I am wondering what people consider to be the best Christmas music. For each Christmas song you first have to decide which is the definitive version - and then sort them by the year that they were released. You are allowed one entry per year (with one honorable mention per year). To get things going here is my list:

1942: Bing Crosby "White Christmas" edging out the Drifter's version
1943: Bing Crosby "I'll be Home for Christmas"
1944: Judy Garland "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" edging out the Pretender's version
1945: Open
1946: Andrew Sisters "Christmas Island" edging out Jimmy Buffet's version
1947: Gene Autry "Here Comes Santa Claus" edging out Elvis Presley's version
1948 Spike Jones "All I Want for Christmas is my two front teeth" edging out Patti Page's "Boogie Woogie Santa"
1949: Gene Autry "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer" beats Ray Charles "Baby It's Cold Outside"
1950: Gene Autry "Frosty the Snowman" beats Jimmy Durante's version
1951: Perry Como "It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas"
1952: Bing Crosby "Silver Bells"
1953: Eartha Kitt "Santa Baby" beats Madonna's version
1954: Perry Como "There is no place like home for the holidays"
1955: Singing Dogs "Jingle Bells"
1956: Harry Belafonte "Mary's Boy Child"
1957: Bobby Helmes "Jingle Bell Rock" edges Elvis "Blue Christmas"
1958: Johnny Mathis "Sleigh Ride" edges Chipmunks "Christmas Don't Be Late"
1959: Open
1960: Peggy Lee "I Like a Sleigh Ride (Jingle Bells)
1961: Open
1962: Open
1963: Bing Crosby "Do You Hear What I Hear?" edges Darlene Love "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)"
1964: Burl Ives "Holly Jolly Christmas" edges Johnny Mathis "Most Wonderful Time of the year"
1965: Vince Guaraldi "Christmas Time is here"
1966: Angela Lansbury "We need a little Christmas" edges "You're a Mean One Mr Grinch"
1967: Royal Guardsmen "Snoopy's Christmas"
1968: Clarence Carter "Back door Santa"
1969: Peter Paul & Mary "Marvelous Toy"
1970: Jose Feliciano "Feliz Navidad" beats Carpenters "Merry Christmas Darling"
1971: John Lennon "Merry Xmass (War is Over)
1972: Open
1973: Elton John "Step into Christmas"
1974: Open
1975: Bruce Springsteen "Santa Claus is coming to town" beats Greg Lakes "I Believe in Father Christmas"
1976: Open
1977: Kinks "Father Christmas" edges Bing Crosby/David Bowie "Peace on Earth/Little Drummer boy"
1978: Eagles "Please Come Home for Christmas"
1979: Elmo and Patsy "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" edges Paul McCartney's "Wonderful Christmas time"
1980: Open
1981: Waitresses "Christmas Wrapping" beats Billy Squire's "Christmas is the time to say I love you"
1982: Alabama "Christmas in Dixie" edges Dave Edmunds "Run Rodolph Run"
1983: Pretenders "2000 Miles"
1984: Wham "Last Christmas" edges "Do They Know it's Christmas"
1985: Alabama "Tenessee Christmas"
1986: Weird Al "Christmas at Ground Zero"
1987: Eurythmics "Winter Wonerland" edges Pogues "Fairy Tale of New York"
1988: Open
1989: Ramones "Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight Tonight)"
1990-1991: Open
1992: Tom Petty "Christmas Time Again"
1993: Marvin Gaye "Purple Snowflakes"
1994: Mariah Carey "All I Want for Christmas is You" edges Natalie Cole "The Holly and the Ivy"
1995: Open
1996: Kenny Rodgers "Mary Did You Know?"
1997: Sting "I Saw Three Ships"
1998: Trans Siberian Orchestra "Christmas Cannon"
1999: Low "Just Like Christmas"
2000: Britney Spears "My Only Wish This Year is You"
2001: Open
2002: White Stripes "Candy Cane Children"
2003: Harry Connick Jr. "Christmas Waltz" edges Raveonettes' "The Christmas Song"
2004: Bare Naked Ladies "Elf's Lament"
2005: Open
2006: Allison Kraus "Shimmy Down the Chimney" edges Twisted Sisters "Oh Come All Ye Faithful"
2007: Over the Rhine "All I Every Get for Christmas is Blue" edges Mindy Smith "Come Around"

Can you help me out with my open years? What songs did I miss. What songs do you hate on my list?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Ralph M,

Here are a couple for your holes:

1961 - Nat King Cole "The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)

1989 - The Ramones "Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight Tonight)"

1999 - Vermont "Santa Claws" edges out Low "Just Like Christmas"

Also, in 1963 I would have used something off of Phil Spector's A Christmas Gift For You. In 2004, I would have gone with the Raveonettes' "The Christmas Song." This year, without question I would go with the New Pornographers' "Joseph, Who Understood."

Thanks - great suggestions

I'll have to check out the Raveonettes and New Pornographers christmas tunes.

1988 - The Pogues "Fairytale of New York"

1959 – The Chipmunks’ “The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late)”

quote:

1988 - The Pogues "Fairytale of New York"

Great call. My grandparents are from Ireland, and this is the single biggest Christmas song over there. Great song all around, actually.

1982: Dave Edmunds “Run Rudolph Run”

Another one of my faves will fill the 1993 hole (sort of). I don't have the whole album, but in 1993 Motown released a CD called Christmas in the City. It was an odds and sods comp from their vaults. I have Marvin Gaye's "Purple Snowflakes" (which originally showed up on CitC) on a Mojo X-mas comp. It is phenomenal and makes me wish I had that disc

1993: Marvin Gaye "Purple Snowflakes"

1990: Aimee Mann & Michael Penn "Christmastime"

"12 Days of Christmas" - Bob and Doug McKenzie (1981)

It's totally Canada-specific, with mentions of beer and toques, but I love it. My son even sings "And a b-e-e-e-er....in a tree."

Anyone interested–and why wouldn't you be?–you can find it here: http://bobanddoug.com/

"Daddy's Drinking Up Our Christmas" - John Guliak (2004)

I don't really go for the traditional carols, except for Springsteen's take on "Santa Claus is coming to Town."

quote:

Originally posted by Arthur2Sheds:
"12 Days of Christmas" - Bob and Doug McKenzie (1981)

I recently put this on a Christmas comp, and it did not stand repeated listens. It's great the first couple of times, but it's so long (nearly 5 minutes)-- it really bogs down the flow of a mix disc.

hold on to that 2007 slot.
THis Just In: Rick Springfield released a Christmas album this year.

I'm going to go way off the modern map here. The best Christmas music are unquestionably hymns. "Oh Holy Night" and "What Child is This?" are two of the most beautiful songs ever written I'd say. Not the shitty processed versions, but the naked piano with organ, and a backing choir ones. Both songs done right are absolutely breath-taking.

quote:

Originally posted by jayman:
hold on to that 2007 slot.
THis Just In: Rick Springfield released a Christmas album this year.

Nice one.

quote:

Originally posted by smileyface:
I'm going to go way off the modern map here. The best Christmas music are unquestionably hymns."

Top Christmas Hymns
Away in a Manger
First Noel
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Hark the Herald Angels Sing
Hallelujah Chorus
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
Joy to the World
O Little Town of Bethlehem
Oh Come All Ye Faithful
Oh Holy Night
Silent Night
We Three Kings
What Child is This?