What's your favorite Christmas song? Not the least objectionable, mind you, but the one you can hear two or three times a day (hopefully by different artists) without throwing things? I'd have to go with Silver Bells. I just like the images it evokes: a stroll down a busy street with snow falling on your shoulders, the aroma of coffee coming from a suddenly-opened door just in front of you, people all around in a happy hurry, excitement everywhere. I like the traditional version with someone like Rosemary Clooney singing; no synthesizers for this one, please.
Posted by Linkmeister at December 19, 2004 03:49 PMAdeste Fidelis, without a doubt. Has to be in Latin, though; plain ol' Oh Come All Ye Faithful doesn't cut it.
That, or the Snoopy/Charlie Brown Christmas song, with the dancing on the stage and Charlie Brown having a slow, tortuous meltdown at his predicament.
Posted by: Skatemom at December 20, 2004 04:29 AMI like the Bing Crosby Christmas album in its entirety -- which includes Silver Bells, and Adeste Fideles (at least the first verse is in Latin) *and* Mele Kalikimaka, which is nice and goofy (my sister and I would listen to it and laugh as kids, never knowing both of us would end up living here!).
My favorite religious-kine Christmas song is In The Bleak Midwinter, which understandably doesn't get much airplay here.
Posted by: Sue at December 20, 2004 07:38 AMMy faves? Any unapologetically melodramatic orchestral rendition of "Whose Child is This?" Or a choral presentation of "Carol of the Bells."
Posted by: Ryan at December 20, 2004 08:35 AMMy favorite is 'Lo how a Rose E'er Blooming'. It's not one that you hear often, but it's beautiful. On a more contemporary note, give me just about any rendition of "Winter Wonderland" or Nat King Cole's "The Christmas Song." Can't decide which of those two I love the most.
Posted by: Kate at December 20, 2004 10:30 AM"O Holy Night" - inspiring, and oh so beautiful.
Posted by: Nancy at December 20, 2004 01:03 PMI like the whole David Foster Christmas Album, from his tv special several years ago.
Natalie Cole sang, "Grown Up Christmas List", which I fell in love with....
Santa Baby by Eartha Kitt is my #1 favourite. O Holy Night and Carol of the Bells are two other faves. Another, although not exactly a Christmas song, is Ave Maria.
Posted by: deborah at December 20, 2004 03:35 PMI'm quite partial to "Sleigh Bells". "O Holy Night" is also excellent (ever hear Brave Combo's "O Holy Night Cha Cha Cha"? You'll never hear it the same way again.)
Posted by: Charles Kuffner at December 21, 2004 06:13 AMI'd have to go with Ave Maria. A close second would be O Holy Night, but only if sung by someone with a kick-ass, spine-tinglingly-awesome voice... Josh, Groban, He's-so-good-I-don't-need-to-write-a-first-name Pavoratti, LeAnne Rimes, Sarah Brightman, etc.
Posted by: Mike Morgan at December 24, 2004 01:40 PM