Christmas* music: your personal most and least favourite songs.

[lynnok]

I like Christmas Music in general but one song makes me crazy.

While I can listen to "Christmastime is here" from the Charlie Brown Christmas CD forever and probably will, one measure of "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" opens up a new circle of Hell.

What are your most and least favorite songs?


My favorite:

"I want a Hippopatamus for Christmas" and "Sleigh Ride"

Least:

The Grandma song above

* considering my recent run in with the Holiday Police I realize the risk I am taking. Feel free to mention your favorite not Christmas Holiday song here as well.

 

[SeattleVertigo]

I pretty much try to avoid any Christmas music. The few that I like are songs by Springsteen, U2, etc.

 

[LemonMelon]

Favorites:

Christmastime Is Here (instrumental) - Vince Guaraldi
Father Christmas - Kinks
Christmas At The Zoo - Flaming Lips

 

[Zoomerang96]

traditional christmas music is easily the best. not just for in the season, but the melodies are some of the most fantastic you'll ever hear.

everything from hark the angels sing..., to angels we have heard on high, etc. etc.

so good.

commercial christmas music tends to be a bit dodgy, though of course there are exceptions. walking in a winter wonderland is a fine tune.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

Step 1: Cut A Hole In The Box...

 

[LemonMelon]

forgot Run-DMC - Christmas In Hollis

 

[Utoo]

Favorite:

Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth --- David Bowie & Bing Crosby

Other faves:
Father Christmas -- The Kinks
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) -- U2
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town -- Springsteen
Christmas All Over Again -- Tom Petty
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas --- The Pretenders
God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman/We Three Kings --- Barenaked Ladies

And, of course, any of the classic renditions by Nat King Cole & Johnny Mathis.

Least favorite? Some stupid song that's on every year about meeting an old flame in a convenience store and catching up while drinking a six-pack in the car.

 

[MrPryck2U]

That's not a Christmas song, but they play it anyway. It's by Dan Fogelberg.

 

[mediaman44]

Favorite:

Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth --- David Bowie & Bing Crosby

Other faves:
Father Christmas -- The Kinks
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) -- U2
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town -- Springsteen
Christmas All Over Again -- Tom Petty
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas --- The Pretenders
God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman/We Three Kings --- Barenaked Ladies

And, of course, any of the classic renditions by Nat King Cole & Johnny Mathis.

Least favorite? Some stupid song that's on every year about meeting an old flame in a convenience store and catching up while drinking a six-pack in the car.

Some of the songs you mentioned I love, like the the BNL God rest ye merry gentlemen/we three kings and the U2 and Bruce Springsteen songs from the Very Special Christmas album. This year I bought 3 christmas albums: Christmas with the Beach Boys, The Holiday Collection by KT Tunstall (I think you can only get this at target) and Dig That Crazy Christmas by the Brian Setzer Orchestra.

I love christmas music and usually start listening to it in October. My favorites are the Carpenters Christmas cd's that I have. (Hey I know it's kinda corny but that is what I grew up with). I probably have about 15 christmas cd's and try to keep adding to that number every year. Last year I got A Santa Cause (A Punk Rock Christmas). It is really good and has songs both traditional and original from Fall Out Boy, MxPx, Acceptance, Something Coroprate and others.

As far as Christmas songs I don't like, I don't really care for Santa Baby (Madonna's version on A Very Special Christmas Makes Me Gag). I agree that Grandma got run over by a reindeer is a pretty lame and annoying song.

One of my favorite traditional songs is I heard the bells on Christmas Day. It is a very meloncholy song and most people don't sing it much but the message of love triumphing over hate is really a good way to celebrate Christmas for me.

 

[Pinball Wizard]

guys, guys, GUYS...

You cannot talk about xmas songs without mentioning Christmas Wrapping by The Waitresses. There is none better.

Others who come close:

Last Christmas- Wham!
Merry Xmas Everybody- Slade
Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy- David Bowie & Bing Crosby
Fairytale of New York- The Pogues
Alan Parsons in a Winter Wonderland- Grandaddy
Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto- James Brown

and a favorite from last year...

I Wanna Rock You Hard This Christmas- The Dan Band

 

[Aygo]

I don't really like Xmas songs...

 

[dsmith2904]

Totally love "Christmas Wrapping," several versions of "Santa Baby" (Madonna and Everclear), "Christmas Baby Please Come Home" by U2, "Last Christmas" by Wham! and "I Will Be Hating You for Christmas" by Everclear. And all of Brian Setzer's Christmas stuff.

There are a lot of Christmas songs that totally grate (too many Christmases working retail with no other listening options) but I think "The Christmas Shoes" is the absolute worst, worst, worst.

 

[MrsSpringsteen]

I love Christmas Wrapping, O Holy Night and Silent Night by anyone who can sing them properly, Nutcracker Suite, White Christmas by Bing Crosby, Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy, Charlie Brown Christmas, River by Sarah McLachlan on the Wintersong CD and everything else on that CD.

Least favorite is any bad remake of a classic, and the barking dogs

 

[Axver]

I don't think I have any really strong favourites, though Trans-Siberian Orchestra's take on Christmas songs are always interesting.

However, if I never hear Santa Claus Is Coming To Town again, I will be very, very happy. Words cannot describe my disdain for that song. I'd never liked it in the first place, but a few years ago, I learnt to loathe it. One of my friends suckered me into operating a Lego train layout at a local church's Christmas display. I enjoyed running the trains, but they had this guy singing Christmas carols rather poorly. It felt like every second song he sung was Santa Claus Is Coming To Town. By the end, I was very tempted to lob a Lego locomotive at his head. I've never been able to stand the song since.

 

[pat132]

The album "A Twisted Christmas" by Twisted Sister

 

[u2popmofo]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-eslNwGXrI

"Come on, kids!"



I'm working on a Christmas CD as a present for some friends, but my possible tracks are at home. I'll be back.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Least favorite? Some stupid song that's on every year about meeting an old flame in a convenience store and catching up while drinking a six-pack in the car.

I like that song.

Let's see...favorites:

Ditto on U2, Tom Petty, the Peanuts gang (and we can't forget the Grinch !), the Pogues/Kirsty MacColl, and some of the standards mentioned already. Others:

John Lennon's "Happy XMas (War Is Over)"
Trans-Siberian Orchestra's "Christmas Eve Sarajevo"
Neil Finn's "Sweet Secret Peace" (Not exactly a "Christmas" song, but it showed up on a CD of Christmas tunes once)
Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
Squeeze's "Christmas Day"
Danny Elfman's "What's This?" from The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Least favorite:

Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You". When I was in...7th grade, I believe it was, from the day we went back to school after Thanksgiving break to the last day of school before Christmas break, my art teacher played this song EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Needless to say, after a while all I wanted for Christmas was for that song to disappear.

And then there's the Four Seasons' version of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus". So...much...shrieking... .

Angela

 

[kellyahern]

There are a lot of Christmas songs that totally grate (too many Christmases working retail with no other listening options) but I think "The Christmas Shoes" is the absolute worst, worst, worst.

Oh yes! I hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, HATE "The Christmas Shoes."

If anyone hear has not heard it, you just won't understand the hate until you hear it. It is cloying, so sickly sweet it will make your teeth rot, and just damn depressing. One of the worst songs ever, not just one of the worst Christmas songs. Plus, they made a TV movie based on it. The guy buys the shoes and the mom dies in the end, on Christmas! There, I gave away the ending.


Sorry, that song and "My Humps" are the two songs that drive me to irrational anger .

 

[Zoots]

Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas Is You". When I was in...7th grade, I believe it was, from the day we went back to school after Thanksgiving break to the last day of school before Christmas break, my art teacher played this song EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Needless to say, after a while all I wanted for Christmas was for that song to disappear.

That song does get wayyy overplayed on the radio but I've always liked it.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Oh yes! I hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, HATE "The Christmas Shoes."

If anyone hear has not heard it, you just won't understand the hate until you hear it. It is cloying, so sickly sweet it will make your teeth rot, and just damn depressing. One of the worst songs ever, not just one of the worst Christmas songs. Plus, they made a TV movie based on it. The guy buys the shoes and the mom dies in the end, on Christmas! There, I gave away the ending.

Ohhhhhhhh, yeah, that one! I missed the mention of that-ugh, yes, add that one to the "crappy Christmas songs" list, too. I heard it once and was thoroughly depressed for the rest of the night.

Angela

 

[Zoobaby14]

Favorite:

Little Drummer Boy/Peace On Earth --- David Bowie & Bing Crosby

Thats one of my favourites as well.

I also like the carols that are about christmas in Australia, because they sum up our christmas better then singing about snow men and sleighs and so on. It doesnt suit the mood of an aussie christmas

I also love the carols sung at christmas eve mass, they are beautiful.

 

[POP-ROMANCER]

This is my christmas album for this year:

1. Do they know it's Christmas? - Band Aid
2. Wonderful Christmastime - Paul McCartney
3. Please come home for Christmas - The Eagles
4. Little saint Nick - Beach Boys
5. Thank God it's Christmas - Queen
6. Happy Xmas - John Lennon
7. The man with all the toys - Beach Boys
8. Something about Christmastime - Bryan Adams
9. Let it snow, let it snow - Chicago
10. Santa clause is coming to town - Bruce Springsteen
11. Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley
12. I'm dreaming of a white christmas - Bing Crosby
13. Father Christmas - The Kinks
14. Rocking around the Christmas tree - Mel Smith & Kim Wilde
15. Lonely this Christmas - Mud
16. Once upon a long ago - Paul McCartney
17. Merry Christmas everybody - Slade
18. It's Christmas (baby please come home) - U2
19. Last Christmas - Wham
20. Do they know it's Christmas - Band Aid 20

 

[coemgen]

My favorite is Sufjan Stevens' Christmas box set. It's incredible. His covers are great and his originals are amazing.

 

[Anu]

I am a cheesy dork when it comes to this stuff, but my all time favorite is Mahalia Jackson's Go Tell It on the Mountain. It was on a Reader's Digest vinyl collection my parents had, and I still listen to it today.

Last year, I got Sarah McLachlan's Christmas record, and wow, is it ever good.

 

[angelordevil]

I don't really like Xmas songs...

I don't really, either, but once I get overwhelmed by the season I start singing them and can't stop.

When I was a kid, I absolutely loved this album:

 

[UnforgettableLemon]

The Pogues - Fairytale of New York

FTW

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

When I was a kid, I absolutely loved this album:

*Smacks forehead* How did I forget this one?

I loved listening to that, too .

Angela

 

[*browneyedgirl*]

That is one amazing record album!

 

[jobob]

Sorry. I loathe Alvin and the Chipmunks.

And that Christmas Shoes song must die.

I do love most of the other music people have mentioned in this thread, though.

 

[MrPryck2U]

Agreed, The Christmas Shoes song induces immediate nausea.

That Dan Fogelberg song is titled Old Lang Syne. It's not a Christmas song per se, but that play it every damn year. Quite frankly, the damn song really depresses me. But, I digress.

My Christmas favorites in no blasted order of importance:
Baby, Please Come Home- U2(Duh, lol!)
Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer- Elmo and Patsy
Do They Know It's Christmas- Band Aid(Once again, duh!)
Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town- The Boss
Jingle Bells- Frank Sinatra
The Christmas Song- Nat King Cole
A Wonderful Christmas Time- Beatle Paul