# Strange Versions of Traditional Christmas Music **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 2, 2014, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-versions-of-traditional-christmas-music/706140 "2014-12-02T17:40:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2014, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-versions-of-traditional-christmas-music/706140/41 "2014-12-04T19:01:49Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > This one’s off the [Excelsis collection](http://www.projekt.com/store/product/pro00138/), and pretty representative of the style of the music there. You can probably get some mileage out of those tracks. > > But even if you don’t, Area’s version of [O Come, O Come Emmanuel](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8cbznTtzuo) is a must-hear. - **ultrafilter** , I suspect the Excelsis CD’s will be featured prominently in my show. The first collection is excellent. The second is pretty good too. I have never been much of a fan of the third, with the exception of the fantastic _Frolic_ performance of [Angels We Have Heard on High](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvp6TnXz694). - **Eddie F.** , I like the _Cocteau Twins_ “Frosty”, and also recommend their version of [Winter Wonderland](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Vm9_mXmtKo). - **Eutychus** , That “Suzy Snowflake” is downright sinister. May have to work it into the show somehow. - **Sampiro** , The Sufjan Stevens version of “Emmanuel” is also very good. Interesting that so many beautiful covers have been done of that carol. No one has mentioned the Belle and Sebastian version, [O come, O Come, Emmanuel](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6s25qJVER_U). Will be tough to choose among them. ---
**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 5, 2014, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-versions-of-traditional-christmas-music/706140/42 "2014-12-05T13:41:56Z")
[The Roches sing what would happen if a living snowman suddenly appeared in Brooklyn.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LItq0D2SrlA&t=24m9s) ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2014, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-versions-of-traditional-christmas-music/706140/43 "2014-12-07T07:37:57Z")
Marlene Dietrich sings “Little Drummer Boy” in German: [Trommelmann - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz9umQ1abR0) ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2014, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-versions-of-traditional-christmas-music/706140/44 "2014-12-07T08:10:16Z")
[Jingle Rock Bell](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsUVrEQRS80) because Markov chains can be festive, too, ya’ know. ([Lyrics because you need them.](http://blog.fawny.org/2009/12/21/jbr/)) [It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Fishmen](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tTHn2tHhcI) ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2014, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-versions-of-traditional-christmas-music/706140/45 "2014-12-07T15:29:45Z")
> [@rowrrbazzle](#): > > Marlene Dietrich sings “Little Drummer Boy” in German: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz9umQ1abR0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz9umQ1abR0) Great! Beaurtiful and eerie. Love the ghost children choir in the background. ---
**Author:** ![K364](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/k364/32/5_2.png) [@K364](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/K364)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2014, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-versions-of-traditional-christmas-music/706140/46 "2014-12-07T21:55:15Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > O Little Town of Bethlehem That was awesome! (sung to the tune House of the Rising Sun, and convincingly too) ---
**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 7, 2014, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-versions-of-traditional-christmas-music/706140/47 "2014-12-07T22:22:52Z")
> [@rowrrbazzle](#): > > Marlene Dietrich sings “Little Drummer Boy” in German: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz9umQ1abR0](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz9umQ1abR0) That link led me to “[Little Steel Drummer Boy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tgs1pyhawFs)”. Check out [their version of “Sleigh Ride”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cb3JSApQr4), too. ---
**Author:** ![BeeGee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@BeeGee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeeGee)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2014, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-versions-of-traditional-christmas-music/706140/48 "2014-12-08T01:12:32Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/2uZGZwuuugM/hqdefault.jpg "butthole surfers - good king wenceslaus") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uZGZwuuugM) The Butthole Surfers’ Good King Wenceslas is a classic. ---
**Author:** ![Sodalite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@Sodalite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sodalite)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-versions-of-traditional-christmas-music/706140/49 "2014-12-13T08:30:48Z")
Does awesome [Chanukah](https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152606907953717&fref=nf) music count? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2014, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-versions-of-traditional-christmas-music/706140/50 "2014-12-13T16:49:27Z")
[Joseph](http://youtu.be/P8lSq7PUzlA) Byrd’s [synthesized](http://youtu.be/KstmJZSrdcU) _[A Christmas Yet to Come](http://www.allmusic.com/album/christmas-yet-to-come-mw0000194448)_ [(1975)](http://youtu.be/bGzmhfldoJI). [Remember](http://youtu.be/8YyC5QpbgmU) [the](http://youtu.be/jrPA78cMohk) “[switched-on](http://youtu.be/dFf7iXvpypY)” synthesizer craze of the early 1970s? Joe Byrd’s opus was not the first switched-on Christmas. [It](http://youtu.be/z5drcaGK5eQ) [was](http://youtu.be/DNo8Qwfjlks) [preceded](http://youtu.be/w4ysuiQ55ps) [by](http://youtu.be/Z-6QJ7vgikQ) [Douglas](http://youtu.be/XDBVgGAT1lg) [Leedy’s](http://youtu.be/-gSLWmQzfZM) _[A Very Merry Electric Christmas to You](http://www.allmusic.com/album/a-very-merry-electric-christmas-to-you-mw0001006574)_ (1969), [which](http://youtu.be/Cp-vXW10zlA) [provided](http://youtu.be/0ZpHobp_RUo) [a](http://youtu.be/Px9ySWSTRvU) [higher](http://youtu.be/tB45D2qUyt0) quotient of electronic weirdness. ---
**Author:** ![5\_time\_champ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/278dde/32.png) [@5\_time\_champ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5_time_champ)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-versions-of-traditional-christmas-music/706140/51 "2014-12-15T01:51:26Z")
Rocket Park, which is a local St Louis group, does [Rudolph the Redneck Reindeer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9E0DpdSPo2Y) to the melody of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Free Bird. Scans pretty good actually. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2014, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-versions-of-traditional-christmas-music/706140/52 "2014-12-15T02:09:54Z")
By the Electric Amish A Very Amish Christmas [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/mYbP6e4-BRc/maxresdefault.jpg "12 - Very Amish Christmas") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYbP6e4-BRc) Christmas Time In Amish Land (by the Amish Woodchucks) [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/YvOwEZiA9MI/maxresdefault.jpg "12 - Christmas Time in Amish Land") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvOwEZiA9MI) ---
**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 16, 2014, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-versions-of-traditional-christmas-music/706140/53 "2014-12-16T17:08:15Z")
“[Blue Christmas](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjxiLtw8LnI)” - credited to [Seymour Swine and the Squealers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1uHiT33jkA). ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-versions-of-traditional-christmas-music/706140/54 "2014-12-17T16:22:44Z")
Siouxsie and the Banshees give the [Goth treatment](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Olpr4NDxRIk) to “Il Est Ne, le Divin Enfant” (sorry, couldn’t get the aigu on that e in “ne”). Lousy video quality (looks like it was filmed directly from a TV), and I have to say the band members (especially the drummer and cymbal player) look pretty pissed about the whole thing. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-versions-of-traditional-christmas-music/706140/55 "2014-12-17T16:31:19Z")
> [@Sodalite](#): > > Does awesome [Chanukah](https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152606907953717&fref=nf) music count? 🙂 [It certainly does!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSJCSR4MuhU) And back to Christmas, how could anyone forget about [Grandma and the Reindeer](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgIwLeASnkw)? ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-versions-of-traditional-christmas-music/706140/56 "2014-12-17T16:35:23Z")
> [@Biotop](#): > > Great! Beaurtiful and eerie. Love the ghost children choir in the background. ::::shudder:::: Marlene Dietrich should never have been allowed to sing. Admittedly her performance there is at least “on tune” unlike her performance in Destry Rides Again (Lili von Shtupp was modeled on that character, I believe). ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-versions-of-traditional-christmas-music/706140/57 "2014-12-17T16:57:58Z")
> [@BeeGee](#): > > [www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uZGZwuuugM](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uZGZwuuugM) > > The Butthole Surfers’ Good King Wenceslas is a classic. Fittingly sung actually, even in an era when Medieval kings were expected to booze it up Wenceslas was a drunk according to plenty of accounts from foreign royalty. Had interventions existed then, Wenny would probably be the first to have one. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-versions-of-traditional-christmas-music/706140/58 "2014-12-17T18:27:23Z")
**The National** covering [Thanksgiving Song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KExughc7RE0) from **Bob’s Burgers**. I love it more than words can tell. I know Thanksgiving isn’t Christmas, but I can’t think of a better thread to share the joy of this song in. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-versions-of-traditional-christmas-music/706140/59 "2014-12-17T18:38:31Z")
[http://lyrics.wikia.com/Wild\_Man\_Fischer:I'm\_A\_Christmas\_Tree](http://lyrics.wikia.com/Wild_Man_Fischer:I%27m_A_Christmas_Tree) I’m a Christmas Tree I’m a Christmas Tree Everybody hangs their ornaments on me! I’m a Christmas Tree I’m a Christmas Tree People throw me out on New Year’s Eve! ---
**Author:** ![Simmerdown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simmerdown/32/14859_2.png) [@Simmerdown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simmerdown)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2014, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-versions-of-traditional-christmas-music/706140/60 "2014-12-17T18:53:29Z")
Joseph Spence: [Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEgKEbT5a7Q) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-versions-of-traditional-christmas-music/706140.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/strange-versions-of-traditional-christmas-music/706140.md?page=4)