What Are the Best Pop\Rock Christmas Songs?
The stores are filled with mostly pop Christmas songs now, some have the more traditional songs by those long dead, like Bing Crosby's "White Christmas". They are all good and all get you in the mood to shop and spend. The official Top 10 Christmas songs are the following, but before I do, any decent rock\pop artist has at least one Christmas song. Tom Petty has his, Mariah Carey has her's, the iconic, "All I Want for Christmas is You", Rod Stewart, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga have theirs, but there is one Christmas song many do not know about and seldom heard and almost never heard in stores. The song is extremely simple yet memorable tune that lingers long after played. It is called, "Christmas Time is Here Again". The rock band that did it remains iconic today.
But the Top Ten Christmas songs are:
- This Christmas- Donny Hathaway, recorded over 40 years ago.
- Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt. Who does not know this?
- Baby, It's Cold Outside - Ray Charles recorded in 1961
- Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer - Gene Autry, cowpokey for sure, but still good.
- Little Drummer Boy- Bing Crosby + David Bowie, recorded in 1977
- Santa Claus is Coming to Town - Bruce Springsteen
- Frosty the Snowman- The Ronettes, recorded in 1963
- Happy Xmas, War is Over - John Lennon\Yoko, recorded 1971 (ex-Beatle John would be laughing about hearing his song in Walmart)
- Father Christmas- The Kinks from 1977. This FAR from their sizzling rockers called, "You Really Got Me" from 1964. So ahead of their time.
- Mary's Little Boy Child - Harry Belafonte, calypso style.
- Grandma Got Ran Over by a Reindeer
As previously mentioned, there is "Christmas Time is Here Again". The band changed history, introduced music videos (films), gave the world long hair on men, their influences are heard still in music- The Beatles. Originally, the song was only shipped to fan club members. It was never on any LP of theirs. It was a little quick tune by John and Paul, off the cuff, recorded and forgotten. Recorded in 1967, it showcases their ability to create a song with hooks based on a few chords. But, without Ringo's contribution, which is comical, it would be a lesser song. This little tune has a melody you find yourself humming.
The Beatles finally did put it on their Anthology CDs in 1995. Ringo recorded it recently with other rockers. It just shows that simple tunes have real staying power.
What is your favorite Christmas song?
