🎄 Holidays! POLL: The Best Christmas Song

[Rudy]

If you had to pick any one song as being the best Christmas song, which would you pick? This would be a song that you feel best captures the "essence" of Christmas, one that seems to embody the spirit of the holiday season. I'm not looking for a particular version by any one artist--this is like "Song Of The Year" during Grammy-hunting season. Note that many songs associated with Christmas really aren't Christmas songs (even "Jingle Bells"), but nonetheless, feel free to vote for 'em!

I've listed a handful in the poll above. PLEASE, though, if there is a song you'd like to vote for, post a note here and one of us will add it onto the poll. I'm only listing some off of the top of my head.

 

[DAN BOLTON]

How about HURRY HOME FOR CHRISTMAS and HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS ? Those were the only two that I could think of...it's not easy to make a complete list of christmas songs. I was looking at the ASCAP copyright page the other day, and there are 48 songs listed under "Christmas Blues", for example...hey, was BLUE CHRISTMAS on the list?


Dan, not ready to vote yet...

 

[Jay Maynes/Juan Oskar]

I could say that "Christmas is for Grownups Too" is my favorite Xmas song but that wouldn't be fair. I would have to say that two songs that impacted me when I was a (little) kid in the 1950's was "Silent Night" and "Santa Clause is Coming to Town." I think we need to differentiate between "Christmas songs" and "Christmas Carols". I would find it hard to cheesey up "Silent Night" or "Away in a Manger" where you can do just about anything with "Jingle Bell Rock".
Feliz Navidad amigos...Jay

 

[Mr Bill]

While I'm disappointed to see "My Favorite Things"s is among the choices, I'm stunned at some overt omissions (as opposed to subvert emissions I' getting from this Arab food).

Where's "White Christmas"? "All I Want For Christmas..."? And tehn my favorites: The Waitresses "Christmas Wrapping", Payola$ "Christmas Is Coming" and Wall Of Voodoo's "Shouldn't Have Given Him A Gun For Chritmas."

--Mr Bill
you'd br griping too if you were going on three days and still no luggage...

 

[Harry]

One problem with a poll like this is that this Forum software only allows 25 choices in a poll. I ran up against that with the Carpenters album cover poll and had to drop off a number of imports just to get in all of the the compilations!

For the record, I voted for Mel Torme's great "Christmas Song". To me, it's the quintessential Christmas song, and no matter who does it, it always comes out pretty good. Nat King Cole's version is still goosebump producing after all these years, and I really like both Herb Alpert and Karen Carpenter's take on the song.

Harry
...poll watcher, online...

 

[Rudy]

While I'm disappointed to see "My Favorite Things"s is among the choices, I'm stunned at some overt omissions

See above:

I've listed a handful in the poll above. PLEASE, though, if there is a song you'd like to vote for, post a note here and one of us will add it onto the poll. I'm only listing some off of the top of my head.

I've also included some not-specifically-Christmas songs because some may consider them to be one of their favorites things.

Plus, one criteria is that a lot (but not all) of rock and popular songs really just find clever ways to use the Christmas theme in a song and, IMHO, can't hold a candle to the classics for conveying the feeling of Christmas. I do think it's a good idea to start a separate topic without a poll where we can list our favorites, vs. doing a poll. I did include a couple of more recent from pop and rock (such as "Jingle Bell Rock" which while being a pop song, seems to be one of those that have been accepted into what i would call a 'classic"), but doubt they'll get any votes here.

One problem with a poll like this is that this Forum software only allows 25 choices in a poll.

Did you count the # of songs in this poll yet? (I bumped it up a bit.)

For the record, I voted for Mel Torme's great "Christmas Song". To me, it's the quintessential Christmas song, and no matter who does it, it always comes out pretty good. Nat King Cole's version is still goosebump producing after all these years, and I really like both Herb Alpert and Karen Carpenter's take on the song.

I voted the same, actually. To me, nobody comes even close to Nat Cole's version. Herb's I like because it's a slower, jazzy interpretation.

As good as the song is, though, it's probably the most-slaughtered of any other Christmas song out there...I can name more badly interpreted versions of this song than I can of any other. It is a pretty good barometer of the talent of the person who interprets it.

 

[Captain Bacardi]

What - no "Frosty the Snowman"?

I chose "Jingle Bells", since I feel it has that festive feel of Christmas (although I don't think Christmas was ever mentioned in the song). But there's quite a few good tunes to choose from. Even some of the religious stuff sounds good, like "Angels We Have Heard On High" and "Hark The Herald Angels". Maybe it's because these songs don't get played to death year round that makes these sound better.

How about the worst Christmas songs? Two pop to mind right away:

1. "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer" - it was mildly amusing at first, but it's damned annoying now. I understand it's required listening at trailer parks across the country.

2. "Twelve Days of Christmas" - C'mon, is there really anybody this into birds??? You got swans, calling birds, French hens, turtle doves, a partridge and on top of that you got geese a-laying (and those eggs will be a-hatching! )!!! Alfred Hitchcock must've wrote this song.


Capt. Bacardi

 

[Rudy]

What - no "Frosty the Snowman"?

It sort of qualifies...although we're all secretly glad when he melts at the end...

I chose "Jingle Bells", since I feel it has that festive feel of Christmas (although I don't think Christmas was ever mentioned in the song).

Some variations add a Christmas twist to it, but I don't think the original version does.

1. "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer" - it was mildly amusing at first, but it's damned annoying now. I understand it's required listening at trailer parks across the country.

Sheesh... I never cared for that one right off the bat! My mother bought it, and I just sort of shook my head.

2. "Twelve Days of Christmas" - C'mon, is there really anybody this into birds???

To this day, I'm still trying to figure out why I liked this one so much as a kid. It probably was the novelty of it. Nowadays, it just seems like it's never going to end. Heck, doesn't it repeat something like...ummm...12 times? :santa: There are some decent versions of it, though, which I don't mind listening to (and most of those are probably instrumental, like BMBs).

 

[Rudy]

you'd br griping too if you were going on three days and still no luggage...

Here, borrow one of these:



Online-Therapy-R-Us! :santa:

 

[glennmiller]

I could say that "Christmas is for Grownups Too" is my favorite Xmas song but that wouldn't be fair. I would have to say that two songs that impacted me when I was a (little) kid in the 1950's was "Silent Night" and "Santa Clause is Coming to Town." I think we need to differentiate between "Christmas songs" and "Christmas Carols". I would find it hard to cheesey up "Silent Night" or "Away in a Manger" where you can do just about anything with "Jingle Bell Rock".
Feliz Navidad amigos...Jay

Why is it that ever since that Tim Allen movie came out...people have forgotten how to spell Santa CLAUS???

 

[Rudy]

Why is it that ever since that Tim Allen movie came out...people have forgotten how to spell Santa CLAUS???

What's funny (or not) is that I've never seen the film, and yet I keep finding myself typing Clause and having to correct it!

 

[Captain Bacardi]

you'd br griping too if you were going on three days and still no luggage...

Phew! I bet something's smelling a little ripe by now!


Capt. Bacardi
...with fresh shorts online...

 

[DAN BOLTON]

So, email him a pair already....


Dan

 

[Rudy]

It's just miraculous that with the flight plan Bill had, they got HIM there without losing him! (And it's the last thing you want to discover after 30 hours of travel!) This is a perfect argument for carry-on luggage, which is unfortunately an impossibility on an extended trip...

 

[DAN BOLTON]

If I ever have to travel long distances by air, I think I'll fold up a pair of low-rise satin briefs and put them in my sportcoat breast pocket...everyone will think it's a handkerchief...I hope...am I cool, or what?


Dan....what??!!??!

 

[Rudy]

If I ever have to travel long distances by air, I think I'll fold up a pair of low-rise satin briefs and put them in my sportcoat breast pocket...everyone will think it's a handkerchief...I hope...am I cool, or what?

As long as they're clean, Dan...

 

[Mike Blakesley]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned "O Holy Night," which is my favorite "real meaning of Christmas" song. We have a local choir which performs the song every year and when they get to the "Fall on your knees" part, it's awesome.

Among the non-religious tunes, I'd just about have to go with "Sleigh Ride" but only if it's performed in the original Leroy Anderson arrangement by a big orchestra. Arthur Fiedler's recording of this is awesome. If you can listen to this and not get happy, you must BE Scrooge.

Having said the above, it wouldn't be Christmas without several spins of Herb's Christmas album, which is my favorite holiday listening even if the individual tracks aren't necessarily my fave versions of the songs.

Put me into the "I Hate '12 Days of Christmas' Club" too. That song drives me up the freakin' wall, along with how every year we are subjected to newspaper articles detailing how much it would cost to deliver 12 x 5 golden rings, 12 partridges in pear trees, ad nauseum. I don't much like the kiddie songs (Frosty, Rudolph, etc.) but that's probably cause I don't have any kids!

 

[Rudy]

Hey, even the kids' songs can get on your nerves when you have kids. Remember, with younger kids, you don't listen to something once or twice a year--we're looking at once or twice an HOUR, dude. But it's still amusing to hear them try to figure out the lyrics and sing the songs themselves for the first time. I'm getting duets of a slightly mangled version of "Jingle Bells" lately...

http://www.Hoodoo.net/images/girls_under_tree.jpg
(The Jingle Bell Sisters)

 

[thestitch]

Nice picture of your girls, Neil.

And, Dan, I laughed 'til I cried at your list of special songs for Mr. Bill!

Marilyn
Still holding her sides, online

 

[DAN BOLTON]

My favorite christmas song would have to be WE THREE KINGS. It's a song that can be done in a variety of ways and still be meaningful. It seems to support a lot of jazz interpretations, and can be done in various time signatures[I've heard it done in 4/4,5/4,/6/8,etc.]. It's a song that always seems to retain a degree of spirituality, no matter how it's done. It always fills me with a deep sense of awe every time I hear or play it.


Dan

 

[cakeicer]

My all time favorite is called "The Cherry tree carol" by Jose Feliciano, but also like it by Judy Collins.
Neil those girls are getting so big and cute!

 

[Joe]

I like pretty much all of the Christmas songs in that poll, but if I had to choose one it would probably be "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year". Andy Williams' version is really good and is the definitive version. I always like Christmas songs with a lot of horns and an upbeat tempo. Ella Fitzgerald's "Sleigh Ride" is another one.

Recently Capitol put out a new collection called Christmas with the Rat Pack; pretty much nothing I haven't heard before except for the Sammy Davis Jr. Christmas songs (his "Jingle Bells" is great). I bought it because of those songs and two live tracks ("A Marshmallow World" and "Auld Lang Syne") from The Dean Martin Show by Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. I think Dean Martin's version of "A Marshmallow World" is thoroughly enjoyable and a true holiday classic.

Oh and about "The Twelve Days of Christmas", if you are tired of the calling birds and such, dig this http://www.bennygrunch.com/lyrics.html. Doubt if most of you would understand it though since it all has to do with things in the New Orleans area and such, but it's fun.

Joe, NP: "The Twelve Yats of Christmas" - Benny Grunch & the Bunch

 

[Rudy]

Oh and about "The Twelve Days of Christmas", if you are tired of the calling birds and such, dig this http://www.bennygrunch.com/lyrics.html. Doubt if most of you would understand it though since it all has to do with things in the New Orleans area and such, but it's fun.

That's why we need you as our N'Awlins translator.

Watching the snow fall,

 

[DAN BOLTON]

2. "Twelve Days of Christmas" - C'mon, is there really anybody this into birds??? You got swans, calling birds, French hens, turtle doves, a partridge and on top of that you got geese a-laying (and those eggs will be a-hatching! )!!! Alfred Hitchcock must've wrote this song.

Capt. Bacardi

I have to admit that this song never made any sense to me until I came across this from a friend, who unfortunately didn't get the web address...


12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

There is one Christmas carol that has always baffled me. What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and especially the partridge who won't come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas?

Today, I found out. From 1558 to 1829, Roman Catholics were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Somebody during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning pllus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember:

THE PARTRIDGE IN A PEAR TREE was JESUS CHRIST.

TWO TURTLE DOVES were the OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT.

THREE FRENCH HENS stood for FAITH, HOPE, and LOVE.

the FOUR CALLING BIRDS were the FOUR GOSPELS of MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE and JOHN.

The FIVE GOLDEN RINGS were the TORAH, the FIRST FIVE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE.

The SIX GEESE-A-LAYING were the SIX DAYS OF CREATION.

SEVEN SWANS-SWIMMING represented the SEVENFOLD GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT...PROPHECY, SERVING, TEACHING, EXHORTATION, CONTRIBUTION, LEADERSHIP and MERCY.

The EIGHT MAIDS -A-MILKING were the EIGHT BEATITUDES[Blessed are themeek...etc; from the Sermon on the Mount...].

NINE LADIES DANCING were the NINE FRUITS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT--LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS and SELF-CONTROL.

The TEN LORDS A-LEAPING were THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

The ELEVEN PIPERS PIPING were the ELEVEN FAITHFUL DISCIPLES.

The TWELVE DRUMMERS DRUMMING symbolized THE TWELVE POINTS OF THE APOSTLE'S CREED.

I always KNEW there HAD to be a reason for at least some of the imagery involved in these lyrics...now it isn't a mystery any more. I still don't understand why there are 12 days of Christmas, but the rest of the song makes sense. All in all, it's really a very clever little ditty, when you get right down to it...and MY TRUE LOVE has to be GOD...ain't it the truth!


Dan

 

[DAN BOLTON]

I omitted one important detail in my haste to share that fascinating[at least to me...] anecdote...I should have said that the persecution of Roman Catholics mentioned took place in England; the dates are correct, 1558 to 1829...and the carol was written sometime during that period of time, which is quite a long time to be persecuted. I'd love to hear more about this carol and it's origins...I would imagine that it dates from around 1600 because of some of the imagery, but I can't be sure...it always seemed medival to me...any thoughts? Any Plantagenet buffs or Anglophiles with any clues?


Dan