Another Christmas Rock & Roll!

Popular Christmas music.  I have to be honest here, I just don't like the stuff much - it's mostly overly sappy and sentimental.  Which is perfectly fine for the Elton Johns and Chris Rea's of this world (no offense). Therefore I happen to like my Yuletide muzak (’Cause, let’s face it, that’s just what it is…to be played in elevators and department stores) a bit more rocking and rolling...if you know what I mean.  Albeit with the proverbial tongue-planted-firmly-in-the-proverbial-cheek.  Nonetheless, not unlike many other music nuts, I like to make lists (AND check it twice, at least).  And now, for better or for worse and in spite of all my aforementioned reservations regarding the issue, it's time to reveal my Top 40 all time favourite Christmas tunes.  Obviously - and, given my fondness for nearly all things Spector, perhaps not all that surprisingly - as far as I'm concerned, the always amazing Darlene Love is the undisputed queen of Christmas.  Long may she reign.
So, here goes... (In no particular order, neither numeral nor alphabetical):

 

The Kinks/"Father Christmas"

  

Ramones/"Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight Tonight)"

Duncan Faure/"This is Christmas", "Party on Christmas" + "Christmas Song"

 

 

Cheap Trick/"Come on Christmas"

Fountains of Wayne/"I Want an Alien for Christmas"

 

Steeleye Span/"Gaudete"

The Damned/"There Ain't no Sanity Clause"

Captain Sensible/"One Christmas Catalogue"

 

Bay City Rollers Starring Les McKeown/"Rock & Roll It's Christmas Time"

 

 

Billy Idol/"Yellin' at the Xmas Tree"

The Pogues & Kristy MacColl/"Fairytale of New York"

The Waitresses/"Christmas Wrapping"

 

Blondie/"We Three Kings"

Joan Jett & The Blackhearts/"Little Drummer Boy"

MUD/"Lonely This Christmas" + "Lean on Me"

John & Yoko/"Happy Xmas (The War is Over)"                                                                                      

Ertha Kitt/"Santa Baby"

 

Darlene Love/"Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)" + "It's a Marshmallow World" + "Winter Wonderland" + "All Alone on Christmas".

Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band/"Santa Claus is Coming to Town" (Early '80s Live version)

U2/"Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)" (Yup, the same song)

Gary Glitter/"Another Rock & Roll Christmas"

Sniglabandið/"Jólahjól"

 

 

The Monkees/"Riu Chiu"

Beach Boys/"Little Saint Nick" + "Winter Symphony"

Showaddywaddy/"Hey Mr. Christmas"

Band Aid/"Do They Know it's Christmas?"(The original)

Stevie Wonder/"Someday at Christmas"

Brenda Lee/"Rocking Around the Christmas Tree"

Bobby Helms/"Jingle Bell Rock"

 

Smokey Robinson & the Miracles/"Deck the Halls/Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella".

Slade/"Merry Xmas Everyone"

Greg Lake/"I Believe in Father Christmas"

The Jackson 5ive/"I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"

Mike Oldfield/"In Dulci Jubilo"

Jona Lewie/"Stop the Cavalry"

Roy Wood & Wizzard/"I Wish it Could be Christmas Everyday"

 

And...the very best Christmas albums:

V.A./"The Phil Spector Christmas Album"(1963)

V.A./"A Motown Christmas"(1973)

 

Elvis Presley/"White Christmas" (Compilation, 2000)

 

 

OK, so I can be a bit sappy & sentimental myself after all ;-)

Here's wishing y'all Happy Holidaze...however you may celebrate.

 

PARTIAL PLAYLIST HERE!

 

 



(Revised and updated from a MySpace blog entry I did a few years ago)
(Updated once again December 25th 2014)