# Your Favorite Alternative Christmas Songs **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 1, 2001, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-alternative-christmas-songs/79229 "2001-09-01T00:46:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-alternative-christmas-songs/79229/1 "2001-09-01T00:46:23Z")
- I was dragged to Santa’s Villiage last weekend, so bear with me for having christmas on the brain. \* Help! I started this project in early December last year, and quickly hit a wall since it’s difficult to find songs when you don’t know who sang them… I’m trying to form a collection of Christmas songs, preferably recorded since 1990, by alternative (or rock, as long as it’s not by an “adult contemporary” artist) bands/singers. I have Come All Ye Faithful: Rock For Choice, which sort of gave me the idea, since I know that there must be a lot more songs out there than are on that cd. Maybe I’ll have better luck if I start earlier… The songs I’m seeking can be either covers like \*\* Everclear’s **version of** “Santa Baby”\*\* or non-traditional and/or orginal songs like **Fountain of Wayne’s “I Want an Alien For Christmas.”** Anyone have any favorites to recommend to me? ---
**Author:** ![Bluepony](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Bluepony](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bluepony)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-alternative-christmas-songs/79229/2 "2001-09-01T01:06:38Z")
I’ve kinda been partial to the Pretenders’ _2000 Miles_, sung by Chrissy Hynde. Nice little alternative Xmas ditty, though I think it was an 80s song. ---
**Author:** ![lucie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed8c4c/32.png) [@lucie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lucie)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-alternative-christmas-songs/79229/3 "2001-09-01T01:29:18Z")
My favorite so far is Leon Redbone’s “Christmas Island”. Some originals, some standards in his own unique style. I particularly like “The Christmas Ball”. ---
**Author:** ![lucie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed8c4c/32.png) [@lucie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lucie)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-alternative-christmas-songs/79229/4 "2001-09-01T01:31:15Z")
Whoops, the above post should have indicated that I’m talking about an entire CD, not just one or two songs. I love all the songs on that disk. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-alternative-christmas-songs/79229/5 "2001-09-01T02:01:52Z")
Joni Mitchell’s, “I Wish I Had A River”, you hardly ever hear it, but it’s wonderful, really. ---
**Author:** ![Creaky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e68b1a/32.png) [@Creaky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Creaky)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-alternative-christmas-songs/79229/6 "2001-09-01T02:33:21Z")
Well. I have this _great_ CD called “The Jingle Cats”. It’s real samples of cats’ meows, put together to make Christams carols (like they did with those “singing” doggies a few years back). The recording boasts a ton of happy favorites… everything from “Jingle Bells” to Elvis’s “Blue Christmas”. Oh, man, it’s hilarious. And it’ll drive you nuts in five minutes or less, guaranteed. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-alternative-christmas-songs/79229/7 "2001-09-01T02:46:57Z")
Everclear- “Hating you for Christmas” and Blink 182- “I Won’t Be Home for Christmas” Whenever all the radio stations are playing that sappy holiday fare, I tune in for the above. I feel evil. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![darian00](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dfb087/32.png) [@darian00](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/darian00)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-alternative-christmas-songs/79229/8 "2001-09-01T02:57:17Z")
You might try a CD entitled _Dark Noel_. It had a lot of Christian hard rock and alternative artists doing their version of Christmas music. I don’t much listen to Christian music anymore, but I would recommend this CD to anyone tired of the standard fare. Look for it on [Radrockers](http://www.radrockers.com) if the site still works. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Duality](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.duality/32/4098_2.png) [@Mr.Duality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Duality)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-alternative-christmas-songs/79229/9 "2001-09-01T03:35:45Z")
One of his albums is “Toolbox Christmas”. Christmas classics played on tools, both of the power and hand varieties. ---
**Author:** ![rackensack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@rackensack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rackensack)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-alternative-christmas-songs/79229/10 "2001-09-01T04:40:41Z")
As long as I’m not disqualified, as a Jew, from having an opinion . . . . The only Christmas song I ever have any desire to hear is The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl’s “Fairytale of New York” (and I can’t believe I get to be the first to mention it in this thread). ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-alternative-christmas-songs/79229/11 "2001-09-01T05:38:01Z")
weird als " christmas at ground zero" indie band munkafests " my birthday is near xmas and it sucks " and the ramones : i dont want to argue anymore at christmas i may have killed that title but thats the gist of it ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-alternative-christmas-songs/79229/12 "2001-09-01T05:42:56Z")
“Weird Al” Yankovic - “Christmas at Ground Zero” And if “Weird Al” ain’t alternative, I don’t know what alternative is. (Hell, Al made “The Alternative Polka”, fer cryin’ out loud! :D) ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-alternative-christmas-songs/79229/13 "2001-09-01T07:11:14Z")
My favorite ? [The Twelve Days of Christmas](http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/4656/lyrics/30mckenziebrothers.htm) of course. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-alternative-christmas-songs/79229/14 "2001-09-01T09:26:03Z")
I nominate ‘Fuck Christmas’ by **FEAR**. Also the **Dickies** version of ‘Silent Night’. ---
**Author:** ![Booker57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Booker57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Booker57)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-alternative-christmas-songs/79229/15 "2001-09-01T10:00:45Z")
“Grandma got run over by a reindeer” Forgot who sings it. Sorry. Now it’s stuck in my head. ---
**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:** [September 1, 2001, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-alternative-christmas-songs/79229/16 "2001-09-01T12:26:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Booker57 \* > \*\*“Grandma got run over by a reindeer” Forgot who sings it. Sorry. > Now it’s stuck in my head. \*\* Patsy & Elmo. And their Xmas CD is actually pretty good. A CD called A Broadway Christmas has a song “I Don’t Remember Christmas” which is my all time favorite. ---
**Author:** ![Agrippina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Agrippina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Agrippina)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-alternative-christmas-songs/79229/17 "2001-09-01T13:13:52Z")
You also forgot Weird Al’s **The Night Santa Went Crazy**. A classic! ---
**Author:** ![idiotb0x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecae2f/32.png) [@idiotb0x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/idiotb0x)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-alternative-christmas-songs/79229/18 "2001-09-01T13:16:43Z")
I’d have to say “Styrosnow” by the Eraserheads. It’s a brilliant song, because they just don’t get snow in the phillipines (where the band is from). So instead they pray for styrosnow. Genius. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-alternative-christmas-songs/79229/19 "2001-09-01T13:19:18Z")
Yup, Weird Al’s “Christmas at Ground Zero”. I used that one to demonstrate the importance of lyrics to fella bilong missus flodnak. And let’s not forget the Spike Jones version of “All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth”. ---
**Author:** ![Why\_A\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Why\_A\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_A_Duck)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2001, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-alternative-christmas-songs/79229/20 "2001-09-01T14:44:53Z")
For entire CD’s of holiday mirth, might I recommend: - **[Punk Rock Xmas](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000033NG/qid=999354618/sr=2-1/ref=aps_sr_pm_1_1/103-7638305-9179003)** - Contains quite a few of the songs already mentioned. Plus some other gems. - **Lump of Coal** - A collection by various artists that may be tough to find. Has a nice version of “The First Noel” by Crash Test Dummies, and Henry Rollins with “Night Before Xmas”. - **[Mojo Nixon and the Toad Liquors - Horny Holidays](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B000000P4N/qid=999354801/sr=1-2/ref=sc_m_2/103-7638305-9179003)** - Their version of “Night Before Xmas” is priceless. And ya have to love a sexed-up Xmas disc that starts off with “Happy Birthday to you, you woodworking Jew, Happy Birthday dear Jesus, Happy Birthday to you.” For singles, try: - **The Reducers - Nothing for Christmas**. Almost impossible to find, but a great tune from a great Connecticut band. - **Pansy Division - Homo Christmas** “Licking nipples, licking nuts, sticking candy canes, up each other’s butt”. And BTW, damn you, while searching Amazon for the links I added 3 CD’s to my wish list… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-favorite-alternative-christmas-songs/79229.md?page=2)