Let’s face it: Whether you’re trudging through the mall to shop for presents or fleeing to the drugstore to pick up the prescription that helps you cope with holiday stress, you’re going to be bombarded with Christmas music for the next month. Wouldn’t it be great if you could at least raise the hipness quotient of the piped-in carols, so that you’re not listening to the Muzak versions of ”Sleigh Ride” or ”Joy to the World” for the zillionth time? Help your fellow PopWatchers by building a sap-free iPod playlist of the best rock-era Christmas carols.
Let’s restrict the list to original tunes composed or performed by pop singers, rockers, and rappers; no covers of traditional tunes, and no novelty songs, no matter how much you like Bruce Springsteen’s cover of ”Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” or Elmo and Patsy’s ”Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer.” I’ll start you off with some of my favorites — several of which, it turns out, are compiled on the album Rock N’ Roll Christmas:
”Father Christmas,” The Kinks
”Christmas in Hollis,” Run-DMC (above)
”Christmas Wrappin,” The Waitresses
”Happy Xmas (War is Over),” John Lennon
”2000 Miles,” The Pretenders
”Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” U2
”Merry Christmas Baby,” Chuck Berry
”Step Into Christmas,” Elton John
”Fairytale of New York,” the Pogues
”Christmas,” The Who
Which other holiday hits belong on this list?
Comments (1-30) of 86 Add your comment
“Something About Christmas Time”, Bryan Adams
Glad to see the Pogues get listed. Raise your hand if you actually know who they are. *waits patiently* Not qutie kid-friendly family song, but quite good nonetheless..Great appearance by the late Kristy MacColl
It was Christmas Eve babe
In the drunk tank
An old man said to me, won’t see another one
And then he sang a song
The Rare Old Mountain Dew
I turned my face away
And dreamed about you
http://www.pogues.com/Releases/Lyrics/LPs/IfIShould/Fairytale.html
How about “Thanks for Christmas” – XTC
Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You”– amazing!
Hey, isn’t the U2 song a cover version?
I love the ones on the list. I also love “Christmas Time (Oh Yeah)” by Barenaked Ladies and “River,” by Joni Mitchell. “River” might not really be a Christmas song, but it’s got the right mood.
Nice inclusion of “Christmas” by the Who. That’s already on my Christmas playlist. I’m a big fan of “Maybe this Christmas” by Ron Sexsmith, “Happy Christmas (War is Over)” by John Lennon, “I hate Christmas Parties” by Relient K and the entire “James Brown’s Funky Christmas” CD – but “Go Power at Christmastime” and “Santa Clause Go Straight to the Ghetto” are the best off that album.
I just can’t get enough of the Luther Vandross Christmas cd. It has some tradional covers but also good orginal cuts
Every Year, Every Christmas
With A Christmas Heart
Mistletoe Jam
I Listen to The Bells
It’s fast, its slow and its fun!
Christmas by Blues Traveler
I love “All I Want For Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey and i think this is the name of it “Feed the World” by all those 80s all-stars…oh and for cheese factor “Last Christmas I gave you my heart”
Power of Love – Frankie Goes to Hollywood
Do They Know It’s Christmas – Band Aid
Wonderful Christmastime – Wings
Last Christmas – Wham
Merry Christmas Everybody – Slade
“Wonderful Christmastime” – Paul McCartney
Add
Queen – “Thank God It’s Christmas”
Band Aid – “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”
and an overlooked gem from the “Scrooged” soundtrack
Robbie Robertson – “Christmas Must Be Tonight”
I Like Mariah’s All I want for X-Mas is You
Man, y’all haven’t heard X Mas albums until you’ve listened to Willie Colon and Hector Lavoe’s album “Asalto Navideno”. The front cover of the album has them dressed as Santa and an Elf as they break into someone’s house. Worth it for the song “La Murga”, a salsa classic.
“Frosty The Snowman”, by the Cocteau Twins
“25th December”, by Everything But The Girl
“December Will Be Magic Again”, by Kate Bush
“Make it Home” by Juliana Hatfield (and that ‘Snuffy’ guy who does all the music for the Bedford Falls t.v. shows)
“Merry Christmas From The Family”, By Jill Sobule
“Better Days” by the Goo Goo Dolls
pssst, Grateful, that’s “the rare ol’ mountain tune”
Mariah Carey – “All I Want for Christmas Is You” (I really can’t stand her, but that song is awesome)
Wham! – “Last Christmas”
Hanson’s covers of “What Christmas Means to Me” and “Run Rudolph Run” are great ones to crank, too.
Anyone know where to find the song sung by the misfit toys in the original Rudolph special that just aired. that would be on my list of favorite holiday songs.
There’s one that I don’t know the name of. Very poppy. Tells the story of a woman who keeps missing hooking up with a guy all year and then on Christmas Eve runs into him in the grocery story, picking up cranberries. sniff, sniff. Anyone know the name?
How about worst songs: “Christmas Shoes” Beyond cheesy into disturbing.
I love ”Christmas Wrappin,” by The Waitresses
Band Aid – “Do They Know It’s Christmas?”
Kelly Clarkson “Grown Up Christmas Wish”
Josh Groban “Believe”
and of course “All I Want For Christmas is You” by Mariah Carey
1) Mariah Carey–Miss you most at Christmas time–poignant song
2) Wham–Last Christmas–Great cheesey song
3) Dwight Yoakim–Santa Can’t stay–A song about a drunk Santa Claus–only in country
4) Billy Squier–Christmas is the time to say I love you
5) Faith Hill–Where are you Christmas
What about The Ramones “Merry Christmas-I don’t want to fight tonite”?
Also I totally love Christmas in Hollis
Let me check my collection…how about:
Blink 182, “I Won’t Be Home for Christmas”
No Doubt, “Oi to the World”
CKY, “Santa’s Coming”
Oscar the Grouch, “I Hate Christmas”
Jill Sobule, “The Saddest Day of the Year” and “Jesus Was a Dreidel Spinner”
Pearl Jam, “Let Me Sleep”
Something Corporate, “Forget December”
The Eels, “Christmas is Going to the Dogs”
Cracker, “Merry Christmas Emily”
My most favorite Christmas (cover) song is “Please Come Home for Christmas”, by The Eagles. I listen to it year ’round, and it is the only “Christmas” music I like, except for Bruce. My other favorite (but cheesy) song is Dan Fogelberg’s Same Old Lang Syne. It’s only played around Christmas time.
Song For A Winter’s Night – Sarah McLachlan
Christmastime – Smashing Pumpkins
Christmas Song – Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds
Christmas Day – Dido
Prince had a christmas song and it was really sad but it was a great one.
OK so Mariah Carey may not be “rock” and I may not be a Mariah fan but she gave the world a Christmas classic with “All I Want For Christmas Is You.”
Love Bruce’s Santa Claus is Coming to Town!
New favorite: “Snowflakes of Love” – Toni Braxton
and an all time favorite: “Christmas is here” – Donna Summer
I am going to go with Joe and say “Let Me Sleep” by Pearl Jam is one of my favorites.
I will also agree with Donna that “Christmas Shoes” is one of the worst. I thought I was the only one who got the creeps during that song.
I might get slack for this, but I like Madonna’s cover of “Santa Baby” and anything Christmas-y by The Carpenters. There I said it. I feel no shame whatsoever.