DISCLAIMER: I love me some Christmas songs. I love ALL Christmas songs. I even love that hokey Country song about Mama dying and being in heaven for Christmas. I even love that Mariah Carey song where she has all those trilly runs and hits that crazy high note at the end. I start listening to them the day after Thanksgiving and continue through the Feast of the Epiphany. And I sing along. LOUDLY. It's slightly mad. So it is close to impossible for me to truly come up with a Top 10 List, because my favorites change. But here are my Top 10 Favorite Christmas Songs at this very moment.
In no particular order...
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Judy Garland
Judy, Judy, Judy. No one had more emotion in her voice. So pure, so rich. She just kills me every time I listen to it.
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Darlene Love
Before he became known as an eccentric murderer, Phil Spector was the genius behind The Wall of Sound. His production on this is amazing, and Darlene Love's voice and performance are incredibly passionate. Don't you dare listen to the wimpy Mariah Carey remake!
Joy to the World - the John Rutter arrangement in the style of Handel
My favorite carol to sing. Singing this piece with my choir is one of my Christmas joys. SO joyous and glorious!
Santa Claus is Coming to Town - Tony Bennett
Nobody swings the cool Christmas jazz like Tony.
Silent Night - Petula Clark
Okay, I'm slightly freaking out that I actually found this on the YouTube. When I was a little girl, Mama had one of those Christmas compilation albums, probably by Ronco or something, and this version of Silent Night was on it. Everything else on the album was Andy Williams or the Ray Conniff Singers or such, but this cut was just so GROOVY! I used to put it on and listen to it over and over, picking up that needle and dropping it back at the beginning of Petula.
Merry Christmas Baby - Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
The sexiest Christmas song I know. You can't beat the Boss.
Merry Christmas From the Family - Robert Earl Keene
A truly Texan Christmas song, and one of the funniest songs I know. So many subversively honest and brilliant lyrics that can't even choose a favorite. A Texan will get all of the inside jokes, but hopefully, anyone who has a weird family can appreciate it. I know these people. Absolutely. PLEASE listen.
Christmas in Hollis - RUN-DMC
When this first came out, I used to crank it up and dance around my apartment singing. I can't imagine what my Dallas neighbors thought about a crazy white girl running around rapping "It's Christmas time in Hollis, Queens, Mom's cooking chicken and collard greens..." but I don't really care.
Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt
Do NOT listen to the travesty that is the Madonna remake! Eartha was HAWT!
Hark the Herald Angels Sing
My Daddy had one Christmas joke. It went like this...
Once there was a church in a small town. The preacher was trying to raise the money to buy new hymnals for the congregation, but was coming up short. Finally, the local drug store agreed to donate the money for the new hymnals. They ordered them and they came in just in time for Christmas. On Christmas morning, the congregation all opened their shiny new hymnals and began to sing...
Hark the herald angels sing,
Carter's Pills are just the thing.
Peace on earth and mercy mild,
Two for adults, one for child.
So every Christmas morning when we went to church and sang this song, Daddy and I would get into an impossible giggling fit, we just couldn't stop. My poor mother (who NEVER got the joke) was terribly embarrassed and left "tsking" and rolling her eyes at our inappropriate behavior. But I loved it. This one's for you Daddy...
This post was inspired by...
Prompt #5 - Your top 5 favorite Christmas songs. (Yes the prompt was for 5 songs and I had 10, so sue me!)
Run DMC and Judy Garland in the same list...I wonder if that's a first for them. These are excellent choices! And of course you made me think of a bunch of others I could have added too. Maybe I should have made it a top 15 list. ;)
Posted by: Kat | 12/18/2013 at 11:11 PM
This is a wonderful list! Judy Garland's voice is like the breath of an angel. I loved that Run DMC song too! I had never heard this amazing version of Santa Baby. Totally amazing voice!
Posted by: DonettaS | 12/19/2013 at 01:18 AM
Merry Christmas! Santa Baby (Eartha's Version) da bomb; da bomb.com LOL Christmas in Hollis I did the same blasted it ...how else! Funny joke between you and your dad a memory you won't ever forget.
I posted one of my fav Christmas Song (but it's not a Christmas Song on my blog - go check it out )
Awesome list
Marisa
Posted by: marisa | 12/19/2013 at 02:25 AM
I love love love that Bruce Springsteen one! And I had forgotten that RUN-DMC song even existed until now :)
Posted by: MJ | 12/19/2013 at 04:10 AM
That's a great list. I have one of the radio stations on in my office at work to the 24 hour Christmas music.
Posted by: Kristina Walters | 12/19/2013 at 09:13 AM
I read the Carter's pill joke to Gene. He giggled. Out loud. And he is still smiling. My mom would not allow liquor ever. "If you will drink a little, you will kill a little." So we just ate and ate and ate till we all were, well, fat, I mean really, Wal Mart tacky fat. But the rest of the song is spot on. We are gathering this Saturday at my sister's place near Dallas. Hop on a Southwest flight and join the fun. My 77 yr. old sis that has been married 5 times will not be attending. Her oldest is under house arrest. Really. It is all Texas.
Posted by: Janice Adcock | 12/19/2013 at 11:04 AM
Really good selection~
Posted by: madamdreamweaver | 12/19/2013 at 01:43 PM
Nobody else but Eartha Kitt should sing that song!
You have some truly great ones here.
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I invite you to Mondays Music Moves Me.
Posted by: Naila Moon | 12/19/2013 at 05:48 PM
Eartha Kitt…bringing a little warmth--OK, heat--to the season!
Posted by: May | 12/19/2013 at 09:23 PM
Great list of songs! Thank you for this. My daughter and I just enjoyed them all. from Mama Kat's...
Posted by: Lisa Frederick | 12/21/2013 at 09:43 AM