# Definitive versions of Christmas Songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 1, 2015, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definitive-versions-of-christmas-songs/739088 "2015-12-01T03:00:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definitive-versions-of-christmas-songs/739088/1 "2015-12-01T03:00:58Z")
It’s that time of year again, where random awful radio stations convert to all Christmas music until you end up humming “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” while attempting to strangle the cat. So, to pass the time from singing the few Hanukkah songs in existence I think about the definitive versions of the classics. What do you think is classic version of each one? This should apply to songs that are covered often and don’t have just a few versions. I’ll start: **White Christmas** - Bing Crosby **Christmas (Baby please come home)** - Darlene Love ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definitive-versions-of-christmas-songs/739088/2 "2015-12-01T03:04:34Z")
**You’re a Mean One, Mister Grinch** : Thurl Ravenscroft (though I really prefer the Whirling Dervishes). ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definitive-versions-of-christmas-songs/739088/3 "2015-12-01T03:08:17Z")
**Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer** - Gene Surrey **Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree** - Brenda Lee **Jingle Bell Rock** - Bobby Helms ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Woodhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@Miss\_Woodhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Woodhouse)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definitive-versions-of-christmas-songs/739088/4 "2015-12-01T03:10:06Z")
**I’ll Be Home For Christmas** –The Carpenters **The Christmas Song** –Nat King Cole ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definitive-versions-of-christmas-songs/739088/5 "2015-12-01T03:18:18Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > **Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer** - Gene Surrey > **Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree** - Brenda Lee > **Jingle Bell Rock** - Bobby Helms For Rudolph, I meant Gene Autrey. Damn auto-correct! :mad: ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definitive-versions-of-christmas-songs/739088/6 "2015-12-01T03:31:30Z")
While not the definitive version, the video of [_Mary’s Boy Child/O My Lord_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxm1FlLSfe4) by Boney M can’t be topped. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definitive-versions-of-christmas-songs/739088/7 "2015-12-01T03:38:52Z")
12 Days of Christmas - [Bob & Doug McKenzie](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DTwLqR071M) O Come All Ye Faithful - [Twisted Sister](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmEfFlbqbbY) Winter Wonderland - [Stryper](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aB5_QVnD_g8) ---
**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 1, 2015, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definitive-versions-of-christmas-songs/739088/8 "2015-12-01T03:41:17Z")
Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definitive-versions-of-christmas-songs/739088/9 "2015-12-01T12:33:28Z")
**The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year** - Andy Williams **(There’s No Place Like) Home For The Holidays** - Perry Como **Do You Hear What I Hear?** - Bing Crosby ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definitive-versions-of-christmas-songs/739088/10 "2015-12-01T12:40:46Z")
**Sleigh Ride** - Johnny Mathis, although I really love the version by The Ronettes **I’ll be Home for Christmas** - Bing Crosby, but the Carpenters version is really nice as well. ---
**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 1, 2015, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definitive-versions-of-christmas-songs/739088/11 "2015-12-01T13:41:37Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > 12 Days of Christmas - [Bob & Doug McKenzie](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DTwLqR071M) The real definitive version is by [John Denver and the Muppets](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MX43ynMvm0) ---
**Author:** ![ace21496](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@ace21496](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ace21496)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definitive-versions-of-christmas-songs/739088/12 "2015-12-01T14:06:29Z")
White Christmas - The Drifters (Bing’s is a close 2nd) O Holy Night - John Berry ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definitive-versions-of-christmas-songs/739088/13 "2015-12-01T14:25:38Z")
> [@buddha\_david](#): > > O Come All Ye Faithful - [Twisted Sister](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmEfFlbqbbY) Great choice! I had heard Dee Snider used O Come All Ye Faithful as the inspiration for the melody of We’re Not Gonna Take It. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definitive-versions-of-christmas-songs/739088/14 "2015-12-01T14:31:31Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Great choice! I had heard Dee Snider used O Come All Ye Faithful as the inspiration for the melody of We’re Not Gonna Take It. Damn you, **cochrane**! For the rest of the day now I’m going to be singing: OH! Come all ye FAITH FUL JOY! -ful and tri-uuuuuum-phant! ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definitive-versions-of-christmas-songs/739088/15 "2015-12-01T15:18:17Z")
ooooo, White Christmas by the Drifters. (I could listen to this on a loop until New Years Eve.) Run Run Rudolph - Chuck Berry Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt O Holy Night by Celine Dionne OR Michael Crawford. Ring Christmas Bells by Trans-Siberian Orchestra. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen by Annie Lenox (her pagan youtube video is one of the most beautiful videos in existence, breathtaking. And has a hurdy-gurdy!) It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year - Andy Williams Mary’s Boy Child by Bony M. (an old disco group from the 70’s - their version is so exquisite it brings tears to my eyes.) Jingle Bell Rock by Hall and Oates. (Come on in with those presents, Darryl darlin’, put them right under the tree - send John Oates out Christmas carolling or something) ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definitive-versions-of-christmas-songs/739088/16 "2015-12-01T15:22:21Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > The real definitive version is by [John Denver and the Muppets](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MX43ynMvm0) Nope - [Allan Sherman](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jOG52PoZs0) ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definitive-versions-of-christmas-songs/739088/17 "2015-12-01T15:31:51Z")
A few obvious ones: “A Holly Jolly Christmas” – Burl Ives “The Little Drummer Boy” – Harry Simeone Chorale “Christmas Time Is Here” - Vince Guaraldi ---
**Author:** ![Southpaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@Southpaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Southpaw)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definitive-versions-of-christmas-songs/739088/18 "2015-12-01T15:53:29Z")
Have Youself a Merry Little Christmas - Judy Garland Sleigh Ride - Boston Pops instrumental version Good King Wenceslas - Mel Torme ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definitive-versions-of-christmas-songs/739088/19 "2015-12-01T17:02:19Z")
I am prepared to accept your derision: I love Madonna’s bimbo version of _[Santa Baby](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH1wyHs5S_w)_. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definitive-versions-of-christmas-songs/739088/20 "2015-12-01T17:09:54Z")
We’re missing these: Let it Snow Santa Claus is Coming to Town Deck the Halls Here Comes Santa Claus Baby It’s Cold Outside Silver Bells Hark the Herald Angels Sing I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus Carol of the Bells [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/definitive-versions-of-christmas-songs/739088.md?page=2)