h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Or "music". It need not be a 'song' as such. What do you think?

Feel free to post a youtube link for the edification for others, too, if you like.

I like "The Christmas Song" as sung by Nat King Cole (Chestnuts roasting on an open fire), but the Troika sleigh ride by Prokofiev would come a close second.

I couldn't say what was the best Christmas song - I like so many of them, including 'Fairytale of New York' (which you're probably all tired of by now).

But this 17th-Century song from the Huron tribe is an old favourite of mine:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDd7jYF6WTM

I always thought fox and beaver pelts sounded like pretty cool gifts.

'In the deep mid-winter' by Bert Jansch is my all time favourite song at Christmas.

A tradition of mine after putting up the tree, and decorating it each year, is to turn off all but the tree lights, put Bert on the CD player, and have a glass of vintage port.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvC729yv_tM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feEz-1occWo

That recording of 'In the Bleak Midwinter' is just lovely, thanks.

As to the hippopotamus......maybe we need a thread for the 'ultimate, absolute worst Christmas song'?

Both are arguably over exposed but I'll second 'Fairytale of New York' and add 'Snoopy's Christmas'.
I just heard a contender for 'ultimate, absolute worst Christmas song' but can't recall its name or (thankfully) enough of the lyrics to be useful.

Hard to pick a single favourite.

Christmas has evolved into so many moods
from the holy to the profane, from the fun
and family to the fabulous and magical.

There are several great tunes for each and every situation.

The link to the Huron Carol (post 3 above)
is one of the best versions I've ever heard!

~jwf~


There's a new politically correct version of
Winter Wonderland making the rounds. The old
line "In the meadow we will build a snowman and
pretend that he is Parson Brown; he'll say 'Are
your married'; we'll say 'No man, but you can do
the job while you're in town!' has been changed
to "...and pretend that he's a circus clown...'
and something about dancing around through town.

It seems that Parsons, psuedo-Marriage and sexual
co-habitations endorsed by snowmen are now far too
sensitive to be the subject of merry Yuletide tunes.

The worst has to be "Christmas Shoes".

"Fairytale of New York" is an interesting one. I wouldn't really class it as a Christmas song, so much as a song telling a story which happens to take place at Christmas. That story could just as easily take place at Easter, the 4th of July, or any day throughout the year.

But it's definitely a clever and observant piece of writing (which probably goes unnoticed when it just becomes wallpaper music in department stores in December).

I agree, KB, I just thought it was clever. But 'Live Ireland' puts it in the Christmas mix so much I assumed it was a holiday standard over there.

Little Drummer boy (with decent drumming in the background)

It's certainly a Christmas regular here in the Republic. And one of my favourites too.

Johnny Mathis 'When A Child Is Born', about the only Christmas song that doesn't make me turn off the radio. I'm known to linger in a shop while it's playing overhead so I can singalong badly.

Hubby loves 'Suzy Snowflake'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7T0IK99ELs


I like that one, I posted a version with the lyrics, cos they are so amusing.


Eartha Kitt: Santa Baby

Traditional - Once in Royal David's City. Brings tears to my eyes and I DON'T KNOW WHY!!

Silent Night - Simon and Garfunkel. Great political statement.

And to finish, a good rocking tune - The Darkness with Christmas Time (vomitworthy video warning - http://youtu.be/W-eslNwGXrI )

t.

A classic (live this time):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDc2FD-vy8M

I liked that Mag!

That one is great.

Have to second the Eartha Kitt song - wonderfully sassy.

Equally charming is this one, by one of the Netherlands' best female musicians:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c84XxyCC7j8

But, since I don't actually *like* Christmas at all, my favorite X-mas songs are the ones that subvert the whole maudlin hoopla. And so the community might well consider them as contenders for the worst Christmas songs - which would be fine by me...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pFdsQh9cc8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQSYJPASsEQ