Indespensible Holiday Classics

So I can appreciate Xmas for its glorious consumerist values. And yes, I do get into the spirit and put on some old yuletide favorites. All right, so sue me!

What are the songs/musicians/bands that you can't live without this holiday season.

For me it consists of Burl Ives, Dean Martin, John Pizzarelli, Harry Connick Jr, and Joey Ramone.

the bright eyes christmas album. two words.
awe some

I love Chicago's Christmas album and I have to hear Scott Wieland sing Christmastime Is Here and any Louis Armstrong.

[Edited on Dec 03, 2003 by awhitepony]

I almost forgot Nat King Cole. That guy positively OWNS Xmas!

the Squirrel Nut Zippers x-mas album, the Cocteau Twins x-mas songs, Danny Elfman's Ice Dance off the Edward Scissorhands soundtrack, Trans-Siberian Orchestra albums, and for some really odd reason Paul McCartney's A Wonderful Christmas Time....Those cheesy synth chords just scream "x-mas morning vh1 x-mas music video marathons"; a family tradition in my home

[Edited on Dec 03, 2003 by Velvetone_Fusion]

Bright Eyes has a fucking Christmas album? I don't know whether to laugh or what...he probably wants me to cry though.

Oh, and I would say The Vandals - Oi To The World! is a damn fine Xmas album with such hits as:

Hang Myself From The Tree
My First Christmas (As A Woman)
and
A Gun For Christmas

The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole
White Christmas by Bing Crosby
The entire Oi! To the World album by the Vandals
A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector (which is, surprisingly, not "a bullet in the head", but rather an amazing collection of Spectorized holiday standards performed by the Ronettes, the Crystals, et al)

oh! and Christmas Sucks! by Tom Waits and Peter Murphy

Mannheim Steamroller



Still, it wouldn't be the same if I didn't have to endure it year after year.

Manilow baby.... Manilow.....

Barry Manilow - Because It's Christmas

i'll second the Phil Spector christmas album. the man is a demented genius.
i'll always have a soft spot for the Muppets Christmas album with John Denver.
and then, there's Fairytale of New York by the Pogues and Kirsty Maccoll. best. christmas. song. ever.

It's not christmas until I've heard The Boss singing Santa Claus is Coming to Town. This always puts a smile on my face.

THE FLAMING LIPS - CHRISTMAS AT THE ZOO

My friend listed and linked to a set of hip holiday tunes HERE!

Here's a new favorite for this year for ya:
Grandaddy - Alan Parson's In A Winter Wonderland

Happy X-mas

Santa Dog - the Residents

Rockin' Disco Santa Claus - the Sisterhood

Best Xmas song ever:
Hey Santa - UK Subs (I've also found a version by Kevin "Bloody" Wilson, not sure who the originator was)

Lyrics:

Hey Santa

Quite often I get a thinking
How as kids we got by
Like christmas time in our house
We couldn't even afford a fire

But we made do in our house
Back then when I was young
Dad used to suck a peppermint
And we'd all sit round his tongue

We couldn't afford no tinsel
On our christmas tree
So we'd just wheel old grandad in
And make the old cunt sneeze...atchoo

Wheel him round the other side granny...atchoo

Well things change so bloody fast
I got children now of me own
Now I heard 'em unwrap their presents
Last night when I got home

Santa claus you cunt
Where's my fucking bike
I've unwrapped all this other junk
There's nothing what i like

I've wrote you a letter
And i've come to see you twice
You geriatric wanker
Where's my fucking bike

If i wanted a pair of fucking shoes
I would've fucking asked
This cowboy suit and ping-pong set
You can stick right up your arse

You went and mucked my order up
It's enough to make you spew
It's not just me that's pissed off
My sister's cheesed off too

Santa claUs you cunt
Where's my fucking pram
You promised me you fucking cunt
You know who I am

'Cos I'm the little girl
You made sit right on your hand
Never mind your ho ho ho
Where's my fucking pram

Next time i go to see him
I'm gonna punch him in the guts
Set his fucking reindeer loose
Kick rudolf in the nuts

Just you wait til next year
'Til we get to that store
A mate of my little sister
'll come stomping through that door

Hey mums and dads just check his breath
And watch his bloodshot eyes
Don't listen to him boys and girls
'Cos he tells fucking lies

He's a pisstake and a pervert
He's not even fucking bright
'Cos that fucking wanker
Forgot my fucking bike

Hey santa claus you cunt
Where's my fucking bike
I've unwrapped all this other junk
There's nothing what I like

I wrote you a fucking letter
And I came to see you twice
You geriatric wanker
Forgot my fucking bike

Yeah I'm gonna tell my dad on you
Fucking punch your head in....cunt
I saw mummy sucking santa


Then there's the old Ramones standard "Merry Christmas, I Don't Wanna Fight Tonight"

The Vince Guaraldi christmas collection is definately the best. Charlie Brown! Christmas time is here!

I love the Jimmy Eat World Christmas song.

I have a single of "We Wish You A Merry Christmas" credited to the Greedies, who were actually Phil Lynott and Scott Gorham from Thin Lizzy with Steve Jones and Paul Cook from the Sex Pistols. It's not very good, but worth having just for the weirdness factor.

Oh, and Unwritten Law's "Please Come Home for Christmas" is so good too.

How could I forget "Hooray For Santa Clause!" from the classic film Santa Clause Conquers the Martians"

And the Damned song "There Ain't No Sanity Clause"

I found a couple of samplers of Xmas lounge tunes on the Rhino label. They got the likes of Lena Horne, Jackie Gleason and Les Baxter.

It ain't right unless Santa Claus Goes Straight To The Ghetto says James Brown

And if you haven't heard The Yobs Christmas Album, you haven't heard true joy!