Name Your Favorite Holiday Songs!

[my little pony]

i like a good o holy night but dont cheat me on that last glory note
i like the bells of st marys, esp by andy williams
i like that mash up of little drummer boy and bolero, it is much better than it sounds

i've only been offended maybe 5 times in my whole life and each time it was due to dominic the xmas donkey. everyone involved in its creation should be shot. twice.

[AshleyN]

All of them! OK, except O Christmas Tree and that one about the shoes, oh and this cat carol thing, that I've mercifully only heard only a couple of times. There are others that I'm not overly fond of, but those 3 are the only ones I can't stand.

Even if I liked that song - which I don't - I'd never be able to take it seriously after listening to Patton Oswalt's take on it. (NSFW)

[znachki]

Even if I liked that song - which I don't - I'd never be able to take it seriously after listening to Patton Oswalt's take on it. (NSFW)

I think I love you for that...

[flyingsit]

Most versions of O Holy Night
and

Gabriel's Message by Sting

Ditto. And I despise "Rockin Around the Christmas Tree" more than almost anything on earth.

[Artemis@BC]

Even if I liked that song - which I don't - I'd never be able to take it seriously after listening to Patton Oswalt's take on it. (NSFW)

OMG, that is frickin' hilarious! Thank you for that!!

I wonder who did the animation? (I started scrolling through the comments but it was all a theological debate so I didn't get very far ...)

[znachki]

I wonder who did the animation? (I started scrolling through the comments but it was all a theological debate so I didn't get very far ...)

It was actually produced by Patton Oswalt.
Art & Design - Brain Musikoff
Animation - John Kuramoto

[Sofia Alexandra]

Fairytale of New York is my all time favourite Christmas song, and I'm not alone - it gets the number one spot just about every time there's a vote for best Christmas song here in Sweden. A more traditional song I like is God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen, but that's mostly because of the things I associate with it. You know bad things are afoot when masked Santas are playing that song on Doctor Who...

[Artemis@BC]

A more traditional song I like is God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen, but that's mostly because of the things I associate with it. You know bad things are afoot when masked Santas are playing that song on Doctor Who...

It was also the song played by the Salvation Army brass band in the Mr Bean Christmas special when he took the baton.

[snoopysnake]

Soundtrack to "A Charlie Brown Christmas" by Vince Guaraldi
O Holy Night (especially in French, or in English by the Lennon Sisters)
I Believe in Father Christmas - Greg Lake
Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Santa Claus is Back in Town - Elvis Presley

I may have mentioned this on this board in the past, but somehow I have it in my head that "Jingle Bell Rock" includes the lyrics "In the salt sea air" instead of "in the frosty air." I am always surprised when the singer does not sing "salt sea."

[numbers123]

I used to love Mannheim Steamroller Christmas albums. The music in the late 80s early 90s when they first started out. I think we had tickets to their Christmas concerts for years. Now I find them annoying. As any of the smaltzy or ridiculous songs (red shoes, grandma got run over by a reindeer, the twelve days of Christmas-archie bunker version)
I like Christmas music during church services and the 3 or 4 days before Christmas - not beginning after Halloween like my radio station does. I found a new radio station this year - I usually switch back in January when the madness stops. I don't think I will this year.

[skatesindreams]

I also love Christmas/Holiday music! In our neibourghood we have many people who sing or had sang in choirs plus a very good pianist, so we have a tradition to gather round the grand piano and sing together. It is always one of my highlights in Christmas time.

O Holy Night, in Swedish (O Helga Natt) is one of my favourites, too.

This is sublime. It makes Christmas "real" for me whenever I hear it:

Jussi Björling - O Holy Night
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nrDfqoYzNo

I envy you your "neighbourhood songfest".

[lulu]

Whitney Houston's "Do You Hear What I Hear"

[paskatefan]

Soundtrack to "A Charlie Brown Christmas" by Vince Guaraldi

I Believe in Father Christmas - Greg Lake

Vince Guaraldi

I Believe in Father Christmas - gorgeous song (the lyrics are somewhat biting), but what an amazing song with great instrumentals!

Artemis, you mentioned "Song for A Winter's Night" by Gordon Lightfoot. I know that Sarah Maclachlan recorded it on her Christmas CD, but I love his version even more. I don't think of the song specifically as a Christmas song, but it is a beautiful song nevertheless. When we've seen him in concert (many times), he's sung the song no matter what season it is. My favorite song of his is actually a Christmas related song - "Circle of Steel" (originally from his "Sundown" CD). He weaves part of the melody of "Deck The Halls" into it, and there's recorder flute in it.

Another song I love (although it has some biting commentary on modern life @ this time of the year) - Jethro Tull's "Christmas Song"

[sequins]

Even if I liked that song - which I don't - I'd never be able to take it seriously after listening to Patton Oswalt's take on it. (NSFW)

That is so hilarious, I don't think I'll ever listen to that song again without laughing my butt off.

It was also the song played by the Salvation Army brass band in the Mr Bean Christmas special when he took the baton.

I love Mr.Bean's Christmas especially that part.

I know no one asked but since some off you have mentioned your least favorite Christmas songs mine just came on the radio back to back 'Little St. Nick' by The Beach Boys and 'My Grown Up Christmas List' by anyone. Man do I hate both of those, hate.

[cruisin]

Slightly off topic, but I just watched Holiday Inn. Hadn't seen it in years. I forgot that there were some rather scenes in it. In particular the black face duet and the scene with the two children dressed as Father Time and the New Year's Baby - the little girl was the baby and had no top on.

[snoopysnake]

I can't stand "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus," especially the hit version by Jimmy Boyd.

[cruisin]

Heard this on the radio today, pretty bizarre! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUxUKzXFc_Q

[Artemis@BC]

Artemis, you mentioned "Song for A Winter's Night" by Gordon Lightfoot. I know that Sarah Maclachlan recorded it on her Christmas CD, but I love his version even more. I don't think of the song specifically as a Christmas song, but it is a beautiful song nevertheless. When we've seen him in concert (many times), he's sung the song no matter what season it is. My favorite song of his is actually a Christmas related song - "Circle of Steel" (originally from his "Sundown" CD). He weaves part of the melody of "Deck The Halls" into it, and there's recorder flute in it.

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.

[Flatfoote]

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.

[znachki]

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

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.