“Up On The Housetop,” Gene Autry, 1953
This is Gene’s third (and well-deserved) entry on this list. Who wouldn’t go?
TRIVIA: The song was written by Benjamin Hanby in 1864. In addition to being a songwriter, Benjamin was also involved in the Underground Railroad.
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“Hard Candy Christmas,” Dolly Parton, 1982
Originally written for the musical “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” the song is sung by the ladies of the brothel as they prepare to leave after its being shut down. Dolly Parton recorded a solo version of the song which has become a Christmas staple.
TRIVIA: A ‘hard candy Christmas’ means rough times, such as when a family can only afford to give their children hard candy as a Christmas gift.
MORE TRIVIA: “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” play and movie were inspired by the story of the real-life Chicken Ranch, as was “La Grange” by ZZ Top.
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“Here We Come a-Wassailing,” Under the Streetlamp, 2012
These guys take the staid old English carol and kick it up with some American rockabilly!
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“All I Want For Christmas Is You,” Vince Vance and the Valiants (feat. Lisa Layne), 1989
Vince Vance and the Valiants are a novelty group that broke style for this country ode to Yuletide desires. This was their only song to chart, but what a song!
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“Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home),” Darlene Love, 1963
This classic often accompanies Christmas scenes in movies, and why shouldn’t it? It’s a wonderful song.
TRIVIA: Darlene Love appeared on David Letterman’s late night show nearly every year from 1986-2014 to perform this song.
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“Christmas Time,” Bryan Adams, 1985
I’m surprised this one doesn’t get more love; it’s a wonderful ode to the Christmas spirit.
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“Dominick The Donkey,” Lou Monte, 1960
Starting off 2017 with a cute bouncy song that musically seems to borrow a little from The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. It’s about a donkey that gives Santa a hand because his “reindeer cannot climb the hills of Italy.”
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Every Christmas these last three years I have made lists of my favorite Christmas songs. Some classic, some modern, some out there, but all full of Christmas cheer!
Click here to listen to them all on YouTube!
I tried to pick some of the more eclectic songs and different renditions of classics the first time around in 2014:
Please Come Home for Christmas – The Eagles
Winter Wonderland – The Eurythmics
Little St. Nick – The Beach Boys
If It Doesn’t Snow on Christmas – Gene Autry
Baby It’s Cold Outside – Dean Martin
Christmas Vacation – Mavis Staples
What Child is This – Liona Boyd
White Christmas – The Drifters
Do They Know It’s Christmas? – Band Aid
Santa Claus and His Old Lady – Cheech and Chong
There’s Always Tomorrow – Janice Orenstein
Feliz Navidid – Jose Feliciano
Wonderful Christmastime – Paul McCartney
Santa Claus is Comin’ To Town – Bruce Springsteen
Last Christmas – Wham!
Happy Xmas (War is Over) – John Lennon and Yoko Ono
Run Rudolph Run – Chuck Berry
Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy – David Bowie and Bing Crosby
Someday at Christmas – Stevie Wonder
Merry Christmas Darling – Carpenters
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings” – Barenaked Ladies Feat. Sarah McLachlan
We Need a Little Christmas – Percy Faith
Blue Christmas – Elvis Presley
A Charlie Brown Christmas Soundtrack – Vince Girauldi Trio
Christmas at Ground Zero – Weird Al Yankovic
2015 featured more standards but there were still plenty of oddballs to be found.
The Christmas Song, Nat King Cole
Holly Jolly Christmas, Burl Ives
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Gene Autry
Happy Holiday, Andy Williams
It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, Andy Williams
Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree, Brenda Lee
You’re a Mean One, Mister Grinch, Thurl Ravenscroft
Frosty the Snowman, Willie Nelson
Winter Wonderland, Huey Lewis and the News
Let it Snow, Dean Martin
There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays, Perry Como
I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas, Gayla Peevy
Mannheim Steamroller
Santa Baby, Madonna
The Twelve Days of Christmas, John Denver and The Muppets
I’ll be Home for Christmas, Fats Domino
The Chipmunk Song, The Chipmunks
Sleigh Ride, Leroy Anderson
Carol of the Bells, Mykola Leontovych
Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Jingle Bells, The Singing Dogs
Give Love on Christmas Day, The Jackson 5
Chrissy the Christmas Mouse, Debbie Reyonlds and Donald O’Connor
Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer, Elmo and Patsy
Christmas Dragnet, Stan Freberg
Things slowed down in 2016 with only ten songs, with some fairly recent ones catching my ear.
It Must Have Been Ol’ Santa Claus, Harry Connick, Jr.
Where Are You, Christmas?, Taylor Momsen
Chiron Beta Prime, Johnathan Coulton
Believe, John Groban
Merry Christmas (Exclamation Point), Jon Lajoie
All I Want for Christmas is You, Mariah Carey
Merry Christmas from Cell Block 2, Matthew Ebel
The Nightmare Before Christmas Soundtrack, Danny Elfman, et al
Welcome Christmas, M-G-M Studio Orchestra & Chorus
Snoopy’s Christmas, The Royal Guardsmen
I’m shooting to have another ten for this year, so stay tuned!
“Snoopy’s Christmas,” The Royal Guardsmen, 1967
The Royal Guardsmen recorded a few songs featuring the coolest cartoon dog to ever grace a comic strip, including this Christmas tune. The song is often erroneously referred to as ‘Snoopy and the Red Baron,’ which was actually the Guardsmen’s first Snoopy song.
TRIVIA: The song may have been inspired by the real-life World War I “Christmas truce” that took place in 1914 on the Western front.
That’s the list for this year! Thanks for reading, and a Merry Christmas to you and yours!
“Welcome Christmas,” M-G-M Studio Orchestra & Chorus, 1966
Even though it’s filled with Seussian nonsense words (Fa-who-doe-rea, etc) the song at the climax of the animated version of “How The Grinch Stole Christmas!” is still quite moving.
Eduardo Soliz 