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Favourite Christmas songs

Discussion in 'Entertainment and Technology' started by Dans le placard, Dec 17, 2013.

  1. Dans le placard

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    I was surprised this hasn't been done, especially since there's a Christmas movie thread open. So here it goes, list your favourite Christmas tunes. Here are some of mine in no specific order...

    [YOUTUBE]XuE_DXrt2Js[/YOUTUBE]
    "Do You Hear What I Hear?" (Bing Cosby, among others)
    I believe this was written as a plea for peace at the height of the Cold War, and it feels really warming and hopeful. I particularly like this Bing Cosby version.

    [YOUTUBE]z1rYmzQ8C9Q[/YOUTUBE]
    "Christmas Lights" (Coldplay)
    Quite a melancholy song, but one that seems to capture the spirit of winter in the UK. I could just imagine myself walking through central London as the snow begins to fall and the Christmas lights illuminate the busy shopping streets.

    [YOUTUBE]lG8D4oOLXtI[/YOUTUBE]
    "Silent Night"
    It's a classic. It's as comforting as apple strudel and mulled wine. Nuff said.

    [YOUTUBE]j9jbdgZidu8[/YOUTUBE]
    "Fairytale of New York" (The Pogues feat Kirsty MacColl)
    Another warming favourite, even if it tells a somewhat bleak story.

    [YOUTUBE]sawh40RHFFE[/YOUTUBE]
    "Let it Snow" (Bing Cosby, among others)
    I particularly like this version of the song. Plus, I happened to be listening to it while on a train back home for Christmas a few years back, only to notice that it had started to snow. :slight_smile:

    [YOUTUBE]bjQzJAKxTrE[/YOUTUBE]
    "Do They Know It's Christmas Time" (Band Aid)
    A guilty pleasure. The view of Africa portrayed is slightly patronising, and it is a bit moralising, but overall, I like its message and the surreal 80s synthesiser sounds.

    [YOUTUBE]3ndyk0gkmPc[/YOUTUBE]
    "Ding Dong Merrily on High"
    A nostalgic favourite, if only for the chorus. Glooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooria!
     
  2. biggayguy

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  3. AlamoCity

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    I love bluegrass instrumental country music like this version of Jingle Bells

    [YOUTUBE]UcNbrGbJCrs[/YOUTUBE]
     
  4. Sitri

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    I like the traditional English type carols. Greensleeves, God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, The First Noël, O Come All Ye Faithful, that type of stuff.
     
  5. Im Just Me

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    "So Much More" by Poema. DEFINITELY worth a listen, I recommend everyone play this right now. <3

    [YOUTUBE]uOT89yyrLko[/YOUTUBE]

    And then, one I love for it's crazy silliness and the way it gets me feeling hyper and excited, "Santa-san" by Momoiro Clover Z. This one is in Japanese and to be honest, the girls can't really sing very well, but something about the song is very charming and it makes me smile :slight_smile:

    [YOUTUBE]LwMuHy8t_Vk[/YOUTUBE]


    No matter what i do, I can't seem to embed these. xD
     
    #5 Im Just Me, Dec 17, 2013
    Last edited: Dec 17, 2013
  6. Jonathan

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    No Christmas is complete without...
    [YOUTUBE]LnC3A23AkRQ[/YOUTUBE]

    I fixed them for you. I explain how I embed youtube vids in this thread if you want to check it out. :slight_smile:
     
  7. phoenix89

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    I have a few, Silent Night has already been mentioned, but I also like O Come O Come Emmanuel by Enya and Angels We Have Heard On High by Elevation Worship

    [YOUTUBE]DPHh3nMMu-I[/YOUTUBE]

    [YOUTUBE]IhaqkqvhUJE[/YOUTUBE]
     
    #7 phoenix89, Dec 17, 2013
    Last edited: Dec 17, 2013
  8. Jessica79

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    [YOUTUBE]ZoxQ4Ul_DME[/YOUTUBE]

    I love it :3
     
  9. Absol

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    I hate "You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch" just because in I band, I played the bass clarinet and I could never play the solo on it which meant we could never play the song. >_>

    Also, Pentatonix:
    [YOUTUBE]qJ_MGWio-vc[/YOUTUBE]

    [YOUTUBE]WSUFzC6_fp8[/YOUTUBE]

    [YOUTUBE]VAMzAIH12yc[/YOUTUBE]
     
    #9 Absol, Dec 17, 2013
    Last edited: Dec 17, 2013
  10. SemiCharmedLife

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    I will start by saying how ironic it is that I'm Jewish and posting on this thread. Then again, my homeboy Irving Berlin wrote White Christmas, so you're welcome everyone.

    That said, here's my top three:

    [YOUTUBE]V8BJxxnPBNk[/YOUTUBE]


    [YOUTUBE]hxm1FlLSfe4[/YOUTUBE]


    and for all its 1980s cheesiness
    [YOUTUBE]bjQzJAKxTrE[/YOUTUBE]
     
  11. Necrose

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    My post would be long indeed if I were to post every single YouTube video for the songs I like best, but, in no particular order, here are links to a few:

    Twisted Sister - Oh Come All Ye Faithful (Animated version) - YouTube
    O Come All Ye Faithful as performed by Twisted Sister: Since Dee and crew covered it, I can't even think this song without it being their way, much less sing it out loud.

    Christmas Eve/ Sarajevo [Timeless Version] - YouTube
    Christmas Eve/ Sarajevo 12/24 - Trans-Siberian Orchestra: Very heavy and "bad guys win" feeling if you ask me, perfect, in my opinion, for a heel professional wrestler going out for a match on a Christmas show, but it's awesome.

    2013 - Elvis - Blue Christmas - YouTube
    Blue Christmas - Elvis: The King, ladies and gentlemen and everyone else. Only version of this song that matters as far as I'm concerned. Couldn't find an "official channel", this version is so old, so have this cool Christmas lights video instead.

    Little Drummer Boy- Harry Simeone Choir - YouTube
    The Little Drummer Boy as performed by The Harry Simeone Chorale: One of my earliest Christmas memories is of an audio cassette that my mom owned, Billboard Top Christmas Hits 1954 - 1957 or some such, I don't remember the exact years, but what I do remember is that this version is the version on that tape. This version is, in my opinion, the best version ever recorded and I cannot bring myself to listen to any but this and only one other version. Others may remember this version from, of all shows, American Horror Story.

    Deck The Halls ~ Ottmar Liebert - YouTube
    Deck the Halls as performed by Ottmar Liebert: Another one I couldn't find an "official channel" for, but this version is a refreshing change of pace for a beloved classic.

    "White Christmas" - The Drifters - YouTube
    White Christmas as performed by The Drifters: No disrespect to Bing Crosby, but this version is just more fun in my opinion. Perhaps best known by most for it's use in Home Alone, this version was on that Billboard Christmas Hits tape my mom owned and so it was this version I grew up with.

    Other songs, either because the versions are so well-known there's no point posting videos, I could just say who and what song and almost everybody will know, or because despite the fact they come up in the search prediction, the songs don't show up in the actual search on YouTube, include Gene Autry's versions of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Here Comes Santa Claus, Brenda Lee's Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, Bobby Helms' Jingle Bell Rock, Burl Ives' Have A Holly Jolly Christmas and Every Christmas Is A Birthday and his versions of Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (the album version, not the Rankin-Bass Christmas special version), and The Little Drummer Boy (the only other version besides The Harry Simeone Chorale that I like), Feliz Navidad as it was performed by Beth and Scott, Frank Sinatra's Mistletoe and Holly and his version of Jingle Bells, and there's many, many more besides. Christmas is one of my favorite genres of music, so I like a good lot of it. Of course, it's just not Christmas without:

    Elmo & Patsy - Grandma Got Run over by a Reindeer - YouTube

    -OR-

    The Chipmunk song - Alvin & The Chipmunks (High Quality) - YouTube
     
    #11 Necrose, Dec 17, 2013
    Last edited: Dec 17, 2013
  12. ba92

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  13. Daydream Harp

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  14. Ginger Hobbit

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    This one:
    [YOUTUBE]B3DyxaCYlfg[/YOUTUBE]
     
  15. SFSorrow

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    Not my favourite (yet) as I only just discovered it, but thought I'd share:

    [YOUTUBE]nF1meLIHcEM[/YOUTUBE]
     
  16. scanner007

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    Well first off, I'm of the school of thought that all the best christmas songs were created from about 1950-1970. Bing Crosby is a good example, glad to see it was the first song in this thread.
    But you know what this album holds a special place in my family's heart, we found it by accident and it's music has blessed most of the best Christmases I've ever known.
    The album has a little something for everyone.
    Its called, "Paddy Noonan's Christmas Time in Ireland"
    with Marie Frances, Tommy Mulvihill, Johnny Hanley and Eamon Kelly.

    I checked and the album is on youtube. Now I realize old school irish music might not initially appeal to you but in the context of christmas, its just lovely. This album really gives you that old school lord of the rings-esque feel of old times long ago during Christmas when people loved one another just a little more than maybe we do today and we all held each other a little tighter because all we had were each other - and not our xbox or smartphone or whatever else we have today to distract us from human companionship. I guarantee if you give these infectious songs a chance, they will grow on you. By the way, if you only try out two of them, try "Wind in the Willows" and "Christmas in Kerry Long Ago" ...gah ..well AND "The Wren Song" TOO. grrr they're all good, little weird at first, but its just not Christmas for me without these now.

    Christmas Time in Ireland - Marie Frances - YouTube
    Christmas Time in Ireland - Marie Frances
    The album's title song.

    The Wren Song - St. Stephen's Jig - Tommy Mulvihill - YouTube
    The Wren Song St. Steven's Jig
    This song will make you dance a jig or do a river dance, even if you don't know how.

    Christmas Eve in Ireland - Eamon Kelly - YouTube
    Christmas Eve in Ireland by Eamon Kelly
    This isn't a song but a narration by Eamon Kelly and he basically recounts what Christmas was like for him as a boy from the early 1900's.

    Christmas in Kerry Long Ago - Tommy Mulvihill - YouTube
    Christmas in Kerry Long Ago
    Like all the other songs, I like to blast it (((LOUD))). I dig the drum solo/last minute of the song where it jams out. I love to alternate this song with the Wind in the Willows song, they both have that cuddle up and watch the Christmas Tree in the dark feel to them I think.

    Wind in the Willows - Tommy Mulvihill - YouTube
    Wind in the Willows -Tommy Mulvihill
    If you only listen to two of these songs, make this one of them. When I read Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit as a teenager, and Tolkien described the songs that were sung. I pictured this song to be much like what he intended.
    This is the type of song where you play it with all the lights off except the Christmas Tree and cuddle on the couch with your boyfriend/girlfriend. By the end of the song, you'll be holding hands and be filled with soul-soothing sublime happiness. Yes Really! - I'm not kidding.

    Christmas in Killarney - Marie Frances - YouTube
    Christmas in Killarny
    Handing you no Blarney! Another "jig" type song, upbeat.

    O Holy Night - Marie Frances - YouTube
    O Holy Night
    A good slow song, irish rendition of a classic tune. If you like this one, Silent Night is three times better.

    Miss Fogarty's Christmas Cake - Tommy Mulvihill - YouTube
    Miss Fogarty's Christmas Cake
    Another "jig" type song, very upbeat and the story of the song is funny.

    Silent Night - Marie Frances - YouTube
    Silent Night
    Excellent old feel version of Silent Night. Sung beautifully and not entirely in english, I believe part Gaelic maybe? This song is definitely one of quite of few that makes this album exceptional and enjoyable by anyone, not just irish, not just Christmas even.

    So there you have it. I'd love to hear any feedback you have on it, good or bad.
    Happy Christmas!
    Peace!
     
    #17 scanner007, Dec 21, 2013
    Last edited: Dec 21, 2013
  17. Richie.

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    Mariah Carey's song is awesome!
     
  18. Loyalguy4

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    last christmas,wham
     
  19. Martin

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    Driving Home for Christmas by Chris Rea. I listen to it rather obsessively around this time of year. ^_^

    [youtube]EvDxSW8mzvU[/youtube]