Christmas playlist suggestions?

[hazliya]

I want to make an enjoyable playlist of holiday music. So far, two songs: Bowie/Crosby's Little Drummer Boy, and BNL's God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. Someone has also pointed me to Josh Groban's O Holy Night, but I haven't heard it yet.

Suggestions greatly appreciated. =)

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/_dragonwolf_/]

The Trans-Siberian Orchestra has excellent rock-classical Christmas songs. Try "Christmas Eve and Other Stories"-- it combines the traditional music with a rock sensibility really well.

[mindways]

Beat me to it. :)

[mindways]

The Trans-Siberian Orchestra has three christmas albums that are combination orchestral / rock - I know a number of folks who are quite fond of them.

Related - Savatage's Dead Winter Dead has an orchestral/metal medley of God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen and the Carol of the Bells - instrumental, no lyrics. [The track is "Christmas Eve (Sarajevo 12/24)"]

[nerdx111.livejournal.com]

Straight no Chaser is an all male a cappella group, they have two excellent Christmas albums with songs ranging from the traditional to the hilariously irreverent. sncmusic.com for samples and more info.

[treyvana.livejournal.com]

I was gonna suggest this :) The Christmas Can-can is hysterical.

[zombie-dog.livejournal.com]

It's not in keeping with your theme, but I find all of Windham Hill's Christmas collections to be very soothing and fairly subtle.

For something a little different and more sprightly, I actually rather like Mary Chapin Carpenter's Christmas Time in the City (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GL3m4gSRlLE).

[offside7.livejournal.com]

Does it beat the Jeff Bridges and Cookie Monster rendition? ^_^

[zombie-dog.livejournal.com]

Well. No.

But it's also not the same song; I think you mean "Silver Bells."

[offside7.livejournal.com]

...I could have sworn that was the same song. D'oh!

[zombie-dog.livejournal.com]

It's an understandable conflation, since Mary Chapin Carpenter's song is, I think, original. Silver Bells, from which the lyric "Christmas Time in the City" is best known, is a classic.

So ... makes sense.

[offside7.livejournal.com]

I'm gonna jump on the Trans-Siberian Orchestra bandwagon and add that I listen to their version of Carol of the Bells all year round.

Loreena McKennit has versions of Good King Wenceslas and God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (not as a good as BNL though, which also has We Three Kings, which I love.)

I also like The King's College Cambridge Choir (especially for The Holly and the Ivy) but not everyone likes choir music, I dunno.

[purple-dj.livejournal.com]

Fiona Apple's "Frosty the Snowman" is somehow traditional and odd at the same time.

"The Nutcracker Suite (Baz Kuts Breaks Mix)" is a quite good lounge/chill remix.

The cover of "Jingle Bells" by Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra is some of the funkiest Christmas music I've ever heard. (And slightly hard to find...)

I've got a few holiday songs...

[treyvana.livejournal.com]

Oh my. Scratch that, I have a LOT of holiday songs.

- I want a hippopotamus for Christmas (Gayla Peevey)<- MY FAVORITE SONG EVER
- Patapan (a local quartet does a version of this, don't know if there are other versions available)
You're a mean one Mr. Grinch (c'mon, it's fun- and by Dr. Seuss)
- White Christmas (The Drifters)<- I've always loved this version
- 12 pains of Christmas (a classic)

coupla modern songs- please come home for Christmas (Eagles) and Last Christmas (Wham)

These are just the ones I really like!