# Looking for a specific Christmas song **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [December 14, 2023, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-specific-christmas-song/994606 "2023-12-14T14:32:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-specific-christmas-song/994606/1 "2023-12-14T14:32:15Z")
I need your help, Dopers, because this is driving me crazy. As usual with these types of requests, details are sketchy at best. I’m trying to find an instrumental Christmas song that gets a modicum of airplay around the holidays. I THINK it’s a version of _Carol of the Bells_, but I’m not 100% sure. I don’t know the artist, but it’s similar to some of the more upbeat stuff done by Trans Siberian Orchestra or Mannheim Steamroller – although I’m 99.9% sure it’s not them. It’s fairly orchestral in nature; at least, when I hear the snippets of the tune in my head, I can hear strings, and horns, and drums, along with possibly an electronic keyboard. It feels “big,” as opposed to a small group of people. It wasn’t recorded live, to the best of my knowledge. It’s very stirring and exciting (at least, to me). It ends abruptly, after a series of five or six very fast-paced flourishes / stings. I don’t know musical terms other than the standard things like “notes,” so I can’t help with nomenclature when describing it. And trying to explain the tune in text is next to impossible. So … any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![tofor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tofor/32/13727_2.png) [@tofor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tofor)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-specific-christmas-song/994606/2 "2023-12-14T14:36:53Z")
The only part of your description that fits is “ends abruptly” so I’m sure this isn’t it, but this is the song you made me think of: > **[Barenaked Ladies (w/Sarah McLachlan) - God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen / We Three...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqgxWyJ_m40%2F)** > > Track from BNL's fun and festive holiday collection, Barenaked For The Holidays (Deluxe Edition).Follow Barenaked Ladies:YouTube: https://BNL.lnk.to/YouTube ... ETA: Weirdly one of my favorite versions of these songs ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-specific-christmas-song/994606/3 "2023-12-14T14:41:30Z")
**tofor** : Thanks! Nope, that ain’t it. The song I’m thinking of has no vocals whatsoever. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-specific-christmas-song/994606/4 "2023-12-14T14:44:47Z")
I have a CD laying around somewhere that has about 16 Carols played with all bells and no vocals, so there is just no way to narrow it down to a definitive answer. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-specific-christmas-song/994606/5 "2023-12-14T15:04:05Z")
**Jasmine** : I may not have been clear. The song isn’t a carol played with bells; I **think** it’s a version of a Christmas song titled _Carol of the Bells_. At any rate, it’s not terribly obscure; it’s played semi-regularly on the radio around the holidays. ---
**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 14, 2023, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-specific-christmas-song/994606/6 "2023-12-14T15:14:01Z")
Is this it? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/UK8BGACbzKc/maxresdefault.jpg "Carol Of The Bells | Christmas Music | Instrumental Version") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UK8BGACbzKc) ---
**Author:** ![tofor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tofor/32/13727_2.png) [@tofor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tofor)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-specific-christmas-song/994606/7 "2023-12-14T15:16:35Z")
Lindsay Stirling? > **[Lindsey Stirling - Carol of the Bells (Official Music Video)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKkzbbLYPuI%2F)** > > Come see me on the #ArtemisTour! Tickets are on sale now!Head here for tour dates, tickets, and VIP upgrades: http://www.lindseystirling.com/Stream/Download ... Also, have you checked the Trans Siberian Orchestra version? It ends with a big boom: > **[Carol of the Bells - Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Higher Quality](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCabI3MdV9g%2F)** > > Hey guys, I was watching my video and thought well it doesn't sound as good as the file I have so I thought I better use this file instead. 3 million views o... Manheim Steamroller definitely ends with a whimper, so I don’t think that’s the one. ---
**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 14, 2023, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-specific-christmas-song/994606/8 "2023-12-14T15:16:59Z")
No, I think it’s this one. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/qDfRtYFLk38/maxresdefault.jpg "Carol of the Bells (Instrumental)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDfRtYFLk38&t=0) ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-specific-christmas-song/994606/9 "2023-12-14T16:07:16Z")
**Skywatcher**! My man! That’s it! _Edited to add: The second one you posted. I just realized you suggested two options._ Thanks to everyone for your research and help. I can rest now. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-specific-christmas-song/994606/10 "2023-12-14T16:38:52Z")
Whenever I hear Carol Of The Bells I can’t help thinking of the “Give A Garmin” commercials. ---
**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 14, 2023, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-specific-christmas-song/994606/11 "2023-12-14T16:56:10Z")
Whenever I hear it, I think of this classic SNL skit - [Jan Hooks and Nora Dunn as “The Sweeny Sisters” singing their “bells” medley](https://www.tiktok.com/@rickskye/video/7171788886916599083?lang=en). Specifically their lyrics to “Carol of the Bells” Hark to the bells here come the bells there go the bells so many bells ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-specific-christmas-song/994606/12 "2023-12-14T18:37:31Z")
If I’m not mistaken, Carol of the Bells is of Ukrainian origin. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2023, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-specific-christmas-song/994606/13 "2023-12-14T18:45:15Z")
My favorite is [Family Guy’s version.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOJjhS0wwyw#t=20s) ---
**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 14, 2023, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-specific-christmas-song/994606/14 "2023-12-14T20:30:27Z")
> [@Sauron](#): > > **Skywatcher**! My man! That’s it! 👍 I skipped to the end for both of those. I somehow managed to hit the second one in the middle of those flourishes you mentioned; with those and that ending it had to be the right one. ---
**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 15, 2023, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-a-specific-christmas-song/994606/15 "2023-12-15T01:13:48Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > No, I think it’s this one. > > [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDfRtYFLk38&t=0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDfRtYFLk38&t=0) That’s David Foster? Huh. TIL that it’s NOT TSO.