Christmas Music Free for All

I like the traditional Christmas music; White Christmas, Silver Bells, and the like. As we get closer to the big day, I like to hear the true carols; Deck the Halls, O Come All Ye Faithful, Silent Night, Joy to the World, etc. And no Christmas is complete without hearing The Messiah.

 

If you like jazz and jazz vocalists (Ella, Billie, Dinah et al), Verve has dozens of great Christmas CD's.

 

rallen, it is always a tradition for me to go to Handel's Messiah being performed by the Symphony around the 22-23rd of the month. I love the music to it.

Ave Maria is always a nice tune to hear at this time of year and Aaron Neville's version is beautiful.

 

Chris Botti has a nice Christmas compilation out.

 

Cansportschick,
It's ironic since she is devoutly Jewish, but have you ever heard Barbra Streisand's Ave Maria? Unbelievable!

 

Really, haven't heard it probably because I can't get past her nose. ;D

I have to check it out.

 

I have yet to join in on the Moddy Christmas annual CD - anyone know if there's going to be one this year?

One Christmas CD I haven't seen mentioned is <i>Barenaked for the Holidays</i>, by (you guessed it) Barenaked Ladies, with a special guest appearance by Michael Buble.

 

My wife has over 1,000 Christmas songs on our iTunes, so if you're looking for something specific, chance are we have it and I will email it to you as an attachment. If you ask nicely.

As for favorites, I'll throw these out there:

White Christmas, Otis Redding (the best version ever of this song)
God Rest Ye Marry Gentlemen, BNL and Sarah Mclachlan
You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch, Thurle Ravenscroft
I Pray On Christmas, Harry Connick Jr.
All I Want for Christmas Is You, Mariah Carey
The Christmas Song, Stevie Wonder and India.Arie
Winter Wonderland, Louis Armstrong
Children Go Where I Send Thee, Natalie Merchant
Let It Be Christmas, Alan Jackson
Joy To The World, Johnny Cash
Marshmallow World, Dean Martin
Baby It's Cold Outside, James Taylor and Natalie Cole
Only You Can Bring Me Cheer, Alisson Kraus
Shimmy Down the Chimney, Alison Kraus
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, Jackson 5
Who Took The Merry Out of Christmas, The Staples Singers
The Christmas Song, The Ravonettes
Come On, Let's Boogie To The Elf Dance!, Sufjan Stevens
All That I Want, The Weepies
Winter Wonderland, Liz Phair
Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Jack Johnson
O Holy Night: A Tribute To New Orleans, Troy "Trombone" Shorty (was on the Studio 60 x-mas episode last year)
Jiggle Bell Jamboree, Keb Mo'
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town, Springsteen

 

I own it but I was a little disappointed by it. Sarah MacLachlan also makes a guess appearance on it.

Speaking of her, MacLachlan's xmas compilation is fantastic.

The Now 1 and Now 2 Christmas Cd's are great. One cd is now a day hits and other cd is traditional songs. The Now 2 cd is better than the first.

 

How can we not listen to the Chanukah Song by Adam Sandler at this time of year?

And Band Aid's Do They Know It's Christmas? (the original one, not Band Aid 20's rendition)

And Little Drummer Boy by Bing Crosby and David Bowie.

 

I'm very traditional when it comes to Christmas, having grown up as a chorister and all, and so I'm much more partial to carols, O come all ye faithful, Hark, The Herald Angels Sing, In Dulci Jubilo, Once In Royal David's City.

I always try to listen to the midnight service of nine lessons and carols from King's College, Cambridge on Christmas Eve. It starts at 7 p.m. over here, and you can listen to it through the BBC's website.

You have people coming in from around the world queuing up outside the college's (very large) chapel to try and get a seat, sometimes going in shifts a few days in advance to make sure they get in.

 

"Fairytale of New York" by The Pogues. Far and away my favorite Christmas song.