# Best Christmas Carols (songs, that is) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 30, 2005, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-christmas-carols-songs-that-is/333315 "2005-11-30T02:07:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-christmas-carols-songs-that-is/333315/1 "2005-11-30T02:07:54Z")
Okay, help me put together a nice, eclectic holiday mix that doesn’t sound like the ones currently blaring from every mall’s sound system. So far I’ve got: Alvin and the Chipmunks- The Christmas Song Ramones- Merry Christmas (I don’t want to fight tonight)- this one I listen to year 'round The Darkness- Christmas Time (Don’t Let the Bells End) Marilyn Monroe-Santa Baby I’m looking for anything unconventional (or conventional and beautifully done e.g. some really nice choir music). So gimme your best. ---
**Author:** ![ms.deanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b3f665/32.png) [@ms.deanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ms.deanna)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-christmas-carols-songs-that-is/333315/2 "2005-11-30T04:14:52Z")
Silent Night by The Temptations. If you like Motown Soul, this is a beautiful rendition of the song. ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-christmas-carols-songs-that-is/333315/3 "2005-11-30T06:14:59Z")
Marilyn Monroe had a _Santa Baby_? Are you sure it wasn’t Eartha Kitt? I love a boy’s choir singing **Carol of the Bells** ; that’s been my favorite for about forty years. **The Christmas Waltz** by Frank Sinatra **Christmas Time Is Here** – the Peanuts Gang Music from **The Messiah** , especially _And he shall feed his flock_ _Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy_ from **The Nutcracker** **Winter Wonderland** – but only by Ray Charles ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-christmas-carols-songs-that-is/333315/4 "2005-11-30T12:38:38Z")
Blitzkrieg’s Santa, though it’s about a pedophile santa. There’s also Tales from the Crypt Christmas album if you want some songs with new lyrics set to classic songs. I can’t wait to get this out for this year. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2005, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-christmas-carols-songs-that-is/333315/5 "2005-11-30T13:50:30Z")
I love \*Carol of the Bells \*and John Lennon’s _Happy Christmas (The War Is Over)_ I may be back to add to the list. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Boulter\_s\_Canary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boulter_s_Canary)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-christmas-carols-songs-that-is/333315/6 "2005-12-01T14:23:24Z")
> [@Khadaji](#): > > I love \*Carol of the Bells \*and John Lennon’s _Happy Christmas (The War Is Over)_ > > I may be back to add to the list. 🙂 **Jethro Tull** - ‘Ring Out Solstice Bells’ **Steeleye Span** - ‘The Miseltoe Bough’ and ‘The Unconquered Sun’ (Both from their Christmas album ‘Winter’. What the hell - Buy the album.) ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-christmas-carols-songs-that-is/333315/7 "2005-12-01T14:40:23Z")
\*\*Martin Mull \*\* – Santa Doesn’t Cop Out on Dope ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-christmas-carols-songs-that-is/333315/8 "2005-12-01T14:52:11Z")
**Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas** : The Carpenters version. One of the local stations has started playing Christmas music non-stop, and I’ve willingingly suffered through the usual caroling crap just to hear this absolutely gorgeous song. But only this version, or the original. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-christmas-carols-songs-that-is/333315/9 "2005-12-01T14:54:52Z")
My favorite is, “Please Come Home For Christmas.” I usually don’t like Bon Jovi, but I’ll make an exception for this song. ---
**Author:** ![Kitchen\_Wench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f08c70/32.png) [@Kitchen\_Wench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kitchen_Wench)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-christmas-carols-songs-that-is/333315/10 "2005-12-01T14:59:38Z")
I was hoping to come in here to find the answer to this question: Anyone know of a naughty Christmas song that goes like this… “I’ve got a present for Santa He’s got a big one for me…” Anyone? ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-christmas-carols-songs-that-is/333315/11 "2005-12-01T14:59:49Z")
I’m a traditionalist. I only like instrumental or choral Christmas carols. My absolute favorites are Carol of the Bells and O Holy Night. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-christmas-carols-songs-that-is/333315/12 "2005-12-01T15:14:05Z")
The song about the um…challenged individual who works at a fast food joint. to the tune of Carol of the Bells, its’ [Ding Fries are Done](http://www.americanangst.com/dingfries.html) ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-christmas-carols-songs-that-is/333315/13 "2005-12-01T15:28:23Z")
O Holy Night. Beautiful song if you can catch someone singing it straightforwardly; ie, without any of that stupid melisma shit. And no copping out on the high note at the end. Carol of the Bells by Mannheim Steamroller. Hard Candy Christmas by Dolly Parton. I don’t care if it’s really a Christmas carol, I want to hear it! ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-christmas-carols-songs-that-is/333315/14 "2005-12-01T15:45:24Z")
“Good King Wenceslas” by Loreena McKennitt. Great version, even though she skips a verse. ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-christmas-carols-songs-that-is/333315/15 "2005-12-01T16:15:05Z")
in no particular order my favorites are \*\*No Place Like Home For The Holidays \*\* - Karen Carpenter \*\*Wonderful Christmas Time \*\* - Paul McCartney **The Chipmunk’s Christmas Song** from The Messiah - **For Unto Us A Child Is Born** \*\*Christmas All Over Again \*\* - Tom Petty \*\*Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree \*\* - Peggy Lee all the Boby Rivers Troupe stuff: **12 Pains Of Christmas** **Walkin’ 'round in Women’s Underware** **The Chimney Song** **The Restroom Door Said Gentlemen** both of Adam Sandler’s **Chanukah Song** s and many many others ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-christmas-carols-songs-that-is/333315/16 "2005-12-01T16:45:13Z")
Can anyone recommend a version of “Silent Night” sung in the original German (“Stille Nacht”)? Choral version is fine, but I am curious if there are any definitive solo versions sung by German-speaking artists? ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-christmas-carols-songs-that-is/333315/17 "2005-12-01T16:47:18Z")
For sheer lungpower, you can’t beat the **Mormon Tabernacle Choir** doing _O, Come All Ye Faithful._ For goosebumpy, thrilling beauty, try **EmmyLou Harris** singing _Light In The Stable._ For good old classic feelgood, **Bing Crosby** is the touchstone of _White Christmas._ He also has a fine _Mele Kalikimaka (Merry Christmas)_ with the Andrews Sisters singing backup. I’d better stop, or I’ll be here all day. I have at least 40 Christmas music albums. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-christmas-carols-songs-that-is/333315/18 "2005-12-01T16:50:00Z")
Here’s a decidely unconventional version of “The 12 Days of Christmas”: [“The 12 yats of Christmas”](http://www.bennygrunch.com/lyrics.html) It gets plenty of play in the New Orleans area during the holidays. I’m not positive if it will have universal appeal. But even if the New Orleanian in-jokes are unfamiliar, the way the song is performed is like a little play in itself – the characters and their deliveries are hoots. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-christmas-carols-songs-that-is/333315/19 "2005-12-01T20:41:51Z")
Here Comes Fatty Claus-Rudolph & the Gang Christmas Rappin-The Waitresses ---
**Author:** ![Arien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arien)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2005, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-christmas-carols-songs-that-is/333315/20 "2005-12-01T23:01:53Z")
I’m another who only likes traditional Christmas carols. I like Gaudete (Rejoice), which is a Latin carol from the Renaissance. It’s very traditional and chorus-y, or at least it is on the version I have. I’d never heard it before until a few days ago. It’s nice to listen something that hasn’t been played to death. I also like O Holy Night, We Three Kings, and What Child Is This. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-christmas-carols-songs-that-is/333315.md?page=2)