As someone who has spent decades faking his way through the lyrics of countless Christmas songs that I know maybe half the words to, I’m more or less an expert on Christmas music. And seriously – who doesn’t love Christmas music?
Regardless of your age or religious persuasion, it’s hard not to get a kick out of the ring-a-ding-ding sleigh bell themes that accompany so many songs this time of year – even the crappy ones (of which there is an endless supply). It tells you the holidays are upon us, and the malls are crowded, and there’s an Amazon Prime truck on every city block, and the turkey is brining, and all is festive, festive, festive!
This blog is an updated version of a gently used blog from last year. I’m a sucker for Christmas – even now, at my advancing age, when my idea of a perfect Christmas is the one we are having this year, with frigid temperatures and snow on the ground, and it’s so cold outside that the neighbors all stay indoors where they belong, harrumph harrumph….
We are even putting out streetside luminary candles on Christmas Eve, as part of a street neighbor group effort.
We have been opening our advent calendars on the daily.
Mother/Wife has decorated the home in her usual fine style, and the Daughters have done a bang-up job wrapping presents and positioning them under the tree. I get my usual C-minus in gift wrapping – but it’s the effort that counts!
Family will arrive from the West Coast the day after Christmas to join in the fun.
We have made our yearly donations to Toys for Tots – and now it’s toys for us!
Today’s theme is holiday music, which mainly means Christmas music. I love Christmas music. Rather, I love the idea of Christmas music, and how the season has inspired a lot of very good songwriters and composers to compose a lot of very good songs. Christmas songs stir ancient memories inside me, as they do with so many others.
The same songs my parents played when I was a wee one are just as relevant today, more than half-a-century later. Today, our family turns on Christmas music during the season, whether it’s sitting around the house by the tree, or driving around in the car looking at all the Christmas lights.
I’m not sure I have a favorite Christmas song. Or maybe that’s not true. I have a couple faves, I suppose: “The Christmas Song,” and “Fairytale of New York.” The former is a standard about chestnuts roasting on an open fire. The latter is an 80s-era punk/drunk anthem recorded by The Pogues and written by the legendary Shane McGowan.
Below is a list of 13 of my favorite Christmas songs and various interesting and/or classic versions of those songs. Before moving on, be forewarned: You won’t find some of the favorites of billions of others (sorry to all you lovers of Mariah, Springsteen, Lennon, McCartney, Arianna, Elvis, Jose, Wham, etc. – your favorite tunes didn’t make the cut).
Each song includes the composer/songwriter in parentheses, along with the artist and video for your listening pleasure. I’m more or less attached to the standards I grew up on. The great thing about that is that every year, they still matter, and I don’t have to worry about whether I’m hip with the Gen Alpha crowd. Not that I do (which I don’t).
These are listed in no particular order of importance.
Silent Night (written by Franz Xaver Gruber and Joseph Mohr, version by the Winchester Cathedral Choir): I have no idea if this is the most sung Christmas song ever. If I were to guess, I’d guess it is.
Fairytale of New York (written by Shane McGowan and Jem Finer, version by The Pogues feat. Kirsty MacColl): I’m not sure what the highlight of this magnificent song is for me, but I’m guessing it’s probably the vocal by the late Kirsty MacColl, who died swimming in a designated diving area in Mexico in 2000, while saving her sons from a motorboat that wasn’t supposed to be in those waters. Sample lyric: “Happy Christmas your arse/I pray God it’s our last.”
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas (written by Hugh Martin, version by Ella Fitzgerald): There’s something perfect about the phrase “merry little Christmas.” It brings this gargantuan, highly commercial holiday back down to a personal level. I chose the Ella Fitzgerald version, because Ella put the magic into everything she sang.
Christmas in Prison (written by John Prine, version by John Prine): This one will tug the ol’ heartstrings. Sample lyric: “It’s Christmas in prison/there’ll be music tonight/I’ll probably get homesick/I love you, good night.”
Linus and Lucy (written by Vince Guaraldi, recorded by the Vince Guaraldi Trio): For a certain generation of American kids, this song from the mid-1960s Charlie Brown TV show is Instant Christmas.
Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring (written by J.S. Bach, version by Per-Olov Kindgren): A lovely melody, perfect for the acoustic guitar.
Sleigh Ride (written by Leroy Anderson, version by The Ronettes): The Ronettes version, of course.
What Child is This? (lyrics by William Chatterton Dix, version by the Wedding String Quartet): The tune is borrowed from “Greensleeves,” another lovely melody. The string versions seem to fit the melody best.
Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer (written by Randy Brooks, version by Elmo & Patsy): Poor Grandma. Samply lyric: “Now we’re all so proud of Grandpa/He’s been takin’ this so well/See him in there watchin’ football/Drinkin’ beer and playin’ cards with cousin Belle.”
The Christmas Song (written by Robert Wells and Mel Torme, version by Nat King Cole): Our mother had the Nat King Cole Christmas album, and it got played every Christmas when I was a kid, and it always reminds me of her, and those magical childhood Christmases, when we found it hard to sleep at night…..
Winter Wonderland (music by Felix Bernard and lyrics by Richard Bernhard, version by the SNL cast): A song just begging to get the jazz treatment. The Dailymotion video here is from a Saturday Night Live episode from around 1975, featuring cast member Garret Morris on lead vocals and Candace Bergen, Jane Curtin, Laraine Newman and Gilda Radner on backing vocals, followed by Chevy Chase, John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd. A brilliant performance by Garrett, best known for his acting.
The First Noel (written by unknown, version by John Fahey): I was surprised to learn that there is no established writer/composer of this venerable old Yuletide war horse.
White Christmas (written by Irving Berlin, version by Diana Krall): The popular story behind this song is that Berlin wrote it while in the Los Angeles area, where you will never see snow at Christmas. I’ll stick with that story, even though it’s up for debate. Bing Crosby recorded the signature version, but I’m going with Diana’s jazzy, bluesy version here.
Vance Cariaga 