5 famous Christmas songs that DON'T suck

[panman36]

My previous thread http://www.besteveralbums.com/phpBB2/vi...storder=as c&highlight= may have come off a bit negative Here is a thread that will hopefully spread some Christmas cheer. These Christmas songs definitely DO NOT suck : Feel free to add to this list. There's certainly more than 5.

1. The Hallelujah Chorus: This song flat out rocks! After a couple quarts of egg nog this should be blasted at EVERY Christmas party.

Sweet lyrics include: Eh... who needs lyrics when you got a chorus like that? And who can spell Hallelujah for that matter?

2. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town: This song certainly has wings in the rock era. Phil Spector was the first (I believe) to put that rock slant on it and now EVERYBODY sings it like that (Bruce Springsteen perhaps best).

Sweet lyrics include: "He's making a list. He's checking it twice. He's gonna find out who's naughty and nice."

3. Blue Christmas: Doesn't sound as cheezy and dated to me as a couple of its contemporary songs which I said enough about in another thread.

Sweet lyrics include: The play on White Christmas is obvious but nevertheless effective. This set the mold (I believe) for the 'heartbroken at Christmas' type song which has become a cliche in modern Christmas music.

4. Away In A Manger: Religion aside, if there is a prettier song ever written, I don't think I've heard it. This song transcends religion. It's great.

Sweet lyrics include: I don't know... the whole thing. Certainly this baby taking us to heaven at the end is a beautiful idea, whether or not you actually believe that.

5. Silent Night: Another very pretty song. Don't know if it's as pretty as Away In A Manger. But it's up there. For most of the year I might worship Satan, but still...gotta like this. And if you've played guitar for like a month or two, you can play these two songs. It doesn't matter.

Sweet lyrics include: "Round young virgin..."? Hehe, what's not to like?
_________________
MOOOORE autotune!

[Space-Dementia]

There are very few Christmas songs I really enjoy, but one of them is O Holy Night. I'm not religious at all, but that is such a nice song. It's the only Christmas song where I start singing along and I don't feel guilty or angry at myself.
Also, Trans-Siberian Orchestra makes some dope Christmas songs.
_________________
These are my favorite albums right now.

[panman36]

[Puncture Repair]

I grew up around Slade and Wizard, so those songs carry a lot of charm and nostalgia for me, even if they're not great. What I've never really listened to is the swathes of mushy, slow Christmas ballads that they seem to churn out every year. Seems like every pop band and singer has had a swing at a Christmas song, and there's a least one person in the world that defends it with their life.

So, going off my very 70s British angle of Christmas tunes, the ones I enjoy are...

Happy Xmas (War Is Over) - I'm sure there's people on here who hate this and love this. It's probably my favourite John Lennon song by quite a margin, and invokes a lot of memories that other Christmas songs don't. It's my Dad's favourite Christmas song, so I hear it a lot, and I have strong associations with Christmas in my home town with it, as I'm sure many do.

I Belive In Father Christmas - Possibly my favourite Christmas song, I love how cynical and melancholic it is. I love the jangly guitars and trumpets. Nothing quite beats listening to this with a mince pie and a shot of advocaat.

Driving Home For Christmas - I'll be damned if this doesn't lift my mood and get me in the Christmas spirit. It's super cozy, and I love the fact it's written by Chris Rea of all people.

White Christmas - I can't imagine someone not liking this and not being a complete scrooge.

Fairytale of New York - Another charming but cynical Christmas song. It's a little bit overplayed at this point, but there's a great song underneath it all, and a real sense of Christmas spirit, imo.

Christmas Time (Don't Let The Bells End) - It's so bad it's good. Whenever someone says they hate it, it fuels my love for it.

A Christmas Fucking Miracle - Pretty much a staple at this point in all households.

Every else is pretty awful. I wonder if in 100 years time they'll still be listening to Wonderful Christmastime.

Oh, and it's not Christmas until you've heard Bruce Springsteen's Santa Clause Is Coming To Town.

[Umbrella]

christmas at ground zero by weird al

[Trendall]

Christmas Wrapping by The Waitresses

[baystateoftheart]

1. We Three Kings or Good King Wenceslas (Traditional)
2. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (By Judy Garland, 1944)
3. Christmas In Harlem (By Kanye West Feat. CyHi The Prynce & Teyana Taylor, 2010)
4. [For Hanukkah] The Many And The Few (By Woody Guthrie, 1949)
5. Marshmallow World or Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) (By Darlene Love, 1963)

But really, that whole album is amazing:

A Christmas Gift For You by Phil Spector
_________________
Add me on RYM