Christmas song recordings that should never go away

[prberk]

I was with a young member of the youth group I lead last night when he mentioned "old people music," and it got me to thinking: Aren't there songs that all generations enjoy, and perhaps should know?

I think this is especially true of Christmas songs, although even that canon of favorites seems to be evolving more than it used to. In fact, every once in a while there is a newer one that adds on, and should.

But I thought I would start a thread asking your opinion of Christmas songs (specific recordings) that really you hope will last (or continue to last) for generations to come.

Here are a few to start off:

"White Christmas" by Bing Crosby (once the biggest single of all time and still nice)
"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" both by Gene Autry
"Jingle Bell Rock" by Bobby Helms
"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee.

All of these remind me of my grandmother dancing around the kitchen, yet still are enjoyed by youth in my youth group.

What do you think are good ones for all time?

 

[The Mom]

A Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) Nat King Cole or Mel Torme versions.

I'll Be Home for Christmas


Written during WWII for our servicemen and women, but unfortunately still as relevant today.

 

[Lightyear999]

"Happy Christmas / War Is Over" -John Lennon

 

[The Mom]

"Happy Christmas / War Is Over" -John Lennon

I don't think I have that one on any of my Christmas CDs. I have a feeling that it's already been dropped from mainstream traditional Christmas music.

 

[acishere]

The Bruce Springsteen version of "Santa Claus is Comin to Town" is the version I prefer. I think I hear it more often on the Christmas radio stations than the Autry version. That may just be because I live in NJ though. The stations also regularly play Happy Christmas so that never seemed like it was out of the rotation of mainstream holiday songs.

 

[xdan0920]

"We Need a Little Christmas" Johnny Mathis. Listen to it a minimum once a day starting the day after Thanksgiving. Never fails to get me in the Christmas spirit. Not that it's difficult mind you, Christmas is my favorite time of year, by a wide margin.

 

[harveyt0206]

I adore " Christmas Time Is Here" from a Charlie Brown Christmas

 

[awoogala]

Drummer boy with Bing and David Bowie.
although I'm very partial to the pogues xmas song "fairytale of new york ", I would assume it's not what most people think of as a traditional xmas tune .

 

[Master Yoda]

The myriad of great versions of Carol of the Bells.

 

[Bob Saget]

Christmas: Baby Please Come Home -Darlene Love
A true holiday tradition when she performs on the Letterman show every year.

 

[trr1]

I always likes this version with Eartha Kitt From the 1960s batman

 

[Nemo14]

It's not Christmas around here without the Muppet version of the Twelve days of Christmas.

 

[prberk]

I love the Muppets Christmas album!

As for the Springsteen "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," I do like that version, too. What I like most about the Gene Autry version, though, is that it has that second verse that most people don't use, which ties it back to the real meaning of Christmas. Plus, it is so simple and NOT ironic in tone, like so many newer ones are.

Eartha Kitt also knew how to make a song sexy without one vulgar word or reference. Class act.

 

[copcarguyp71]

Anything but Dominick the Christmas Donkey and Wonderful Christmas Time by McCartney. Love the Beatles and McCartney as a solo artist but for some reason that song just does not do it for me.

I love the season and now that it is over I will miss the music in the background of our evenings and weekends.