# Best Xmas songs ( No carols)/ Who does the best versions? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 23, 2008, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-xmas-songs-no-carols-who-does-the-best-versions/478429 "2008-12-23T11:54:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![blinkingblinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@blinkingblinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blinkingblinking)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-xmas-songs-no-carols-who-does-the-best-versions/478429/1 "2008-12-23T11:54:26Z")
I know I am late. I want to make a mix CD for next year. This is my family’s first Xmas. Previously all at my parents. I preface by saying I do not like carols. But I like Xmas music of the last 60 years. I like Dean Martin and some Bing Crosby ( no White Xmas please). Here are my favourites in alphabetical order:- All I want for Christmas is you Christmas Song (Chestnuts roasting on an open fire) – Nat King Cole Frosty the Snowman Happy Christmas (War is over) - John Lennon Here comes Santa Claus I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus Jingle bell rock Jingle bells Last Christmas – Wham Mele Kalikimaka – Bing Crosby Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer Santa Claus is coming to town Winter wonderland Wonderful Christmastime – Paul McCartney . I would also like suggestions of who does the best versions. Many songs here would have been recorded by numerous artists. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![blinkingblinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@blinkingblinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blinkingblinking)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-xmas-songs-no-carols-who-does-the-best-versions/478429/2 "2008-12-23T12:44:19Z")
Found a few more Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree by Brenda Lee Run Rudolph Run Chuck Berry ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2008, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-xmas-songs-no-carols-who-does-the-best-versions/478429/3 "2008-12-23T13:43:12Z")
Little St. Nick–The Beach Boys ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-xmas-songs-no-carols-who-does-the-best-versions/478429/4 "2008-12-24T01:09:24Z")
“Frosty the Snowman”–My favorite version of this is [Leon Redbone and Dr. John](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBPwHdpepuI). But I adore Leon Redbone, so take that for what it’s worth. I like his “Christmas Ball Blues,” too. “Here Comes Santa Claus”–[Elvis](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66MeELjLmw0&feature=related). “Jingle bells”–[Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbFOXfDHtHE), [Frank Sinatra](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjPzbpNun3M&feature=related) (this is only an excerpt). “Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer”–[Dean Martin](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4aOp75yUsU), [The Temptations](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44ehriYRraU&feature=related). “Winter Wonderland”–[The Platters](http://www.last.fm/music/The+Platters/_/Winter+Wonderland) “Santa Claus is Back in Town”–[Elvis](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRWnRBL9if8) “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”–[Lou Rawls](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CH3eWGdzns) And my favorite Christmas song of all that isn’t even a Christmas song really is the Angela Lansbury Broadway version of “[We Need a Little Christmas](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyMFgzL9yZA).” ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-xmas-songs-no-carols-who-does-the-best-versions/478429/5 "2008-12-24T01:11:31Z")
“Christmas At Ground Zero” by Al Yankovic. Best Christmas song ever. ---
**Author:** ![jormundgondir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dfb087/32.png) [@jormundgondir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jormundgondir)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-xmas-songs-no-carols-who-does-the-best-versions/478429/6 "2008-12-24T04:27:55Z")
I’m partial to “I’ll be Home for Christmas” just because it’s so desperately stoic, Happy Christmas (War is Over), and as a child of the 70s I’m a big sucker for Burl Ives “Silver and Gold” and so on. On the flip side, I love “Fairytale of New York” by the Pogues. Also, I, too, have a secret weakness for “Last Christmas” by Wham! ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-xmas-songs-no-carols-who-does-the-best-versions/478429/7 "2008-12-24T04:37:30Z")
[“Christmas Wrapping”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDwWXpju77Q&feature=related)-The Waitresses. ---
**Author:** ![cactus\_waltz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@cactus\_waltz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cactus_waltz)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-xmas-songs-no-carols-who-does-the-best-versions/478429/8 "2008-12-24T04:55:24Z")
The best Christmas song ever recorded is Jussi Björling’s “O Helga Natt” (O Holy Night). Though that song is undeniably more \*Christmas \*than _Xmas_, if you get my distinction. Here is a link: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/kVYCudlVMSM/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGGUgZShlMA8=&rs=AOn4CLAgYJ97aTpffxdEVYuR1npgui0r0Q "Jussi Bjørling -O helga natt") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVYCudlVMSM) ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-xmas-songs-no-carols-who-does-the-best-versions/478429/9 "2008-12-24T05:30:21Z")
I’m kinda fond of _Let it Snow_ as performed by Vaughn Monroe and worked into the closing credits of _Die Hard_, though Dean Martin’s version is also okay. ---
**Author:** ![Coriolanus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coriolanus/32/18769_2.png) [@Coriolanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coriolanus)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-xmas-songs-no-carols-who-does-the-best-versions/478429/10 "2008-12-24T06:07:24Z")
[“2000 Miles”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30kXXTdmGCo)-The Pretenders ---
**Author:** ![DfrntBreign](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f6c823/32.png) [@DfrntBreign](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DfrntBreign)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-xmas-songs-no-carols-who-does-the-best-versions/478429/11 "2008-12-24T08:26:46Z")
A couple of years ago a friend came over and we got on iTunes to make him a “X-mas Mix”. Most of them came from a series of CDs called “A Very Special Christmas”. This is what we ended up with: 1. The Little Drummer Boy - Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band 2. Do You Hear What I Hear? - Whitney Houston 3. Winter Wonderland - Eurythmics 4. Run Rudolph Run - Bryan Adams 5. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus - John Mellencamp 6. Silent Night - Stevie Nicks 7. Merry Christmas Baby - Bruce Springsteen & E Street Band 8. Santa Baby - Madonna 9. Blue Christmas - Ann Wilson & Nancy Wilson 10. Please Come Home for Christmas - Jon Bon Jovi 11. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town - Various Artists (sorry but that’s what it says) 12. Christmas Tears - Eric Clapton 13. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! - Chicago 14. Little Drummer Boy - Chicago 15. White Christmas - Willie Nelson 16. Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer - Elmo & Patsy The last one was _all_ him. I also downloaded Alvin and the Chipmunks’ “Greatest Christmas Hits” for him. Just for fun I made a CD for myself that was all versions of “The Little Drummer Boy”. It had songs by: Los Straightjackets Elvin Bishop Ringo Starr The Bomboras Bob Seger & the Silver Bullet Band .38 Special Chicago Brave Combo Dave Koz Jimi Hendrix (4:29 version) Gypsy Soul Larry Carlton Kitaro Lori Andrews Jimi Hendrix (7:25 version) Four Tops Hearing the same song done so many different ways is pretty interesting (at least to me, but then I’m easily amused.) The Hendrix versions are a medley (with Silent Night/Auld Lang Syne) from an EP that also includes a song called “Three Little Bears” (and a picture of Jimi with a Santa beard). ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-xmas-songs-no-carols-who-does-the-best-versions/478429/12 "2008-12-24T08:46:34Z")
Ella Fitzgerald did a great version of White Christmas that I heard years ago and have been looking for since. It’s Big Band/swing, rather than wistful. Simply awesome. For terrible and sell out extraordinare: [Billy Idol’s Jingle Bell Rock](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbOh-dFE3N0). Suddenly Bill Nighy in Love, Actually got even funnier. ---
**Author:** ![Leiko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Leiko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leiko)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-xmas-songs-no-carols-who-does-the-best-versions/478429/13 "2008-12-24T10:14:16Z")
My favorite “All I Want For Christmas is You” is the version from the film Love Actually, sung by Olivia Olson. Otherwise I’m no help on Christmas music: I got the Hanson Christmas CD when I was 10 or so, and therefore my ability to judge other versions of the songs is non-existent. Damn you tweeny fangirlishness! But you definitely need an Elvis version of something. Just because he’s Elvis. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-xmas-songs-no-carols-who-does-the-best-versions/478429/14 "2008-12-24T11:33:18Z")
“Snoopy’s Christmas” by the Royal Guardsmen. “Sleigh Ride” by the Ronettes. Not a song, but “Santa Claus and His Old Lady” by Cheech and Chong. And anything from the Charlie Brown Christmas special, by Vince Giuraldi. ---
**Author:** ![sciurophobic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cab0a1/32.png) [@sciurophobic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciurophobic)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-xmas-songs-no-carols-who-does-the-best-versions/478429/15 "2008-12-24T14:17:02Z")
“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” – either The Carpenters or Judy Garland ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-xmas-songs-no-carols-who-does-the-best-versions/478429/16 "2008-12-24T18:47:52Z")
I’m curious as to your distinction between “xmas songs” and “carols”. To me they’re one & the same. Best version of Rudolph: The Temptations. Weirdest version of Little Drummer Boy: Marlene Dietrich. ---
**Author:** ![FallingLeaves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/54ee81/32.png) [@FallingLeaves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FallingLeaves)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-xmas-songs-no-carols-who-does-the-best-versions/478429/17 "2008-12-24T19:30:52Z")
Silent Night - Angie Aparo’s version ---
**Author:** ![blinkingblinking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@blinkingblinking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blinkingblinking)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-xmas-songs-no-carols-who-does-the-best-versions/478429/18 "2008-12-24T20:24:07Z")
> [@jsc1953](#): > > I’m curious as to your distinction between “xmas songs” and “carols”. To me they’re one & the same. > > Best version of Rudolph: The Temptations. > > Weirdest version of Little Drummer Boy: Marlene Dietrich. Carols are religious in general while Xmas songs are not. ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-xmas-songs-no-carols-who-does-the-best-versions/478429/19 "2008-12-24T20:36:50Z")
I like a lot of those already mentioned and I’ll throw in: “Oh Come All Ye Faithful” by Twisted Sister ([http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=De47fjH6RKY](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=De47fjH6RKY)) “Yelling At The Christmas Tree” by Billy Idol (goofy animated video - [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zMmEj2SXz0](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zMmEj2SXz0)) ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2008, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-xmas-songs-no-carols-who-does-the-best-versions/478429/20 "2008-12-24T21:16:15Z")
[“Blue Christmas” by Danielle Dax](http://suspended-in-gaffa.com/christmas/) is pretty amazing, as are, well, lots of others. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-xmas-songs-no-carols-who-does-the-best-versions/478429.md?page=2)