# Worst Christmas song version in your opinion **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 18, 2010, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-christmas-song-version-in-your-opinion/564659 "2010-12-18T23:04:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [December 18, 2010, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-christmas-song-version-in-your-opinion/564659/1 "2010-12-18T23:04:46Z")
In my opinion, the worst waste of recording media is “Deck the Halls/Jingle Bells” by Michael McDonald. I’ve never heard a more affected or afflicted recording of anything. The guy sounds like a drunken mental defective on that recording. (OK, I’ll fess up- I don’t like McDonald anyway, I think he ruined the Doobie Brothers. Even so, I think the song’s suckitude stands on its own.) ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2010, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-christmas-song-version-in-your-opinion/564659/2 "2010-12-19T00:22:38Z")
Anything barked, or meowed. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2010, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-christmas-song-version-in-your-opinion/564659/3 "2010-12-19T01:14:52Z")
Any Christmas songs by Bruce Springsteen. Any Christmas songs by Mariah Carey. She sounds like a wounded moose at best, let alone with the classics. Santa Claus is coming to town by Michael Jackson/Jackson 5, I think it is. Best wishes, hh ---
**Author:** ![Keith\_Berry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/22d042/32.png) [@Keith\_Berry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keith_Berry)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2010, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-christmas-song-version-in-your-opinion/564659/4 "2010-12-19T01:19:43Z")
That goddamn Paul McCartney one. _“Simply having a wonderful Christmas time…”_ Yeah, whatever. Makes me want to go break windows everytime I hear it. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2010, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-christmas-song-version-in-your-opinion/564659/5 "2010-12-19T02:41:10Z")
“Christmas Shoes”. I win the thread. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2010, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-christmas-song-version-in-your-opinion/564659/6 "2010-12-19T03:34:39Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > “Christmas Shoes”. > > I win the thread. I would agree that is the worst Christmas song, but when I think of worst version, I think of a decent song sung poorly by someone. I heard a version of Jingle Bells by Frank Sinatra that made my teeth hurt, although I don’t know if Jingle Bells counts as a Christmas song. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2010, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-christmas-song-version-in-your-opinion/564659/7 "2010-12-19T04:26:18Z")
Moving thread from IMHO to Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2010, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-christmas-song-version-in-your-opinion/564659/8 "2010-12-19T04:42:58Z")
Santa Baby, by Madonna Baby, It’s Cold Outside, by James Taylor and somebody or other [Bob Dylan](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002SF9Y8E/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B002MW50KO&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0Y9MZ74FKTXVD2B2155D) (you pick) ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2010, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-christmas-song-version-in-your-opinion/564659/9 "2010-12-19T04:47:48Z")
Harry Connick jr. butchered several traditional Christmas Songs on his album, _When My Heart Finds Christmas_. Jazz versions of Christmas songs don’t work for me. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was probably the worst on this album. Rudolph would run to the opposite side of the world after hearing this recording. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2010, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-christmas-song-version-in-your-opinion/564659/10 "2010-12-19T05:53:54Z")
I don’t know which of the following songs is worse… but one of them HAS to be the worst rendition of a Christmas song ever. 1. Barbra Streisand’s “Jingle Bells” 2. Bruce Springsteen’s “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_A.Robrin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sam_a.robrin/32/14497_2.png) [@Sam\_A.Robrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_A.Robrin)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2010, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-christmas-song-version-in-your-opinion/564659/11 "2010-12-19T06:08:49Z")
I abandoned a grocery cart and fled from the store the first time I heard Barbra Streisand’s rendition of “Jingle Bells.” ---
**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 19, 2010, 6:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-christmas-song-version-in-your-opinion/564659/12 "2010-12-19T06:58:18Z")
The versions of _Santa Claus Is Coming to Town_ that Springsteen and Michael Jackson perform are based on an arrangement introduced by the Crystals on the Phil Spector Christmas Album released in 1963 (actual title _A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records_). No matter who performs the song with that arrangement, it is the worst version of it. I think it’s because of quantum. And Barbra’s version of _Jingle Bells_ is made of awesome. So, there. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2010, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-christmas-song-version-in-your-opinion/564659/13 "2010-12-19T13:24:35Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > I don’t know which of the following songs is worse… but one of them HAS to be the worst rendition of a Christmas song ever. > > 1. Barbra Streisand’s “Jingle Bells” > > 2. Bruce Springsteen’s “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” This is the correct answer. I didn’t even know that was Streisand, and I hated it already. And I love you all so much I subjected myself to that abomination just to check that it was the version I was thinking of. It was, and there is no end to the suckitude of that rendition. I would rather listen to Grandma Got Run Over and the dogs barking all day than listen to that again. At least those performers knew they were doing something silly and worthless. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2010, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-christmas-song-version-in-your-opinion/564659/14 "2010-12-19T14:44:17Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > And Barbra’s version of _Jingle Bells_ is made of awesome. So, there. 😛 Know how I know you’re gay…? ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2010, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-christmas-song-version-in-your-opinion/564659/15 "2010-12-19T17:42:29Z")
We have several radio stations playing all Christmas music all of the time. It seems that if you make this claim, you must play: Have a Holly, Jolly Christmas Jingle Horse Rock and Rocking Around the Christmas Tree at least twice each hour. ---
**Author:** ![maplekiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@maplekiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maplekiwi)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2010, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-christmas-song-version-in-your-opinion/564659/16 "2010-12-19T19:51:54Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > Any Christmas songs by Bruce Springsteen. > > Best wishes, > hh He sang more than one??? :eek: Stevie Nicks baaing like my goat on Silent Night is a very close second ---
**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 19, 2010, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-christmas-song-version-in-your-opinion/564659/17 "2010-12-19T19:57:11Z")
[“Deck the Halls” by Mannheim Steamroller](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jn45Uucq-AI&feature=related). If you like this, you are NOT MY FRIEND. ---
**Author:** ![Winnie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e480ec/32.png) [@Winnie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winnie)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2010, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-christmas-song-version-in-your-opinion/564659/18 "2010-12-19T22:15:19Z")
I can’t really get into most of the recent pop and country covers of Christmas songs. They seem to all sound the same to me, with the only difference being the country covers have a slight “twang” to them. Whoop-dee-friggin-doo. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2010, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-christmas-song-version-in-your-opinion/564659/19 "2010-12-19T22:19:06Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > I don’t know which of the following songs is worse… but one of them HAS to be the worst rendition of a Christmas song ever. > > 1. Barbra Streisand’s “Jingle Bells” > > 2. Bruce Springsteen’s “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” Jews can’t sing Christmas songs. Whad’ya expect? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2010, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-christmas-song-version-in-your-opinion/564659/20 "2010-12-20T00:10:45Z")
Another vote for Barbra Streisand’s “Jingle Bells”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-christmas-song-version-in-your-opinion/564659.md?page=2)