Ten Christmas Songs That Won't Make Me Want To Turn My Radio Off: - Page 3

09) Badly Drawn Boy: Donna and Blitzen
The Badly Drawn Brit ended of his About a Boy soundtrack with this optimistic song about returning reindeer. Thankfully, there isn't a version of Santa's Super Sleigh on the album, so this is the only Christmas song on the record.
Best line: Maybe tomorrow we're gonna see
Things we'd never believe

10) Pearl Jam: Let Me Sleep (It's Christmas Time)
Pearl Jam has since 1991 released a single at Christmas time, which is only available to members of their fan club. Let Me Sleep was the first of these singles (since then it has been mainly cover versions) and it's basically a song about longing for the joy you felt as a kid at Christmas time.
Best line: Oh, when I was a kid... Oh, how magic it seemed.
Oh, please let me sleep, it's Christmas time

Honourable mentions go to: The Nightmare Before Christmas Soundtrack, Ben Folds', Eels', and Barenaked Ladies' contributions to the How the Grinch Stole Christmas Soundtrack, and the song Just Like Christmas from the Low album Christmas.

So this is my list of decent Christmas songs. Which ones did I miss?
[Update: People have added Christmas song suggestions to this and this entry over at my weblog]

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Article comments

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  • 1 - Eric Olsen

    Dec 03, 2002 at 6:41 pm

    Great list for a freaky Scandinavian dude.

  • 2 - Bill Sherman

    Dec 04, 2002 at 10:57 am

    A few others I like to hear this time of year:

    Ramones, "Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight Tonight)" (the album version);
    Wall of Voodoo, "Shouldn't Have Given Him A Gun for Christmas" (yeah, it's a novelty song, but it still makes me laff);
    XTC, "Thanks for Christmas" (love the hook on this 'un);
    Timbuk 3, "All I Want for Christmas" (neo-hippie folkie sentiments beautifully presented - whatever happened to these two?);
    and
    T-Bone Burnett's lovely rendition of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen."

    I also love that Pogues song.

  • 3 - Jen Raj

    Dec 04, 2002 at 5:36 pm

    My Morning Jacket- Xmas Curtain, Best line, "We are criminals who never break the law"

    And, for some odd reason, I kinda like Run DMC's Xmas in Hollis Queens..

  • 4 - Eric Olsen

    Dec 04, 2002 at 5:42 pm

    My fave is probably the Drifters' "White Christmas."

  • 5 - Bill Sherman

    Dec 04, 2002 at 6:28 pm

    The Drifters' version is indeed fine: I'm also partial to Otis Redding's take on the Berlin song.

    Perhaps the one all-Xmas disc that gets the most play in our house during the season is Rhino's collection of jazz & rhythm-and-blues tunes, Hipsters Holiday. It includes another personal fave, Louis Armstrong's "'Zat You, Santa Claus?," as well as Miles Davis' ultra-hipster cynical "Blue Xmas."

  • 6 - John Fogde

    Dec 04, 2002 at 7:58 pm

    A friend of mine mentioned that 2000 Miles by The Pretenders is another great Christmas song.

  • 7 - Sarah D

    Dec 06, 2002 at 4:26 am

    I absolutely adore the Pogues Christmas song, its about the only song I actually like hearing when I walk past a dept store or standing in a queue somewhere. It reminds me of someone special and just makes me smile.

  • 8 - Jon P

    Dec 06, 2002 at 1:47 pm

    What about "santa Claus and his old lady" by cheech and Chong? Also, christmas is never complete without hearing Bob and Doug McKenzie's "12 days of christmas". And a beeer in a tree!!!!

  • 9 - Eric Olsen

    Dec 06, 2002 at 2:05 pm

    More great ones - thanks. Hey all you USA Today visitors, do you have any holiday favorites? What about songs you never want to hear again? When should the Xmas songs start up each year? Doesn't it get earlier and earlier?

  • 10 - Dave

    Dec 06, 2002 at 5:38 pm

    How about "Father Christmas" by The Kinks...great song.

  • 11 - Drclueful

    Dec 08, 2002 at 7:01 pm

    Run Rudolph Run - Keith Richards
    Jesus Christ - Big Star
    Merry Christmas Will Do - Material Issue
    Little Drummer Boy - Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
    Feliz Navidad - El Vez

  • 12 - Cracker

    Dec 09, 2002 at 8:28 am

    Bing & Bowie's "Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy".
    Remember how odd this pairing seemed at the time?
    Still gives me chills.

  • 13 - Nathan

    Jun 19, 2003 at 2:24 am

    Pearl Jam's Let Me Sleep is kool. Len Monahan's Being Alone for Christmas is really great and hurts in a good way. Pogues' Fairytale is about here and now.

  • 14 - Naomi

    Aug 24, 2003 at 2:08 pm

    I once met Len Monahan in a resturant in D.C. He's really a cool guy. I told him that Being Along For Christmas was my favorite Xmas song ever. He just laughed and paid for our dinner. It was over $100! Now how many people would do that?

  • 15 - Daryl

    Nov 30, 2003 at 12:06 am

    "Silent Night" by The Only Ones
    "Santa Claus Go Down To The Ghetto" by James Brown

  • 16 - Tony Iovino

    Nov 30, 2004 at 8:50 pm

    I add Steve Earle's "Nothing But a Child"

  • 17 - Amy

    Dec 23, 2004 at 2:11 pm

    Fairytale of New York is the best...but I also love, Merry Christmas (I don't want to fight) - Ramones;I won't be home for Christmas _ Blink 182,; Please Come Home for Christmas - Aaron Neville; the South Park version of Oh Holy NIght; and Christmas in Hollis
    Clearly you need a sense of humor this time of year!

  • 18 - HW Saxton

    Dec 23, 2004 at 8:12 pm

    Gotta agree with Eric's pick to click of
    The Drifter's "White Xmas". Those bass
    vox on that song give me the chills.



  • 19 - The Theory

    Dec 23, 2004 at 9:29 pm

    the ones I like don't get played on radio... but they are...

    Dear Ephesus- The Holidays
    and anything Sufjan Stevens

  • 20 - TiggerUSM

    Dec 29, 2004 at 9:16 am

    I really like "Daddy Christmas" by "Who's the Daddy now?". WTDN are a tribute band to CarterUSM - an indie band from the 1990's. The curio about them is that the tribute band features both members of the original band!

  • 21 - Nick Jones

    Dec 29, 2004 at 3:43 pm

    James White and The Blacks 'Christmas With Satan'.

  • 22 - cr0wgrrl

    Dec 29, 2004 at 5:08 pm

    Can't forget Tom Waits' "Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis"

  • 23 - Steff

    Dec 08, 2005 at 5:12 pm

    The song 'I Hate Christmas Parties' by Relient K...It's not cheerful, and it's not fun, but it's my favourite, and considering my lack of enthusiasm for the glittery 'good will to all men and peac on earth' part of the holiday, and my over enthusiasm for the 'let's break out the whisky I was given last year, oh yeah i drank it on new years eve' part of the holiday, i think the song is amazing!

  • 24 - gobraves

    Dec 16, 2006 at 10:29 pm

    Santa can't stay Dwight Yoakum

  • 25 - jd

    Dec 17, 2006 at 7:01 pm

    The Yuletunes Christmas compilation is the best modern Christmas record -- all the way through.

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