# Songs that aren't Christmas songs, but which still sound Christmassy **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 5, 2010, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-arent-christmas-songs-but-which-still-sound-christmassy/559527 "2010-11-05T00:46:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-arent-christmas-songs-but-which-still-sound-christmassy/559527/1 "2010-11-05T00:46:54Z")
Coldplay’s _Viva La Vida_ seems to still get endless airplay on radio stations around here. Every time I hear the song, the fist thing I think is “Why are they playing Christmas music in July? Oh, damn _Viva La Vida_ again. Never mind.” Even some the lyrics register as Christmassy with me - “Roman Catholic choirs are singing” (misheard, I know),“I hear Jerusalem bells a’ringing”, and many other religious references. What songs sound Christmassy to your ears, even though they aren’t really Christmas songs? ---
**Author:** ![NetTrekker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nettrekker/32/2909_2.png) [@NetTrekker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NetTrekker)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-arent-christmas-songs-but-which-still-sound-christmassy/559527/2 "2010-11-05T01:25:16Z")
Vince Guaraldi’s Linus & Lucy (Charlie Brown theme). I don’t think it was written originally/specifically for the TV C.B. Christmas special but that’s what a lot of people associate it with and it gets radio airplay during the holiday season. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-arent-christmas-songs-but-which-still-sound-christmassy/559527/3 "2010-11-05T01:38:54Z")
“Linus & Lucy” doesn’t Xmathize me, but the one after it does. It doesn’t sound particularly Xmassy and there are no words, but since I know its name is “Christmastime is here” (or something like that) I cannot listen to it, except in the one week preceding xmas. ---
**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:** [November 5, 2010, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-arent-christmas-songs-but-which-still-sound-christmassy/559527/4 "2010-11-05T01:42:03Z")
Lots of Harold Arlen/Yip Harburg stuff, like “You’re Out of the Woods” and “When the Idle Poor Become the Idle Rich.” “When You Wish Upon a Star” ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-arent-christmas-songs-but-which-still-sound-christmassy/559527/5 "2010-11-05T01:44:42Z")
Pachabel’s Canon Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring Ave Maria Most of Handel’s Messiah, especially the Hallelujah Chorus ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-arent-christmas-songs-but-which-still-sound-christmassy/559527/6 "2010-11-05T01:48:18Z")
“Thank You” by Alanis Morrisette…at least the opening piano riff sounds pretty Christmasy. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-arent-christmas-songs-but-which-still-sound-christmassy/559527/7 "2010-11-05T02:04:10Z")
Jingle Bells, Let it Snow, Frosty the Snowman, and Winter Wonderland are three that are winter songs but don’t mention Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![NetTrekker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nettrekker/32/2909_2.png) [@NetTrekker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NetTrekker)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-arent-christmas-songs-but-which-still-sound-christmassy/559527/8 "2010-11-05T02:20:57Z")
> [@Pai325](#): > > Jingle Bells, Let it Snow, Frosty the Snowman, and Winter Wonderland are three that are winter songs but don’t mention Christmas. Hmm…interesting. Sleigh Ride is another one. I have a hard time not classifying these as Christmas songs even though they don’t mention Christmas 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-arent-christmas-songs-but-which-still-sound-christmassy/559527/9 "2010-11-05T02:46:01Z")
How about We Need a Little Christmas from _Mame_? As I remember, they sing the song in the middle of the summer. ---
**Author:** ![Lightray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightray/32/391_2.png) [@Lightray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightray)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-arent-christmas-songs-but-which-still-sound-christmassy/559527/10 "2010-11-05T03:15:38Z")
“My Favorite Things” from the Sound of Music. Which is _not_ a Christmas song, but popular culture has apparently overwhelmed my brain so I can’t help thinking it should be Christmas when I hear it. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-arent-christmas-songs-but-which-still-sound-christmassy/559527/11 "2010-11-05T03:32:35Z")
**Always Something There to Remind Me** by Naked Eyes. The bells throughout the song sound very Christmasy. In fact when I’m listening to the radio and hear the opening, especially during this time year, I always think it’s going to be another holiday song. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtPKa7MXLfA) ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-arent-christmas-songs-but-which-still-sound-christmassy/559527/12 "2010-11-05T03:33:26Z")
“Count Your Blessings” from, well, _White Christmas_. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-arent-christmas-songs-but-which-still-sound-christmassy/559527/13 "2010-11-05T03:37:22Z")
Hungry Heart by Springsteen sounds Christmassy to me. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-arent-christmas-songs-but-which-still-sound-christmassy/559527/14 "2010-11-05T03:40:43Z")
They always play “Baby, It’s Cold Outside”, my favorite date rape song, with the Christmas music. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-arent-christmas-songs-but-which-still-sound-christmassy/559527/15 "2010-11-05T03:42:55Z")
> [@Lightray](#): > > “My Favorite Things” from the Sound of Music. Which is _not_ a Christmas song, but popular culture has apparently overwhelmed my brain so I can’t help thinking it should be Christmas when I hear it. That was my thought, too. Sound of Music is also considered sort of a Christmas movie, too, even though it doesn’t involve Christmas. ---
**Author:** ![enomaj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@enomaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enomaj)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-arent-christmas-songs-but-which-still-sound-christmassy/559527/16 "2010-11-05T04:24:08Z")
> [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](#): > > “Linus & Lucy” doesn’t Xmathize me, but the one after it does. It doesn’t sound particularly Xmassy and there are no words, but since I know its name is “Christmastime is here” (or something like that) I cannot listen to it, except in the one week preceding xmas. Christmas Time is Here is definitely a Christmas song. > **[Christmas Time Is Here lyrics by from A Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack.](https://stlyrics.org/lyrics/acharliebrownchristmas/christmastimeishere.htm)** > > Christmas Time Is Here lyrics: Christmas time is here Happiness and cheer Fun for all that children call Their favorite time of year Snowflakes ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-arent-christmas-songs-but-which-still-sound-christmassy/559527/17 "2010-11-05T04:36:52Z")
“Closer To the Heart”, by Rush. The chimes at the beginning and end of the opening verse just sound like a Christmas song to me. ---
**Author:** ![Not\_A\_Tame\_Lion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e36b37/32.png) [@Not\_A\_Tame\_Lion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_A_Tame_Lion)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-arent-christmas-songs-but-which-still-sound-christmassy/559527/18 "2010-11-05T07:42:00Z")
I always associate “Steppin’ Out” by Joe Jackson with Christmas time. Don’t know why, really, but I always hear it as a Christmas song. I don’t think the lyrics are particularly Christmassy. Maybe it’s the very tinkly keyboards. Or maybe it was on the charts in December back then. However it is, that’s the song that always pops in my head as the “not a Christmas song” Christmas song. ---
**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-arent-christmas-songs-but-which-still-sound-christmassy/559527/19 "2010-11-05T07:52:22Z")
> [@enomaj](#): > > Christmas Time is Here is definitely a Christmas song. > > [http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/acharliebrownchristmas/christmastimeishere.htm](http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/acharliebrownchristmas/christmastimeishere.htm) Oops, I should have mentioned, my Vince Guaraldi CD has no lyrics, no singing. Just instruments. I’ve never heard anybody sing the song. It only sounds “Christmassy” to me because of the name–but I know the name, so I still can’t listen to it. ---
**Author:** ![Alka\_Seltzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c89c15/32.png) [@Alka\_Seltzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alka_Seltzer)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2010, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-arent-christmas-songs-but-which-still-sound-christmassy/559527/20 "2010-11-05T11:09:22Z")
Technically, Jona Lewie’s [Stop the Cavalry](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOe18JcatZo) isn’t a Christmas song. It was originally released in summer. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/songs-that-arent-christmas-songs-but-which-still-sound-christmassy/559527.md?page=2)