Favorite Xmas Tunes

December 23, 2005 2:16 AM

What are your favorite Christmas tunes?

Putting together a little playlist for the drive up to visit the folks. My favorite versions of classic xmas tunes, rock and roll oriented (but not exclusively) and a few novelties thrown in. Looking for more to add to the mix. Here's what I have so far:

The Eagles - Bells Will Be Ringing
James Taylor - Merry Little Xmas
The Beach Boys - Merry Christmas Baby
The Rave Ups - The Night Before Christmas (Holidends)
Rockapella - Silver Bells
Bruce Springsteen - Merry Christmas Baby
The Chipmunks - Christmas time is Here
Burl Ives - The Grinch Theme
Heat Miser - Snow Miser Theme
Anything from the Vince Guaraldi Trio's Charlie Brown Xmas
The LA Guitar Quartet - Acoustic Nutcracker Suite
Bob Seger - Little Drummer Boy
Bing Crosby - White Christmas
Dwight Yoakem - Santa Claus is Back in Town
Elvis Presley - Blue Christmas
Chuck Berry - Run Run Rudolph

What's missing?

posted by Manjusri to media & arts (46 comments total)

I'm unsure if I would say it's a classic tune, but I really like Jimmy Eat World - Last Christmas, which is a cover.
posted by mge at 3:34 AM on December 23, 2005

Tennessee Ernie Ford - O Holy Night ...my favorite
posted by vanoakenfold at 3:39 AM on December 23, 2005

Pretenders - 2000 Miles
posted by trip and a half at 3:47 AM on December 23, 2005

Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping
posted by Leon at 4:07 AM on December 23, 2005

Santa Baby
Meli Kelikimaka
The Chipmunks' Christmas Song (or whatever it's called)
posted by zardoz at 4:07 AM on December 23, 2005

Beach Boys: Little Saint Nick
Elvis: Here Comes Santa Claus
Barenaked Ladies: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Beck: Little Drum Machine Boy
John Denver & The Muppets: 12 Days of Christmas
Run DMC: Christmas in Hollis
Bobby Helms: Jingle Bell Rock (I think John Mayer has one too)
Brenda Lee: Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
posted by justonegirl at 4:58 AM on December 23, 2005

Lately, I'm sad to say, I'm enjoying Clay Aiken's Mary Did You Know.
posted by dpx.mfx at 5:43 AM on December 23, 2005

Trans-Siberian Orchestra: Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24 (It's Carol of the Bells.)
posted by mike9322 at 6:05 AM on December 23, 2005

Oh you said classic. My bad.
posted by mike9322 at 6:06 AM on December 23, 2005

Fairytale of New York -- The Pogues & Kirsty
MacColl
posted by amarynth at 6:11 AM on December 23, 2005

I pretty much hate Christmas music, except for Elvis's "Blue Christmas," which you already have, and The Ronettes' sublime, Spector-Wall-of-Sound version of "Frosty the Snowman."
posted by Dr. Wu at 6:12 AM on December 23, 2005

Joni Mitchell - River (on Blue)
posted by BoscosMom at 6:28 AM on December 23, 2005

The Phil Spector album, "A Christmas Gift For You". A true classic.
posted by gfrobe at 6:31 AM on December 23, 2005

A couple more...

Elton John: Step Into Christmas
Ted Nugent: Deck the Halls
Blink 182: Won't Be Home for Christmas
Dance Hall Crashers: I Did It For the Toys
posted by justonegirl at 6:46 AM on December 23, 2005

Clem Snide - Joy to the World
The whole Sufjan Stevens Christmas record is excellent. A little less rock-y than the others, but good.
posted by jdl at 6:54 AM on December 23, 2005

Jingle Rock Bell.
posted by CunningLinguist at 7:08 AM on December 23, 2005

Seconding the Pretenders 2000 Miles and that one by John Lennon is bearable.
posted by juiceCake at 7:25 AM on December 23, 2005

Here is my Favorite Holiday Tunes List:

posted by davidmsc at 7:30 AM on December 23, 2005

Shirley Temple I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas
And So This Is Christmas John Lennon
Pretty Paper Willie Nelson
Anything by Ella Fitzgerald or Louis Armstrong
posted by prairiepmb at 7:36 AM on December 23, 2005

Burl Ives - The Grinch Theme

Not Burl Ives. Thurl Ravenscroft, aka Tony the Tiger.

Good ones:

Mel Blanc, "The Hat I Got for Christmas is Too Big"
The Roches, "Winter Wonderland"
Albert King, "Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin'"
Boston Camerata, "Es ist ein Ros entsprungen" by Michael Praetorius
Elvis, "Merry Christmas Baby"
AC/DC, "Mistress for Christmas"
Waverly Consort, "The Gloucestershire Wassail"
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 7:40 AM on December 23, 2005

Baby it's cold outside, Leon Redbone/Zooey Deschanel
posted by null terminated at 7:57 AM on December 23, 2005

The coolest ever version of "Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer" was recorded by none other than The Temptations. Get it!
posted by unclewilly at 8:21 AM on December 23, 2005

Here are two links that might give you some ideas:
NPR's All Songs Considered Holiday Music 2005
Philadephia Inquirer column about Christmas music
posted by amarynth at 8:37 AM on December 23, 2005

Nuttin' For Christmas
S. Tepper, R. Bennett (c) 1955

I broke my bat on Johnny's head;
Somebody snitched on me.
I hid a frog in sister's bed;
Somebody snitched on me.
I spilled some ink on Mommy's rug;
I made Tommy eat a bug;
Bought some gum with a penny slug;
Somebody snitched on me.

Oh, I'm gettin' nuttin' for Christmas
Mommy and Daddy are mad.
I'm getting nuttin' for Christmas
'Cause I ain't been nuttin' but bad.

I put a tack on teacher's chair
somebody snitched on me.
I tied a knot in Susie's hair
somebody snitched on me.
I did a dance on Mommy's plants
climbed a tree and tore my pants
Filled the sugar bowl with ants
somebody snitched on me.

So, I'm gettin' nuttin' for Christmas
Mommy and Daddy are mad.
I'm gettin' nuttin' for Christmas
'Cause I ain't been nuttin' but bad.

I won't be seeing Santa Claus;
Somebody snitched on me.
He won't come visit me because
Somebody snitched on me.
Next year I'll be going straight;
Next year I'll be good, just wait
I'd start now, but it's too late;
Somebody snitched on me.

So you better be good whatever you do
'Cause if you're bad, I'm warning you,
You'll get nuttin' for Christmas.
posted by wsg at 8:46 AM on December 23, 2005

i have two all-time favorites:

sleigh ride, johnny mathis
white christmas, the drifters

these two songs never fail to make me so, so happy. (at the right time of year, of course.)
posted by mandlebrotz at 8:55 AM on December 23, 2005

Fountains of Wayne - I Want an Alien for Christmas gets people laughing and jumping about every time I play it.
posted by poq at 9:09 AM on December 23, 2005

nicotine - all i want for christmas is you
stiff little fingers - white christmas
the dickies - silent night
posted by Stynxno at 9:27 AM on December 23, 2005

There were some fantastic suggestions in this thread in the blue, pre-AskMe.
posted by donnagirl at 9:27 AM on December 23, 2005

Good King Wenceslas and the Grinch by Mojo Nixon on his "Horny Holidays" album.
posted by deanj at 9:30 AM on December 23, 2005

Also, PDQ Bach / Peter Shickele:

Good King Kong
O Little Town of Hackensack
Throw The Yule Log On, Uncle John
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:47 AM on December 23, 2005

Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt
My favourite X-mas song -

Santa baby, slip a sable under the tree, for me
I've been an awful good girl
Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight

Santa baby, an out-of-space convertible too, light blue
I'll wait up for you dear
Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight

Think of all the fun I've missed
Think of all the fellas that I haven't kissed
Next year I could be oh so good
If you'd check off my Christmas list
Boo doo bee doo

Santa honey, I wanna yacht and really that's
Not a lot
I've been an angel all year
Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight

Santa cutie, there's one thing I really do need, the deed
To a platinum mine
Santa cutie, and hurry down the chimney tonight

Santa baby, I'm filling my stocking with a duplex, and checks
Sign your 'X' on the line
Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight

Come and trim my Christmas tree
With some decorations bought at Tiffany's
I really do believe in you
Let's see if you believe in me
Boo doo bee doo

Santa baby, forgot to mention one little thing, a ring
I don't mean a phone
Santa baby, and hurry down the chimney tonight

Hurry down the chimney tonight
Hurry down the chimney tonight
posted by libelula at 10:01 AM on December 23, 2005

Soul Christmas is full of gems. Look at this line-up:

1. White Christmas - Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters
2. This Christmas - Donny Hathaway
3. Gee Whiz, It's Christmas - Carla Thomas
4. Back Door Santa - Clarence Carter
5. Merry Christmas Baby - Booker T. & The MG's
6. Silent Night - The Impressions
7. May Christmas Bring You Happiness - Luther Vandross
8. White Christmas - Otis Redding
9. I'll Make Everyday Christmas (For My Woman) - Joe Tex
10. Silver Bells - Booker T. & The MG's
11. All I Want For Christmas Is You - Carla Thomas
12. The Christmas Song - The Drifters
13. Merry Christmas Baby - Otis Redding
14. Soul Santa - Brook Benton
15. Every Day Will Be Like A Holiday - The Sweet Inspirations
16. Christmas Gift - Margie Joseph
17. Presents For Christmas - Solomon Burke
18. New Year's Resolution - Otis And Carla
19. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve? - King Curtis
20. May Christmas Bring You Happiness (1991 Remix) - Luther Vandross

It's real bands playing - not a synthesizer or drum machine in sight. It is truly soulful. We found ours in a discount bin at a dime store somewhere. Get it if you ain't got it!

Here it is at Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000002IS4/102-6561625-3044151?v=glance&n=5174
posted by wsg at 10:52 AM on December 23, 2005

MetaChat has been having a field day with good Christmas songs. See this thread and this thread. It might even be possible to download some of the songs still.
posted by panoptican at 11:38 AM on December 23, 2005

I pray on Christmas - Aaron Neville
posted by cptnrandy at 12:00 PM on December 23, 2005

Wait, that was Harry Connick Jr.

There must have been another Neville Brothers song I was thinking of, though.
posted by cptnrandy at 12:02 PM on December 23, 2005

Frosty the Snowman by Fiona Apple
posted by Lanark at 12:05 PM on December 23, 2005

Slade - Merry Xmas Everybody :)
posted by funambulist at 12:32 PM on December 23, 2005

The Kinks - Father Christmas
posted by funambulist at 12:45 PM on December 23, 2005

"(Let's Get High) For Christmas" -- Screaming Santas (Seattle musicians including members of the Posies, SuperDeluxes, etc. -- the whole EP is great but probably a little hard to find these days)
"Christmas in Suburbia" -- Martin Newell
"Don't Believe in Christmas" -- The Sonics
"Snoopy's Christmas" -- Royal Guardsmen
"Someday at Christmas" -- Stevie Wonder
posted by litlnemo at 3:33 PM on December 23, 2005

SuperDeluxe, not SuperDeluxes. Gah.
posted by litlnemo at 3:33 PM on December 23, 2005

Steve Earle - Nothing But A Child
posted by essexjan at 3:41 PM on December 23, 2005

seymor swine & the squeelers-blue christmas
posted by whatsupdoc at 3:45 PM on December 23, 2005

"I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing" — The New Seekers (aka the Coca-Cola Chorale)
posted by rob511 at 4:15 PM on December 23, 2005

Gene Autry's definitive version of Rudolph. Also, the original version of Sleigh Ride by Leroy Anderson (the John Williams/Boston Pops cover is acceptable). And the Payolas, Christmas is Coming.
posted by evilcolonel at 4:18 PM on December 23, 2005

For me, the best part of Christmas is listening to "Little Drummer Boy" with David Bowie and Bing Crosby as much as I want. David totally grandstands and it's awkward, but I still love it. My favorite Christmas songs are "Oh Holy Night" and "Have yourself a merry little Christmas.' What are good versions of those?
posted by sophie at 6:50 PM on December 23, 2005

Dominic the Italian Christmas Donkey. Can't come up with who sang that though. Chingity Ching.
posted by bilabial at 5:25 PM on December 25, 2005