Holiday Songs That Don't Suck
Posted at 7:00 AM on December 15, 2011
by The Current
(61 Comments)
It's no secret that this season's incessant, omnipresent soundtrack of the regular old holiday classics can get a little old. That's why The Current dug into our music libraries, asked our staff and racked our brains to come up with a list of holiday songs that give you a little something different than the norm. Check it out!
Low – "Just Like Christmas"
While it's not technically a Christmas song, it does reference the holiday, and that's good enough in my book. "Just Like Christmas" is great because it pairs the kind of lyrics you might expect from Low with an uncharacteristically upbeat rhythm and melody.
—Brett Baldwin, Senior Web Producer
Pogues – "Fairytale of New York"
Sufjan Stevens – "Hey Guys! It's Christmastime"
The Ronettes – "Sleigh Ride"
Nothing puts me in the seasonal spirit like this one! Say what you will about Phil Spector, who's likely to spend the rest of his Christmases in prison, but he nailed that "wall of sound" on this holiday classic from 1963.
—Bill DeVille, Host
The Beach Boys – "Little Saint Nick"
John Prine – "Christmas in Prison"
A song that seems like it should have been recorded by Johnny Cash. Really conjures up thoughts about what it must feel like being alone and in jail on Christmas. It's almost as if it was written behind bars.
—Bill DeVille, Host
David Bowie and Bing Crosby – "Little Drummer Boy"
Waffle House Singers – "12 Days of Christmas"
One of my alltime favorites is the Waffle House Singlers' "12 Days of Christmas." It's so ridiculous. Re-interpreting "12 Days" to fit the unique menu items at the South's ubiquitous greasy breakfast haunt. All those ways to eat your hash browns, and this version covers them all! I can just picture the jingle singers in the studio trying to sing the lyrics without breaking into laughter. Nothing says Christmas in all it's glory like the Waffle House.
—Jim McGuinn, Program Director
The Waitresses – "Christmas Wrapping"
Of all the '80s holiday songs, none so perfectly capture the era as this one — The Waitresses' sound is so distinctly '80s. Plus, it wasn't enough for them to just cover a holiday classic. "Christmas Wrapping" lives in the world of Waitresses' songs — the single-girl narrative POV, guys, romance, missed encounters — set against a holiday backdrop. It's like a cheeky, cool 1980s rom-com.
—Jacquie Fuller, Teenage Kicks Host & On-Air Fundraising Manager
The Flaming Lips – "Christmas at the Zoo"
Everyone knows that all Mariah Carey wants for Christmas is you. All the Flaming Lips want for Christmas, by contrast, is to break into the zoo and free all of the animals. The animals, however, see things a bit differently. Listen to this woozy, wintry mid-'90s psych-rock jam to find out the conclusion to a holiday story only Wayne Coyne could have written.
—Peter Valelly, Associate Web Producer
Henry Rollins' reading of "The Night Before Christmas"
The New Standards – "Snow Day"
Since being introduced to The New Standards Holiday show, I have added this one to my holiday-season "must-have's."
—Barb Abney, Host
Darlene Love – "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)"
XTC – "Thanks for Christmas"
Charo – "Mamacita, ¿Dónde Está Santa Claus?"
OK, this one might stretch the definition of "not sucking" for some of you, but when I discovered this little gem among the list of holiday songs in The Current's library last week, I was bowled over by its hilarious, kitschy '70s bombast. ¡Feliz Navidad, Charo!
—Peter Valelly, Associate Web Producer
Comments (61)
While yes, you've got Darlene Love's version - but you have to include U2's great cover of "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" with the very awesome Ms. Love on backing vocals....
If you have 7 minutes, Chris Cornell's Ave Maria is pretty powerful!
Christmas In Hollis is my top ten.
Christmas wouldn't be the same without "Christmas in Hollis" by Run DMC.
No mention of the fantastic Material Issue song Merry Christmas Will Do?
Only a short hop from John Prine on youTube... Tom Waits' Christmas Card From a Hooker in Minneapolis
http://youtu.be/12qBoy2rhVw
The list needs some Vince Guaraldi!!!
While you're at it you can find this great gem on youtube as well... Tiny Tim's Santa Claus Has Got the Aids.
I have to say that local group Trailer Trash has a catalog of Christmas songs that run the gammut from classics to gems to what are - as far as I know - their own twisted concoctions. I apparently missed "Santa's a Spy" while I was on the bus.
But my favorite - and even harder to resist if you've ever had the fun of grooving along at their live X-mas show - is "Joy to the world (Angel's delite)" Genius!
Whither Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Jordan singing "Baby, It's Cold Outside"?
The Greatest Christmas Song of All - Vance Degeneres.
The Rebel Jesus - Jackson Brown w/ Chieftains
Welcome Christmas - Love Spirals Downward
Little Drummer Boy -
Great version by Brave Combo, and another by Hoodoo Gurus
Santa Ain't Coming for Christmas - Rocket 455
Harvey Danger - Sometimes you have to work on Christmas (sometimes).
With a great video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3ogxQsMxO8
"Don't Shoot Me Santa Claus" by The Killers
"Don't Shoot Me Santa" by The Killers
The Darkness - Christmas Time (Don't Let The Bells End)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-eslNwGXrI
I'll always be partial to "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" as performed by The Boss.
I also like two songs from Better Than Ezra: "Egg Nog Singalong" and "Merry Christmas Eve."
Merry Christmas from the Family - Robert Earl Keen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qE4sg1ygTqg
Gotta listen to this every Christmas.
"Elf's Lament" Barenaked Ladies
Raffi's "On Christmas Morning" "Old Toy Trains"
Crash Test Dummies "The First Noel"
and The Chieftains entire cd "The Bells of
Dublin"
Hope about the classic "I Wish It Was Christmas Today"
http://www.hulu.com/watch/117205/saturday-night-live-i-wish-it-was-christmas-today
I love Steve Earle's "Christmas in Washington."
Low- Santa's Coming Over
This song makes Saint Nick seem like something out of a nightmare.
The adorably terrifying kids in the video only add to the creepiness.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZIDci7FW6E
"I Want An Alien For Christmas" - Fountains Of Wayne
Any number of rockin' instrumental versions of Christmas tunes by either The Ventures or Los Straitjackets
James Brown - "Santa's Got a Brand New Bag"!
James Brown-Let's make this xmas mean something this year.
How about U2's cover of "I beleive in Father Christmas"
or Coldplay's "Chrismas Lights"
Hey, Raveonettes - Christmas Song is one of my fav christmas song.... ;)
"Santa Claus is Smoking Reefer" - Squirrel Nut Zippers
"Happy Christmas War is Over" by John Lennon
Just heard "Silver Bells" by Stevie Wonder at the Post Office yesterday. From 1967. Beautifully understated and straight forward.
A Very Merry Christmas by Johnny Madcap and the Distractions. CHECK IT!
Songs that turn heads at dysfunctional family holiday gatherings.
-Cindy Lauper and the Hives: Christmas Dueling Naughty!
-Iggy Pop: White Christmas
-Albert King: Santa Claus Wants Some Loving
-Uncle Bob Dylan's entire holiday album.
-Big Joe Williams and His 9 String Guitar-Christmas Blues (His voice scares kids)
Don't forget another Christmas Classic: Merry Christmas (I don't want to fight tonight) by the Ramones
I rather like Joni Mitchell's "Little Green". Also Fountain of Wayne's "I Want An Alien for Christmas".
Barenaked Ladies have an excellent holiday album. My personal favorite songs are "Elves' Lament" (a collaboration with Michael Buble) and "Deck the Stills" (uh, you just have to hear it.)
Tom Petty: Chriiistmas...all ooover, again.
How about this new one from locals Crankshaft and the Gear Grinders? Louisiana Bayou Santa, it's free to download over here: http://www.crankshaftmusic.com/
Merry Christmas by Wesley Willis
Christmas in Vermont by Ed's Redeeming Qualities.
You can't have an awesome Christmas song list without The Pretenders' "2000 Miles"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCoZVxlZWtU&
Ho Ho Ho (Who'd be a Turkey at Christmas) from Elton John is a neglected favorite.
B.B. King: Blue Christmas
The Decemberists: Please Daddy (Don't Get Drunk This Christmas)
Squirrel Nut Zippers: Christmas Caravan (the whole album is great)
Anything by Slim Whitman is also fun -- just to annoy people.
Of course the all-time best Christmas song is Mr. Grinch by the Whirling Dervishes.
I would like to request Slipping into Christmas,
by Leon Russell from 1972, and Christmas Bop,
by T-Rex ( Marc Bolan ). Thanx and Happy Holidays.
They Might Be Giants 'Careless Santa' and 'Santa's Beard"
"Holiday" by Mike Doughty feat Rosanne Cash!!!
I see many of my favs posted in the comments, but no one has yet mentioned the wonderful "Queen of Bliss" by Luscious Jackson. And I'm afraid I am just a sucker for a bleak Christmas song, so I love "Calling On Mary" by Aimee Mann.
There are very few good Xmas albums, but here are some that are solid from coast to coast:
The Roches - We Three Kings
Soundtrack - A Charlie Brown Christmas (Vince Guaraldi Trio)
Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Wishes You A Swingin' Christmas
These have a few clunkers, but over 50% winners:
The Muppets and John Denver - A Christmas Together
Various Artists - Acoustic Christmas
(Rosanne Cash, TBone Burnett, Shaun Colvin)
Patty Loveless - Bluegrass and White Snow
Various Artists - A Christmas Gift to You From Phil Spector
Joan Osborne - Christmas Means Love
Ella Fitzgerald - Ella Fitzgerald's Christmas
Various Artists - A Motown Christmas (old school 60s/70s only, not later versions with 80s artists)
Various Artists - The Hotel Café Presents Winter Songs
Brian Setzer - Boogie Woogie Christmas
Christmas In The Trenches - John McCutcheon
Home For The Holidays - Perry Como
I'll Be home For Christmas - Elvis Presley
Donde Esta Santa Claus - Guster
The Pause For Mr Claus - Arlo Guthrie
Christmas Song - Dave Matthews
Cry Of A Tiny Babe - Bruce Cockburn
Sleigh Ride - Johnny Mathis
A Marshmallow World - Los Straitjackets
Santa Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto - Snoop Dogg
Run Rudolph Run - Keef
The Sufjan Steven's collection "Songs for Christmas" is always at the top of my Christmas playlist. That and The Chieftains "Bells of Dublin".
Vandals - Oi to the World and Joey Ramone - Merry Christmas (I don't want to fight tonight)
I see a couple James Brown recommendations up there, but really the entire James Brown Christmas album is excellent.
The Pretenders: 2000 Miles
Badly Drawn Boy: Donna and Blitzen
Happy Xmas (War is Over) - John Lennon
"Grateful for Christmas" by Hayes Carll. Like the line, "Lord, what I'd give for one good looking cousin".
Leon Redbone and Dr John duetting on "Frosty the Snowman"
Leon Redbone and Dr. John duetting on Frosty the Snowman.
Playing it right now - Okkervil River: Listening to Otis Redding at Home During Christmas...using Christmas as a backdrop for losing and longing...beautiful connections and imagery. Props to the current community for many great songs on this thread.
Pearl Jam covering Stevie Wonder's "Someday at Christmas." Seriously.
I'll probably be damned to hell for this one:
"Happy Birthday Sucker" Chuck Wow
Maybe This Christmas - Ron Sexsmith
White Christmas - The Drifters
Both are tops, to say the least :) Happy Christmas!
One of my favorites-
Robert Earl Keen-
Merry Christmas From The Family
lets hear it!!
everything on "It's a Cool Cool Christmas"
"Alan Parsons In A Winter Wonderland" - Grandaddy
"Little Drummer Boy" - The Dandy Warhols
"Every Day Is Christmas" - The Webb Brothers
"Everything's Gonna Be Cool This Christmas" - Eels
"Feliz Navidad" - El Vez
"Christmas In Waikiki" - Morgan
"Maybe At Christmas Time" - Drugstore
"O come, O come, Emmanuel" - Belle & Sebastian
"Thank You Dreaded Black Ice, Thank You" - Giant Sand
"White Christmas" - The Flaming Lips
"My Christmas Prayer" - Saint Etienne
"Christmas Downer" - Departure Lounge
"I Believe In Father Christmas" - Six By Seven
"When I Get Home For Christmas" - Snow Patrol
"Spiritual Guidance" - Titan
"Christmas Boogaloo" - Big Boss Man
"Christmas Eve" - Teenage Fanclub
"Gift X-Change" - Calexico
"Hwiangerdd Mair" - Gorky's Zygotic Mynci
"Just Like Christmas" - Low
"In The Bleak Midwinter" - Lauren Laverne
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