# Your best and worst holiday season songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 6, 2018, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-and-worst-holiday-season-songs/825648 "2018-12-06T02:35:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-and-worst-holiday-season-songs/825648/21 "2018-12-06T18:50:19Z")
Best is Mary’s Boy Child by Boney M Worst is Simply having a wonderful Christmas time by Paul McCartney. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-and-worst-holiday-season-songs/825648/22 "2018-12-06T18:57:25Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Best: > > 1. Winter Wonderland — [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GKYYvXAN9w](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GKYYvXAN9w) > 2. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow! —[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EvvUUpy7Qc](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EvvUUpy7Qc) > 3. It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year — [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFGC\_YgeQ5w](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFGC_YgeQ5w) > 4. All I Want for Christmas is You — [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXQViqx6GMY](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXQViqx6GMY) > 5. Santa Baby—sexist and offensive, yes. Eartha Kitt, Yes! Yes! Yes! — [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppYGHqxwCuk](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppYGHqxwCuk) > > Worst—I just wish these songs would disappear from the face of the earth: > > 1. Little Drummer Boy—bleargh glurge > 2. Jingle Bell Rock—oh, god, so cheesy and stupid. Gah! > 3. Do You Hear What I Hear?—guess I just hate the Harry Simeone Chorale, because this is the second hit of theirs on my worst list > 4. Silver Bells—I first saw this in a puppet version on Kukla Fran and Ollie and have never recovered > 5. Baby, It’s Cold Outside—rapey, rapey, creepy > > And an honorable mention for my “worst” list—ANY AND ALL MEDLEYS! Don’t mash songs together! Please! I tend to like most Christmas music, but with a focus on the more traditional (because guess who associates Christmas with their childhood!). So agree with your first 3 “best”, but I would also pick all of the “worst” category except “Baby, It’s Cold Outside”, which expresses the happy holiday theme “I know you want to leave, but I won’t let you”. :rolleyes: There was a news story about a US radio station that refuses to play it, but it turns out that’s not an isolated incident. In Canada, the nationwide CBC Radio network has announced they won’t be playing it either. One non-traditional Christmas song I’ll happily add to my “favorites” list is the [title theme from _National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQQruRTuq9I). Back in my working days I’d always arrange for extra time off at Christmas, and on Christmas Eve I’d arrive home, looking forward to around two weeks off and lots of festive holiday cheer, and throw this movie into the DVD player. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-and-worst-holiday-season-songs/825648/23 "2018-12-06T19:04:44Z")
Couple unmentioned favorites [Calling on Mary](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHX4IJHtorI) - Aimee Mann [It’s Christmas (And I Hate You)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jD3p2z9nBGY) - Paloma Faith & Josh Weller [I Believe in Father Christmas](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXCEdrnaFlY) - Greg Lake ---
**Author:** ![Allecher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a6a055/32.png) [@Allecher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Allecher)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-and-worst-holiday-season-songs/825648/24 "2018-12-06T19:17:57Z")
Another unmentioned, yet good, song: [White Wine in the Sun](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNvZqpa-7Q) ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-and-worst-holiday-season-songs/825648/25 "2018-12-06T19:20:46Z")
Agreed, Greg Lake’s _Father Christimas_ is another modern one that makes my list. Also John Lennon’s [So This Is Christmas](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pb5hk7jDvvs). And an obscure one that probably many haven’t heard, [Rebel Jesus](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8AGps0NAQw). Very country, that one, which is not my favorite genre at all, but I like the lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![BubbaDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bubbadog/32/333_2.png) [@BubbaDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BubbaDog)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-and-worst-holiday-season-songs/825648/26 "2018-12-06T19:44:49Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > … > Worst is Simply having a wonderful Christmas time by Paul McCartney. This one leads the “wretched worst” pack by so much that it’s almost impossible for me to pick a “second worst”. Grandma got run over by a reindeer is a very distant second. Best 1 Carol of the Bells - Love the [Gary Hoey](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqDsSC5w5KU) one 2. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer - The [Dean Martin](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-OZTGmlD2Q) version is superb in it’s lounge lizard style 3. Blue Christmas by [Elvis](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6WnnZRSKYs) ---
**Author:** ![motu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/motu/32/259_2.png) [@motu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/motu)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-and-worst-holiday-season-songs/825648/27 "2018-12-06T20:35:32Z")
Best: Anything from The Vince Guaraldi album “A Charlie Brown Christmas” The worst for me is anything that is not from the Vince Guaraldi album “A Charlie Brown Christmas” ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-and-worst-holiday-season-songs/825648/28 "2018-12-06T21:37:03Z")
Best: Traditional: God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen Worst: (unless you appreciate ocker strine, in which case reverse the order!) Kevin Bloody Wilson "[Christmas Song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2OonII7D7M)" **NSFW** ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-and-worst-holiday-season-songs/825648/29 "2018-12-06T21:41:50Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > Best is Mary’s Boy Child by Boney M > Worst is Simply having a wonderful Christmas time by Paul McCartney. Agree with you on the best, but don’t agree with you on the worst, for which I nominate Little Drummer Boy. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-and-worst-holiday-season-songs/825648/30 "2018-12-06T21:46:42Z")
Best: _I Saw **Daddy** Kissing Santa Claus._ Worst: _Christmas Shoes._ The kid’s mother is dying, and instead of sitting by her side, he’s out shopping for new fuck-me pumps for her to wear when meeting Jesus. And you know he just sells the shoes to buy drugs. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-and-worst-holiday-season-songs/825648/31 "2018-12-06T21:53:49Z")
Best: Do They Know It’s Christmas by Band Aid Worst: Feliz Navidad. Sorry, I don’t speak Spanish, and I don’t turn on an English radio station to hear a song that I can’t understand. ---
**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 6, 2018, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-and-worst-holiday-season-songs/825648/32 "2018-12-06T21:59:53Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > Worst: Feliz Navidad. Sorry, I don’t speak Spanish, and I don’t turn on an English radio station to hear a song that I can’t understand. You’re entitled to your opinion of course, but you realize the majority of that song is in English, right? ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-and-worst-holiday-season-songs/825648/33 "2018-12-06T22:39:03Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Oh, I also hate “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” Great news! It just re-entered the [Billboard Hot 100 chart this week at #23!](https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-100) ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-and-worst-holiday-season-songs/825648/34 "2018-12-06T22:43:49Z")
[I wish it was Christmas today!](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDdSQlCbJ90) ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2018, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-and-worst-holiday-season-songs/825648/35 "2018-12-06T22:56:27Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > Worst: Feliz Navidad. Sorry, I don’t speak Spanish, and I don’t turn on an English radio station to hear a song that I can’t understand. This has got to be a put on, right? The entirety of the Spanish in the entire song consists of: Feliz navidad Prospero año y felicidad Of course, the entirety of the _English_ in that song consists of: I/We wanna wish you a merry Christmas From the bottom of my/our heart It’s not a very deep song. ---
**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 7, 2018, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-and-worst-holiday-season-songs/825648/36 "2018-12-07T02:42:32Z")
If we can pick New Year songs, I love “You’re Still Standing” on the **Christmas** album by Jorma Kaukonen, late of the Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tuna. The chorus includes a repetition of “Let’s all drink a toast,” but towards the end it segues into “Let’s all take a dose.” ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2018, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-and-worst-holiday-season-songs/825648/37 "2018-12-07T03:25:46Z")
> [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > Best: > > O Come, O Come, Emmanuel > Panis Angelicus > Gesu Bambino > Cantique De Noel > Silent Night > > Worst: > > Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer Panis Angelicus is not in any way Christmas related. It’s actually part of the liturgy of the Feast of Corpus Christi, which comes about two months after Easter. There are a LOT of Catholic songs that end up being sung around Christmas time in this country, because singing Latin songs somehow evokes Christmas among Protestants who don’t know any better. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2018, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-and-worst-holiday-season-songs/825648/38 "2018-12-07T04:23:25Z")
My best: [“O Magnum Mysterium” ~Morten Lauridsen](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAb86Jjxcgw) “Mary, Did You Know?” ~Lowery & Greene [Preferably the wonderful version by Pentatonix](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifCWN5pJGIE). “Cantique de Noël” ~Cappeau & Adam [Here it is sung in both the original French, and in the English adaptation by Roberto Alagna](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOZw6IMIINw). It’s a song that requires a properly trained voice, IMO. “In the Bleak Midwinter” ~Rossetti (lyrics) [I prefer the Darke setting](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPpy3XSk6c0), but[the Holst setting isn’t exactly awful, either](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFca8sTbbkg). (Gotta say, one of these years I’m heading to King’s College to hear that choir!) “Silent Night” ~Mohr & Gruber It is so lovely, [whether done as a show stopper](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJ3kyGQKoq8), or [as a simple carol](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sohCwM843jo). My worst: Too numerous to name. Anything that is stupidly trite, or attempts to trivialize the holiday. Lots of crap that falls in that category. Special Mention: “[Walkin’ Round in Women’s Underwear](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9URPvejWHk)” ~Rivers Hey, really good comedy is always appreciated! ---
**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, 2018, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-and-worst-holiday-season-songs/825648/39 "2018-12-07T05:50:57Z")
I post this version of [_O Holy Night_ by Mom and Daddy](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8QZJ_n1fgpA) most every year. Some say it goes too far, but I like the frenetic powerful screaming of the words - an authentic deep struggle to wrap around the meaning and mystery of that magical night when Christ was born. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-and-worst-holiday-season-songs/825648/40 "2018-12-13T12:22:10Z")
Love: it’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas Hate: So This Is Christmas [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-and-worst-holiday-season-songs/825648.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-best-and-worst-holiday-season-songs/825648.md?page=3)