
I am a big fan of “Father Christmas” by The Kinks and “Fairytale of New York” by The Pogues. I also get a chill every time I hear Bono sing “tonight thank God it’s them instead of you” from “Do They Know It’s Christmas.”
Great list! For the last several years my wife and I have made a point of collecting holiday tunes that aren’t necessarily performed in the “traditional” manner. Of those, I recommend the following CDs:
The Brian Setzer Orchestra: Boogie Woogie Christmas
The Brian Setzer Orchestra: Dig That Crazy Christmas
Ultra-Lounge: Christmas Cocktails
Ultra-Lounge: Christmas Cocktails Part 2
Squirrel Nut Zippers: Christmas Caravan
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy: Everything You Want For Christmas
Esquivel: Merry Xmas from the Space-Age Bachelor Pad
Reverend Horton Heat: We Three Kings
Los Straitjackets: ‘Tis the Season for Los Straitjackets
(this CD contains what I consider to be the best version of “The Little Drummer Boy” ever recorded)
Happy Holidays!
Merry Christams From The Family – Robert Earl Keen Jr
Happy Holidays Ya’ll – Robert Earl Keen Jr
Just for a little drunken Southern flavor.
But nice list overall Steve.
And I agree holeheartedly with you Mr. Grinch opinion.
I don’t know who Montgomery Gentry is but “Merry Christmas to the Family” should be enjoyed while drinking tall-boys on the back porch and strictly by Robert Earl Keene, Robert Earl Keene.
I also am a softy for the spoken word Christmas perfomance. When Chong says “I know that dude” I tear up a little.
Christmas at Ground Zero by Weird Al is a must.
Nice list! Cedarmont Kids are well-loved at our house.
“Feliz Navidad” is one of my favorites; the brass, the dual language, I just dig it. Roy Orbison’s “Pretty Paper” is nice, and I like U2′s “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” too.
Any kind of music can get tiresome, but Christmas tunes come out only a few weeks each year so we enjoy it while we can.
I’d choose Mahalia Jackson’s Go Tell It On the Mountain.
The Chieftain’s The Holly She Bears a Berry is lovely, too.
“Happy Christmas” by the Pogues. I’m a miserable son of a bitch.
My head was about to explode till FL Mom finally mentioned Pretty Paper. And as a bonus, Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)!
Nat King Cole’s O Holy Night is the perfect Christmas song performance. Flawless.
Chet Atkins’ Do You Hear What I Hear is also exceptional.
As for a song not on the list, Chris Isaak’s version of Santa Bring My Baby Back is great. It’s the perfect Christmas song for him.
Personally, I can’t believe “Do You Hear What I Hear?” by Bing Crosby isn’t here, but maybe that’s just me…
Wow, no one mentioned transiberian orchestra??? If you guys never heard them, you really need to go grab a friend with their music and give it a listen.
Where’s ‘Run, Run, Rudolph’ by the King of Rock and Roll, Chuck Berry?
TO: Stephen Green
RE: Playlist
Good items there.
I also highly recommend:
Fum, Fum, Fum Mannheim Steamroller
Anything on Narada
We’ll begin playing Christmas music on the household MP3 virtual jukebox, come tomorrow morning. The list has 375 items on it now. But that will expand with time.
Merry Christmas, All…
Chuck(le)
Doug, I can’t imagine a better version of Baby It’s Cold Outside better then Anne and Al. I’ve never heard the other.
Always on our CD player at Christmas:
Marily Monroe – Santa Baby
Eartha Kitt – I’m getting Nothing for Christmas
Louis Armstrong – Christmas Time in New Orleans
“Ssnta Claus is Coming to Town” and “Merry Christmas Baby,” covered by Bruce Springsteen (bootlegs)
“River” by Joni Mitchell (but not a happy song)
for amazing harmonies:
Many many many compilations of traditional holiday carols and wassailing songs by various English trad singers like the Watersons, and groups like Steeleye Span.
Kate and Anna McGarrigle’s Xmas album.
The Roches’ Xmas album.
Little Drummer Boy by Ray Charles. Never a more soulful version of that or any other has been recorded. Absolutely flawless music and harmony. It’s almost too good.
Great list–thanks!
A couple of offbeat suggestions:
“I Wish it Could be Christmas Every Day” by Roy Wood. This is better known in Britain, but is a great peace of Phil Spector-inspired holiday pop.
“What Will Santa Claus Say (When He Finds Everybody Swingin’?)” by Louis Prima
“Christmas at the Zoo” by the Flaming Lips- not essential, but if you like quirky Christmas tunes, then why not?
Nice list – and I know you had to limit it to 50… but for me it’s not Christmas until I hear the Bowie/Bing duet: Little Drummer Boy.
And Clint Black “Milk and Cookies”.
“Deck Us All With Boston Charlie” even tho the only recording I know of is the one by Miles Davis.
A couple of the cuts on the “Merry Axemas” compilation which Stevie Vai put together are absolutely awesome, but for the life of me I can’t remember which, so listen to the whole thing once, as the best outweigh the ones which suck.
I have a great song that you missed for your list:
“Fuck Christmas” by Howard and the Deanies.
You’re telling me you’re getting through Christmas without the Manahattan Transfer’s Christmas Album?
Wow – Unbelievable!
Tsk tsk, needs more Bing Crosby.
Duvall (n
“Mary’s Boy Child”, by Boney M.
Xmastime in Tx – George Stait, for fans of Texas Swing.
And for pity’s sake, lose that lame Shania Twain cover of “All I Want for Xmas is You,” and go for the original by Vince Vance and the Valiants.
Greybeard, “Mary’s Boy Child” is such a fun song! Boney M version is so happy.
And Matt, “O Holy Night” is a beautiful song. There are many versions of it that I like. I dig Chris Isaak too but haven’t kept up with his stuff. Didn’t know he did any Christmas tunes.
Wheee! Christmas music!
–Santa Baby, Eartha Kitt–
1953 and 1954 versions, IIRC.
Ever hear Art Carney’s version of The Night Before Christmas?
–
I hate Pretty Paper.
Did anybody mention David Bowie and Bing Crosby singing Little Drummer Boy? That’s a great one.
Its Beginning To Look Alot Like Christmas
And if that doesn’t put you in a Christmas mood, Stephen Green has a list of 50 songs you need to start listening to right way.
Nice call on the Eartha Kit version of “Santa Baby”. This song has been murdered by more would be chanteuses than you can shake a stick at.
When Eartha sinsit, all I want for Christmas is to be Santa Baby!
Trust me, you need to go to the link below, and buy the CD – it’s the best Christmas music I’ve ever heard.
http://www.klaritymusic.com/00068_001.html
Temporary Power has an awesome Christmas CD with all original songs. cdbaby.com/power For the lovers of rock music at Christmastime.