What is the greatest Christmas song?

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

What is the greatest Christmas song?

suss · In the Long Grass

Would have to be some song to replace Pogues for me....

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Or as they say on voting cards 'none of the above'. The Pogues song is very good but suffers from overplay at Christmas. The lyrics always amuse me no matter how many times I've heard it. Stop The Cavalry is up with the better Christmas songs.

I've always loved the Pretenders 2000 Miles as it was their Chrismas single back in the eighties and it avoids mentioning Chrismas, only through suggested imagery.

There was an old punk single called All I Want For Chrismas is Glue. The Fall's No Christmas For John Quays is pretty good and more my scene than all the hoary old 'favourites' you mention.

Of course The First Noel is good, and another traditional hymn In The Bleak Midwinter beats Noddy Holder any day.

-- Edited by noelindublin on Monday 19th of December 2011 01:49:26 PM

-- Edited by noelindublin on Monday 19th of December 2011 01:57:50 PM

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

suss wrote:
Would have to be some song to replace Pogues for me....

I had you down for Mary's Boy Child. I didn't include Wombling Merry Christmas in case it gave you a problem deciding smile

I went for Jona Lewie, because of the total uniqueness of the song. The Pogues & Slade are close.

As for the rest, aside from the Phil Spector album, I tend to have a hatred of Christmas pop songs. The memories of my Dad rolling in plastered on Christmas Eve and playing Lonely This Christmas again and again and again until the small hours could have something to do with it. Surprised he ddin't end up lonely that Christmas disbelief

noelindublin · Loudmouth

I agree with you ArrGee about generally hating Christmas songs. The whole thing just sounds like enforced jollity.

Not sure what Bob Dylan was up to last year when he released a Christmas album called Chrismas In The Heart which is allegedly 'only brutal' to quote Dustin the Turkey.

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

noelindublin wrote:
The whole thing just sounds like enforced jollity.

So many yuletide songs are like that. I suppose if we have nothing les to thank the X factor for, it has at least stopped Cliff releasing his Christian Cash Ins.

The Spector album is the only album that works. Even though it was probably recorded in the summer, it does captures the feeling of Christmas. It was a total flop on its original release. coming out on the same day as JFK was shot. My Christmas soundtrack, as essential as A Christmas Carol on the TV.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

The only thing that works for me is largely old fashioned hyms sung by the choir of Winchester Cathedral or of that ilk.

The day JFK was shot must have been a boon for anyone expecting a hard time from the press around that time, talk about burying news.

The writer Aldous Huxley died on the same day as JFK, choosing to go by taking loads of LSD for his last few days as he was ill. Probably took his mind off his discomfort!

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

noelindublin wrote:
The only thing that works for me is largely old fashioned hymns sung by the choir of Winchester Cathedral or of that ilk.

I'm up for a secular/athiest Yuletide, reverting back to the pagan traditions rather than the little Lord Jesus, the three wise men and all that nonsense.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yule

suss · In the Long Grass

ArrGee wrote:
suss wrote:
Would have to be some song to replace Pogues for me....
I had you down for Mary's Boy Child. I didn't include Wombling Merry Christmas in case it gave you a problem deciding

They'd both be ahead of many on that list, just not quite toppling the Pogues, which for me is not only a brilliant song with some of the best lyrics ever, but brings back memories of a concert at Town & Country where Ms MacColl actually joined the band on stage for it as 'snow' fell from the rafters. All the more poignant because she famously hated performing and for what happened to her later.

Just one of those magical Christmas/live music memories...

Anyway, just need to lubricate the old tonsils for a spot of 'Hark Now Hear the Palace sing, the Brighton run away' later this evening at Selhurst.

Lisa · Mondo Bongo

It's got to be the Pogues, though Stop the Cavalry is also great, and I also like Little Drummer Boy but only because David Bowie is so cool, actually I think it really must be nearly Christmas as I'm feeling quite sentimental about all of them!

ArrGee · Back To Boomtown

suss wrote:
Just one of those magical Christmas/live music memories...

The most abiding memory I have of a Christmas gig was Slade back in about 1982, which was followed by a very messy drunken night in the Halls of Residence.

Also Roy Wood turned up at a Dodgy concert at the Brixton Academy in the mid nineties, to play his song, but that wasn't exactly magical.

noelindublin · Loudmouth

Kate Bush's song from 1979 December Will Be Magic Again is worth some consideration.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZiadb3bpOI