Worst and Best Christmas Music

[Tsunami]

Adding to my earlier post regarding a goth-esque X-mas song, Siouxsie & The Banshees actually made a song called "Israel" which was intended as a peace declaration (and an attempt to prove that they were not racists, which some journalists claimed) and which ends with a Christmas jingle. The line "In Israel, will they sing Happy Noel?" is somewhat odd though ; as far as I´m aware Hanukkah is the local holiday whereas Christmas is not celebrated?

Dutch band Unit Gloria (my mom is a big fan of their vocalist) made a great X-mas song called "Children of Peace" back in the late sixties. Can be found on YouTube in very good quality.

[Malc 44]

Originally Posted by mister

http://www.skreemr.com/results.jsp?q...SkreemR+Search
I sort of liked Jimi Hendrix version of Little Drummer Boy.

It's just too angry to be Christmas music IMO

I listened to the Olivia Newton-John and Mary Chapin Carpenter albums over the weekend and enjoyed both, thanks Adam. You may also want to give Christopher Cross a listen, I enjoyed that too.

[Adam Lachlan]

I agree with Malc. While the Hendrix track was an interesting listen, I didn't really click with it. But thanks for sharing anyway.

Glad you liked my suggestions Malc. Mary Chapin Carpenter is one of my favourite all time singers, and her seasonal offering is certainly no disappointment, and takes a more pragmatic, serious and sometimes solemn view of Christmas where other artists sing of the effects of the vast commercial enterprise that has engulfed the latter part of December. Olivia Newton-John's version of O Come All Ye Faithful has a slightly celtic sound to it, which won me over instantly, and the interlude tracks make the album an interesting listen. I will be placing an order for the Christopher Cross album, thanks for recommending. Amazon has also been nagging me to get James Taylor At Christmas, so I'll give that a go too. Might also be worth checking out Carly Simon : Christmas is almost here and The Moody Blues : Ballads/December (I currently have the first two Christmas tracks from the latter).

Some more alternative Christmas tracks from my inventory:
Al Lindsay : Not Just For Christmas (This artist may be unsigned, as I can't find any trace of this song on the net, he is an awesome musician, I saw him play live in January, and this song is a bonus track from his second album)
Badly Drawn Boy : Donna And Blitzen
Buckner & Garcia : I'm Gonna See Santa Claus (from the people who brought out "Pac-Man Fever"... well why the heck not? )
Chris Squire's Swiss Choir : I saw three ships
Coldplay : 2000 Miles
Dido : Christmas Day
Donny Osmond : Christmas time
Eric Alexandrakis : Here comes the snow (not even sure is this is a Christmas song, but it's good anyway)
Everything But The Girl : Come on home
Fountains Of Wayne : Valley winter song
Jack Johnson : Rudolph the red-nosed-reindeer
Jewel : Hands (Christmas Version)
Jim Croce : It doesn't have to be that way
Johnny Cash : That Christmasy feeling
Sarah McLachlan : Christmas time is here (Feat. Diana Krall)
Shawn Colvin : I Don't Need Anything This Christmas
Squeeze : Christmas Day
Tears For Beers : Christmas in an old man's hat
The Eagles : Please come home for Christmas
The Igus Orchestra : Amazing grace (lovely rendition of the hymn by this Scottish band)
Wendy & Lisa : The closing of the year (Feat. Seal)
Willie Nelson : Please Come Home For Christmas
XTC : Thanks For Christmas

[Malc 44]

I'm sure you will enjoy the Christopher Cross album Adam, there are some really nice arrangements and he has such a good clear voice.

Thanks for your further recommendations, I have found about half of them on Spotify and added to my Christmas playlist. I am enjoying your choice of music and appreciatte you taking the time to post it here

[robert@fm]

One particularly lovely piece associated with Christmas is J. S. Bach's Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring; I particularly like the version by Wendy (née Walter) Carlos.

[Malc 44]

Go Tell It On The Mountain.

There are many versions of this song, I quite like the rendition by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles.

From the same compilation album "Christmas Wonderland Collection" that I found this, I also like the version of "Oh Holy Night" by 98 degrees.

[robert@fm]

Tomorrow is Advent Sunday, so time to bump this thread.

I've compiled my own Christmas playlist (surprisingly, I had only one exact duplicate to remove); as well as conventional "Christmas" music, I've also thrown in some tracks which arent seasonal, but are cheerful enough to make good Christmas music, such as Classical Gas, and Jan Hammer's Forever Tonight (from the Hammer album).

One track which has become a Christmas favourite, and which I would have included if I had it, was Münchener Freiheit's Keeping the Dream Alive; unfortunately, the English-language version of that album has been deleted, so I only have the German-language version, Solang' man Träume noch leben kann. I've thus used that instead; it's just as lovely.

[shenton]

I must admit that I now have a major soft spot for Universal Child by Annie Lennox. Not a typical Christmas song but it is on her new album of Christmas songs.

[robert@fm]

Courtesy of the Ink Tank forums, I've come across another alternate Christmas song:

Emerald Rose, Santa Claus Is Pagan Too. (Download it here.)

[robert@fm]

A great anti-Christmas song (which I've just heard) is Blink-182's I Won't Be Home For Christmas.

[robert@fm]

For those interested (probably nobody then!), here's my Christmas playlist, edited from the original .M3U file into a more human-readable format. Those titles which (to my knowledge) aren't associated with Christmas, but I felt were too good to exclude, are prefixed with an asterisk.

Artiste; Album; Title
Münchener Freiheit; Definitive Collection; Solang' man Träume noch leben kann
Harry Simeone Chorale; Dreamboats and Petticoats -- The Christmas Album; The Little Drummer Boy
Jethro Tull; The Best Of; A Christmas Song
London Philharmonic Orchestra; Classical Christmas; Les Patinuers -- Entre
Jan Hammer; Hammer; * Forever Tonight
Donna Summer; It's Christmas Time (2009); Winter Melody
Philharmonia Orchestra; Classical Christmas; The Skater's Waltz
Mike Oldfield; It's Christmas Time (2009); In Dulci Jubilo
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; Classical Christmas; Hansel and Gretel -- Overture
Philharmonia Orchestra; Classical Christmas; Jeux D'Enfants -- Galop Le Bal
The Supremes; It's Christmas Time (2009); Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Cambridge Heath Band; Essential Christmas Music; While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks
The Temptations; It's Christmas Time (2009); Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
Chris De Burgh; It's Christmas Time (2009); A Spaceman Came Travelling
Unknown; A Christmas Guitar; Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Roy Orbison; Dreamboats and Petticoats -- The Christmas Album; Pretty Paper
Cambridge Heath Band; Essential Christmas Music; We Three Kings
The Ilford Songsters; Essential Christmas Music; Silent Night
Bing Crosby & The Andrews Sisters; It's Christmas Time (2009); Twelve Days Of Christmas
Albert King; It's Christmas Time (2009); Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin'
Kurtis Blow; It's Christmas Time (2009); Christmas Rappin'
Unknown; A Christmas Guitar; White Christmas
Unknown; A Christmas Guitar; Jingle Bells
Cascada; It's Christmas Time (2009); Last Christmas
Focus; Dad Rocks; * Hocus Pocus
Johnny Mathis; Dreamboats and Petticoats -- The Christmas Album; Sounds Of Christmas
Connie Francis; Dreamboats and Petticoats -- The Christmas Album; I'm Gonna Be Warm This Winter
Guildford Cathedral Choir; Essential Christmas Music; See Amid The Winter's Snow
Guildford Cathedral Choir; Essential Christmas Music; Praise My Soul
Cambridge Heath Band; Essential Christmas Music; Crown With Him In Many Crowns
Unknown; A Christmas Guitar; Jingle Bell Rock
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra; Classical Christmas; Sleigh Ride
Status Quo; It's Christmas Time (2009); It's Christmas Time
Chelmsford Citadel Singing Company; Essential Christmas Music; Stories Of Jesus
Guildford Cathedral Choir; Essential Christmas Music; Lord Of All Hopefulness
The Ilford Songsters; Essential Christmas Music; The Lord's My Shepherd
Philharmonia Orchestra; Classical Christmas; Jeux D'Enfants -- Berceuse La Poupee
Isao Tomita; Snowflakes Are Dancing; * The Engulfed Cathedral
Connie Francis; Dreamboats and Petticoats -- The Christmas Album; Baby's First Christmas
S Club 7; It's Christmas Time (2009); Perfect Christmas
The Feeling; It's Christmas Time (2009); Feels Like Christmas
Billy Fury; Dreamboats and Petticoats -- The Christmas Album; My Christmas Prayer
Tom Jones & Cerys Matthews; It's Christmas Time (2009); Baby It's Cold Outside
Judy Garland; It's Christmas Time (2009); Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Guildford Cathedral Choir; Essential Christmas Music; Once In Royal David's City
Unknown; A Christmas Guitar; I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
Busted; It's Christmas Time (2009); Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Billy Eckstine; It's Christmas Time (2009); Christmas Eve
Cambridge Heath Band; Essential Christmas Music; Deck The Halls
Guildford Cathedral Choir; Essential Christmas Music; In The Bleak Mid-Winter
Jackson 5; It's Christmas Time (2009); Frosty The Snowman
Queen; Greatest Hits 1; We Are The Champions
Harry Belafonte; Dreamboats and Petticoats -- The Christmas Album; Mary's Boy Child
The Ilford Songsters; Essential Christmas Music; Rise Up, Shepherd
Guildford Cathedral Choir; Essential Christmas Music; The Holly And The Ivy
Berlin Radio Orchestra; Classical Christmas; Exulte Jubilate -- Allelujah
Bobby Day; Ultimate Rock 'n' Roll; Rockin' Robin
Omsk Chamber Orchestra and Chorus; Classical Christmas; The Christmas Story
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra; Classical Christmas; Christmas Concerto
Simon & Garfunkel; Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme; 7 O'Clock News / Silent Night
Marvin Gaye; It's Christmas Time (2009); Christmas In The City
Guildford Cathedral Choir; Essential Christmas Music; Hills Of The North Rejoice
Cambridge Heath Band; Essential Christmas Music; What A Friend
Guildford Cathedral Choir; Essential Christmas Music; I Saw Three Ships
Beach Boys; Dreamboats and Petticoats -- The Christmas Album; Little Saint Nick
The Ilford Songsters; Essential Christmas Music; Ding Dong Merrily On High
Holly Johnson; It's Christmas Time (2009); The Power Of Love
Brenda Lee; Dreamboats and Petticoats -- The Christmas Album; Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
Adam Faith; Dreamboats and Petticoats -- The Christmas Album; Lonely Pup
Isao Tomita; Snowflakes Are Dancing; * Snowflakes Are Dancing
(note that the correct title of this one is "The Snow Is Dancing"; Tomita must have used a translation back to English from Japanese)
Philharmonia Orchestra; Classical Christmas; Toy Symphony -- Finale
Unknown; A Christmas Guitar; Here Comes Santa Claus
Jona Lewie; It's Christmas Time (2009); Stop The Cavalry
The Platters; It's Christmas Time (2009); Christmas Time
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; Classical Christmas; Hansel and Gretel -- Evening Prayer
Huddersfield Choral Society / London Philharmonic Orchestra; Classical Christmas; Messiah -- Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter Of Zion
Isaac Hayes; It's Christmas Time (2009); The Mistletoe And Me
Unknown; A Christmas Guitar; Let It Snow
Dickie Valentine & The Johnny Douglas Orchestra; Dreamboats and Petticoats -- The Christmas Album; Christmas Alphabet
Lionel Richie; It's Christmas Time (2009); Joy To The World
Michael Ball; It's Christmas Time (2009); Driving Home For Christmas
Guildford Cathedral Choir; Essential Christmas Music; Lead Us Heavenly Father Lead Us
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra; Classical Christmas; The Christmas Oratorio -- Sinfonia Shepherd's Music
(more...)

[robert@fm]

Artiste; Album; Title
Joe Brown & The Bruvvers; Dreamboats and Petticoats -- The Christmas Album; The Holly And The Ivy
Pat Boone; Dreamboats and Petticoats -- The Christmas Album; White Christmas
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra; Classical Christmas; Overture Cinderella
Guildford Cathedral Choir; Essential Christmas Music; O Little Town Of Bethlehem
The Ilford Songsters; Essential Christmas Music; Joy To The World
Cambridge Heath Band; Essential Christmas Music; Abide With Me
Chuck Berry; Dreamboats and Petticoats -- The Christmas Album; Run Rudolph Run
London Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus, conducted by Adrian Boult; Messiah; Hallelujah
Rolf Harris & Rick Parfitt; It's Christmas Time (2009); Christmas In The Sun
Dina Carroll; It's Christmas Time (2009); The Perfect Year
Cambridge Heath Band; Essential Christmas Music; The Old Rugged Cross
Unknown; A Christmas Guitar; Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer
Mason Williams; Dreamboats and Petticoats -- Foot Tappers; * Classical Gas
Guildford Cathedral Choir; Essential Christmas Music; As With The Gladness Men Of Old
Band Aid 20; It's Christmas Time (2009); Do They Know It's Christmas
Gabriella Cilmi; It's Christmas Time (2009); Warm This Winter
Elton John; It's Christmas Time (2009); Step Into Christmas
Pink Floyd; The Dark Side Of The Moon; * Any Colour You Like
Unknown; A Christmas Guitar; Mary's Boy Child
Brenda Lee; Dreamboats and Petticoats -- The Christmas Album; Christmas Will Be Just Another Lonely Day
John Lennon; The Collection; Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
Ronan Keating & Maire Brennan; It's Christmas Time (2009); Fairytale Of New York
Jan Hammer; The First Seven Days; * The Seventh Day
(OK, that album is about Genesis (not the group!) rather than Christmas, but still...)
Cambridge Heath Band; Essential Christmas Music; Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Unknown; A Christmas Guitar; Away In a Manger
McFly; It's Christmas Time (2009); Deck The Halls
The Ilford Songsters; Essential Christmas Music; Love Divine
Lady Gaga & Space Cowboy; It's Christmas Time (2009); Christmas Tree
Slade; It's Christmas Time (2009); Merry Xmas Everybody
Guildford Cathedral Choir; Essential Christmas Music; Good King Wenceslas
Blink-182; It's Christmas Time (2009); I Won't Be Home For Christmas
Guildford Cathedral Choir; Essential Christmas Music; For All The Saints
Unknown; A Christmas Guitar; Frosty The Snowman
Guildford Cathedral Choir; Essential Christmas Music; Good Christian Men Rejoice
Unknown; A Christmas Guitar; Winter Wonderland
Berlin Theatre Orchestra; Classical Christmas; Snow Maiden -- Dance of the Tumblers
Guildford Cathedral Choir; Essential Christmas Music; Love Divine
The Ilford Songsters; Essential Christmas Music; Away In A Manger
James Brown; It's Christmas Time (2009); The Christmas Song
Band Aid; It's Christmas Time (2009); Do They Know It's Christmas?
Patrizio Buanne; It's Christmas Time (2009); Winter Wonderland
Bryan Adams; It's Christmas Time (2009); Christmas Time
Greg Lake; It's Christmas Time (2009); I Believe In Father Christmas
Philadelphia Orchestra / Wolfgang Sawallisch; Richard Strauss: Tone Poems; * Also Sprach Zarathustra, Op.30: Opening
Unknown; A Christmas Guitar; Silent Night
Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra; Classical Christmas; The Four Seasons -- Winter Andante
Frankie Goes To Hollywood; It's Christmas Time (2009); The Power Of Love
Various Artists; Essential Christmas Music; Rock Of Ages
The Ilford Songsters; Essential Christmas Music; Coventry Carol
Dean Martin; It's Christmas Time (2009); Jingle Bells
Unknown; A Christmas Guitar; Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
Jackson 5; It's Christmas Time (2009); Little Drummer Boy
Stevie Wonder; It's Christmas Time (2009); Someday At Christmas
The Shadows; It's Christmas Time (2009); Walking In The Air
Boyz II Men; It's Christmas Time (2009); Silent Night
Journey; Don't Stop Believin'_ The Best Of Journey; * Don't Stop Believin'
Brenda Lee; It's Christmas Time (2009); Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
Unknown; A Christmas Guitar; When A Child Is Born
Jan Hammer Group; Oh, Yeah?; * Evolove
Arnold Schönberg Choir/Vienna Philharmonic cond. André Previn; Gala Concert; * Carl Orff: Carmina Burana -- O Fortuna
Tangerine Dream; Sorcerer; * Impressions of Sorcerer
Emerald Rose; Rants & Rambles; Santa Claus is Pagan Too
Abba; It's Christmas Time (2009); Happy New Year
Unknown; A Christmas Guitar; Sleigh Ride
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; Classical Christmas; La Boutique Fantastic -- Can Can
The Ilford Songsters; Essential Christmas Music; Jesus, Thou Art Everything
Unknown; A Christmas Guitar; Silver Bells
Pilot; Soft Rock; * January
Samantha Mumba; It's Christmas Time (2009); All I Want For Christmas
The Platters; Dreamboats and Petticoats -- The Christmas Album; Come Home For Christmas
Bing Crosby; It's Christmas Time (2009); White Christmas
Wendy Carlos; Switched-On Bach II; * Suite From Anna Magdalena Notebook - II: Menuet In G Major (a.k.a. "Lovers' Concerto")
Bobby Helms; Dreamboats and Petticoats -- The Christmas Album; Jingle Bell Rock
Unknown; Unknown; * Fantasia on "Greensleeves"
Burl Ives; It's Christmas Time (2009); A Holly Jolly Christmas
The *****cat Dolls; It's Christmas Time (2009); Santa Baby
The Ilford Songsters; Essential Christmas Music; Amazing Grace
Guildford Cathedral Choir; Essential Christmas Music; Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer
Girls Aloud; It's Christmas Time (2009); I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day
Guildford Cathedral Choir; Essential Christmas Music; O Come All Ye Faithful
The Waitresses; It's Christmas Time (2009); Christmas Wrapping
David Essex; It's Christmas Time (2009); A Winter's Tale
Ella Fitzgerald & Frank Devol Orchestra; It's Christmas Time (2009); Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
Guildford Cathedral Choir; Essential Christmas Music; When I Survey The Wondrous Cross
Wendy Carlos; Switched-On Bach; Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
Guildford Cathedral Choir; Essential Christmas Music; He Who Would Valiant Be
Unknown; A Christmas Guitar; The Christmas Song
Hanson; It's Christmas Time (2009); What Christmas Means To Me
Huddersfield Choral Society / London Philharmonic Orchestra; Classical Christmas; Messiah -- For Unto Us A Child Is Born
Vienna Symphony Orchestra; Classical Christmas; Lieutenant Kije -- Troika Ride
Squeeze; It's Christmas Time (2009); Christmas Day
Gabrielle; It's Christmas Time (2009); Tell Me What You Dream
Love Unlimited; It's Christmas Time (2009); It May Be Winter Outside (But In My Heart It's Spring)
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; Classical Christmas; La Boutique Fantastic -- Andantino Mosso
The Ilford Songsters; Essential Christmas Music; How Great Thou Art

[janusz]

This collection should keep you going (or rather 'listening') till at least Easter

[Adam Lachlan]

Robert, not sure if this is any help but I have a Christmas album with the English version of Keeping the dream alive. It was actually the first Christmas CD I bought, so that would make it quite old by now and almost certainly long deleted. However, you may still be able to get it on a specialist website like Gemm (which I've used a couple of times for CDs that have been out of print a good ten years, a wonderful site it is too), and indeed when I scan the barcode into search engines it still comes up a few times. Here are the details.

Christmas - The Album
[Barcode] 731454207027
(p) and (c) 1999
Universal Music TV
SET No:542 070-2
DISC 1: 542 071-2
DISC 2: 542 072-2

And the song is on disc 1, track 12.
Just to prove the age of the record, disc 1 track 6 is Gary Glitter : Another Rock 'N' Roll Christmas. Funny how that song has "mysteriously" disappeared since... bah humbug and all that.

[mister]

Four Christmas albums here http://freealbums.blogsome.com/
http://www.archive.org/details/FreeF...gAlliscalm2010
http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Ba..._Mix_Tape_2010
http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Va...Christmas_Past
http://www.jamendo.com/en/album/74782.

I think I'll pass on the Johnny Mathis.