I might amend Yesca's point to say that there are very few Christmas albums worth hearing after the 60s.
Off the top of my head these are excellent single-artist albums from the 70s and later:
Klezmonauts - Oy to the WorldJohn Zorn - A Dreamers ChristmasHortens Ellis and Trinity - African ChristmasThe Mistletoe Disco Band - Christmas Willie Colon - Asalto Navideño
And that's before we get to canonical compilations like the Ze Christmas album/Christmas Rap/Funky Christmas. The joy of Christmas music isn't really in albums though.
― Choco Blavatsky (seandalai), Thursday, 21 December 2017 19:00 (six years ago) link
Cyndi Lauper's Merry Christmas...Have a Nice Life is delightful.
― iCloudius (cryptosicko), Thursday, 21 December 2017 23:42 (six years ago) link
it’s the greatest!!
― Squeaky Fromage (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 22 December 2017 02:09 (six years ago) link
Love this one todayhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7H_-ia2M2M4
― Choco Blavatsky (seandalai), Sunday, 24 December 2017 17:34 (six years ago) link
yeah it's definitely a singles affair. that St Etienne christmas album is an exception, it's so great.https://saintetienne.greedbag.com/buy/a-glimpse-of-stocking-vinyl-lp/
― campreverb, Sunday, 24 December 2017 18:14 (six years ago) link
^although that was a compilation of fan club singles with a few new songs added!
Good (not by various artists) Christmas albums since 1970 that haven't already been mentioned:
Bobby Sherman - Christmas AlbumJackson 5 - Christmas AlbumRed Simpson - Truckers' ChristmasKenny Rogers & Dolly Parton - Once Upon A ChristmasHilary Duff - Santa Clause LaneGötz Alsmann und die WDR Big Band - Winterwunderwelt
― Jeff W, Sunday, 24 December 2017 23:36 (six years ago) link
*Claus
― Jeff W, Sunday, 24 December 2017 23:37 (six years ago) link
Red Simpson - Truckers' Christmas
classic for sure!
― Choco Blavatsky (seandalai), Monday, 25 December 2017 00:22 (six years ago) link
My Christmas (and New Year) 2017 Spotify playlist. As ever, nods to the new recordings for this year, mixed in with old-but-new-to-me favourites and a few classics. Featuring: Leadbelly, Mariah, Prince, Gwen Stefani, Cheap Trick, Deerful, First Aid Kit, Patti Page, Ariel Pink, Girl Ray, Loona, Lawrence Welk and more. Happy holidays everyone.
https://open.spotify.com/user/worrellj14/playlist/6VVjGF3BTT9dGqQuvzEZNW
― Jeff W, Monday, 25 December 2017 00:40 (six years ago) link
earl nash's "floyd not floyd" thread had me on a steve miller kick. here's steve on the king biscuit flower hour doing god rest ye merry gentlemen -> fly like an eagle. (i tend to like christmas songs best when they're just interpolated into non-christmasy songs. like there's a song on "the electric lucifer" that's like that.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKS29ZP2_SI
― bob lefse (rushomancy), Monday, 25 December 2017 00:55 (six years ago) link
Heard Slade's "Merry Xmas Everybody" in a public setting (restaurant) for the first time ever last week. Probably a commonplace occurrence in Britain--not here.
― clemenza, Monday, 25 December 2017 20:54 (six years ago) link
Repost of the 2015 Christmas concert w Gaby Moreno's soulful, shivery, yet no-frills delivery, mostly with a guitar or two (generally electric), a drum, mostly in Spanish, but you'll recognize the tunes (Gina Chavez and her uke or mando show up too):https://www.npr.org/sections/altlatino/2015/12/04/458352429/festivo-alt-latino-gaby-moreno-in-concert
― dow, Tuesday, 26 December 2017 03:12 (six years ago) link
Actually I don't recognize all the tunes, but all good.
― dow, Tuesday, 26 December 2017 03:18 (six years ago) link
In 3 a.m. sleeplessness the other night I started mashing up Jefferson Airplane lyrics with "Sleigh Ride."
Horror grips us as we WATCH-- you dieAll we can do is echo your ANG-- uished cryIt'll nearly be like a picture printBy Currier and IvesThese wonderful things are the thingsWe remember all through our lives
― WilliamC, Tuesday, 26 December 2017 04:34 (six years ago) link
S: ...The Pretenders - "2000 Miles"...― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Monday, December 1, 2003 4:41 AM (fourteen years ago)
― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Monday, December 1, 2003 4:41 AM (fourteen years ago)
It's a weird Xmas/not-Xmas song but the way her phrasing is laid out upon the waltz is amazing and gorgeous. I love Chrissie.
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Wednesday, 27 December 2017 00:37 (six years ago) link
search: The Living Sisters - Harmony is Real: Songs for a Happy Holiday
heard that for the first time this week. "christmas in california" is fantastic.
― fact checking cuz, Wednesday, 27 December 2017 23:15 (six years ago) link
Just discovered this one this year. It's a new year's song rather than Christmas, but it's lovely.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WsVBAc3Hc4
― Buttery males (Dan Peterson), Friday, 29 December 2017 16:27 (six years ago) link
it'd be cool if we can get a compilation of more christmas related songs this year
― F# A# (∞), Tuesday, 27 November 2018 23:49 (five years ago) link
Infinity did you catch the new Bloodshot comp this year? https://www.bloodshotrecords.com/album/13-days-xmasI might amend Yesca's point to say that there are very few Christmas albums worth hearing after the 60s. Not really sure why that is, perhaps the labels had more power back then and could order a Phil Spector or Kenny Burrell to make one.
― campreverb, Wednesday, December 20, 2017 7:29 AM (two hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
i guess i never replied to this but i liked these two tracks:
all our exes live in texas - how to make gravythe yawpers - christmas in oblivion
― F# A# (∞), Tuesday, 27 November 2018 23:50 (five years ago) link
The new John Legend xmas album is quite good
― Squeaky Fromage (VegemiteGrrl), Tuesday, 27 November 2018 23:59 (five years ago) link
is it...
legendary?
― F# A# (∞), Wednesday, 28 November 2018 00:17 (five years ago) link
YES IN FACT IT IS
― Squeaky Fromage (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, 28 November 2018 01:20 (five years ago) link
St Etienne's Christmas album is only 10 GBP right now, which is a steal considering the cd would cost you 5 times that much on the 2nd hand market. Get one for you and a friend, with only 2000 pressed, i'm surprised they've lasted this long. https://saintetienne.greedbag.com/buy/a-glimpse-of-stocking-vinyl-lp/
― brotherlovesdub, Wednesday, 28 November 2018 01:42 (five years ago) link
Search tool: http://everynoise.com/xmas_around_the_world.cgi
― glenn mcdonald, Wednesday, 28 November 2018 02:04 (five years ago) link
I just did a CTRL+F and couldn't find mention of Frightened Rabbit's It's Christmas So We'll Stop. It's beautiful.
― Have the Rams stopped screaming yet, Lloris? (Chinaski), Wednesday, 28 November 2018 16:02 (five years ago) link
https://wiaiwya.bandcamp.com/album/stars
this is wiaiwya's new (and second) xmas lp. features amelia's new band, darren hayman, bill from allo darlin, that kind of crowd. out on friday.
https://wiaiwya.bandcamp.com/album/christmastime-approximately
^ the previous one
― koogs, Wednesday, 28 November 2018 16:24 (five years ago) link
I made it through all of Shatner Claus. I'd say about half of it works.
― Jeff W, Saturday, 1 December 2018 20:07 (five years ago) link
An in-progress playlist of my faves: https://open.spotify.com/user/cryptosicko/playlist/1DTUcvNiveCVZlV8uau5f2?si=M4DYU6FXQk-FE2YytnQVjQ
Fuzzy's "Christmas" and Aimee Mann & Michael Penn's "Christmastime" are annoyingly absent from Spotify.
― Timothée Charalambides (cryptosicko), Sunday, 2 December 2018 20:47 (five years ago) link
mentioned itt already but needs to be posted anywayhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCY2JhrwxVs
― Celtoes Adidas (Spottie), Monday, 10 December 2018 21:36 (five years ago) link
Hip Christmas pointed out Rickie Lee Jones has some downloads on her site:https://rickieleejones.com/christmas.html
― campreverb, Monday, 17 December 2018 04:14 (five years ago) link
just found out Shoes did a christmas tune. classic Shoeshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BE-iPVFUXU&fbclid=IwAR0getUcGdnrsWGf-VFnyskt9ldU-COP36R2IEKlOuXYmCBdVr4_qF3DLrQ
― form that slug-like grex (outdoor_miner), Wednesday, 19 December 2018 01:04 (five years ago) link
How have we gone a quarter century without a solid addition to the canon. How.
― Loggins and Rogers and G are...K3NNY (Old Lunch), Wednesday, 19 December 2018 18:08 (five years ago) link
Is there a consensus on the worst Christmas song? 'Christmas Shoes'?
― pomenitul, Wednesday, 19 December 2018 23:08 (five years ago) link
Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer
― Squeaky Fromage (VegemiteGrrl), Wednesday, 19 December 2018 23:14 (five years ago) link
Because we realized that it's so much easier to just record covers of old songs than anything new. Or in Penatonix's case, covers of songs that have nothing to do with Christmas, but pass them off as Christmas songs.
― MarkoP, Wednesday, 19 December 2018 23:16 (five years ago) link
I've only listened to last christmas by wham! twice this year so far which is a disappointment
― ( ͡☉ ͜ʖ ͡☉) (jim in vancouver), Wednesday, 19 December 2018 23:17 (five years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uk6TD1PX22c
Julie on her second tour reminiscingThree Decembers in New York CitySelling fir treesPack a truck with 90 fir treesPack 'em tight
Julie on her second tour reminiscingThe cassette of Daydream Nation worn outThe Bernadette Peters autograph on my castThe CBGB t-shirt I'm wearing
The drive down from St. JohnWas almost always easyThe drive backOn Christmas Day was not
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Thursday, 20 December 2018 03:59 (five years ago) link
Happy BreXitMAS!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5Xgktqp-Zw
― Jeff W, Thursday, 20 December 2018 18:53 (five years ago) link
xposts
Mariah’s “All I Want For Christmas is You” is surely part of the canon at this point and that was, what, 24 years ago?
― Timothée Charalambides (cryptosicko), Thursday, 20 December 2018 19:23 (five years ago) link
I presume Old Lunch meant since Mariah
― Number None, Friday, 21 December 2018 13:17 (five years ago) link
A Rhode Island favorite. "No Frosty!"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ekgDJou6G0
― Jazzbo, Friday, 21 December 2018 14:36 (five years ago) link
Yes, I meant since Mariah. There have been several additions to the xmas movie canon in that time, get with it musical artists.
― Loggins and Rogers and G are...K3NNY (Old Lunch), Friday, 21 December 2018 14:55 (five years ago) link
My favourite post-Mariah Xmas tracks (none of which I ever see ever becoming canonical):
Dar Williams, "The Christians and the Pagans" (1996)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_KiHRHwaAs
Fuzzy, "Christmas" (1996)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9gDz1VFyf0
Aimee Mann & Michael Penn, "Christmastime" (1996)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSkr6fr01M0
The Magnetic Fields, "Everything is One Big Christmas Tree" (2012)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PCeOrg2Tyc
― Timothée Charalambides (cryptosicko), Friday, 21 December 2018 16:07 (five years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4iWO73zPL4
― koogs, Friday, 21 December 2018 16:12 (five years ago) link
I have a playlist that I've ''''curated'''' and fashioned over the past years. It's bloody amazing. It's not only Christmas songs, soundtrack stuff, but also things that were xmas number ones or popular around Christmas time like Girls Aloud 'promise' or anything else I decide just sounds Christmassy. My OH added about 20 versions of 'last christmas' to it but I had to cull most of them.― kinder, Saturday, December 5, 2015 5:39 PM (three years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― kinder, Saturday, December 5, 2015 5:39 PM (three years ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
I never posted my playlist mainly because it's not a Spotify one but I'm on the lookout for lesser-known, GOOD, festive songs. It does have lots of the Home Alone soundtrack interspersed
― kinder, Friday, 21 December 2018 16:26 (five years ago) link
Some quality songs that sound like holiday songs but are not necessarily, I don't think:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjU-IQh8Txohttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kd1tNDpcbOs
And also 'Fjords of Winter' by Ladybug Transistor, which is apparently the only song in existence that isn't on YouTube but which is featured in this video at least:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ml9H1INzqFc
I would love to see your playlist!
― Loggins and Rogers and G are...K3NNY (Old Lunch), Friday, 21 December 2018 18:00 (five years ago) link
donny hathaway, "this christmas"
― andrew m., Friday, 21 December 2018 21:52 (five years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q5O6WnBF6g
I will never ever grow tired of this.david axelrod and lou rawls in their prime.
― mark e, Friday, 21 December 2018 21:56 (five years ago) link
some of my favorites from dr. demento's xmas shows ca. '87-88:
bob rivers, "wreck the malls"yogi yorgesson, "i yust go nuts at christmas"cheech & chong, "santa claus and his old lady"bob & doug mckenzie, "the 12 days of christmas"
― andrew m., Friday, 21 December 2018 22:02 (five years ago) link
that whole Lou Rawls album, my god.I suppose think it's lazy to say there has been nothing great since Carey. Low's "Just Like Christmas" is pretty much canon at this point, and there's great stuff every year, note the Khruangbin above.
― campreverb, Friday, 21 December 2018 22:21 (five years ago) link