# The Christmas Music Recommendations Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 1, 2015, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christmas-music-recommendations-thread/739079 "2015-12-01T00:03:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christmas-music-recommendations-thread/739079/1 "2015-12-01T00:03:51Z")
Merry Christmas! This thread is for us to make recommendations for Christmas music that might otherwise fly beneath the radar. Please include links to where you can buy the tracks or albums online. I’m currently listening to the excellent album [Christmas Piano & Cello](https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/christmas-piano-cello/id264904972) by The London Fox Players. [Christmas With Julie Andrews](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00000K2W9?keywords=christmas%20julie%20andrews&qid=1448928104&ref_=sr_1_2&sr=8-2) is not to be missed. What are some of _your_ recommendations? ---
**Author:** ![CT\_Damsel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CT\_Damsel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CT_Damsel)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christmas-music-recommendations-thread/739079/2 "2015-12-01T01:38:43Z")
Aaron Neville’s Soulful Christmas Pretty Paper Willie Nelson Marshmallow World & Other Holiday Favorites Raul Malo ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christmas-music-recommendations-thread/739079/3 "2015-12-01T01:44:41Z")
Well, it’s not Christmas music exactly, but our own \*\*brujaja \*\*has some special carols about Cthulhu, using familiar Christmas music Here’s “Cthulhu the Monster” set to the tune of “Frosty the Snowman” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Dn3kSdEno3s/hqdefault.jpg "Cthulhu The Monster") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dn3kSdEno3s) ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christmas-music-recommendations-thread/739079/4 "2015-12-01T02:09:00Z")
[A Charlie Brown Christmas](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewG5xsNz5No), by Vince Guaraldi ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christmas-music-recommendations-thread/739079/5 "2015-12-01T02:32:48Z")
It’s just a single song, but I really like Billy Paul Williams’ [Santa Claus is Coming To Town](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3RWhwileQg). ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christmas-music-recommendations-thread/739079/6 "2015-12-01T02:38:05Z")
Charles Brown has released 2 albums of bluesy Christmas tunes. The California Guitar Trio has an album of Christmas tunes. B.B. King released a Christmas album, as has James Taylor. [Monty Python recorded a Christmas song, also.](https://youtu.be/zztkoVNf2So) **NSFW** ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christmas-music-recommendations-thread/739079/7 "2015-12-01T02:49:06Z")
**Brian Setzer Orchestra** : Boogie Woogie Christmas. Oh yeah. > **[The Brian Setzer Orchestra - Boogie Woogie Christmas - Amazon.com Music](https://www.amazon.com/Boogie-Woogie-Christmas-ORCHESTRA-SETZER/dp/B0002XED80)** > > The Brian Setzer Orchestra - Boogie Woogie Christmas - Amazon.com Music ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christmas-music-recommendations-thread/739079/8 "2015-12-01T03:42:26Z")
Gary Hoey [Carol Of The Bells](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqDsSC5w5KU) [Deck The Halls](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzcvrJXNOb8) [You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Mio07zb1vM) ---
**Author:** ![pseudograph](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pseudograph/32/19768_2.png) [@pseudograph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudograph)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christmas-music-recommendations-thread/739079/9 "2015-12-01T04:49:23Z")
Jonathan Coulton, [Chiron Beta Prime](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3DyxaCYlfg) ---
**Author:** ![SaharaTea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SaharaTea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SaharaTea)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christmas-music-recommendations-thread/739079/10 "2015-12-01T14:49:02Z")
For peaceful, soothing spiritual music I love [Our Heart’s Joy: A Chanticleer Christmas](http://www.amazon.com/Our-Hearts-Joy-Chanticleer-Christmas/dp/B000003VV3). Their version of Franz Biebl’s “Ave Maria” is stunning. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christmas-music-recommendations-thread/739079/11 "2015-12-01T16:23:28Z")
Mr. Hankey’s Christmas Classics ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christmas-music-recommendations-thread/739079/12 "2015-12-01T16:32:04Z")
I will never pass up a chance to recommend [Carols For A Cure](http://broadwaycares.stores.yahoo.net/caforcucds.html). Absolutely wonderful songs, sung by Broadway casts, and the money is for a great cause. The standard songs are perfection, the original songs magical, and the novelty songs laugh out loud funny. ---
**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 1, 2015, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christmas-music-recommendations-thread/739079/13 "2015-12-01T16:51:16Z")
I’ve always been partial to the Squirrel Nut Zippers’ [Christmas Caravan](http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Caravan-Squirrel-Nut-Zippers/dp/B00000AE4A). A mix of old and new songs, all done to swingin’ perfection! Did anyone else look forward to the “[A Very Special Christmas](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Very_Special_Christmas)” albums? My mom usually bought them and we’d listen to them in the car a lot. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christmas-music-recommendations-thread/739079/14 "2015-12-01T16:55:40Z")
I’ve always thought The Band’s [Christmas Must Be Tonight](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5bKtRU0Q6c) was underappreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Totenfeier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@Totenfeier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Totenfeier)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christmas-music-recommendations-thread/739079/15 "2015-12-01T20:46:07Z")
George Winston, _December_ The Chieftains, _The Bells of Dublin_ Vince Guaraldi, _A Charlie Brown Christmas_ There’s Christmas, right there. ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christmas-music-recommendations-thread/739079/16 "2015-12-01T21:46:20Z")
I love the **GRP Christmas Collection (3 volumes)** put together by Dave Grusin (the G). I recently downloaded them from Amazon Music. They are performed by various guest musicians and are all what I’d term smooth jazz. When I’ve had a hectic day prepping for the holiday (or even at work), nothing is better than turning off the lights, turning on the Christmas tree, grabbing a glass of wine, and decompressing to this music. Another very old one that I enjoy (it’s so old that my parents owned it) is \*\*Harry Belafonte’s Christmas \*\*(also available on Amazon Music). It’s Caribbean flavored Christmas music, performed simply (often with only a guitar accompanying Harry) and respectfully in an introspective style. For me, it wouldn’t be Christmas without it. (This is a reissue of Harry’s original album “To Wish You a Merry Christmas” with a few extra songs). ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2015, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christmas-music-recommendations-thread/739079/17 "2015-12-01T22:26:22Z")
Handel’s Messiah: A Soulful Celebration. Of course it has the Eastery parts too! > **[Dianne Reeves, Patti Austin, Stevie Wonder, George Duke, Take 6, Al Jarreau -...](https://www.amazon.com/Handels-Messiah-Celebration-Dianne-Reeves/dp/B000002LUJ)** > > Dianne Reeves, Patti Austin, Stevie Wonder, George Duke, Take 6, Al Jarreau - Handel's Messiah: A Soulful Celebration - Amazon.com Music ---
**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, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christmas-music-recommendations-thread/739079/18 "2015-12-01T23:20:57Z")
ME!!! Your good friend **bienville** has written some Christmas songs that might otherwise be flying beneath your radar! YouTube links: [ul] [li][Family Thanksgiving, Family Christmas](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHfxsNfGAw4)[/li][li][That Early Winter Sundown](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUZmtEt1Tfk)[/li][li][Spending The Holidays With People I Love](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIE9W7zSbqs)[/li][/ul] Enjoy!!! ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2015, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christmas-music-recommendations-thread/739079/19 "2015-12-02T00:45:06Z")
[Christmastime](http://www.amazon.com/Christmastime-David-Benoit/dp/B00AJIT4SW/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1449016410&sr=8-5&keywords=david+benoit+christmas), David Benoit ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2015, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christmas-music-recommendations-thread/739079/20 "2015-12-02T00:53:38Z")
John Fahey’s 1968 classic, **The New Possibility**. > **[John Fahey - The New Possibility: John Fahey's Guitar Soli Christmas Album /...](https://www.amazon.com/New-Possibility-Faheys-Guitar-Christmas/dp/B00004W579)** > > John Fahey - The New Possibility: John Fahey's Guitar Soli Christmas Album / Christmas with John Fahey, Vol. 2 - Amazon.com Music [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-christmas-music-recommendations-thread/739079.md?page=2)