Favorite Christmas Songs

[imjustlori]

The Husband and I were perusing our (my) EXTENSIVE holiday music collection, discussing which were our favorites. I've been known to buy a two-disc set because they had ONE SONG on it that I had to have (the World's Smallest Turkey, and yes, we found the cd, yay!).

There's one song we're still looking for, that we swear that we own but can't find--Sting doing I Saw Three Ships. I KNOW he did it, it's not showing on any CDs (Christmas or his), so we're thinking it's a hidden track somewhere.

To top things off, when I'm in a store, and they're playing this stuff, I'm singing along. If the arrangement is good enough, dancing too. I love it, and people think I'm crazy and leave me alone, so it's all good.

Anyway, what's your favorite song for this time of year?

Comments

[acroyear70.livejournal.com]

the only christmas song i remember Sting doing was Gabriel's Message, on that first 80s-era rock-christmas cd (the one with gold stick-ish figure on a red cover).

Jon Anderson (of Yes) once did a partially-christmas album called Three Ships, featuring the title song.

AH -- always go Google. Sting's Gabriel's Message is on "A Very Special Christmas 1", Sting's Three Ships is on "A Very Special Christmas 3". Where #1 had the red cover (and #2 the green), #3 is brown (http://music.msn.com/album/?album=39986212&song=39986317).

[neadods.livejournal.com]

That's a *very* big list for me - I'm in the midst of making plans to burn my favorite songs to a single Christmas CD and then going onto Itunes to buy the ones I don't already have.

Short list:
Linda Eder - Do You Hear What I Hear?
Chicago - Little Drummer Boy (also Eder's)
Mariah Carey - All I Want For Christmas
Springteen - Merry Christmas Baby
Bing/Bowie - Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth
Elton John - Step into Christmas
Boney M - Mary's Boy Child
You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch
Snoopy's Christmas
and anything by Mannheim Steamroller

(quick - guess my favorite carol!)

Those are the singles - it's also not Christmas until I've played the full 3 CDs of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra & the Victorian Christmas Revels.

[cellymcfae.livejournal.com]

I have so many--most of them are church-related, but here's a few:
E'en so Lord Jesus, Quickly Come
Carol of the Bells
Jesus Christ the Apple Tree
In the Bleak Mid-winter
O Come, All Ye Faithful (for the fabulous descant)
Once in Royal David's City (for the fabulous descant)
Gesu Bambino
Shepherd's Carol
O Holy Night

There are just so many to from which to choose!

answering the question...

[acroyear70.livejournal.com]

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen is my fav for reasons i've never been sure, other than the Victoriana of it. My fav Christmas-themed album is Jethro Tull's Christmas Album where the current lineup of the band (along with a few past members like Dave Pegg) rerecord the many Christmas-themed songs the band has done in the last (almost) 40 years.

My fav Christmas movie of all time is "An American Christmas Carol" where Henry Winkler as "Benedict Slade" relives the Christmas Carol evening of ghosts in depression-era Massachusetts.

but i can also never tire of 24 hours of Jean Shepard's Christmas Story on TNT. :)

i can say i normally hate most of the P.A. music in shopping malls, mostly because they play nothing else and the sacharin saturation of it makes me sick. i believe christmas should be part of our lives, not replace our normal lives (or music) for 4 weeks and then be forgotten.

[radiant-one.livejournal.com]

You're not hallucinating. I also recall Sting singing I Saw Three Ships. I just checked a cd I thought it was on but no luck. If I come across something I'll let you know.

I've always been partial to Feliz Navidad by Jose Feliciano and Mary's Boy Child by Boney M. As for the classics, Minuet Chretien (Oh Holy Night) in French by Pavarotti rules.

[jmthane.livejournal.com]

I'm scary - I have about 30 hours of Christmas music. Nan is glad I'm not foisting it on her. With the exception of Mannheim Steamroller (and I think I'll get her with "A Solid Brass Christmas", her being a tuba player), she would prefer nothing more than to keep the music in the malls, where we hardly ever go.

One of the things I have is a tape copy of an old Readers' Digest 4 LP set, beautifully orchestrated (some would say overblown orchestration) and chorus on the first LP, very powerful, I love it.

Then again, I have a soft spot for Dr. Demento's Christmas CD. And the Jingle Cats.

And Mannheim Steamroller. :-)

I also have recordings of Mario Lanza singing Christmas Tunes - "Ave Maria" is stunning.

[queenmaggie.livejournal.com]

Oh, Nea reminded me, I love the Bing Crosby david Bowie duet Peace on Earth...
but my favorite is the Holly and the Ivy.
And I just can't reach any of the top notes anymore... sigh.
I contend that the George C Scott version of A Christmas Carol is the best at capturing the milieu, and at characterizing Scrooge as a real and sympathertic character, not just a caricature.

[dawntreader]

the calypso style Mary's Boy Child by Boney M. there's just something about it that makes me extra-joyful and full of spirit.

[ptpgrad]

check your puppy jeb account...let me know if it worked

I should post my fave...

[tchwrtr.livejournal.com]

Carol of the Bells. Almost any rendition, especially Manneheim Steamroller's version, ala Christmas in Sarajevo.

Done with just bells, or a full chorus, or with electric instruments, when done well, gives me a feeling of power and joy.