Some cool Christmas songs
by Adam Kuban
Note: In the world of Christmas songs, “cool” is relative. Let’s just say that these are some of my favorites.
“We Three Kings of Orient Are,” The Beach Boys (iTMS, Amazon)
“All I Want for Christmas Is You,” Mariah Carey (iTMS, Amazon)
“Silent Night,” The Coctails (Amazon)
“O Tannenbaum,” Nat King Cole (iTMS, Amazon)
“We Three Kings,” Miles Davis (download here)
“Christmas at the Zoo,” The Flaming Lips (iTMS, Amazon)
“Father Christmas,” The Kinks [PNSFFG] (iTMS, Amazon)
“Marshmallow World,” Darlene Love (iTMS, Amazon)
“Wonderful Christmastime,” Paul McCartney (iTMS, Amazon)
“Fairytale of New York,” The Pogues [NSFFG] (iTMS, Amazon)
“Another Lonely Christmas,” Prince [NSFFG] (iTMS, Amazon)
“Christmas in Hollis,” RUN-DMC (iTMS, Amazon)
“Merry Xmas, Everybody!” Slade (iTMS, Amazon)
“Christmas Wrapping,” The Waitresses (iTMS, Amazon)
“Last Christmas,” Wham! (iTMS, Amazon)
“All I Want for Christmas,” Yeah Yeah Yeahs (download here)
Another note: I have more to add. Will do so later. And I’m taking suggestions….
P/NSFFG = Possibly/Not Safe for Family Gatherings due to language, themes, or the questioning of Santa’s existence.
Comments
Wow, I had no idea you were such a Christmas-music junkie!
I like “The Little Road to Bethlehem” by Judy Collins
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2w65fmMGfoE
http://www.amazon.com/The-Little-Road-To-Bethlehem/dp/B0013AE42G
It’s slow and sweet, but oh so pretty. And completely not predictable.
Thanks for the suggestion, Talley. Yes. Every year, I bust out my songs and try to add some new ones to the batch. My favorite is “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” but I haven’t found a “cool” version of it yet.
Have you heard T.Bone Burnett’s “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen”?
(Oh, wait, wow, this is funny–I came back to post about this version, and typed the first line, and THEN I saw your comment)
It’s kind of minor.
And really, really cool. Yet, not annoyingly overdone.
http://home.napster.com/ns/music/artist.html?artist_id=11488016
http://mp3.rhapsody.com/t-bone-burnett
I try to add a new album or two (or three) each year.
I’m a sucker for the classical renditions, though I haven’t found the best yet. (My mom raised me on Robert Shaw, and I have a memor of one w/ lots of bells, yet not overpowering ones.)
But I really like the newer versions as well. I guess you’d say I’m sort of ecumenical. I heard a folk-type rendition by Carolyn Arends of “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus,” a very traditional Advent hymn; a really nice treat, and sort of inspiring, with the idea of treating some of those ponderous hymns that way–they sound really fresh.
Nice list. I didn’t know about the Miles Davis “Kings” — gotta check that out…
I used to have a fantasy about producing a Christmas album.
I was going to get Max Weinberg and some 3rd grade music student from the Bronx to do rhythm on “Little Drummer Boy”
Someone gave me this link–pretty fun
http://falalalala.com/