PCC(E)’s favorite holiday songs

December 25, 2018 • 9:00 am

Yes, even though I’m an apostate Jew, I still like a few Christmas songs, and I’ve put them below to celebrate the beginning of my personal holiday. All three songs were written fairly recently—since 1962.

Drawing courtesy of reader Laurie

This is a lovely one by Sarah McLachlan and a children’s chorus; it even includes an antiwar message, included in the original song written by John Lennon and Yoko Ono. That was recorded in 1971 by the John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band with the Harlem Community Choir. I like this version because it shows the song being recorded.

Who could forget Karen Carpenter, to my mind the possessor of the world’s best female pop voice? And this is her most famous holiday song, written by her brother Richard and Frank Pooler and recorded in 1970. She’s already anorexic in this video, but the voice (prerecorded) is strong—and gorgeous. Richard called her low notes “the money notes”: the word “Christmas” is one.

And the owner of the world’s best male singing voice, with one of my favorite Christmas songs (yes, it refers to baby Jesus). The song was written only in 1962—as peace song during the tensions of the Cuban Missile Crisis. (The Carpenters’ version is here, with Karen coming in at 0:55).

 

35 thoughts on “PCC(E)’s favorite holiday songs”

  3. Elvis, Blue Christmas
    Springsteen, Santa Claus is Coming to town & Merry Christmas Baby
    Chuck Berry, Run Rudolph Run (Lemmy’s version works, too)
    Beach Boys, Little Saint Nick
    And yes, I admit it, I like Paul McCartney’s Wonderful Christmas Time.

  4. Emerson, Lake and Palmer’s “I Believe in Father Christmas” (“the first atheist Christmas carol”)
    John Lennon, “Happy Xmas (War is Over)”
    Trans-siberian Orchestra, “Carol Of The Bells”

    Also, J. J. Ryba’s Christmas mass, “Hej mistre” (imagine a hacek over the “r” in mistre and the “c” in hacek).

    1. Well-known feminist Miley Cyrus appears to have given Santa Baby a feminist update. I haven’t bothered to listen to it.

        1. Yeah, it made me laugh.
          ‘Stop interruptin’ me when I talk
          And don’t text me pictures of your …’

          😎

          youtu.be/rPdXgCq_Rlg

          cr

    2. That’s my favourite!

      I also like this version of the classic “While shepherds watched their flocks by night”:
      “While shepherds washed their socks by night
      All seated ’round the tub,
      A cake of Guinea Gold soap came down,
      And they began to scrub.”

    3. I second that. After Ms Kitt’s Santa Baby, my favorite Xmas listening is on Jethro Tull’s Christmas album, which contains jazzed instrumental versions of God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen, Greensleeves and We Three Kings.

  6. Happy birthday, Jerry, and Merry Christmas to all! As an athiest, I still love the old carols like “Silent Night,” O Come, All Ye Faithful,” and “God Rest You, Merry Gentleman.” Of more modern fair, Mel Torme’s ‘Christmas Song,’ ‘Silver Bell’s’ by Bing and Rosemary Clooney, and Gene Autry’s ‘Up on the Rooftop.’

    1. Even though an atheist, my favorite Christmas music is Handel’s Messiah, and I am in awe to know that he wrote this magnificent piece in two weeks.

      1. Yes in two weeks, but he had the advantage of borrowing from some of his earlier choral and orchestral works.

      2. I am compelled to recommend Bach’s Christmas Oratorio. Favorite parts : glorious first track, Part 2 Sinfonia – has a subtitle, something about sheep , … not sure if “Sheep May Safely Graze” – another beautiful piece – is part of that.

        St. Johannes Passion – Christmasy? Not sure – opening song evokes deep pain, nails through flesh, (John Eliot Gardner said that), demons. Rare sounds for Bach.

        If interested check out A Passionate Life on YouTube. Perfect BBC viewing for December in the northern hemisphere.

        1. I am listening to Bach’s Oratorio as I write. Another Christmas masterpiece. One of the few things for which I am thankful to Christianity is that inspired some fine music and art.

        2. The Oratorio title is :
          Part II
          Second Christmas Day
          And Abiding in the field in that same country
          10. Sinfonia

      3. I have also been told by my vocal teacher (who I regard as an authority on that period of music history) that Handel was an agnostic/atheist. Made me feel a bit better about singing in a performance of “Messiah” this year!

  7. I must listen closely later, I apologize- but :

    1. The children’s choir / chorus (I think Lennon’s used a non-pro “chorus”) is the real heartstring puller here, for me. I’ll have to put it in the rotation.

    2. Must listen later

    3. Agree 100%. The call-response element of the “do you hear what I hear lyric” really helps set the song up. also needs to be in my rotation.

    I know we weren’t asked to add our own songs, so I expect readers to tear me apart for not reading the post carefully

    BUT

    I submit what I think is one appropriate selection for this website and this post, and, a favorite of mine :

    Anita Baker – yes THAT Anita Baker
    Cyrus Chestnut trio
    My Favorite Things
    (Rodgers and Hammerstein..?)

    https://REMOVE_THISyoutu.be/-mY55WhVC0A

    1. “I know we weren’t asked to add our own songs, so I expect readers to tear me apart for not reading the post carefully.”

      Why? It never stopped anybody else. They’ve all done it. 😉

      cr

  8. Gotta admit, Mariah Carey All I Want for Christmas is You is pretty great.
    But I am heartily sick of hearing it.

  12. In addition to ELP’s “I Believe in Father Christmas” (which I posted about on FB just to see how many of my Christian friends actually listened to the lyrics) many of my favorites come from “Mr. Hankey’s Christmas Classics” on “South Park”, including the immortal “Merry F**king Christmas”, “Christmas Time in Hell” and (best of all) “The Most Offensive Song Ever”.

  15. My favorite Christmas songs:

    “O Holy Night” — Jackie Wilson
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nABPJGpkKMU

    “Santa Claus is Back in Town” — Elvis Presley
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ae7CtryWCkc

    “Christmas Must Be Tonight” — The Band
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6-7r0OMlAo

    “A Star Was His Candle” — Lawrence Tibbett
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUE1ce5TAvQ

    “Merry Christmas Baby” — Otis Redding
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDgUKTenNE8

    “Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer” — The Temptations
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIKW8mPtse4

  16. I find most Christmas carols rather dreary. Silent Night is a possible exception.

    I don’t mind Boney M’s ‘Mary’s Boy Child’ – a good reggae beat will make almost any tune upbeat. I just mentally pipe the lyrics to /dev/null and listen to the tune.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmm1gt_2SkQ

    If Xtianity consisted entirely of listening to Boney M I could almost tolerate it.

    (My BMW, which is bright red and hence inevitably known as Manfred, likes Snoopy’s Christmas. The New Zealand Herald called it the Worst Christmas Song of All Time, which is an outstanding endorsement.)

    cr

    1. Oops, Island in the Sun was Harry Belafonte. I really should check Google before I open my big mouth. 8-((

      cr

  18. Let me put in a word for two or three of the carols written by Alfred Burt back in the 1950s.
    I am thinking of ‘Come, Dear Children..’ & ‘Bright, Bright, the holly berries, in the wreath upon the door…’

  19. I am surprised that no-one has mentioned my favourite: White Wine in the Sun, either the original by its author Tim Minchin, or the version by Kate Miller-Heidke accompanied by her husband on guitar. Both are on Youtube.

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