Out of all the reindeer you know you’re the mastermind
Run, run Rudolph, Randalph’s not too far behind
Run, run Rudolph, Santa’s got to make it to town
Randalph he can hurry, he can take the freeway down
And away went Rudolph a whizzing like a merry-go-round
I don’t know where they got “Randalph” from, maybe it’s their generic way of saying “we can’t figure out what he’s singing here,” but what’s the point of having a lyrics website if you don’t know all the lyrics? Oh yeah, those horrible pop-ups.
At any rate, here’s how I hear it:
Out of all the reindeer you know you’re the mastermind
Run, run Rudolph, Santa’s way too far behind
Run, run Rudolph, Santa’s got to make it to town
**Tell him if he’s in a ** hurry, he can take the freeway down
And away went Rudolph a whizzing like a merry-go-round
And yes, this is my favorite Christmas song, also check out versions by Dave Edmunds and Keith Richards (the one I have is an mp3 I downloaded that I think is one of those fanclub exclusive deals.)
Close second to Elvis’ Santa Claus Is Back In Town.
I agree with you on “Tell him if he’s in a hurry” and “Santa’s way” might be what Chuck is supposed to be singing but it does sound like “Randolph” to me. Hell, all versions sound like that to me unless properly enunciated.
I used to really hate Little St. Nick by the Beach Boys, but I’ve revised my stance and now think it’s good cheezy fun. I also like the Andy Williams Holiday Season/Happy Holidays quazi-medly. It’s so freakishly manic.
For worst I have to go with any song sung by a child. :GAG:
I thought of some others… I really love the old John Denver Christmas songs, and particularly Aspenglow and Christmas for Cowboys. Even the Beach Boys songs like the aforementioned Little Saint Nick, and The Man With All The Toys.
“Best” is hard to say as it really depends on your mood. But if you want something a bit unusual that deserves to be far more popular than it is, try some collections of “carribean” Christmas music.
A lot of reggae Christmas collections are really awful, especially the generic ones. As a quick test of quality, look for two particular songs, A party for Santa Claus by Lord Nelson and Soca Santa by Machel (aka Machel Montana)
There are too many good ones to choose a best, and too many bad ones to choose a worst, so I have a nomination for both: Winter Wonderland sung by Steve Taylor. You haven’t heard Winter Wonderland until you’ve heard it sung in Spanish by a mariachi band.
“The Christmas Song” (“Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…”) as sung by Nat King Cole is my all-time fave, although the Muppet Christmas album with John Denver has a song called “It’s in Every One of Us” (I think that’s the name) that makes me tear up every year.
I have a special loathing for that “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer” song, because I used to listen to a radio station that played it EVERY SINGLE DAY between Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
Not a bad song but how (and when) did “My Favorite Things” become a Christmas song? Sure, it mentions snow & winter but I don’t think it conveys the same emotion as, say, “Baby, it’s Cold Outside” or “Winter Wonderland” or “Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow.”
Many people are enchanted with bass voices, for some odd reason.
I think the one of the best/worst Christmas songs ever is “Hippopatumus for Christmas” by Gayla Peevey (Recorded here in Oklahoma City way back in 1953 to promote the buying of a hippopatumus for the OKC zoo; it died a few years ago, IIRC). Mind, I think the arrangement of the music is excellent with it’s reminiscent “old-time-popular-song” feel, it’s just that the character in the song sounds like a snot, which, OTOH, is probably the original intent of the song (actually written in 1951), to poke fun at little kids who “want the moon”.
Just reading the title of Fairy Tale of New York gives me goosebumps. Best ever. No question.
Nat King Cole singing Mary’s Boy Child could be a close second.
As an englishman living in the US, I really miss hearing Christmas Carols in stores. I can’t stand all those cheesy songs about the christmas season that somehow neglect the first syllable of the word Christmas. I detest the phrase “Happy Holidays”.
Worst: Streisand’s version of Jingle Bells. Horrible.
Best: I’ve got a soft spot for Little Drummer Boy. As for more modern songs, I very rarely hear Jethro Tull’s Another Christmas Song mentioned though it stands up to the other rock versions mentioned here.
I must second the selections of It’s In Every One of Us for best (gosh, makes me cry even more now that Jim Henson & John Denver are no longer with us) and The Christmas Shoes for worst.
But, second choices would be the song the ghost of christmas present sings in the Muppet Christmas Carol for best (yes, I like the muppets). Worst: anything from Stan & Doug’s “Oh I Yust Go Nuts At Christmas” album. Nothing worse than two guys with fake Scandahoovian accents singing mock christmas carols.