You probably have never heard of Bob Czina. He was an early computer-assisted musician/composer. During the dot-com boom, I had a syndicated computer talk show that, one year, hit on Christmas Day. Not wanting to talk, I contacted the Computer Music Association and they put me in touch with Bob to see if he had any Christmas music. He told me he had been working on a suite called “Child of the Christmas Heart” and he would see if he could get it done in time for the show. He did, it aired, and was beautiful and filled with warmth and joy. I did not know that Bob was in the final stages of brain cancer. He died a month after the broadcast. His widow told me that getting this final Christmas “gift” done helped him keep going. I still get to use parts of it each Christmas on another show, and hope to have it on my site, sillycatvalley.
@PlacidPenguin Not Lehrer’s best, but still good. I’m partial to “We will all go Together when we go” and “Send the Marines” but general introduce people to his work with this
XM radio used to have “Special Xmas” channel which used to have these funny older songs. I loved “I’m gettin nuttin for Christmas” This is my Favorite Version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br-__2KMd7U
I also look forward to Cheech and Chong’s “Santa Cleese and his old lady”
I voted for “Father Christmas” but since I don’t actually celebrate Christmas—I celebrate Atheist Kids Get Presents Day, which coincidentally is also December 25th—here’s my favorite non-denomential holiday song.
On the lighter side of Christmas “I want an Alien for Christmas”, by Fountains of Wayne. Crushes the Hippo song, and you need not feel guilty for liking it…
Sufjan Stevens has several good Christmas songs, but my favorite off-mainstream one is The Boy Least Likely To with their Christmas/Wham! mashup of “George and Andrew”. It’s the fantasy you never knew you had; a Christmas Eve reunion where a washed-up Andrew and glistening George run into each other in a London bar.
And while Eartha Kitt has the standard, Kylie Minogue knocked “Santa Baby” out of the park with her vamping (sorry; all I could find was a live version.)
Chiron Beta Prime. Jon Coulton.
@PocketBrain Also a very good tune!
Eartha Kitt. “Santa Baby” is closer to mainstream, but underplayed and just so good. Often imitated, and none of them ever comes close.
@accumulator She sure can purr.
A holiday favorite that gets far less airtime than it deserves.
@Tin_Foil My personal favorite!
The Waitresses…how could you forget? oh, its been a while…Christmas Wrapping
@eeterrific love love love
You probably have never heard of Bob Czina. He was an early computer-assisted musician/composer. During the dot-com boom, I had a syndicated computer talk show that, one year, hit on Christmas Day. Not wanting to talk, I contacted the Computer Music Association and they put me in touch with Bob to see if he had any Christmas music. He told me he had been working on a suite called “Child of the Christmas Heart” and he would see if he could get it done in time for the show. He did, it aired, and was beautiful and filled with warmth and joy. I did not know that Bob was in the final stages of brain cancer. He died a month after the broadcast. His widow told me that getting this final Christmas “gift” done helped him keep going. I still get to use parts of it each Christmas on another show, and hope to have it on my site, sillycatvalley.
As long as I don’t have to listen about anyone getting runover by Santa I’m good.
/giphy killer santa
@Mehrocco_Mole um…this is really disturbing.
@conandlibrarian It’s fake, if that helps.
Of course, the real one is a very drunken Santa, so maybe not so good regardless.
Surprised not to see:
No Doubt - Oi to the World
Thanks for sharing (I’m Spending) Hanukkah in Santa Monica.
Never heard it before.
@PlacidPenguin Tom Lehrer is awesome. He also is well known for “The Elements” song.
@PlacidPenguin Not Lehrer’s best, but still good. I’m partial to “We will all go Together when we go” and “Send the Marines” but general introduce people to his work with this
@Fish_Kungfu
No wonder the name sounded familiar.
@simplersimon
If enjoying Poisoning Pigeons in the Park is wrong, I don’t want to be right.
@PlacidPenguin You may not be right, but there’s nothing with that.
I have “Father Christmas” on a Kinks CD and I’ve always liked it
XM radio used to have “Special Xmas” channel which used to have these funny older songs. I loved “I’m gettin nuttin for Christmas” This is my Favorite Version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Br-__2KMd7U
I also look forward to Cheech and Chong’s “Santa Cleese and his old lady”
I’ve always liked Annie Lennox singing “Winter Wonderland”
How about “I Want an Alien for Christmas” by I Fight Dragons (although it might be a cover.
Edit: it looks like it is a Fountain of Wayne song
Also, if you want to go a little more raunchy, The Dan Band has a whole Christmas album. Two of my favorites:
I always loved Jethro Tull’s “A Christmas Song”. Even better, they put out an entire Christmas album.
“”
@Klaatu1721 yep, and the ELP song I Believe in Father Christmas is another personal fav…
I Believe in Father Christmas
@Klaatu1721
@cercopithecoid One of my favorite Xmas albums.
Sufjan Stevens tends to be my Christmastime jam.
I voted for “Father Christmas” but since I don’t actually celebrate Christmas—I celebrate Atheist Kids Get Presents Day, which coincidentally is also December 25th—here’s my favorite non-denomential holiday song.
@sanspoint I want the Cyclops-Santa shooting lasers from his eye on a tee shirt.
I always thought this one was a cheery little ditty to sing while shopping:
I Am Santa Claus by Bob Rivers
On the lighter side of Christmas “I want an Alien for Christmas”, by Fountains of Wayne. Crushes the Hippo song, and you need not feel guilty for liking it…
You forgot “What is Christmas” by TranSiberian Orchestra on the “Lost Christmas Eve” album.
The Rotary Connection (Minnie Ripperton, etc.) did a Christmas album around 1967 that was quite unique.
Sufjan Stevens has several good Christmas songs, but my favorite off-mainstream one is The Boy Least Likely To with their Christmas/Wham! mashup of “George and Andrew”. It’s the fantasy you never knew you had; a Christmas Eve reunion where a washed-up Andrew and glistening George run into each other in a London bar.
And while Eartha Kitt has the standard, Kylie Minogue knocked “Santa Baby” out of the park with her vamping (sorry; all I could find was a live version.)
https://meh.com/forum/topics/what-christmas-song-will-you-be-most-relieved-not-to-have-to-hear-for-another-11-months#549bd220c8e3f24005664c4c