The chill of crisp December air, the colorful array of lights, towering Christmas trees, glistening snow...winter is upon us and the advent of Christmas fills the mood with holiday cheer.
Nothing gets you in the spirit of the season quite like a melody of Christmas tunes. There is no way a self-professed music junkie like myself can conclusively narrow down a list of the definite best Christmas/Holiday songs...you have classical, traditional, carols, pop, jazz, funk, Indie/Americana, Bluegrass, Soft Rock, International...it is overwhelmingly exciting just thinking about the plethora of good music to warm our hearts with good cheer.
Nonetheless I have compiled a short list of 25 Christmas Songs to add to your list, as well as 10 albums that offer a holiday bang for your buck. I am trying to have a mix of traditional and modern... (For the record this list is 'North Pole Approved.')
1. White Christmas by Bing Crosby...the quintessential holiday song, masterfully composed by Irving Berlin. It is the signature song for the soundtrack to one of my favorite Christmas movies: 'Holiday Inn' Bing sings it best...I don't bother with any other renditions - they don't have intonation and frosty dreamlike atmosphere...The lone exception...The Drifters version, which is out of the box with a cool beat.
2. O Come All Ye Faithful/Adeste Fideles - Nat King Cole...no one does Christmas better than Nat and this is my favorite version of this timeless carol...
3. Christmas Waltz...it is that time of the year when the world falls in love...My two favorite versions:
Frank Sinatra and The Carpenters...
4. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas...Featured originally in 'Meet Me in St. Louis' sung by my favorite singer - Judy Garland. Judy's version is bittersweet, as the future of love is in question, yet hope in the Christmas season holds the love together...while Ella Fitzgerald's version is upbeat and swanky jazz that you can tap your heels too, dancing in the light of the Christmas tree.
5. Joy to the World: The reason for the season - Christ's birth and a call to love and serve with compassion, peace and mercy...
6. Hark the Herald Angels Sing
7. Let it Snow...Living in Montana this is the theme song for the winter. Big puffy glistening snow flakes fall heavy and fast, coating the ground into a...
8. Wonderful Christmastime - Paul McCartney
9. The First Noel
10. Sleigh Ride - I like the Ella version, it puts pep in your step.
11. I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
12. Last Christmas
13. Merry Christmas Darling, by The Carpenters
14. The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole - this sets the bar. I refuse to listen to any other version of this song but Nat's. It simply is the best.
15. All I Want For Christmas is You - Mariah Carey
16. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
17. Home for the Holidays - Perry Como
18. Ave Maria - Sarah Brightman
19. Tie: Little St. Nick and Run, Run Rudolph
20. What Christmas Means to Me - with Steve Wonder, how can you go wrong?
21. Everybody Knows The Claus - Hanson
22. Angels We Have Heard On High
23. Santa Claus is Coming to Town...Bruce Springsteen pumps rock and cheer into this classic.
24. Wizards of Winter - Trans Siberian Orchestra - the collision of classical, fusion, rock, Christmas in spectacular fashion...
25. Silent Night
10 Albums that I replay ever year:
1. White Christmas by Bing Crosby (all the hits, including Mele Kalikimaka - my winter warming song, Christmas in Killarney and of course White Christmas)
2. Christmas Songs by Sinatra - Frank Sinatra is always a good mix of Christmas
3. Mariah Carey -
4. The Messiah by Handel - I have half a dozen versions of The Messiah - truly inspired...
5. Jackie Evancho - Heavenly Christmas - this is a new favorite that I purchased last year
6. Muppets Christmas with John Denver - A Christmas Together
7. Sarah Brightman - Winter Symphony
8. Nat King Cole - The Christmas Song Album
9. The Carpenters - Christmas Portrait
10. Have Yourself a Jazzy Little Christmas - this album features songs by Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Torme, Billie Holliday and more.
Others albums off the top of my head:
Mary Chapin Carpenter has a folky/Americana album -
Jewel's Christmas Album showcases her rich angelic voice with folk overtones.
Sting - If On a Winter's Night
Trans Siberian Orchestra - The Lost Christmas Eve - or any of their Christmas albums - great background music to keep you pumped for baking cookies and fruitcakes...
What are your favorite Christmas Songs/Albums?
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