For something more seasonal, what are the greatest Christmas songs?

Many of them are found in Handel's Messiah.
Cheers,
Z

I have an old cassette tape of the Canadian Brass playing the older Christmas hymns. I've about wore it out
Mark

Not much of a one for Pop Culture, but Fairytale of New York by The Pogues is meritorious and surprisingly complex.

Choral Silent Night sung in German or the interesting Norwegian variant, (extra beats to accomodate the translation), is probably most evocative of the true Christmas spirit for me.

I too enjoy the Handel's Messiah. But my favorite song is.." I'll Be Home for Christmas," written by Walter Kent. Probably because of my Dad telling me how it was a comfort to many of the Marines in Europe during WWII. I find the lyric to be quite seasonal.

I'll be home for Christmas
You can plan on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents on the tree

Christmas Eve will find me
Where the lovelight gleams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams

I'll be home for Christmas
You can plan on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents on the tree

Christmas Eve will find me
Where the lovelight gleams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams

"O Holy Night" would have to be my favorite

It's pretty clear that "Alvin and the Chipmunks" beats them all.
Except Charlie Brown.

Ava Maria and Little Drummer Boy run neck-in-neck with me. Yup, must have every version ever done and drive my poor family a tad wild with them - gentle grin.

But Christmas morning, when the tree is lighted and Santa has placed his gifts under the tree and just before we wake the little ones, it's a family tradition that Handel's Messiah is started.

What I really, really miss is being a guest at my friend's various Churches as a child, listening to the real choirs - beautiful!

Laughed out loud when I read 'Alvin and the Chipmunks! For between them and an entire CD I made for the children consisting of xmas songs sung by kitties, the children thing they are the very best Christmas songs ever!

Know there are so many beautiful versions of it but here's another lovely one done by the 'Celtic Women' - hope you enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDeXUvWbLp8...feature=related

I'm not normally into jazz but my vote is for Vince Guaraldi's tracks on the Charlie Browns Christmas album. Fond memories

It is surprising how many songs of Christmas always stick in one's mind, and how much enduring music is written about Christmastime. Everyone, I think, has a handful of songs (or carols) that have special meaning.
Z

I do agree completely wth you. Two of my sisters are also named as a result of the Christmas 'spirit.' Joyce and Carol, I guess there are many who share this.

Very Beautiful Mara, Thank You

Yes The Pogues - Fairytale of New York is great; weird, but great.
I love Little Drummer Boy. Now I must ask you: Which is the best version of it?
I got Celtic Woman's A Christmas Celebration as a present for my mother this year.
Considering how much music is written about Christmas overall, it follows that there should be a quite big chunk of great Christmas music as well.

On of the carols that have stuck with me is a local one. It is Giv mig ej glans, ej guld, ej prakt written by Zacharias Topelius sometime in the late 19th century. Sibelius later took a break from the composing of his symphonies and composed a melody for it. I believe the English translation goes something like this: Give Me No Splendour, Gold or Pomp. I keeps the meaning, but looses the rhymes in the translation.

Just finished listening to this on Pandora
Vienna Boys Choir:
Oh Come Emanuel
Heaven's Dew Falls on the Righteous
A Rose Has Budded
Also:
Carol of the Bells
Sonata for Five Trumpets

Mark

With my apologies to the serious music lovers here.



A POLITICALLY CORRECT 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS SONG?

On the 12th day of the Eurocentrically imposed midwinter festival, my Significant Other in a consenting adult, monogamous relationship gave to me:

TWELVE males reclaiming their inner warrior through ritual drumming,

ELEVEN pipers piping (plus the 18-member pit orchestra made up of members in good standing of the Musicians Equity Union as called for in their union contract even though they will not be asked to play a note),

TEN melanin deprived testosterone-poisoned scions of the patriarchal ruling class system leaping,

NINE persons engaged in rhythmic self-expression,

EIGHT economically disadvantaged female persons stealing milk-products from enslaved Bovine-Americans,

SEVEN endangered swans swimming on federally protected wetlands,

SIX enslaved Fowl-Americans producing stolen non-human animal products,

FIVE golden symbols of culturally sanctioned enforced domestic incarceration,

(NOTE: after members of the Animal Liberation Front threatened to throw red paint at my computer, the calling birds, French hens and partridge have been reintroduced to their native habitat. To avoid further Animal-American enslavement, the remaining gift package has been revised.)

FOUR hours of recorded whale songs

THREE deconstructionist poets

TWO Sierra Club calendars printed on recycled processed tree carcasses and...

ONE Spotted Owl activist chained to an old-growth pear tree.



Merry Christmas. Good Kwanzaa. Blessed Yule. Happy Holidays! (unless otherwise prohibited by law)*

*Unless, of course, you are suffering from Seasonally Affected Disorder (SAD). If this be the case, please substitute this gratuitous call for celebration with suggestion that you have a thoroughly adequate day.

((Author unknown to me.))

Little Drummer Boy, the duet with Bing Crosby and David Bowie.


I know 'tis not the season, but when the time comes I may not be able to post here.