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Friday Playlist #13: Best (and worst) Christmas Tunes

Aaah, Christmas music.  I love it and I hate it.  At first, it's fun to hear.  Then it becomes the never-ending repetition of hell!  I read an article that said the reason not everyone likes Christmas music is because a lot of it is so sad and heartbreaking that it brings up a lot of bad and bitter feelings in people.   Ye-aah.  That, and the fact that it plays from November 27 until January 3rd!

But all of that being said, there are still some really good Christmas/holiday songs out there.  And even though I'm not religious, I still have a few picks that are both secular and non-secular.

And Merry/Happy Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Ramadan/Winter Solstice/Day of Your Choice to You!!!!


I'll Be Home for Christmas                                            Bing Crosby      

Last Christmas                                                               Wham  
(probably shouldn't admit that I like it, but I do)

Santa Claus is Coming to Town                                      The Jackson 5
(my dad used to sing this version when I was a kid)

Angels We Have Heard On High

All I Want for Christmas Is You                                         Mariah Carey
(in one of my fave Christmas flicks, Love Actually)

The Christmas Song                                                           Dave Matthews Band

Up on the Housetop                                                             Gene Autry

Oh Come, All Ye Faithful

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow                                     Dean Martin

Winter Wonderland                                                               Annie Lenox

Holly Jolly Christmas                                                            Burl Ives     
(a Little Boy fave)

O Holy Night

Little St. Nick                                                                          The Beach Boys


And I'm sorry, I hope I don't offend, but I also have to list my least favorite Christmas songs.  I'm talking about the ones that make me cringe at the first note.  And yes, even though they may have been sung by many different people, these are the particular artists I'm holding responsible.


Rockin Around the Christmas Tree                                               Brenda Lee
(everyone loves it but me, just can't deal with her voice)

Little Drummer Boy                                                                       Bob Segar
(is he celebrating or killing himself?)

Do They Know It's Christmas                                                         Band Aid
(well meaning, Bob Geldof, but the lyrics are terrible)

Please Come Home for Christmas                                                  The Eagles
(anything they do is pretty much wrong)

Step Into Christmas                                                                          Elton John 
(just kinda stupid)

Santa Claus is Coming to Town                                                       Bruce Springsteen
(seriously, is he about to have an aneurysm?)

Happy Christmas (War is Over)                                                 John Lennon and Yoko Ono 
(once great, now just howling with his wife)

Wonderful  Christmastime                                                       Paul McCartney and Wings  
(ditto)


And then I have the following songs which are either so stupid or so awful-sounding, they just never should have been thought up, written down or recorded.


Dominick, the Italian Christmas Donkey                          Lou Monte

I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas                              Gayla Peevey

Nuttin for Christmas                                                           Barry Gordon

Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer                             Elmo & Patsy


 All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth               Spike Jones


And yes, before you ask, all of these songs exist.  If you've never heard them, I'm sure these last 5 will be playing in hell.  On repeat.

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