Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with Christmas and songs

Why no recent Christmas music?

Nikolai — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 09:51:03 -0800

Why is almost all Christmas/holiday music from over 50 years ago? This recent XKCD comic exemplifies my thoughts on the Christmas music I've always heard each year. Wherever I go during the holiday season, I hear:

1. Songs from the 40's and 50's
2. Remakes of songs from the 40's and 50's
3. Even older hymns
4. Occasional plays of more recent songs such as "All I Want for Christmas Is You" or "Last Christmas"

The rest of the year, music on the radio and in public favors new stuff, or at least anything from the last 25 years. It's rare to hear popular music from the 50's, and 40's music seems nonexistent.

Is there an explanation for this? Why is holiday music so archaic?

Do you know of any Thanksgiving songs?

rageagainsttherobots — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 10:47:11 -0800

Do you know of any Thanksgiving songs? As usual, Christmas songs are already being played everywhere. Christmas is already invading turkey time. Where are my Thanksgiving songs?

In the Bloomingdales Christmas Rotation 2010...

whimsicalnymph — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 19:59:21 -0800

Last Christmas, there was an indie guitar song that was really popular...help me figure out what it was! I think it was in a commercial. It was about people in New England. They skate in a skating rink. Seasons change. I can't even remember if it is explicitly about Christmas. I think the singer remembers the person he loves. And it's cold. Sounds of white dudes with acoustic guitars singing. If Williamsburg had a little Eddie Bauer and moved to Vermont, this was the song for that clan.

What is this song?

What's a good duet song for a child and adult?

lynnie-the-pooh — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 10:36:34 -0800

What would be a good duet song for a young child and grown up to sing together? My daughter is six years old and periodically sings solos at a church for her vocal lesson recitals.

For Christmas the vocal coach wants to do a duet with her. They are both sopranos and this would have to be a song appropriate for a Christmas Eve church service.

My daughter has good range, and can handle pretty complicated songs for a six year old. For example, she has sung, "It might as well be Spring," and also, "In my own little corner", and "There is a Savior."

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks.

I'm looking for some specific spooky Christmas music, can you help me?

mrzer0 — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 08:17:44 -0800

Some time ago either on MeFi or BoingBoing there was a link to a bunch of songs that I *swear* were Christmas songs played in the wrong key or one half-tone down or something... Does anyone have any idea what I'm talking about and where I could find this (again)? They sounded frightening, yet eerily awesome! I have been searching like crazy for this, through old chat logs, old bookmarks, through the web (both MeFi and BoingBoing archives) and so far no such luck! At least not anything that is reminding me of it. Is it possible that it was not Christmas songs?

I was just telling some friends about it and wanted to provide a link. Thanks!

Christmas Carol Covers

simplethings — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 13:20:16 -0800

Christmas Song Filter: I'm looking for the best, current, classic Christmas song covers by today's popular artists. I want to make an awesome Christmas song album for this year but I need music.
I love covers... and covers of covers and Christmas is the best time to find them.
My list is a little specific:
-The songs should be relatively new. Anything after 2005 would be great.
-The artists should be well known, preferably pop or 'alternative' performers.
-They must be covers of classic Christmas songs arranged in the style of the artist singing.
-They have to be awesome.

Some info on my musical tastes: I love Christina Aguilera but her Christmas Album didn't appeal to me at all. I think she took her runs too far.
Same with Michael Buble, his voice makes me melt, but his Christmas covers were boring and unoriginal.
I recently heard The Fray's cover of Happy Christmas (the one done by John Lennon) and it was awesome at first... but they decided to keep the choir aspect and that made it suck.
I remember back in the day, when Rosie had her show, she released a Christmas album (or 2) featuring popular singers at the time singing with her (yikes, I know). Aside from Rosie's not-so-pleasant voice there were some really nice and fun covers. I love unlikely pairings!
I also love likely pairings... back when Jessica and Nick were together they did a cover of Baby It's Cold Outside which I thought was adorable. It showcased Jessica's strange as hell, overacted, airy voice as a compliment of sorts to Nick's smooth, boy band voice. It was a bit comedic but enjoyable.
This isn't Christmas-Christmas but I love Fiona Apple's take on Sally's Song from Nightmare Before Christmas. The feel of the song became more dark and soulful with the new arrangement (What's This? covered by Fall Out Boy was also great). That's the kind of awesome cover I'm looking for.

Any suggestions?

"From now on, we'll have to muddle through somehow/So have yourself a Merry Little Christmas now."

Jaybo — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 21:12:34 -0800

"Emotionally ambivalent" Christmas Songs? An Entertainment Weekly article last year about the song "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" said:

"'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas' manages to be happy and sad at the same time, hopeful but full of melancholy, as all the best Christmas songs are,' says Bette Midler, who sings it on her new CD, Cool Yule. And the song's fascinatingly tangled history has left it with several very different sets of lyrics, from the near-suicidal to the downright ebullient. There's even a recent 'sacred' rewrite, 'Have Yourself a Blessed Little Christmas.' Which one you prefer may be the truest Rorschach test of your yuletide temperament."

So, in addition to "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas", I'd like to know which other Christmas songs strike that balance between happy and sad, hopeful but melancholic for you?

New classic Christmas songs?

smackfu — Fri, 15 Dec 2006 11:23:09 -0800

Which songs or renditions from the last 10 years have entered the "canon" of classic Christmas songs?

Name That Christmas Tune

rtimmel — Thu, 23 Dec 2004 07:40:02 -0800

Can anyone identify a Christmas song (with real limited information)? [MI] This has been bugging me for weeks. In the late 1970's some relatively unknown band (I think this song was the only time I ever heard of them) came out with a new Christmas carol that got a lot a air-play. I remember being impressed with it as it was very classic Christmas tune, not at all a novelty, which it seems like every new Christmas carol turn out to be. I thought it would become a standard but seemed to disappear off the face of the earth. I don't remember much about the lyrics except that it dealt with a small town, in the snow, and maybe coming across it over a hill. All fairly Christmas iconic, and not much help I know.

What are you favorite Christmas Songs?

keep it tight — Sat, 20 Nov 2004 11:00:58 -0800

What are you favorite Christmas Songs? [MI] I want to make a CD of fun music to listen to with the family on Christmas day...

All types welcome, Elvis, Beach Boys, Bing, Sinatra, etc...
What would you put on this CD?