Comments on: Christmas music for guitar

Question: Christmas music for guitar

spicynuts — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 08:26:47 -0800

Alternative, interesting Xmas songs needed for a performance. Must be playable on guitar with one voice accompaniment.

Last year I sang Elvis' version of Blue Christmas for our company holiday performance extravaganza. This year I've been asked to perform again but I'm at a loss to find something interesting and different to perform. I don't want to do any of the standard carols, as someone else will be covering those. Any ideas for different xmas songs that can be played on a solo acoustic guitar? PLEASE PAY ATTENTION TO MY CRITERIA AS I AM NOT FREAKIN SEGOVIA:

- No more than 3 to 4 minutes long
- Easily playable with chords or unsophisticated arppegiation
- Not so completely obscure that no one will know what I'm singing
- Energetic or rockin or eerily pretty
- No vocal gymnastics required...pretty basic range
- Readily available chord charts/lyrics/guitar tab

Thanks!

By: fire&wings

fire&wings — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 08:38:59 -0800

Wham - Last Christmas. Sounds good acoustic and is dead simple.

By: PenDevil

PenDevil — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 08:41:20 -0800

If it's allowed to be... err... vulgar (to say the least) allow me to suggest Kevin 'Bloody' Wilson's Hey Santa Claus....

By: wsg

wsg — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 08:44:11 -0800

There is a beautiful song that is becoming something of a Christmas standard in some circles in the South. It's called The Saturday Night Before Christmas. If you can find a version of it, it would serve you well.

By: wsg

wsg — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 08:46:58 -0800

There's a .wav of The Saturday Night Before Christmas on this page.The Saturday Night Before Christmas

By: wsg

wsg — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 08:48:16 -0800

that was weird.

By: Alison

Alison — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 08:50:39 -0800

How about 'You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch'? it's certainly entertaining.

By: spicynuts

spicynuts — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 08:56:47 -0800

How about 'You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch'? it's certainly entertaining.

HOT DAMN!!! I never thought that would be do-able on guitar. I would LOVE to do that. Keep the suggestions coming though.

I'm also thinking "Baby, It's Cold Outside" but again...do-able on guitar??

By: essexjan

essexjan — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 09:01:34 -0800

"Nothing But A Child" by Steve Earle is a great Christmas song.

By: Sara Anne

Sara Anne — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 09:42:10 -0800

When I was a kid we had a record of Bing Crosby and his family singing Christmas songs. They sang an excellent reworking of "Jingle Bells." There's also an element of tragedy to that record as two of the funny precocious sons were destined for suicide and that whole family was just kind of generally messed up.

By: jtron

jtron — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 09:53:02 -0800

"Father Christmas" by the Kinks.

or "Here Comes Santa's Pussy" by the Frogs.

By: sarahnade

sarahnade — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 10:25:15 -0800

What about "Santa Baby"? Eschew the Madonna version for the one done by Eartha Kitt or Everclear. Searching google brought up a bunch of guitar tabs for it as well.

By: scody

scody — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 10:28:44 -0800

If you work someplace where you can get away with all the cursing, there's always "Fairytale of New York" by the Pogues. But the Grinch song is really a terrific idea!

By: Jofus

Jofus — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 10:51:13 -0800

Oooh! Oooh! Pick me. Pick me: The Insight - Please come home for Christmas. The best Christmas song ever written and, if transposed to acoustic and one voice, strangely moving. (Sez me.)

By: spicynuts

spicynuts — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 11:06:45 -0800

What about "Santa Baby"?

I'm a guy. I'm not singing Santa Baby. It loses any appeal it has when not sung in that Earth Kitt sex kitten half whisper.

By: dilettante

dilettante — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 13:11:42 -0800

Emerson, Lake, and Palmer - "I Believe in Father Christmas". The Who - "Christmas" (not sure of the title, but the one from Tommy). The Ramones - "Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight Tonight)".

By: Danf

Danf — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 15:38:48 -0800

Santa Put the Hurt on You. by Benny Grunch

(Scroll down for the lyrics)

No I have no idea where one would get the sheet music but it's a great song that I do not get to mention enough.

By: klangklangston

klangklangston — Wed, 09 Nov 2005 18:15:36 -0800

Hey Lord by Suicide.

No, really, it's great.

By: sluggo

sluggo — Thu, 10 Nov 2005 10:18:31 -0800

I like to listen to Horny Holidays, by Mojo Nixon & the Toadliquors every xmas season. It consists of exceptionally drunk renditions of chrismas favorites - you could easily take some inspiration from his version of J.B.'s "Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto".

By: klangklangston

klangklangston — Mon, 14 Nov 2005 10:03:36 -0800

Shouldn't Have Given Him a Gun For Christmas by Wall of Voodoo. It won't matter that it's kinda obscure, as it's totally awesome and will have everyone rolling.

By: mykescipark

mykescipark — Tue, 29 Nov 2005 13:20:37 -0800

If you're looking to get fired, I recommend "Kiss Me, Son Of God" by They Might Be Giants.