12 Feet high start the winter swell blues...
Because 'tis the time for lists, I've made a list of my favorite holiday songs. Well, actually, I've made three lists of my favorite holiday songs. I couldn't decide, because I have a LOT of winter holiday music, and I keep getting more. Did I mention that I love all winter holidays, and I especially love the music that goes with them? And I keep learning new songs, and then I buy more songs, and soon I will have an entire 24 hour's worth of winter holiday music. I see nothing wrong with this.
So here are the song lists. I love all these songs, and in particular the versions I'm putting here. It was hard to pick, but I did it for you. The hypothetical you who may be looking for awesome winter holiday music. Here you go.
Traditional Winter holiday tunes - These are the songs that (I think) are at least a century old, and are popular within their culture of origin. OK, Jingle Bells is popular in a lot of cultures. I like this Samba version. These are some of my favorite songs, and my fave versions of those songs.
1. Angles We Have Heard On High - Indigo Girls
2. Away in a Manger - Anuna
3. The Boar’s Head - The Chieftans
4. Bogoroditsye dyevo - The King’s Singers
5. Corramos, Corramos - Placido Domingo
6. Fum Fum Fum - Montana A Cappella Society
7. Gabriel’s Message - Sting
8. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Annie Lennox
9. Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah - Barenaked Ladies
10. Happy Joyous Hanukkah - Indigo Girls
11. The Holly and the Ivy - Kiri Te Kanawa
12. Jingle Bells Samba - Crewation
13. Little Drummer Boy - The Korean Orphan Choir
14. Los Peces en el Rio - Gipsy Kings
15. Maoz Tzur - Craig Taubman
16. Maria Matrem Virginem - Anuna
17. The Night Before Christmas (The Devil in the Kitchen) - Ashley MacIsaac
18. O Holy Night - Ricki Lee Jones
19. O The Holly She Bears a Berry - The Chieftans
20. Ocho Kandelikas - Pink Martini
21. Rama Nama Mahima - Shankar Mahadevan
22. Riu Chiu - The Monkees
23. Szczo to Za Prediwo - The King’s Singers
24. Veni, Veni Emmanuel - The King’s Singers
25. The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy - Kiri Te Kanawa
Non-traditional holiday tunes (older) (But sometimes with newer artists) - The songs people of my and my parents generation know as the fun winter holiday songs. Written within the last century, but before 30 (OK, 40) years ago, the ones that fill us (me) with nostalgia. I like these versions best. So far.
1. Santa Claus is Watching You - Ray Stevens
2. A Holly Jolly Christmas - Burl Ives
3. Beautiful City - The New Christy Minstrel Singers
4. The Best Things Happen While You’re Dancing - Danny Kaye
5. Blue Christmas - Brenda Lee
6. The Chipmunk Song - The Chipmunks
7. Christmas Time is Here - Vince Guaraldi
8. El Burrito de Belen - Juanes
9. Frosty the Snowman - Zee Avi
10. Good Morning Blues - Ella Fitzgerald
11. Home for the Holidays - Perry Como
12. I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas - Gayla Peevey
13. I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm - Bille Holiday
14. Light One Candle - Peter, Paul, and Mary
15. Mele Kalikimaka - KT Tunstall
16. Merry Christmas Baby - Lou Rawls
17. River - Indigo Girls
18. Run, Run Rudolph - The Electric Mayhem (Muppets)
19. Santa Claus is Back in Town - Elvis Presley
20. Sisters - Rosemary Clooney
21. Una Noche en Borinquen - Lucecita Benitez
22. White Christmas - The Drifters
23. Winter Wonderland - Eurythmics
24. You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch - Thurl Ravenscroft
25. ‘Zat You, Santa Claus - Louis Armstrong
Non-traditional holiday tunes (recent-ish) - These are far more recent. And mostly more irreverent. Which makes me happy, and I like to boogie to them, sing along with them, and introduce them to people who haven't discovered them yet. Some of this stuff is hilarious, some sad, and I like it all.
1. All I Want for Christmas is You - Whitney Duncan
2. All That I Want - The Weepies
3. Candlelight - Maccabeats
4. The Chanukah Song - Adam Sandler
5. Chiron Beta Prime - Jonathan Coulton
6. The Christians and the Pagans - Dar Williams
7. Feels Like Christmas - Cyndi Lauper
8. Fifty Kilowatt Tree - The Bobs
9. Glow Worm/It’s Beginning to Look … - Rockapella
10. Hard Candy Christmas - Dolly Parton
11. Hey Santa! - Straight No Chaser
12. I Feel the Christmas Spirit - Indigo Girls
13. I’ll Cover You - (from “Rent”)
14. Just for Now - Imogen Heap
15. Last Christmas - Wham!
16. Maybe Next Year - Meiko
17. Nutmeg - Stephen Colbert and John Legend
18. Please Be Patient - Fiest
19. Please Come Home for Christmas - Pat Benetar
20. Podsafe Christmas Song - Jonathan Coulton
21. St. Stephen’s Day Murders - The Chieftans with Elvis Costello
22. Thank God it’s Christmas - Queen
23. What Do Bad Girls Get? - Joan Osborne
24. Winter Song - Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson
25. Winter Swell Blues - Paula Fuga
So that's my really long list of songs that are currently my favorite winter holiday tunes. I am always looking for more. Why, when I have nearly a full 24 hours of holiday music? Um, when I reach 48 hours, I'll let you know.
So here are the song lists. I love all these songs, and in particular the versions I'm putting here. It was hard to pick, but I did it for you. The hypothetical you who may be looking for awesome winter holiday music. Here you go.
Traditional Winter holiday tunes - These are the songs that (I think) are at least a century old, and are popular within their culture of origin. OK, Jingle Bells is popular in a lot of cultures. I like this Samba version. These are some of my favorite songs, and my fave versions of those songs.
1. Angles We Have Heard On High - Indigo Girls
2. Away in a Manger - Anuna
3. The Boar’s Head - The Chieftans
4. Bogoroditsye dyevo - The King’s Singers
5. Corramos, Corramos - Placido Domingo
6. Fum Fum Fum - Montana A Cappella Society
7. Gabriel’s Message - Sting
8. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Annie Lennox
9. Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah - Barenaked Ladies
10. Happy Joyous Hanukkah - Indigo Girls
11. The Holly and the Ivy - Kiri Te Kanawa
12. Jingle Bells Samba - Crewation
13. Little Drummer Boy - The Korean Orphan Choir
14. Los Peces en el Rio - Gipsy Kings
15. Maoz Tzur - Craig Taubman
16. Maria Matrem Virginem - Anuna
17. The Night Before Christmas (The Devil in the Kitchen) - Ashley MacIsaac
18. O Holy Night - Ricki Lee Jones
19. O The Holly She Bears a Berry - The Chieftans
20. Ocho Kandelikas - Pink Martini
21. Rama Nama Mahima - Shankar Mahadevan
22. Riu Chiu - The Monkees
23. Szczo to Za Prediwo - The King’s Singers
24. Veni, Veni Emmanuel - The King’s Singers
25. The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy - Kiri Te Kanawa
Non-traditional holiday tunes (older) (But sometimes with newer artists) - The songs people of my and my parents generation know as the fun winter holiday songs. Written within the last century, but before 30 (OK, 40) years ago, the ones that fill us (me) with nostalgia. I like these versions best. So far.
1. Santa Claus is Watching You - Ray Stevens
2. A Holly Jolly Christmas - Burl Ives
3. Beautiful City - The New Christy Minstrel Singers
4. The Best Things Happen While You’re Dancing - Danny Kaye
5. Blue Christmas - Brenda Lee
6. The Chipmunk Song - The Chipmunks
7. Christmas Time is Here - Vince Guaraldi
8. El Burrito de Belen - Juanes
9. Frosty the Snowman - Zee Avi
10. Good Morning Blues - Ella Fitzgerald
11. Home for the Holidays - Perry Como
12. I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas - Gayla Peevey
13. I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm - Bille Holiday
14. Light One Candle - Peter, Paul, and Mary
15. Mele Kalikimaka - KT Tunstall
16. Merry Christmas Baby - Lou Rawls
17. River - Indigo Girls
18. Run, Run Rudolph - The Electric Mayhem (Muppets)
19. Santa Claus is Back in Town - Elvis Presley
20. Sisters - Rosemary Clooney
21. Una Noche en Borinquen - Lucecita Benitez
22. White Christmas - The Drifters
23. Winter Wonderland - Eurythmics
24. You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch - Thurl Ravenscroft
25. ‘Zat You, Santa Claus - Louis Armstrong
Non-traditional holiday tunes (recent-ish) - These are far more recent. And mostly more irreverent. Which makes me happy, and I like to boogie to them, sing along with them, and introduce them to people who haven't discovered them yet. Some of this stuff is hilarious, some sad, and I like it all.
1. All I Want for Christmas is You - Whitney Duncan
2. All That I Want - The Weepies
3. Candlelight - Maccabeats
4. The Chanukah Song - Adam Sandler
5. Chiron Beta Prime - Jonathan Coulton
6. The Christians and the Pagans - Dar Williams
7. Feels Like Christmas - Cyndi Lauper
8. Fifty Kilowatt Tree - The Bobs
9. Glow Worm/It’s Beginning to Look … - Rockapella
10. Hard Candy Christmas - Dolly Parton
11. Hey Santa! - Straight No Chaser
12. I Feel the Christmas Spirit - Indigo Girls
13. I’ll Cover You - (from “Rent”)
14. Just for Now - Imogen Heap
15. Last Christmas - Wham!
16. Maybe Next Year - Meiko
17. Nutmeg - Stephen Colbert and John Legend
18. Please Be Patient - Fiest
19. Please Come Home for Christmas - Pat Benetar
20. Podsafe Christmas Song - Jonathan Coulton
21. St. Stephen’s Day Murders - The Chieftans with Elvis Costello
22. Thank God it’s Christmas - Queen
23. What Do Bad Girls Get? - Joan Osborne
24. Winter Song - Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson
25. Winter Swell Blues - Paula Fuga
So that's my really long list of songs that are currently my favorite winter holiday tunes. I am always looking for more. Why, when I have nearly a full 24 hours of holiday music? Um, when I reach 48 hours, I'll let you know.