Ten on Tuesday this week is Ten Favorite Holiday Songs. Only ten? This was a really hard list to write because I love so many different holiday songs. But this is what I’ve got. Hope you like it!
1. O Come All Ye Faithful by Kathy Mattea. This is a live version and she starts out singing it a cappella and then goes into a real rockabilly version of it. So cool. I also love John Berry’s version. As I mentioned last week, this is my favorite Christmas carol. I have 14 versions on my iPod. Ahem.
2. Marshmallow World by Darlene Love. You’ve just gotta love that Phil Spector Wall of Sound.
3. Meli Kalikimaka by Jimmy Buffett. No music list is complete for me without Jimmy Buffett.
4. Barenaked for the Holidays (album) by the Barenaked Ladies. Some of it is irreverent and some of it is serious and some of it makes you feel like you’re at the roller rink. All of it is fun.
5. One Holy Night (album) by Red Nativity. This is unlike most holiday music you’ll find. They take traditional Christmas songs and add Native American chanting and instruments and the result is stupendous.
6. Go Tell It On The Mountain by Mahalia Jackson. My mom played Christmas music all the time and this was my favorite when I was a kid.
7. Christmas Canon Rock by Transiberian Orchestra. Please note that this is different than the plain ole Christmas Canon. This one has a screaming electric guitar and fantastic vocals.
8. Sleigh Ride as performed by The Boston Pops. It has to be the Boston Pops, all others pale in comparison.
9. Til The Season Comes ‘Round Again by Reba McEntire. And while you’re listening to Reba be sure and check out On This Day, too. Beautiful country-style Christmas music. They make me cry every time.
10. Let It Be Christmas by Alan Jackson. Dale and I discovered this one a few years ago and we both love it. This song just plain makes me happy and it really embodies what the Christmas season means to me.
I like that you included the artists of the songs, too. I usually enjoy anything by Kathy Mattea and Alan Jackson.
I’m a big fan of the out of the box Christmas music. Christmas music can get old quickly if not mixed up with some fun tunes. Nice list.
My absolute favorite TSO song is A Mad Russian’s Christmas. It makes me wish I was any good at ballet and could dance to it. 🙂
I like Christmas Sarajevo (whatever the Carol of the Bells version is that TSO does) like crazy, and I LOVE Mahalia Jackson! I can’t understand half of what she says in some of her songs but it makes me want to dance!
I’m impressed that you kept it down to 10 – my list is 20+!!
Great list! This year I learned to play Pachelbel’s Canon on my guitar. Maybe I can have the rocking version worked up by next year. I just love that version!
Excellent list, much of it unfamiliar to me. I’ll have to check some of these out. I do love BNL.
How’s the cold? Better, I hope.
Time to get out the Transiberian Orchestra CDs! Thanks for the reminder!
I love that Boston Pops version!
Your list is really cool…especially knowing who the artists are. Weird day today – so I picked some easy for my blog…plan to do this in the next few days…
Very eclectic list! I do love TSO.
I just heard Christmas Canon Rock this week on Rhapsody. Must take your list and spend a decadent afternoon exploring my other newbies. Thanks!
My most favorite Christmas album is an old Johnny Mathis one……it’s my older kids favorite as well, because it reminds them of Christmas when they were young. (cuz I play it over and over and over and over……..)
That Kathy Mattea Christmas Album is one of my favorites. I love Mary Did You Know on it too.
This is a good list! I like Go Tell It On The Mountain, although I don’t know that I’ve heard it very often…
I liked reading this — neat list!
Like you, I had a hard time limiting my choices to 10. I like your list. I’d love to hear the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. I’ve been listening to ad for them performing at Michigan State Univerisity and I love their sound!
Go Tell It On The Mountain is a great song! Great list of songs 🙂
RR has a ‘Christmas Remixed’ CD that I love – great list, Carole!