My Top 10 Christmas Records

[NightTrain]

As of tonight, anyway....

1. PLEASE COME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS – Charles Brown (1960)
2. CHRISTMAS (BABY, PLEASE COME HOME) – Darlene Love (1963)
3. THE CHRISTMAS SONG – Nat “King” Cole (1953)
4. WHITE CHRISTMAS – The Drifters (1954)
5. SANTA BABY – Eartha Kitt (1953)
6. MERRY CHRISTMAS, BABY – Chuck Berry (1958)
7. BACK DOOR SANTA – Clarence Carter (1968)
8. O HOLY NIGHT – The Blue Notes (1960)
9. SANTA CLAUS IS BACK IN TOWN – Elvis Presley (1957)
10. DIG THAT CRAZY SANTA CLAUS – Oscar McLollie & His Honeyjumpers (circa 1954)

[Cyndee_Lou_Who]

1. I'd like to nominate the Trans Siberian Orchestra.

[pres2032]

14. i second that!!!

I love the Trans-Siberian Orchestra!!!
I have all three of their Christmas albums, their non-Christmas one, and their DVD. I've also seen them live twice and have all their autographs. They are by far the classiest band. One of the times I got their autographs, I had a conversation with the guy that sings "Old City Bar" about fighter jets because I happened to be wearing my Blue Angels Jacket!!

[GreenInNC]

2. Robert Earl Keen Merry Christmas from the Family

http://www.lyrics.ly/lyrics.php/Robert+Earl+Keen/Lyrics/Merry+Christmas+from+the+Family

[yellowdogintexas]

23. I nearly killed myself laughing the first time I heard that!

I was at work, listening on headphones and it just knocked me out!!!

He sang it in a live interview w/ the local talk host

[whalerider55]

3. A few more

Jane Siberry- Child
The Bobs
Emmy Lou Harris Light in the STable
The Fools- Christmas Tunes
Vince Guaraldi- Charlie Brown Christmas

whalerider55

ho ho and ho again

[kckc]

4. Some of my faves...

Baby It's Cold Outside - ONLY the Dianne Reeves and Lou Rawls version, cuz every other version SUCKS :)

Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin'- Tinsley Ellis (from the Alligator Records Christmas Collection- some funky stuff there)

Santa Baby- Eartha Kitt ONLY, cuz every other version SUCKS :)

O Holy Night- The Lettermen version, cuz (well, you know the rest)

I'm sure there is more in the back of my brain somewhere, I'll keep looking...

[NightTrain]

5. "Baby, It's Cold Outside" really isn't a Christmas song.

Plus, Ray Charles & Betty Carter's version totally kicks ass! One of the best make-out records EVER, baby!!!

[kckc]

8. oh very well then

you are so right! I always associate it with Christmas because that is the only time I ever hear it played.

[LincolnMcGrath]

6. Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy

One of the more surreal moments in pop music history took place Sept. 11, 1977, when the leading American pop star of the first half of the Twentieth Century met and performed with one of the more innovative rock 'n' rollers of the last half of the Century. Bing was in London on a concert tour and to tape his yearly TV Christmas special. It was Bing's idea that he should have as a guest on his TV show a young star. Someone suggested David Bowie. Bing had never heard of Bowie, but his kids had, and so an invitation was sent to the rock star. Bowie, as it turned out, was a secret fan of Der Bingle and jumped at the chance to perform with him.
Bing's idea was that he and Bowie would perform "The Little Drummer Boy" as a duet. Bowie felt the song did not showcase his voice very well, so the writers added "Peace on Earth," which suited Bowie's voice quite well. The two musical spokesmen of different generations met for the first time on the morning of the taping, rehearsed for an hour and finished their duet in only three takes. Bing was impressed with Bowie, and gave him his phone number at the end of the taping. Bing told an interviewer four days later that he considered Bowie "a clean cut kid and a real fine asset to the show. He sings well, has a great voice and reads lines well. He could be a good actor if he wanted."

Bing died a month later, and the public did not see their performance until after his death. The duet generated much interest, and was excerpted to become a perennial TV music video, a best-selling 45-rpm single and, eventually, a computer CD-ROM. Some viewed the joint performance of Bing and Bowie as a symbol of the end of the intergenerational wars of the 1960s and '70s. In 1999 TV Guide chose the duet as one of the 25 best musical television moments of the century (June 5 issue).

[JimmyJazz]

20. This was my first choice, too - very moving. Thanks for

the history on the song and the artists! :hi:

[Chipper Chat]

7. what about Der Bingle?

I have an old Decca 78 of "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby. Even with a copious amount of surface noise from being played a zillion times, it's still No. #1 with me!

[NightTrain]

12. Frankly, I'm not a Bing Crosby fan.

I've never "gotten" Der Bingle. All that "buh-buh-buh-buh-buh" stuff just makes me drowsy. :shrug:

[Chipper Chat]

17. it's an age thing

Well, buh-buh-buh or not, Bing's soothing voice gave us hope during World War II. We were a little afraid that we might be forced to eat sushi or sauerkraut for he next Christmas dinner.

[Stargleamer]

9. "'Zat You, Santa Claus?" by Louis Armstrong

'Nuff said.

[signmike]

10. Blue Christmas, by Elvis

Possibly the heaviest Elvis doowop of all

also all the Phil Spector 'Wall of Sound' ones

[signmike]

11. "I'm Gonna Hang My Balls On Your Christmas Tree"

I don't remember the artist's name -- have to ask Dr. Demento

hahahahaha

I hate Christmas music. Humbug.

[mac56]

13. You got many of mine. I'd add:

"Cool Yule" by Satchmo
"Santa Bring My Baby Back To Me" by Elvis
"Steppin' Into Christmas" by Elton John
"Merry Xmas (War Is Over)" by John & Yoko
"The Merriest" by June Christy
"Frosty The Snowman" by the Ronnettes
"Christmas In Prison" by John Prine
"Frosty the Snowman" by Leon Redbone and Dr. John

and for after Christmas -

"What Are You Doing New Year's" by Nancy Wilson

[Left Is Write]

26. Oh, yes!

I *love* Leon Redbone and Dr. John's version of Frosty, and shame on me for forgetting to put it on my list!

[corporatemedia]

15. "Highway to Hell" - AC/DC

[faithnotgreed]

16. those are great.. i would add the waitresses "christmas wrapping"

i know its a little different style than the classics you listed but since you took those i had to add the waitresses, and also vince guaraldi charlie brown christmas

cant wait to listen to them

[kitchen girl]

18. All my Christmas CDs and vinyl are packed away with the decorations...

so I'm going strictly on memory here, and I don't remember the titles of most of them.

Al Green has a great Christmas CD
Someone already mentioned Emmylou's, and I second that one.
Nat King Cole, of course!
Aaron Neville!
Mahalia Jackson
Johnny Mathis
The Phil Spector album is awesome!
I think I have an Etta James Christmas CD somewhere...
Hawaiian slack-key guitar compilation CD - very mellow
And of course, REK!

But wait! No list is complete without Sonny Boy Williamson's "Santa Claus"!!!

B-)

[Blue Gardener]

19. Bob and Doug McKenzie - The Great White North

Does it get any better?

[mondo joe]

21. CHRISTMAS (BABY, PLEASE COME HOME) is my #1 Christmas Song

Absolutely, and Darlene Love should be an Empress for just this alone.

[name not needed]

22. My favorites

[lpbk2713]

24. For shame!!

A list of Christmas songs without anything from Perry Como!? Travesty!

What about Ave Maria? Or Silent Night? Or O Holy Night? Every Christmas he would have a Special and it would usually be way up there in the ratings. If you're leaning more toward the rock genre I can understand but you didn't specify. But if you included Nat "King" Cole it seems like you could have also included Perry Como.

[Left Is Write]

25. Only TEN? I can't do it!

Some of my most beloved Christmas songs (and make fun if you will - I am one of those who gets thoroughly immersed in Christmas, but particularly the nostalgic trappings of Christmas Past):

1. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Judy Garland
2. Sleigh Ride - Johnny Mathis
3. Hark! The Herald Angels Sing - as sung by the Peanuts gang
4. The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole
5. Here Comes Santa Claus - The Mills Brothers
6. Christmas Time's A-Coming - Sammy Kershaw
7. Mele Kalikimaka - Bing Crosby
8. Adeste Fideles - Frank Sinatra
9. Holly Jolly Christmas - Burl Ives
10. The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year - Andy Williams
11. Winter Wonderland - Dean Martin
12. Rockin' Around The Chrismtas Tree - Brenda Lee
13. Mary's Boy Child - Harry Belafonte
14. Silent Night - Nat King Cole
15. I'll Be Home For Christmas - Elvis Presley
16. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow - no one favorite version
17. Frosty The Snowman - Wayne Newton
18. Deck The Halls - Bing Crosby
19. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Garth Brooks
20. Carol Of The Birds - Morgan Crowley

[CBGLuthier]

27. Lennon and the Kinks

A lot of these others are very nice but there are two that I must hear every year.

Happy Christmas (War is Over) by John Lennon


and

Father Christmas by the Kinks.


and a slight nod to ELP's I believe in Father Christmas.