My favorite thing about this time of year is neither the lines at the post office, nor the white elephant gifts, nor the ugly sweater parties. In fact, it’s karaoke. Christmas karaoke. Karaoke itself isn’t seasonal. It’s just as fabulous in April as it is in December, but during the other 11 months of the year, you can’t sing the Chanukah/Christmas/Holiday songs. "Killing Me Softly," yes, but not "Feliz Navidad."
I guess you could call me something of a connoisseur. I share with great pride that my father regularly scores 100s when we go on family karaoke outings (we’re Korean, what can I say). It’s important to really know the piece you’re singing, to know it the way you know the songs you sing in the shower and in the car. It’s good if the other people in the room know the song as well, so that they can sing along and drown you out rescue you if necessary. And what songs are more clearly etched in the collective memory than holiday tunes?
Anyway, here’s what I recommend:
Last Christmas, by Wham
All I Want for Christmas Is You, by Mariah Carey (pictured). Cliché, but really, the pinnacle of holiday karaoke.
Now, do tell, dearest PopWatchers. What are your slammin’ karaoke solos?
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“All I Want For Christmas Is You” = best Xmas song ever. hands down.
i’m a big fan of “the chickmunk’s christmas song…” though i don’t think i could do it as well as justin timberlake and company did it on snl…
er… chipmunks.
It’s not the most upbeat Christmas song, but I find myself singing “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” by Band Aid. I was singing it out loud last night at home!
I totally agree wtih Mike – LOVE THAT SONG! (can’t stand her)
I completely disagree with NineDaves – that is the most annoying Christmas song ever!
I had forgotten that at one point in her career, Mariah actually wore clothes. Thanks for the reminder.
My all time favorites are: Santa Baby & Jingle Bell Rock.
The newer stuff, eh… it’s ok… Mariah’s song isn’t all that bad, too bad I can’t stand her.
The songs Happy Holiday or Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas…you have to sing it à la Bing Crosby or Dean Martin, in a crooner/smaltzy type of voice.
I can’t sing to save my life, at Christmas or any other time of the year, so no karaoke for me. My five fave Christmas karaoke tunes:
1) Christmas(Baby please come Home) Darlene Love
2) Christmas is the time to say I love you Billy Squier
3) All I Want for Christmas is You–Mariah Carey(Of Course; you knew I had to represent MC)
4) Last Christmas–Wham. Ultimate guilty pleasure
5) Happy Christmas(War is Over) John Lennon
My fave has always been “Little Saint Nick” by The Beach Boys, but I would never attempt singing it outside of my shower – and even that makes my ears bleed.
Obviously “Christmas Wrapping” by the Waitresses. Can’t get any better!
My vote is “This Christmas” by Donny Hathaway. I can sing that song in my sleep!
“Merry Christmas from the Family” is awesome. Don’t even have to have a good range to pull it off well. And it’s funny, poignant, and honest about what Americans are really all about at Christmas.
Karaoke = Elvis
–so–
Christmas Karaoke = “Blue Christmas”
Also,
“Happy Xmas (War is Over)” is especially poignant this year and “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” can be fun even in a guy’s register.
I do love my karaoke. The Chrismtas karaoke discs are awesome. I love them all.
Mariah. Love her. Love the song. Yes, the best.
I think your link to the Wham song is broken. When I clicked on it, it took me a Japanese Christmas song. Weird.
Brenda Lee’s Rockin Around The Christmas Tree! Almost everyone can sing that one and sound good. Worst ( or best for the audience) karoake X-mas song is Celine Dion’s Don’t Save It All For Christmas Day. OMG – I have seen some priceless versions of this one sung in all earnestness by people – in public. It’s the one I would imagine Kelly singing to Ryan on The office.
Oh my god!
Egg Nog mixed with lots of whisky = me in a cheap short blonde wig with fire engine red lipstick singing Santa Baby by the one and only Madge.
OMG! I think I have a new favorite Christmas song. Shin Seung Hun has a gorgeous voice!!!
haha..have already Karaoked to both during the last 2 weeks.
Madonna’s Santa Baby is the best karaoke/Christmas song ever!
The worst: Mariah’s. Hate her. Hate the song. Yes, the worst-no need to say more
“I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” by Gayla Peevey.
All Mariah Xmas songs are the best. Her Xmas album is by far the best Xmas album I’ve ever had! I like O Holy Night rendition & Miss You Most At Xmas Time (very soulful)! Wish she can do another Xmas album! Merry Xmas to MC & to all!!!!
No matter how we hate Mariah, that diva produced the best Xmas Album ever. We can’t do anything about that. Lets love her for that!
gary,
you go on with your bad self on that.. I will just say her “All I want for Christmas is you” song is good, I still dislike her for the most part.
I LOVE This song!..It is by far the superior classic of my generation..I’m in my early twenties and All I want for x-mas carries w/it many memories of my childhood..LOVE it!
BTW–Please keep Mandonna outta the thread..Lets not go there! Traditionally, Christmas Music is reserved for those who can actually carry a tune..Mandonna and a Gospel Choir would spell disaster!
I LOVE how the ONE madonna fan on this post can’t help but add how much she dislikes Mariah Carey. It’s amazing. Mariah Carey made the best contemporary christmas record of all time. And yes, “All I Want For Christmas Is You” is a classic. Respek.
Anne, actually.. Ann is not the ONLY Madonna fan, naturally you would focus on just her.. maybe because you think she’s easy prey? who knows.. Others have already stated their fandom for Madonna.
Greekmenrule, Why do you feel the need to ridicule Madonna? Seriously.. why? On top of that, you do it by making such an ignorant statement, it calls me to be slapped silly just for acknowledging you and your statement.
Madonna + Gospel Choir does NOT spell disaster.. or have you forgotten that one of her biggest hits, Like A Prayer features a Gospel choir, front and center?
Oh, that’s right.. I forgot, the rabid fans of Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, et. al. can’t really keep from taking cheap, pot shots at Madonna even though you claim she is irrelevant. If she were as irrelevant as you wish she were, you wouldn’t be mentioning her.. would you?