Christmas songs that don't suck

henke on 30/11/2009 at 19:43

The whole christmas song genre seems to be rather stale and tough to break in to. When was the last honest-to-God Christmas Standard made? "Last Christmas", by Wham, right? And that was way back in the 80's!

There has been good christmas songs made since then though, I've managed to track down a few of them, hopefully you lot will have more. :)

The Flaming Lips - A Change at Christmas (http://open.spotify.com/track/38pNnyQFOzCpLN9gsKAqGj) Spotify | Meticulously hunted down and deleted from YouTube, last.fm and everything else by WMG :(
Christmas. The one time of year that all people are kind and sharing and look out for each other. The one time of year that mankind lives up to it's full potential for one brief shining moment. And then promptly forget about the magic and go back to their daily routine. Not so if Wayne Coyne had a Time Machine. Because if Wayne Coyne had a Time Machine he would freeze time at christmas and all of mankind would always be at it's best. It's cheesy, corny and absolutely wonderfull in this little gem tucked away at the end of the Ego Tripping at the Gates of Hell EP.

Juelz Santana - Christmas in the Ghetto (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQZibiKkJMw) YouTube | (http://open.spotify.com/track/4qnAL2v6WtgxbJ5DxWgLno) Spotify
Christmas in the Ghetto is the new Christmas in Hollis.

Ron Sexsmith - Maybe this Christmas (http://www.elmundo.es/especiales/2008/12/navidad/villancicos/ron_sexsmith.html) El Mundo? | (http://open.spotify.com/track/3TrwJl33jfgEJDdwpSa2lK) Spotify
Just a simple, beautiful and optimistic song. About christmas.

Good Year Pimps - Grandma's Christmas Shirt (http://www.deezer.com/en/music/the-good-year-pimps#music/the-good-year-pimps/to-a-cool-person-stay-that-way-212696) Deezer (last track) | (http://open.spotify.com/track/29hCT1buCGbs1Z6WiBwO5F) Spotify
The Pimps' ode to crappy annual gifts that keep returning year after merciless year.

Aimee Mann - Calling on Mary (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KMYOUeknzMw) YouTube | (http://open.spotify.com/track/2Cy2iftfrSwtsMT39p06eX) Spotify
Aimee Mann's "One More Drifter In The Snow" is my favourite christmas album. A collection of restrained, sometimes melancholic takes on christmas standards that's the perfect antidote for all the forced cheer of the season. Calling on Mary is the one original song on the album and well worth of becoming a future standard.

PotatoGuy on 30/11/2009 at 20:00

And of course there is (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GSzL608smw) this one :cool:

Thief13x on 30/11/2009 at 20:06

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szLmAPW39uE) Trans Siberian Orchestra all the way!

Sulphur on 30/11/2009 at 20:40

TSO's all right if really pretentious and over-produced. Pretentious Christmas songs? Hmm.

M'self, I like the raw ragged simplicity of Christmas-turned guitar tunes, so Merry Axemas feeds my wood-chipper, stokes my flames, blah de blah.

These are reworkings of the usual Christmassy songs and obviously are not original in any way, shape, or form, but at least now they're listenable and shit.

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDmw1CCia6A) Steve Morse - Joy To The World
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY6IFSVNlKs#t=37) Hotei - Happy Xmas

Koki on 30/11/2009 at 20:46

Last Christmas I gave you my heaarrgthtrghrggfghfhghghhhg

Ulukai on 30/11/2009 at 20:50

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-eslNwGXrI) The Darkness - Christmas Time (Don't Let The Bells End) is one of the ones I find on the more tolerable side, but probably only because it hasn't been around for long enough to become etched into the Christmas Songs pit in my brain.

steo on 30/11/2009 at 20:50

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjEIP6otc4Y) Fairytale of New York by The Pogues, surely.

june gloom on 30/11/2009 at 20:51

Fuck yeah, TSO.

theBlackman on 30/11/2009 at 21:03

Merry Christmas from the family
Robert Earl Keen

Mom got drunk and Dad got drunk at our Christmas party
We were drinking champagne punch and homemade eggnog
Little sister brought her new boyfriend
He was a Mexican
We didn't know what to think of him until he sang
Felis Navidad, Felis Navidad

Brother Ken brought his kids with him
The three from his first wife Lynn
And the two identical twins from his second wife Mary Nell
Of course he brought his new wife Kay
Who talks all about AA
Chain smoking while the stereo plays Noel, Noel
The First Noel

Carve the Turkey
Turn the ball game on
It's margaritas when the eggnog's gone
Send somebody to the Quickpak Store
We need some ice and an extension chord
A can of bean dip and some Diet Rites
A box of Pampers, Marlboro Lights
Halelluja everybody say cheese
Merry Christmas from the family

Fred and Rita drove from Harlingen
I can't remember how I'm kin to them
But when they tried to plug their motor home in
They blew our Christmas lights
Cousin David knew just what went wrong
So we all waited out on our front lawn
He threw the breaker and the lights came on
And we sang Silent Night, Silent Night, Oh Holy Night

Carve the turkey turn the ball game on
It's Bloody Mary's
Cause We All Want One!
Send somebody to the Stop 'N Go
We need some celery and a can of fake snow
A bag of Tampex and some Diet Sprites
A box of Midols, some Salem Lights
Halelluja, everybody say cheese
Merry Christmas from the Family

Felis Navidad!

R Soul on 30/11/2009 at 21:04

That one by Slade, nothing good on youtube, just the mimed versions from TV.