Getting In The Holiday Spirit: Christmas Music

Let's discuss something REALLY important: holiday music!

I work in a retail situation (not a normal one--an art/craft gallery), so I've had our local crap-ass "all Christmas music all the time" station playing this week. There's a LOT of really fucking awful holiday music out there, but a lot of great stuff too.

I pretty much love all Christmas hymns. I don't think there is a single one I don't like. I'm totally an average joe on my favorites; I love "Oh Holy Night" and "Silent Night" the best (although right now they are playing a Stevie Nicks version of Silent Night and, frankly, it's a bit scary). One of the best things about going to church again is that I get to sing all those great hymns in the weeks of Advent and Christmas.

There are some pop tunes I like too. I'm inordinately fond of that "Do They Know It's Christmas" song from the 80's; I don't know why. I just am. I love Bon Jovi's version of "Please Come Home For Christmas". And I love that Mariah Carey song they used in the movie Love Actually (one of my fav holiday movies, by the way).

Charlie prefers the 'secular humanist'  Christmas songs the best, like  "Have Yourself  A Merry Little Christmas."  I love Frank Sinatra's version of that song too. "White Christmas" is another good one (and MAN do I love me that movie).

However, I pretty much hate "Frosty the Snowman". Not terribly fond of "Rudolph" (although I love--and own--the TV special) either. Don't like "Santa Baby" (talk about a selfish chick--sheesh).

But I hate with a HOT BURNING PASSION "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer." What motherfucking satanic asshole wrote that song? The melody is horrible, the descriptions too graphic, and it just generally SUCKS. In my not-so-humble opinion.

Also, I don't get "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus." Is she kissing the real Santa? Or is it her husband dressed as Santa? Just don't get it.

So, what are your favorite songs? Which ones do you hate? If you hate them all because this isn't your Holiday, feel free to share that too...

Comments

[melissa]

My new favorite is "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" by the Barenaked Ladies and Sarah MacLaughin. Growing up we always listened to Barbra Streisand's christmas album. (I was so confused when I saw Yentl) And my all time favorite, Christmas in Hollis by Run DMC! Happy Holidays!

[Chantal]

"Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer" pisses me off for one reason - "You can say there's no such thing as Santa." is a line in it.

Now, I'm not a huge Santa fan, I look forward to my kids not knowing really, but WHY did they think it was wise to put that line in there?

[Julie]

My personal favorite? Why it's Dominick the Christmas Donkey. Song makes me giggle like a 2 year old.. http://members.shaw.ca/cybernana/funpage/dominick/dominick.htm

[parodie]

I think "Mommy kissing Santa" is about husband dressed as Santa (though the kid doesn't get it).

I really enjoy stuff like "Mary's Boy Child" (gospel-ish). :)

[CharmingDriver]

Although I'm not Christian (nor is my husband), we both have an inexplicable love for all things gospel music. That said, there are very few Christmas songs that I can tolerate for more than a few minutes. The exception is Vince Vance and the Valiants ''All I Want for Christmas is You'' - love it love it love it so much I would marry it, especially when she (and by she I mean me, not the lady singing, heh) belts out the, ''All that I want, can't be found uuuuuuuuunderneath THE CHRIST-MAAAAAAAAASSSS TREE'' part.

[ladykuri]

I'm not a Christian, but do sorta do Christmas for teh kids....my favorite I think would be any well done rendition of "Jingle Bell Rock" (which, unfortunately, does NOT include my stepdaughter's chorus effort...YEESH!). Ones I can't stand? Anything super-kiddie remade. Oh, and the Chipmunks christmas song....you know, the one everyone our ages has heard 80 million times!!

[Mel]

My husband had the same reaction to the Santa kissing song. He turned to me very seriously and said, "I don't think I'd find that amusing at all--if I came in the house and you were making out with another man. I don't think I'd throw my hands in the air and say, 'oh, that Santa!' Please don't do it."

[JL]

Ditto for Grandma. Hate anything country. We had a radio station at work that ended playing Christmas in Dixie - and I almost put my foot through the speaker. Ugh. I made them change the station really quickly.

I love that Mariah song as well. Reminds me of the movie. So good. I actually like the muppets version of 12 days. Bah dum dum dum...

Oh Holy Night always makes me tear up. I don't know why.

[Jessica]

I love O Holy Night by Celine Dion, even though for 364 days out of the year I cannot stand her.

I love The Christmas Song by Dave Matthews, Mary Did You Know and Santa Claus is Coming to Town by Bruce Springstein.

Also? Joy to the World sung with a choir.

I am one of those annoying types who starts listening to Christmas music ON THE WAY HOME from Thanksgiving dinner.

[Ally]

I managed a mall store back in the 90s and their christmas musak was just awful. The worst of the bad was this Barbra Streisand medley. In one of the songs - I think it was Jingle Bells - she improvs to the point of fingernails on a chalkboard. Ugh. I shudder even today.

My favorite to sing is Silent Night. It was one of Jamie's favorite lullabies as a baby too. I just heard the gorgeous Cherry Tree carol in church recently* and I'm also partial to the Holy and the Ivy, when sung by a good church choir.

*I was just thinking the same thing last Sunday, how one of the biggest perks of going to church again is singing carols. All the music actually. I was always involved in choir growing up, either singing or playing an instrument.

[Kim]

My favorite is Mariah Carey's "All I want for Christmas". I really love all of them, and at any given time with start singing one with no reason.

[DebbieS]

I second the motion, my new favorite is also "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" by Sarah MacLachlan and the Bare Naked Ladies. I love to sing to that one and also "All I Want For Christmas Is You" by Mariah Carey. As far as more traditional Christmas carols, I think "O Holy Night" gives me the most goosebumps.

[kelly jeanie]

I'm loving Sufjan Stevens' new multi-disc set. Everything on it is awesome. Perfect for putting on Christmas morning.

[ChrisJ]

I also CANNOT stand Santa Baby...what a horrific song! I love all the traditional hymns you like, as well as the traditional Sinatra, Crosby and the like carols. I also get a huge kick out of Dominic the Donkey, not tradtional at all, but coming from an italian family, I find it pretty funny! I hope you all have a WONDERFUL first Christmas with Tori and you all have a happy healthy New Year. You are an amzing woman, an inspiration to us all, (not to mention a great mom)and I hope you know how much we all appreciate your stories and your honesty. Merry Christmas to you, Charlie, Tori and your loves ones.

[Heather]

My absolute favorite non-traditional song is called I want a hippopautamus (sp) for Christmas. There are two versions, I like the one where the little boy sings it (I can send you the MP3 if you like). I'm crazy wierd about this song. Every Christmas I play it over and over and over.

As for regular songs, I'm also fond of the traditional songs.

[Leslie]

XM Radio has an entire channel devoted to nothing but Christmas music. I am in heaven. After a week of it however, my husband wants to divorce me and my kids may run away from home.

[baggage]

I always thought I saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus is about a little boy who catches his dad playing Santa (although who dresses up in a suit) and thinks it is funny that Mommy is kissing him (not realizing, of course, that it is really his dad).

Love Actually rocks.

[Megan]

My all-time favorite Christmas carol is "Oh Holy Night." But, for fun...my 2nd favorite is "Dominique the Italian Christmas Donkey!" I love to immitate the man singing it in his Italian accent! It's not Christmas until I hear that one!

[amy]

I really like the "baby it's cold outside" song, sung by rod stewart and dolly parton. It isn't really xmasy, in fact I have never heard it before Elf. I have a two year old and if I sing the girls part, she will say "baby cold outside", so that is probably why I love it so much. I also like Joni Mitchell's River, also a non-xmasy xmas song.

Sarah McClaclan's xmas cd this year is really good.

[dish]

My favorite song is the dual-song of "Silent Night" with "Night of Silence." It's awesome. You would probably love it, Cecily. I bet there is a sound bite on the internet, but I don't have time to look right now...

[Christina]

There are more that I love, then hate.. however I'm nodding my head with high fives to you over Grandma and the fucking reindeer. I HATE that song. Always have.. always will.

[christy]

My favorite right now is Sarah McLachlan's 'Song for a winter's night' -- have a listen pretty awesome.

[Blue]

My favorite is Oh Holy Night sung by Josh Groban. *sigh* You have to have an exceptional voice to sing that song right. Many people have tried and failed.

I also like the Mariah song, the only one I really appreciate from her.

Kudos on the Bon Jovi mention since I would be High Priestess in the Religion of JBJ if there was one. *sigh again*

I listened to the one about the Christmas Shoes last night and thought of Azure having to grow up without a mommy and I cried!

I love the one about the hippo too but heard a new one this year. It is performed all by little kids and the jist of it is the kid farted on Santa's lap at the mall so is now afraid Christmas will stink, and he won't get what he wants. At the end, Santa brings him presents but then farts on the tree! Hahahahaha!

Have a very Merry Christmas with your gorgeous family!

[suzanne]

LOVE , ACTUALLY is the greatest Christmas movie of ALL TIME.
Liam, Hugh, Colin...all sorts of British/IRISH goodness in one cosy little movie.

[Val]

I just love 'Lil Drummer Boy! It has to be my all time favorite. I also like Silent Night and Oh Holy Night. I never can get through Oh Holy Night without tearing up. Something with the melody.