Brett Eugene Ralph wrote:I think my favorite traditional Xmas carol is "God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman," both for its medieval vibe and for name-checking Satan.

Preferably the Charlie Rich rendition.

I just heard the "Benson" version not a half hour ago.

Not as good as Charlie Rich.

burun wrote:

Brett Eugene Ralph wrote:I think my favorite traditional Xmas carol is "God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman," both for its medieval vibe and for name-checking Satan.

Preferably the Charlie Rich rendition.

I just heard the "Benson" version not a half hour ago.

Not as good as Charlie Rich.

Yeah, but when you get right down to it, what is?

Having nestled under the employing wing of Virgin Records for many a winter, l would go as far as to say that I am familiar with the vast bulk of the Christmas song canon. My prefered seasonal numbers are thus:

- Fairytale Of New York/The Pogues
- Last Christmas/Wham!
- Driving home for Christmas/Chris Rea (he sounds so happy!)
- Stay another day/East 17
- The whole of Phil Spector's Christmas album, especially his "special message" at the end ("remember kids, be good to your parents and if you come accross a whore, blow her brains out with a shotgun").

And the worst Christmas song of all time:

- Simply having a wonderful Christmas time/Paul McCartney

Enough to make a man festivally homicidal.

it's been said...but here's the photo...




and if you haven't heard it

I'm a big fan of Xmas music and have amassed quite a collection. Last year, I made a compilation of some of my favorite performances, which proved so difficult to whittle down that I ended up making two discs. Here's what I put on 'em:

Disc 1:

1. Bill Monroe: Christmas Time’s A-Comin’
2. Willie Nelson: Here Comes Santa Claus
3. William Bell: Every Day Will Be Like a Holiday
4. Harmony Grits: Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town
5. Chuck Berry: Run Rudolph Run
6. Merle Haggard: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
7. Buck Owens & His Buckaroos: Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy
8. Jackson 5: I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
9. Bob Seger & The Last Heard: Sock It to Me, Santa
10. James Brown: Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto
11. Ray Charles: Christmas Time
12. Charlie Rich: O Holy Night
13. Johnny Cash: The Little Drummer Boy
14. Loretta Lynn: Away in a Manger
15. Booker T. and the MG’s: Winter Wonderland
16. Dean Martin: Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
17. Darlene Love: A Marshmallow World
18. Otis Redding: White Christmas
19. Jerry Butler: I’ll Be Home for Christmas
20. Jeannie C. Riley: Silver Bells
21. George Jones: Jingle Bells
22. John Denver: Please, Daddy (Don’t Get Drunk This Christmas)
23. Jimmy Martin: Lord, We Sure Need Some Rainbows in December
24. Lightnin’ Hopkins: Santa
25. Elvis Presley: Santa Claus Is Back in Town
26. The Ronettes: Frosty the Snowman
27. The Moonglows: Just a Lonely Christmas
28. Ernest Tubb & His Texas Troubadours: Christmas Island
29. Buck Owens & His Buckaroos: Christmas Morning
30. Melanie: Merry Christmas

Disc 2:

1. Louis Armstrong: Zat You Santa Claus
2. The Crystals: Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town
3. Booker T. and the MG’s: Jingle Bells
4. Lynn Anderson: Ding-a-ling the Christmas Bell
5. Red Simpson: Santa’s Comin’ in a Big Ol’ Truck
6. The Cadillacs w/ Jesse Powell & His Orchestra: Rudolph…
7. Keith Richards: Run Rudolph Run
8. Rotary Connection: Silent Night
9. The Everly Brothers w/ The Boys Town Choir: The First Noel
10. Charlie Rich: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
11. Elvis Presley: I’ll Be Home on Christmas Day
12. Darlene Love: Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
13. The Drifters: White Christmas
14. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles: Deck the Halls
15. Dean Martin: Silver Bells
16. Willie Nelson: Pretty Paper
17. Merle Haggard: If We Make It Through December
18. John Prine: Christmas in Prison
19. Ernest Tubb & His Texas Troubadours: Blue Christmas
20. Jimmy Martin: Daddy, Will Santa Claus Ever Have to Die
21. James Brown: Santa Claus Is Definitely Here to Stay
22. Mabel Scott: Boogie Woogie Santa Claus
23. Lou Rawls: The Little Drummer Boy
24. Tammy Wynette: It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
25. Jackson 5: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
26. Phil Spector & Artists: Silent Night

Brett Eugene Ralph wrote:
Disc 1:

1. Bill Monroe: Christmas Time’s A-Comin’
2. Willie Nelson: Here Comes Santa Claus
3. William Bell: Every Day Will Be Like a Holiday
4. Harmony Grits: Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town
5. Chuck Berry: Run Rudolph Run
6. Merle Haggard: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
7. Buck Owens & His Buckaroos: Santa Looked a Lot Like Daddy
8. Jackson 5: I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
9. Bob Seger & The Last Heard: Sock It to Me, Santa
10. James Brown: Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto
11. Ray Charles: Christmas Time
12. Charlie Rich: O Holy Night
13. Johnny Cash: The Little Drummer Boy
14. Loretta Lynn: Away in a Manger
15. Booker T. and the MG’s: Winter Wonderland
16. Dean Martin: Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!
17. Darlene Love: A Marshmallow World
18. Otis Redding: White Christmas
19. Jerry Butler: I’ll Be Home for Christmas
20. Jeannie C. Riley: Silver Bells
21. George Jones: Jingle Bells
22. John Denver: Please, Daddy (Don’t Get Drunk This Christmas)
23. Jimmy Martin: Lord, We Sure Need Some Rainbows in December
24. Lightnin’ Hopkins: Santa
25. Elvis Presley: Santa Claus Is Back in Town
26. The Ronettes: Frosty the Snowman
27. The Moonglows: Just a Lonely Christmas
28. Ernest Tubb & His Texas Troubadours: Christmas Island
29. Buck Owens & His Buckaroos: Christmas Morning
30. Melanie: Merry Christmas

Disc 2:

1. Louis Armstrong: Zat You Santa Claus
2. The Crystals: Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town
3. Booker T. and the MG’s: Jingle Bells
4. Lynn Anderson: Ding-a-ling the Christmas Bell
5. Red Simpson: Santa’s Comin’ in a Big Ol’ Truck
6. The Cadillacs w/ Jesse Powell & His Orchestra: Rudolph…
7. Keith Richards: Run Rudolph Run
8. Rotary Connection: Silent Night
9. The Everly Brothers w/ The Boys Town Choir: The First Noel
10. Charlie Rich: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
11. Elvis Presley: I’ll Be Home on Christmas Day
12. Darlene Love: Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
13. The Drifters: White Christmas
14. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles: Deck the Halls
15. Dean Martin: Silver Bells
16. Willie Nelson: Pretty Paper
17. Merle Haggard: If We Make It Through December
18. John Prine: Christmas in Prison
19. Ernest Tubb & His Texas Troubadours: Blue Christmas
20. Jimmy Martin: Daddy, Will Santa Claus Ever Have to Die
21. James Brown: Santa Claus Is Definitely Here to Stay
22. Mabel Scott: Boogie Woogie Santa Claus
23. Lou Rawls: The Little Drummer Boy
24. Tammy Wynette: It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
25. Jackson 5: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
26. Phil Spector & Artists: Silent Night

Fuckin' A.

The JRLP/SKWM version of "In the Bleak Midwinter".

I love this very much.

This is another one. Rockin Christmas Pacific Northwest style. Why this is out of print puzzles me.

'Dominic the Christmas Donkey'

Did I dream this song or is it for real?

Brett Eugene Ralph wrote:Impressive list edited

Where is "Kentucky Homemade Christmas"?