# Christmas Songs: The Best And The Worst? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 8, 2008, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-the-best-and-the-worst/476219 "2008-12-08T07:50:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prelude_to_Fascination)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-the-best-and-the-worst/476219/41 "2008-12-08T18:49:59Z")
Best: Carol of the Bells Worst: Any novelty song, especially, as has been mentioned, the Reindeer that Croaked Mamaw by Treading Heavily Over Her Body Until It Lay Lifeless. Honorable mention for Best (because it’s not a song, but a collection): The Beatles Christmas Album. [The Beatles - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beatles)’\_Christmas\_Album ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-the-best-and-the-worst/476219/42 "2008-12-08T18:50:29Z")
Absolute worst : dogs barking “Jingle bells”-wonder why i haven’t heard it? ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-the-best-and-the-worst/476219/43 "2008-12-08T18:57:34Z")
Best: Fairytale Of New York - The Pogues feat: Kirsty McColl Worst: Fairytale OF New York - Ronan Keating ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-the-best-and-the-worst/476219/44 "2008-12-08T19:01:31Z")
Best: Rocking Around the Christmas Tree Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Christmas Wrapping (Rapping?) ---
**Author:** ![melodyharmonius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/melodyharmonius/32/21310_2.png) [@melodyharmonius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melodyharmonius)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-the-best-and-the-worst/476219/45 "2008-12-08T19:51:04Z")
> [@ZenDenizen](#): > > I actually like Madonna’s version of Santa Baby, it has just the right hint of naughtiness. I like it too - however, I would always pick Eartha Kitt’s version first. It was so purrrrrfect. ---
**Author:** ![melodyharmonius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/melodyharmonius/32/21310_2.png) [@melodyharmonius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melodyharmonius)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-the-best-and-the-worst/476219/46 "2008-12-08T19:52:48Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > Absolute worst : dogs barking “Jingle bells”-wonder why i haven’t heard it? This is where I would try to come up with something witty about it being played at decibels only dogs can hear . . . .but y’know, I need more caffeine or something because it won’t come out funny enough. so just pretend, please. [_insert witty dog pitch comment here_] ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-the-best-and-the-worst/476219/47 "2008-12-08T19:57:52Z")
> [@melodyharmonius](#): > > I like it too - however, I would always pick Eartha Kitt’s version first. It was so purrrrrfect. Yes. The woman may be a veritable mummy now, but she was sex personified in the 50s and 60s. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-the-best-and-the-worst/476219/48 "2008-12-08T20:03:55Z")
Those who say “Grandma Got Run Over” is the worst must not have heard “Goin’ on a Date with Santa” by the same guy. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-the-best-and-the-worst/476219/49 "2008-12-08T20:04:49Z")
Christmas. Bah Humbug. Gun to my head and I gotta pick something: _Christmas in Dixie_ with honorable mention to _Thistlehair the Christmas Bear_ for favorites. _Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer_ and the Jingle Bell dog thing both exemplify epic suckitude. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-the-best-and-the-worst/476219/50 "2008-12-08T20:39:14Z")
I heard a song today at the doctor’s office that is going to give Christmas Shoes a run for its money. It’s Faith Hill’s [A Baby Changes Everything](http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=O2o1uxzI-hA) which, even if you get the cleverness of the title (Jesus is born and everything changes) is just a depressing song about a teenage mother (yes, probably Mary but still…) It’s just really jarring to hear on a playlist smashed between “Santa Baby” and “Jingle Bell Rock.” Jesus Christ, indeed. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-the-best-and-the-worst/476219/51 "2008-12-08T20:52:48Z")
> [@RiverRunner](#): > > I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day – I love the traditional arrangement, but **Casting Crowns** has a good arrangement, too. Possibly my favorite Christmas recording ever is a version of “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day” performed by Jerry Chamberlain, Sharon McCall, Riki Michelle, and Derri Daugherty (from [this](http://www.amazon.com/Noel-Arends/dp/B0006JNRKA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1228768833&sr=1-1) obscure Christmas CD). ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-the-best-and-the-worst/476219/52 "2008-12-08T21:59:52Z")
I wish it could be Christmas Everyday by Wizard is the best. Runners up include, but not limited to; Zat you Santa Clause by Louis Armstrong 12 Days of Christmas by Reliant K A Fairy tale of New York (pogues, there are no other versions) Worst Mary’s Boy Child sung by Charlotte Church Grandma got Run Over by a Reindeer sung by the other people in the car you are trapped inside of. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-the-best-and-the-worst/476219/53 "2008-12-08T22:12:01Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > Grandma got Run Over by a Reindeer sung by the other people in the car you are trapped inside of. You know when you’re watching Cops and they put the handcuffed bad guy in the back of the car and he continues to bash his own head into the side window? Yeah, that would be me. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-the-best-and-the-worst/476219/54 "2008-12-08T22:40:31Z")
I don’t think I can pick out the worst, but my new favorite is [Santa Claus is Coming to Town](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEhbGpT846g) by Alice Cooper et al. ---
**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 8, 2008, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-the-best-and-the-worst/476219/55 "2008-12-08T23:24:34Z")
I like a bunch: “Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth”, Crosby & Bowie “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12-24”, Savatage/Trans-Siberian Orchestra “The Christmas Song”, Nat King Cole “O Tannenbaum”, Johnny Mathis (the version he sings in German) “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”, Gene Autry For an enjoyable tangent, how about “Backdoor Santa” by Clarence Carter? As for worst Christmas tune … Barbra Streisand’s bizarre scat version of “Jingle Bells” is a strong contender. ---
**Author:** ![rayh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@rayh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayh)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2008, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-the-best-and-the-worst/476219/56 "2008-12-08T23:54:47Z")
[**I Believe in Father Christmas**](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRkOwp19n4k) ---
**Author:** ![ladybug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/46a35a/32.png) [@ladybug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladybug)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-the-best-and-the-worst/476219/57 "2008-12-09T00:26:00Z")
> [@Poysyn](#): > > Funniest for me is _The Twelve Days of Christmas_ sung by the Muppets. I love Beaker’s part. Badum-bum-bum! 😃 My sister and I listened to this album all the time when we were little. A few years back my Mom found a copy on CD. I still love listening to it. The Christmas season does not officially begin for me until I hear John Denver and the Muppets! I don’t know if I have a “favorite” Christmas carol, because I like so many of them, but one of my new guilty pleasures is the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack by the Vince Guaraldi Trio. There’s just something about those old songs that always brings a smile to my face. As others have already said, the worst Christmas song of all time is _The Christmas Shoes_. It’s the one song that will make me change the station. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-the-best-and-the-worst/476219/58 "2008-12-09T03:15:09Z")
> [@Ellen\_Cherry](#): > > Hey, off topic, but do you remember that version of the Our Father from around this time? (Maybe earlier, like '74?) I think it was an Australian nun, remember? My children were astounded to learn it was Top-40. Indeed. She was [Sister Janet Mead](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janet_mead). It was quite ‘hip’ for a time to sing her version at mass instead of the plainchant version. But it didn’t last long. I haven’t heard it in years. ---
**Author:** ![maplekiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@maplekiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maplekiwi)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-the-best-and-the-worst/476219/59 "2008-12-09T03:37:53Z")
I love so many Chrismas songs - it would be hard to list them all. The worst for me would be a tie between Feliz Navidad & the unbearably smug “Its the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” Worst version of a normally wonderful song is Stevie Nicks singing “Silent Night.” Another category - so bad its good! “Blue Christmas” by Elvis. Just off to put on my Christmas CDs now! ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-the-best-and-the-worst/476219/60 "2008-12-09T06:23:01Z")
An early Christmas present for all of those who have never heard [_The Christmas Shoes_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g11EBSibsgk) (or possibly an early lump of coal in your stocking). I strongly recommend that you turn off your speakers before you click on this link. Only after you have experienced the horror that is the lyric to this abomination should you risk listening to it. There. That ought to insulate me from charges of crimes against humanity. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-the-best-and-the-worst/476219.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/christmas-songs-the-best-and-the-worst/476219.md?page=4)