# The saddest Christmas songs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 17, 2004, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-christmas-songs/280252 "2004-12-17T02:15:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![LordVor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90ced4/32.png) [@LordVor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LordVor)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-christmas-songs/280252/21 "2004-12-17T05:46:42Z")
“You’ll be doin’ all right, with your Christmas of white, But I’ll have a blue, blue Christmas.” Always made me think of Elvis, at home by himself, drugging himself into oblivion on Christmas Eve. -lv ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-christmas-songs/280252/22 "2004-12-17T05:47:24Z")
As we’ve been discussing over [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=291976), “Christmas Time is Here,” by Vince Guaraldi and Lee Mendelson, from _A Charlie Brown Christmas_, is, if not exactly _the_ saddest, has a certain melancholy tone that I find quite fitting for the season. The lyrics by themselves are not sad at all, but Guaraldi’s music with its complex harmonic structure (it’s in a major key, but uses lots of ninths and major sevenths) make it just about the only Christmas song I like, and certainly the only one I can play on the piano. ---
**Author:** ![SuperNelson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@SuperNelson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuperNelson)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-christmas-songs/280252/23 "2004-12-17T14:28:55Z")
How about Joni Mitchell’s “River”? _It’s coming on christmas They’re cutting down trees They’re putting up reindeer And singing songs of joy and peace I wish I had a river I could skate away on_ ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-christmas-songs/280252/24 "2004-12-17T14:50:03Z")
_They sold me a dream of christmas They sold me a silent night And they told me a fairy story ’till I believed in the israelite And I believed in father christmas And I looked at the sky with excited eyes ’till I woke with a yawn in the first light of dawn And I saw him and through his disguise_ _They said there’ll be snow at christmas They said there’ll be peace on earth Hallelujah noel be it heaven or hell The christmas you get you deserve_ ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-christmas-songs/280252/25 "2004-12-17T15:05:05Z")
_Circle of Steel_ by Gordon Lightfoot: [http://www.corfid.com/gl/Albums/Gords\_Gold/Circle\_Of\_Steel.htm](http://www.corfid.com/gl/Albums/Gords_Gold/Circle_Of_Steel.htm) ---
**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 17, 2004, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-christmas-songs/280252/26 "2004-12-17T15:13:52Z")
_Pretty Paper, Pretty Ribbons_. ☹ And the cynic in me is warring with the reasonable person in trying not to rain on the _Christmas Shoes_ people’s parade, but it’s tough. That song is the musical equivalent of e-mail glurge. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-christmas-songs/280252/27 "2004-12-17T15:37:42Z")
Man- so many things to comment upon… RE the Myrrh verse of WE THREE KINGS- actually, the reality isn’t that bad but not much more appropriate. Frankincense & myrrh were ingredients in the royal & priestly anointing oils AND in the Song of Solomon, they are spoken of as scents used in … The Royal Bedchamber! :eek: Now try on the second verse of What Child Is This? Why lies He in such mean estate Where ox and ass are feeding? Good Christian, fear: for sinners here The silent Word is pleading. **Nails, spears shall pierce Him through, The cross be borne for me, for you;** Hail, hail, the Word made flesh, The Babe, the Son of Mary. Whew… now, there are some songbooks & even hymnals that just repeat “This, this is Christ the King, Whom shepherds laud and angels sing”. I consider that chickening out. I’d love to hear Coldplay’s “Have Yourself…” Not a fan of “Christmas Shoes”- love Abbie’s comment “Jesus doesn’t care what’s on her feet” 😃 However, to be fair, I think the kid’s Mom was still alive, wasn’t she? Casey1505- thanks for sharing the other perspective. Good luck to ya. Kythereia- I only paid attention to the lyrics of Coventry Carol a few years ago- YIPES! ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-christmas-songs/280252/28 "2004-12-17T15:48:34Z")
Father Christmas by the Kinks It is more of an angry song but it is sad to think of people feeling that way about Christmas. I always Do they know it’s Christmas a bit sad. Of course standards like Blue Christmas and Pretty Paper are sad and there is a folk song called They Don’t Have Christmas in Kentucky, (IIRC). ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-christmas-songs/280252/29 "2004-12-17T16:00:33Z")
Check out the Rhino compilation [_ **Bummed Out Christmas** _](http://www.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=60101695&loc=109), containing one of my all-time favorites, “Christmas in Jail” by the Youngsters (1956). To hear the song click [here](http://radiocrmw.blogspot.com/), then go down to the December 8 RADD (Reindeer Against Drunk Driving) link. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-christmas-songs/280252/30 "2004-12-17T16:08:53Z")
On the same LP as “Grandma Got. …” is a song titled “Here’s to the Lonely” which is a mix of melancholy and hopeful generosity. It’s a pretty good song. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-christmas-songs/280252/31 "2004-12-17T16:15:50Z")
> [@Ferret Herder](#): > > I’ll Be Home for Christmas - people seem to forget that the last line of the song is “Well, maybe next year.” OK, what kind of crack was I on when I posted this? I think I heard that variant once, but the line is actually “If only in my dreams.” > [@](#): > > I’ll be home for Christmas; > You can count on me. > Please have snow and mistletoe > And presents on the tree. > Christmas Eve will find me > Where the love-light gleams. > I’ll be home for Christmas > If only in my dreams. ---
**Author:** ![Iceland\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4bbf92/32.png) [@Iceland\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iceland_Blue)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-christmas-songs/280252/32 "2004-12-17T16:20:14Z")
Mad World by Gary Jules & Michael Andrews,our last year’s Christmas #1 They’ve taken the Tears for Fears song and stripped it down to just a piano and haunting voice.Makes you want to go find a cliff to leap off ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-christmas-songs/280252/33 "2004-12-17T16:20:39Z")
[Please, Daddy, Don’t Get Drunk This Christmas](http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/christmas-songs-2/please-daddy-dont-get-drunk-this-christmas-14414.html). “I don’t wanna see my momma cry.” ---
**Author:** ![Katriona](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/katriona/32/113_2.png) [@Katriona](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katriona)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-christmas-songs/280252/34 "2004-12-17T16:26:29Z")
“O Holy Night” just shreds me. It was my grandmother’s favorite, and she died during the holiday season. 22 years later, and I still fall apart every time I hear it. ---
**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 17, 2004, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-christmas-songs/280252/35 "2004-12-17T16:47:42Z")
[Christmas at Denny’s](http://www.delusionresistance.org/christian/stonehill/returntoparadise/return08.html) ---
**Author:** ![CapnPitt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/edb3f5/32.png) [@CapnPitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CapnPitt)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-christmas-songs/280252/36 "2004-12-17T17:02:12Z")
Well **delphica** and **loach** stole both of mine. Though I think **Fairy Tale of New York** is sadder, if only because that seems to be the arc that MY relationships take! Greg Lake’s Father Christmas is something else too ---
**Author:** ![sciguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@sciguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sciguy)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-christmas-songs/280252/37 "2004-12-17T17:59:58Z")
A local radio station starts playing holiday music starting just before thanksgiving, so I’ve come across a few that’ll choke me up: [Colorado Christmas.](http://www.asklyrics.com/display/Colorado_Christmas_LYRICS/166023) Mainly the chorus, the change from a driving beat to a wistful tone in just four lines is quite effective. And the fact that I usually hear this in my car and can glance over at the snow covered Rockies probably helps. 😃 [Little Drummer boy](http://www.asklyrics.com/display/Christmas_carols/Little_drummer_boy_lyrics/128371.htm). From “I am a poor boy, too” to “then he smiled at me” always gets me. [The Gift](http://www.firelyrics.com/song/100746/). Probably as intentionally heart-wrenching as Christmas Shoes, but the combination of the story and music almost made me have to pull over the first time I heard it. And I didn’t realize until I just now searched for the lyrics that it’s a Garth Brooks song. ---
**Author:** ![Engywook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bc8723/32.png) [@Engywook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Engywook)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-christmas-songs/280252/38 "2004-12-17T18:16:04Z")
[Same Old Lang Syne](http://www.lovelyrics.com/artists/DAN%20FOGELBERG%20lyrics/DAN%20FOGELBERG%20SAME%20OLD%20LANG%20SYNE%20lyrics.php) by Dan Fogelberg. > [@](#): > > Just for a moment I was back at school > and I felt that old familiar pain > and as I turned to make my way back home > the snow turned into rain When I first heard this song in High School, I thought it was sad. The older I get, the more bummed out I get when I hear this one. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-christmas-songs/280252/39 "2004-12-17T18:16:39Z")
There’s this song called “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer”. It’s about this reindeer, Rudolph, at the North Pole who had a shiny red nose. Well, turns out the other reindeer didn’t like him very much because of it. . . called him names, wouldn’t let him play with them. I get misty. It turns out all right, though. He gets a little black cap that slips over his nose, so he looks like the rest of them. It carries a nice message to children that they should be like everyone else. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2004, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-christmas-songs/280252/40 "2004-12-17T18:35:49Z")
Not really a Christmas song, but “We Need a Little Christmas” can either make me happy or bawl, depending on my mood when I hear it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-christmas-songs/280252.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-saddest-christmas-songs/280252.md?page=3)