C/D: Christmas music

On the anti-festive/emotionally devastating side of things...this is probably my favourite Christmas song ever but the only mix you could put it on is one that is "Christmas in my Soul" 10 times in a row:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tO7-_xJz8CQ

shit, that's amazing. gonna have to avoid the temptation to break it out and ruin any christmas parties i attend, now.

(The most butchered song ever: "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.")

this is probably true but i find most iterations of this really easy to listen to; it can sound really smarmy if the singer reaches for the poignancy in the lyrics and doesn't pull it off, but most versions either nail that tone or don't even try and sing it with like, no emotional content and the tune still idly carries it along.

that tune is one of the strongest melodies ever written IMO

i've had the new mariah carey xmas album since early november, and it's so exciting that i can finally listen to it now that it's december

particularly looking forward to the "extra festive" version of "all i want for christmas is you"

seriously considering getting all 9 of the Chanticleer Christmas albums

anti-festive Christmas songs

Culturcide - "Depressed Christmas"

btw Pandora's Classical Christmas channel owns as long as yous kip the occasional Rutter piece

Pretty much settled on the tracklisting for this year:

Bela Fleck and the Flecktones - Jingle Bells
James Brown - Soulful Christmas
Mr. T - Merry Christmas from Mr. T
The Sonics - Santa Claus
Hector Lavoe/Willie Colon - Aires de Navidad
Harvey Averne Band - Let's Get it Together for Christmas
The Flirtations - Christmas Time is Here Again
Aztec Camera - Hot Club of Christ
The Aggrovators - Santa Claus Dub
O'Jays - Christmas Just Ain't Christmas
Rotary Connection - Silent Night Chant
Chanters - African Noel
Caetano Veloso - In the Hot Sun of a Christmas Day
August Darnell - Christmas on Riverside Driver
Reuben Anderson - Christmas Time Again
Nathaniel Mayer - Mr. Santa Claus
Gloria Wood - The Futuristic Christmas Tree
Wild Man Fischer - I'm a Christmas Tree
Linda Cassady - Is Santa Claus a Hippy?
Cold Chillin' Juice Crew - Cold Chillin' Christmas
Jayram Acharya - Santa Claus is Coming to Town
Shirley Collins - The Gower Wassail
Banjo or Freakout - Christmas is Coming
The Beach Boys - Christmas Morning

"Morning Christmas", not "Christmas Morning".

mediafire or it didn't happen

It's been mentioned upthread, but the piano at the end of Darlene Love's Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) destroys me everytime.

lou rawls + david axelrod production :

http://images.uulyrics.com/cover/l/lou-rawls/album-merry-christmas-baby.jpg

best track = good time christmas

Love that Lou Rawls.

Some fantastic Christmas mixes here

I like Sonic Boom's cover of Santa Claus
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1etdqgngAM
There are a lot of fantastic holiday tracks in here!

Xmas organ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1v3arZp5byU&feature=related

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nM-HF9B2joY&feature=related

One of my favs, from Rhode Island ‘80s punk band Rash of Stabbings:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ekgDJou6G0

http://s.ecrater.com/stores/53443/4aa5c19e7e8d4_53443n.jpg
Album Share – A Cabbage Patch Christmas

1 Best Time Of Year
2 Deck The Halls
3 Christmas Favorites
4 Sleigh Ride
5 One More Dream 'Til Christmas
6 Christmas Hoop-De-Do
7 Mrs. Santa Claus
8 Gimme-Gimme Take-Take
9 Children Go Where I Send Thee
10 All One Family At Christmas

my favorite was track 4 - Sleigh Ride (stream it)

This looks best of all: "Destination... Christmas!, the hilarious holiday album by The Superions (featuring the unmistakable lyrics and vocals of The B-52s front man, Fred Schneider)

I've been listening to songs on their myspace, and I so wish I could call it 'hilarious', or even 'good,' but it's sadly, painfully cheesy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqK8RaHUYDo

Is it just me, or is the deliberate butchering of the melody line on Mannheim Steamroller's "Deck the Halls" impossibly obnoxious?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLvU-eSbFD0

Robert Earl Keen's "Merry Christmas From The Family"...I only discovered him a year or two ago and I think it's pretty great.

A Very Special Christmas album (minus Bon Jovi's Backdoor Santa, which I hate)

Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late) - Alvin & The Chipmunks.
I should hate this song with every fibre of my being but it makes me giggle uncontrollably. I love the way hula-hoop sounds like "Hoonahh Hoohhh"

My favorite of all time, unfuckwithable is Perry Como's Christmas album: love love love his Twelve Days of Christmas, and Twas The Night Before Christmas.

Jackie Gleason's Christmas albums, anyone? Love love love.

usually christmas music is a dud for me - unless sung by bob dylan :)

"Santastic V" - new collection of Xmas mash-ups

http://santastic4.com/V/

includes Cee Lo vs Jackson 5: Forget You, Santa! / F**k you, Santa!

I heard the song "Little Saint Nick" on a store radio, and thought it was pretty good-- even though I thought during the entire song that they were saying "Merry Christmas, Satan."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSynDh_K0EE

Beach Boys have a good repertoire of catchy songs with ridiculous lyrics (in some cases they just swapped in some Christmassy lyrics into another song), but by far the greatest of their Christmas contributions is "Morning Christmas":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4F1h2RHZDI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG_vABhZ8vc

THE BEST CHRISTMAS SONG EVER

that Homer & Jethro christmas album from 68'

"spread the good word"
http://s3.directupload.net/images/101216/reg8w37f.jpg

1. White Christmas Darlene Love 2:52
2. Frosty the Snowman The Ronettes 2:16
3. The Bells of St. Mary's Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans 2:54
4. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town The Crystals 3:24
5. Sleigh Ride The Ronettes 3:00
6. Marshmallow World Darlene Love 2:23
7. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus The Ronettes 2:37
8. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer The Crystals 2:30
9. Winter Wonderland Darlene Love 2:25
10. Parade of the Wooden Soldiers The Crystals 2:55
11. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) Darlene Love 2:45
12. Here Comes Santa Claus Bob B. Soxx & the Blue Jeans 2:03
13. Silent Night Phil Spector and Artists 2:08

three or four of the above, + 6 or 7 more.

ah crap, meant that for a hoy hoy's list thread.

can i just

fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiive
golden
riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiings

I'm already kind of burned out on Christmas music, been listening to it all month to prepare the annual mix CD.

i only just started, with this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDBMzGq1vhs

Yeah, that's a good one!

today's discovery: The Mills Brothers

awesome
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWPQcWKWw84

i only just started, with this:

http://www.youtube.com/v/EDBMzGq1vhs&fs=1&hl=en

― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, November 27, 2012 3:45 PM (Yesterday)

aw man this kicks ass

i'm sick of xmas music but i'm excited about the music my group is doing for our xmas concerts. i bet you're not sick of howells' "a spotless rose" yet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8nlryCOomI

or "adam lay ybounden":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhMgfU_iEoI

omg gb they are beautiful

could never get tired of that!

Breaking the sanctity of the thread somewhat, this is going on the compilation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYe7F59xiVE

As is this disco sensation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otPK3m3s04A

This year's family Christmas CD consists of …

1 Miss Frances – ’Twas the Night Before Christmas (Part One)
2 Mahalia Jackson - Go Tell It on the Mountain
3 Scala & Kolacny Brothers – Wintersong
4 Sufjan Stevens – Sleigh Ride
5 Kate Risby – The Holly and the Ivy
6 The Roches – Good King Wenceslas
7 Harvey Arlene Band – Lets Get It Together This Christmas
8 Tracey Thorn – Maybe This Christmas
9 The Temptations – Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
10 Calexico – Green Grows the Holly
11 The Youngsters – Christmas in Jail
12 Punch Brothers – O Come, O Come Emmanuel
13 The Chesterfield Kings – Hey Santa Claus
14 Scritti Politti – Snow in Sun
15 Emmy the Great and Tim Wheeler – Marshmallow World
16 Jimmy Smith – Jingle Bells
17 Saint Etienne – 21st Century Christmas
18 Irma Thomas – May Every Day Be Christmas
19 Ernest Tubb – Merry Texas Christmas You All
20 Little Joey Farr – Rock’n’Roll Santa
21 Pet Shop Boys – It Doesn’t Often Snow at Christmas
22 Keith Richards – Run Rudolph Run
23 Detroit Junior – Christmas Day
24 Mariene Paul – I Wanna Spend Christmas With Elvis
25 Andrew Bird – Auld Lang Syne
26 Miss Frances – ’Twas the Night Before Christmas (Part Two)

5 Should be Kate Rusby

Ok, just finished brewing up this year's batch:

Oscar the Grouch - I Hate Christmas
Celia Cruz & La Sonora Matancera - Jingle Bells
Lou Rawls - Good Time Christmas
Mistletoe Disco Band - Silver Bells
John Zorn - Winter Wonderland
Man or Astroman? - Frosty the Snowman
Huey 'Piano' Smith and the Clowns - White Christmas Blues
Michigan and Smiley - Drummer Boy
Stormy Weather - Christmas Time is Coming
Lou Levy - Jingle Bell Rock/Deck the Halls
Cordell Jackson - Rock and Roll Christmas
Bobbie Boyle - Santa Claus Goes Modern
Pee Pee Dynamite - A Groovy Christmas and a Happy New Year
The Galaxies - Christmas Eve
Shonen Knife - Sweet Christmas
Al Hirt - Santa Claus is Coming to Town
Red Simpson - Truckin' Trees for Christmas
Nina - Do You Know how Christmas Trees are Grown?
The Young Tradition with Shirley and Dolly Collins - Is it Far to Bethlehem?
The Stridells - I Remember Christmas
Gruff Rhys - Post Apocalypse Christmas
Momoiro Clover Z - Santa San
The National Jazz Orchestra of Scotland - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Lou Rawls - Good Time Christmas

i should think so.
this is my all time fave xmas track.
dug out the album earlier today just so i can play this ....

The National Jazz Orchestra of Scotland - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

is this the, erm, actual National Jazz Orchestra of Scotland, or is it an iteration of Bill Wells' National Jazz Trio of Scotland? (If the latter, what release is it on?)

Eh yeah it's the Bill Wells "trio", oops. They just put out a Christmas album!