Name Your Favorite Holiday Songs!

[maatTheViking]

Despite not being religious I sang in a children's choir in my village church when little, so I have a fondness for so Danish Christmas psalms. The Danish version of Come all ye faithful is one of them, the others don't know if they have English versions.

Of secular songs I like some Danish traditionals too, as well as white Christmas and rocking around the Christmas tree

[Flatfoote]

Is that the one that starts "The little gray donkey Joseph led was as tired as he could be..."? I remember singing it in either church or at school when I was a kid (back when you could still do that) I love that song.

No. This one starts off with
"Oh carry her safe to Bethlehem
Little Grey Donkey tonight."

There are YouTube versions with Johnny Cash all over the place. But it just ain't the same. Tennessee Ernie Ford puts such heart and soul into it, everything pales in comparason. IMHO of course.

I have an audio of it now. But not sure where I could post it to have others hear it. I also have all the lyrics typed out, but it might be a tad long to do in a single post.

[paskatefan]

Yes, he's a true treasure, isn't he. You're so lucky to have seen him live -- not something I've been able to manage yet. (Though there are so many songs of his I don't think I could get through without crying!)

I scored at the library last week and found a copy of a compilation album called "Canadian Christmas 5" -- for $0.50! In addition to Lightfoot's "Song for a Winter's Night" it had a few more tracks that I didn't already have, at least not digitally. Including "Merry Christmas Everybody" by Stompin' Tom, and "The Twelve Days of Christmas" by Bob & Doug McKenzie.

Good for you, eh? Check out GL's "Circle of Steel" on Youtube!

[orbitz]

Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas"
Wham's "Last Christmas"
------

John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John's new Christmas song I Think You Might Like It. It's always nice hearing ONJ sing. I do wish she didn't mess up her beautiful face though; I think it would have aged very gracefully the natural way. What's up with Travolta's hair? It looks like he took a can of black spray paint and sprayed it onto his head. ( Anyone remember the infomercial from the 80s that was actually selling spray on hair paint to cover bald spot, LOL ? )
Maybe it would look better if he let him some grey or at least have a professional colorist do it to give it more dimensions.

[zaphyre14]

I like most Christmas music (with the exception of "Feliz Navidad" which is just boring) but the ones I listen for every year are oldies:

"All I Want for Christmas is You" by Vince Vance and the Valients. It's not the Mariah Carey song of the same title and has a nice 50's tone to it that makes me smile

Johnny Mathis' "I'm the Happiest Christmas Tree" - probably the first Christmas record I ever bought because it's on a 45 disc.

"O Holy Night" by Gary Pucket; I have that on an old old album compilation; I never thought he had all that great a voice when he sang with The Union Gap, but this is the version that started my obsession with collecting versions of the song.

Peter, Paul & Mary's "My Marvelous Toy" always gets me singing along.

Anne Murray's "Chirstmas in Killarny" is rarely heard these days but I love it.

[Artemis@BC]

Vancouver CBC is having its annual Food Bank Day today with all kinds of guests, and Chor Leoni showed up to sing a few songs. They're a completely fabulous men's chorus, and their Yuletide Fires is one of my favourite albums for more traditional songs (their "Hodie" and "Still, still, still" are amazing). I even like their "Christmas Angel" -- even though I usually find that kind of song overly sentimental.

But they also did the "Mummers' Song." Which is totally wrong for that kind of ensemble. It needs a smaller group and a more folky treatment. Like Great Big Sea.

[Artemis@BC]

Well, I don't know where it fits on my list of favourites ... but my current earwormiest Christmas song is "Christmas Island" by Colin James. It's been going round in my head for days now.

[Susan1]

Listening to my TAPE with Barry Manilow on one side and The Muppets and John Denver on the other side while doing Christmas cards. (That's probably exactly what I posted last year, huh!?) And I need to mention When the Meadow was Bloomin' - not a "Christmas" song, but it mentions December, and it's on "Because It's Christmas". Still makes me cry. I used to have to not listen to it in the car (yes, a tape - from 1990 people!!! :-) ) because I couldn't see to drive through the tears!! Snoopy and the Red Baron Christmas does that to me too.

Someone mentioned Baby It's Cold Outside as being creepy. Yeah, depending on who does it, especially someone young. But on Because It's Christmas, Barry sings it with someone named K. T. Oslin and it's really cute.

I still haven't listened to any radio stations with Christmas songs on them. Fortunately, our oldies station is only doing them on the weekends so far. I get sick of the same ones over and over for practically 8 weeks. And there are some that I just hate anyway - a few mentioned above. I would pay them not to play the Hippopotamus song! Or Santa Baby. And the cat Jingle Bells hurts my teeth. Love, love, love the dog one though. arf arf

[sequins]

Every year when this topic comes up on one board or another, I'm usually the only one with my very specific answer:

Little Grey Donkey: Sung by Tennessee Ernie Ford, on his album Sing We Now Of Christmas

Pretty much ever since CD's came into existance, I have searched every year in hopes that this album would be re-released on CD. After all, one of his other albums, The Star Carole (which we also have) has been seen on CD. Every year, I am unsuccessful.

Last year, I happened across a company that does sell CD's from old Christmas albums. They take care of copyright issues by you declaring that you do indeed own the original LP. So, I sent in and had four of our all time favorite records set to CD. Last Christmas, we were finally able to sit down and listen to our albums again that we grew up on. The recordings are pristine, no background scratches from the LP that you grew used to.

I've already listened to Little Grey Donkey this season, and I'm sure I will several times more. I can't help but get a little moist eyed every time I hear it, not only cause I love the song, but because of the family nostalgia behind it.

OMG I don't believe it, this reminds me of me.. I love that song, I have the record, and I have been looking for it on CD for ages as well, and I agree the Johnny Cash version doesn't cut it. I'm so glad you were able to get it I miss hearing that song/album. My parents have/had a record player but it hasn't worked for about 3 years, so what can you do?

[Flatfoote]

OMG I don't believe it, this reminds me of me.. I love that song, I have the record, and I have been looking for it on CD for ages as well, and I agree the Johnny Cash version doesn't cut it. I'm so glad you were able to get it I miss hearing that song/album. My parents have/had a record player but it hasn't worked for about 3 years, so what can you do?

You can order the CD like I did last year!! http://www.christmaslpstocd.com/Item...hristmas-T2394

[sequins]

You can order the CD like I did last year!! http://www.christmaslpstocd.com/Item...hristmas-T2394

Thanks for the link. I just may do that.

[Artemis@BC]

I'm hoping the new crowdsourced Christmas carol the local CBC is facilitating will become a new favourite. For the past few weeks they've been inviting people to send in their contributions (based on a metre they set), and they have the first few verses up. We don't know the tune yet, but do know that once it's done it will be sung by local indie folk-rock singer Dan Mangan. Looking forward to hearing the final results! (And I hope it will be a free download -- though if they charge the proceeds will no doubt go to a charity, or heck even to the CBC coffers and I'm okay with that.)

It's Christmas in Vancouver ...