ambient Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 You can't really escape them at the moment. So what's the best and worst of them ? Bear in mind that most are meant to be 'fun', rather than taken seriously. My personal favourite is Greg Lake's 'I believe in Father Christmas', it just somehow seems quite realistic. I like the bit at the end where he sings "they said there'd be snow at Christmas.....instead it just keeps on raining. I also like the bit he nicked from Prokofiev's Lieutenant Kijé Suite. I can't work out why Bruce Springsteen sings so out of tune on Santa Claus is coming to town ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 This thread comes around every year - so here's my obligatory "bassline on christmas wrapping" comment. My fave track has to be Shaky's track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor J Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 (edited) The quality of many songs can be overlooked due to overfamiliarity and the relentless annual onslaught for a month but, even so, Fairytale of New York still stands head and shoulders above them all for me. [url="http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0188438"]http://www.bbc.co.uk...rammes/b0188438[/url] Worst? The sterile contemporary production line xmas goo means a host of x-factor winners and Glee cast members can take a collective bow here. Edited December 16, 2015 by Doctor J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zenitram Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xfVlp5WsYs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zenitram Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GbS9Yr559pU Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockfordStone Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 i can't stand any of them any more the old ones are overplayed and new ones are hidden amongst the dirge of xfactor releases and special edition tracks from artists re-releasing albums. i did quite like the one the darkness did a few years ago, it was camp, cheesy, had christmas themed lyrics and a daft video.... which is what one expects from a christmas song. i am partial to "Fairytale of new york" because that appeals to my miserable personality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacko Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 I really can't stand fairytale of newyork. Biggest pile of sh*te ever sung by an even bigger pile of sh*te. your opinion may vary. I'm currently really enjoying James Taylor's Christmas offering, particularly his funky version of jingle bells Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colgraff Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 I like The Waitresses Christmas Wrapping because the vocal line keeps it jiggling along and it isn't a really in your face Christmas song. Hotpantz "I'd Like To Give You One For Christmas" is impossible to sing without laughing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zenitram Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNvZqpa-7Q There. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zenitram Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 I would put up Wombling Merry Christmas here, but that would just end the thread. Possibly all threads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toneknob Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 +1 for Christmas Wrapping and IBIFC. Not especially keen on Fairy Tale. Some other favourites: James Brown - Santa Claus Goes Straight To The Ghetto The Klezmonauts - Good King Wenceslas Mike Oldfield - In Dulce Jubilo Low - Just Like Christmas Fountains Of Wayne - I Want An Alien For Christmas all available on my Xmas Playlist on spotify. No filler all killer: [url="https://open.spotify.com/user/toneknob/playlist/20XsgQ4kMStnkfZF6iNYdB"]https://open.spotify.com/user/toneknob/playlist/20XsgQ4kMStnkfZF6iNYdB[/url] or spotify:user:toneknob:playlist:20XsgQ4kMStnkfZF6iNYdB Albums-wise: "The Jethro Tull Christmas Album", Vince Guaraldi's "A Charlie Brown Christmas", Bela Fleck and the Flecktone's "Jingle All The Way" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ambient Posted December 16, 2015 Author Share Posted December 16, 2015 Some of the old ones are rather nice too. When a child is born - I can't remember the guys name who sang that. David Bowie and another old guy did a nice one too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubit Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 Personally, I like the Strawberry Switchblade song. It's just got something. I hear Kylie getting hammered on the radio just now with her bounteous album of Christmas crackers. I'm sure there's bound to be a few on there that will become legendary! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubit Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 [quote name='ambient' timestamp='1450277789' post='2931287'] Some of the old ones are rather nice too. When a child is born - I can't remember the guys name who sang that. [/quote] Johnny Mathis. I have my mum to thank for that as she subjected my younger self to his warblings relentlessly ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acidbass Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 The bassline and tone on Elton's 'Step Into Christmas' is just superb. Love the outro especially Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfretrock Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 [quote name='ambient' timestamp='1450273697' post='2931232'] ... I also like the bit he nicked from Prokofiev's Lieutenant Kijé Suite. [/quote] I wonder if this was credited? On ELP's first album, Emerson nicked a couple of uncredited pieces, Bartok's 'Allegro Barbaro' ("The Barbarian") and Janacek's 'Sinfonietta' ("Knife-Edge"). Yesterday evening on Radio 3 InTune, a piece was played by I forget who, but it contained the main theme to The Nice, Diary of an Empty Day. I think the ELP pieces finally got credit on the CD release. My best Christmas song is the one I don't hear in shops, worst is virtually any I do hear. Although Greg Lake is preferred to what Tesco's played on Monday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 I once spent three weeks in a hotel in December whilst on a course. 'Now.... that's what I call Christmas' was piped into the corridors, restaurant & lobby on repeat, 24 hours a day & could faintly be heard in my room. So after undergoing what amounted to involuntary aversion therapy for 21 days it's safe to say I'm not the biggest fan of Christmas songs in general & the songs on that album in particular bring me out in a cold sweat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toneknob Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 [quote name='ubit' timestamp='1450278982' post='2931298'] I hear Kylie getting hammered on the radio just now [/quote] *raises eyebrow* Speaking of which, recently I heard her "Christmas Wrapping" with contributions from Iggy Pop. Oh dear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmo Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 Slade song marks the start of Christmas for me. I haven`t heard it yet, so it is turning out to be a late start for me, which is good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No lust in Jazz Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 (edited) I have a soft spot for the song and hard spot for this video. [media]http://vimeo.com/33679107[/media] Edited December 16, 2015 by No lust in Jazz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulWarning Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 another vote for Fairytale here, also love playing the bassline to Slade's effort, we drag that one out every December, another one I quite like, probably because you never hear it is G G's Another Rock and Roll Christmas http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5h5VJDO_zZM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdown Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 [quote name='ambient' timestamp='1450277789' post='2931287'] I can't remember the guys name who sang that. David Bowie and another old guy did a nice one too. [/quote] Some old guy....Lol..... I think you mean this? I think he was a Punk Rock Bassist called Bing Crosby. http://youtu.be/DiXjbI3kRus I quite liked this from Quincy Jones. 2002 I think, a Christmas soulful celebration. http://youtu.be/ITI3sVYWknE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
borntohang Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 (edited) I hated Fairytale of New York for a long time after it became the default 'alternative' xmas tune, but it came on in the supermarket last night and I actually did a little shuffle down the aisles to that repeating string theme at the end. I've made my peace with it now; it's a great tune with a lot of baggage. I did a version of it for a friend's charity show last year, but we did the Malin version and medleyed into the sax coda from Thunder Road at the end so I didn't hate it quite so much. [media]http://youtu.be/vhuv2CMEBnU[/media] Edited December 16, 2015 by borntohang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casapete Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 Phil Spector's Christmas album is always essential listening in our house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectoremg Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 [quote name='ambient' timestamp='1450273697' post='2931232'] You can't really escape them at the moment. So what's the best and worst of them ? Bear in mind that most are meant to be 'fun', rather than taken seriously. My personal favourite is Greg Lake's 'I believe in Father Christmas', it just somehow seems quite realistic. I like the bit at the end where he sings "they said there'd be snow at Christmas.....instead it just keeps on raining. I also like the bit he nicked from Prokofiev's Lieutenant Kijé Suite. I can't work out why Bruce Springsteen sings so out of tune on Santa Claus is coming to town ? [/quote]x10, this is a wonderful song. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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