#10 Christmas Island – Christmas Island – Jimmy Buffett
Jimmy Buffett has his own Christmas album and even though a steel drum Jingle Bells is pretty cool, Christmas Island is my favorite.
#9 Rise Up Shepherd and Follow – An Acapella Christmas – Glad
This whole album was ingrained in my brain, I will not mention who was responsible for it, but she would put the CD in and his repeat. About 100x later, we’d turn it off. Nevertheless, many of these songs are very good and there where two that I was considering. I light this one because it is the slower deeper song.
#8 White Christmas – Bing Crosby
With Johnny Mathis, Burl Ives, Nat King Cole [and XTC] you can’t have a Top Ten without the likes of Bing Crosby. I am referencing the “long version” of the song that has the spoken part explaining where he is and why he is dreaming of that white Christmas. I too am dreaming of a white Christmas. It was when I was at 1810 that it snowed [but did not stick] on Christmas and the year that I went to Colorado for Christmas, a blizzard shut down the East Coast.
#7 Thanks for Christmas – Rag & Bone Buffet – XTC
Of course, no musical list couldbe complete with out an XTC song, right? One of the two mai Christmas songs that XTC has released. Despite the group’s views on Christianity or religion, they “get” the meaning of Christmas and how we should treat each other. It is a shame that Christmas is only one day in the year.
#6 Winter Wonderland – A Very Special Christmas – Eurythmics
They did such a wodnerful job on this song that this is my favorite arrangement for this song, even above The Carpenter’s version. Another song from the 1987 A Very Special Christmas album.
#5 Go Where I Send Thee – A Very Special Christmas 3 – Natalie Merchant
As Steve martin once referenced, Christmas should be for the children. Ms. Merchant does a wonderful job at making this song almost haunting in ym brain when I heard it and like the U2 song, it also helps start my musical season
#4 Good King Wenceslas – Time Life Treasury – Morton Gould
What a crazy rocking christmas song. I should look up to see if this Wenceslas was a real person and why he was so good. Perhaps the Christmas song that people don’t know the title and couldn’t match up the lyrics to the music.
#3 Christmas in Hollis – A Very Special Christmas – Run-DMC
Sorry Curtis, but this is my favorite Christmas rap song even if it is not the oldest. This is a great song and a cheesy video, teaching that you shouldn’t steal, that most situations are tests of character and produce great rewards “…and the dough [1 million bucks] was for me!” This song is the base for many of the current rap christmas song that are out there, if not for sampling but for the song structure itself, it will always retain its own identity as artists sample hooks and riffs from it. This song is another reason why Run-DMC is such an important part of the rap history.
#2 I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas – Dr. Demento – Gayla Peevey
Once I found out that there were other novelty songs available, I did my best to find them. THe Dr. Demento album highlights many of the older Christmas Classics, this one was always in my top 5 favorites. I value this song much more now because in 1999 Jen practiced this song with Jeff at TVA and then at the Christmas party, to my delight, sang it in front of everyone.
#1 Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) – A Very Special Christmas – U2
Ever since my Mom bought me the A Very Special Christmas cassette back in 1987, I have played this tape to launch the musical side of my Christmas season. This song is my favorite song on that album. It’s about capturing the fun and excitement of the holidays with those that you love.
Honorable Mentions
The Chanukah Song – Adam Sandler
Christmas Wrapping – The Waitresses
Wondeful Christmastime – Paul McCartney
Oi to the World – No Doubt
Sailor’s Christmas – Jimmy Buffet
Glory to God – Acappella
PLANET3RRY 