Holiday Songs ... The Not Quite Standards
Scarlotti
(including the inevitable duplications). Some, too, are only arguably
"holiday" songs, although they appear on holiday albums.
Along with the standards, there are some lesser known tunes (unknown
to me outside of my cds):
Baby's First Christmas - Connie Francis (which I seem to recall Roger
dissing in an earlier post - should definitely be a standard for new
parents)
Blue Winter - Connie Francis (probably too close to Blue Christmas to
make it, but I love this song)
Boys and Girls Like You and Me - Frank Sinatra
Cactus Christmas - Brian Setzer (Setzer's songs probably rock a little
too hard to become standards, but they're all great)
The Cactus Christmas Tree - The McGuire Sisters
Christmas Alphabet - The McGuire Sisters
Christmas Choir - Patti Page
Christmas is A-Comin' - Bing Crosby
Christmas is for Everyone/Where Can I Find Christmas? - Johnny Mathis
Christmas Morn - Vic Damone
Christmas Polka - Jim Reeves
Christmas Roses - Frankie Laine & Jo Stafford (I love this one -
probably too country to ever become a standard though)
The Christmas Story - Doris Day (this one really should've become a
standard)
Christmas Waltz - Johnny Mathis
Christmasland - Tony Bennett
Cool Yule - Brian Setzer
A Cradle in Bethlehem - Nat "King" Cole
Dig That Crazy Santa Claus - Brian Setzer
Ebenezer Scrooge - Teresa Brewer
Every Christmas Eve/Giving (Santa's Theme) - Johnny Mathis
Five Little Angels - Marie Vernon & The Mellomen
Gettin' In the Mood (For Christmas) - Brian Setzer (Killer jump
version of In the Mood - with Xmas lyrics)
Give Me Your Heart for Christmas - The McGuire Sisters (A nice
Christmas love song - doesn't quite stand out, but deserves a nod)
The Happiest Christmas Tree - Nat "King" Cole
Happy New Year - The McGuire Sisters
Hey Santa! - Brian Setzer
Homesick, That's All - Frank Sinatra
I Just Can't Wait Till Christmas - Teresa Brewer
I Love the Winter Weather/I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm - Tony
Bennett (okay, 1/2 the medley's a standard)
I Want to Go Skating with Willie - Patti Page
I'd Like to Trim a Tree with You - The McGuire Sisters
I'm Gonna Be Warm this Winter - Connie Francis
If Every Day was Like Christmas - Elvis Presley (probably well known
if only because it's Elvis: El sings it beautifully, but the song
doesn't really stand out)
It's Christmas Time Again - Johnny Mathis
(It's Gonna Be a) Lonely Christmas - The Orioles
Jingle Polka - Marie Vernon & The Mellomen
The Jolly Old Man in the Bright Red Suit - Vaughn Monroe
The Kissing Bridge - The Fontane Sisters, Perry Como, Rudy (?)
Let's Make Christmas Merry, Baby - Amos Milburn
The Little Boy that Santa Claus Forgot - Nat "King" Cole
The Littlest Angel - The McGuire Sisters (I remember watching a tv
movie based on this every holiday season when I was growing up -- it
used to make me cry. I haven't seen it since I was 10 or younger, but
judging by the reviews at IMdb, it's probably better that way. Nice
cast though. The song should definitely be a standard for those of us
who grew up with the film - it's very evocative of it for me).
Merry Christmas - Judy Garland
Merry Christmas Everywhere - Frankie Laine (Frankie's forerunner of
Band Aid's monstrosity - it's one of my least favorite FL numbers)
Merry Christmas, Baby - versions by Chuck Berry and The Three Blazers
(I know, I know ... the r&b crowd think this and some of the others
are huge)
Mrs. Santa Claus - Nat "King" Cole
An Old Christmas Card - Jim Reeves (it made the DDD list, but I've
never heard of it apart from the Reeves album - it's got a lovely
tune, but the long spoken monologue detracts a little)
Please Come Home for Christmas - versions by The Platters and Charles
Brown (another one that's only big on the r&b charts)
Poppa Santa Claus - Patti Page
Pretty Snowflakes - Patti Page (another one that really should have
been a standard)
Santa Claus is Back in Town - versions by Elvis Presley and Brian
Setzer
Santa Drives a Hot Rod - Brian Setzer
Santa's Too Fat for the Hula Hoop - Thurl Ravenscroft & The Pixies
Snowfall - Tony Bennett (title song Tony's cd ... hopefully a standard
in the making)
Snowflake - Jim Reeves (now here's a Gentleman Jim number that really
deserves to be a standard!)
Snowy White Snow & Jingle Bells - Vaughn Monroe
So They Say It's Christmas - Brian Setzer
Suzy Snowflake - Rosemary Clooney
Take Me Back to Toyland - Nat "King" Cole
That Christmas Feeling - Bing Crosby
There's a Train Out for Dreamland - Nat "King" Cole
This Time of the Year - Brook Benton
Too Fat for the Chimney - Teresa Brewer
Warm December - Julie London (another that deserves to be known by
all)
We Need a Little Christmas - Johnny Mathis
What Am I Gonna Do This Christmas? - Frankie Laine
Where Did My Snowman Go? - Patti Page
Winter - Spike Jones & The Mellomen
Winter's Here Again - Georgia Gibbs (yet another that should've been a
standard)
You're All I Want for Christmas - Frankie Laine (a great song and a
#11 hit that somehow never gets airplay today)
'Zat You Santa, Claus? - Brian Setzer
I'm sure there must be 100s more Holiday non-standards. Anyone have
any other notable entries?
DCar...@aol.com
Hannah Montana offers a surprisingly stirring "Rocking around the
Christmas Tree" which makes it a non-standardized standard!!!
Although it will never supplant the definitive Brenda Lee version, it
certainly delivers a rousingly fun alternative!!!
As far as a non-stardard hymnal type?
"Past Three O'Clock" by Roger Whitaker is about as overlooked a gem
as there is, baby!!
Dennis C from Tennessee
ps.
Why is Dolly Parton's "Hard Candy Christmas" played during the
Christmas season?
It's simply a sweet little song about heartache with only the crown
breaking yuletide confectionary being used as a metaphor!!!
This could have jsut as easily been a Rotten Egg Easter or Moldy
Matza Seder. baby!!!
50s
It's only being played down south, where you Goobers and Jethroes are
too dumb to object.
Scarlotti
This from the man who got thrown out of Gooberville for threatening to
place his male member alongside that of a decidedly unwilling
Tennessee lawyer.
Musicman55
First, thanks to Scarlotti for creating this Thread. I sense from his
comments that he invested much time, effort, and love in putting
together his own list of Christmas Favorites.
As a couple of you might recall from last year, I am possibly the
ultimate Christmas Music Fanatic in this Music Group.
So I used each of my 7 Lists of Christmas Songs to try to select my
own favorites that a few people in the Group might also appreciate.
Some of these as on Scarlotti's List are Borderline Christmas Songs.
Several of these are quite well known, but don't receive that much
airplay since they are so old now.
All I Want for Christmas Is You - Mariah Carey
All I Want For Christmas Is You - Carla Thomas
All I Want For Christmas Is You - Vince Vance & the Valiants
Amen - The Impressions
Away In A Manger - Nat "King" Cole
Baby It's Cold Outside - Ray Charles & Betty Carter
*Baby's First Christmas - Connie Francis
Back Door Santa - Clarence Carter
The Bell That Couldn't Jingle - Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass
Boogie Woogie Santa Claus - Mabel Scott
The Carol Of The Bells - The Mormon Tabernacle Choir
Caroling, Caroling - Nat "King" Cole
C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S - Eddy Arnold/Perry Como
Christmas Ain't Christmas Without The One You Love - The O'Jays
*Christmas Alphabet - The McGuire Sisters
Christmas, Baby Please Come Home - Darlene Love
The Christmas Boogie - The Davis Sisters
Christmas Dream - Perry Como
Christmas In Dixie - Alabama
*Christmas is A-Comin' - Bing Crosby
The Christmas Shoes - Newsong
The Christmas Song - Nat "King" Cole
The Christmas Waltz - Frank Sinatra/The Carpenters
Do You Hear What I Hear - Whitney Houston
Everyday Will Be Like A Holiday - William Bell
Feliz Navidad - Jose Feliciano
The First Noel - Andy Williams
Gee Whiz, It's Christmas - Carla Thomas
The Hallelujah Chorus - Johnny Mathis
Happy Christmas (War Is Over) - John Lennon & Yoko Ono
Happy Holiday - Andy Williams
The Happy Reindeer - Dancer, Prancer, & Nervous
Hark, The Herald Angels Sing - Nat "King" Cole
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Frank Sinatra
A Holly Jolly Christmas - Burl Ives
Home For The Holidays - Perry Como
I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day - Frank Sinatra
I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas - Gayla Peevey
I'll Be Home For Christmas - Elvis Presley
I'll Make Every Day Christmas - Joe Tex
*I'm Gonna Be Warm this Winter - Connie Francis
*If Every Day was Like Christmas - Elvis Presley
It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas - Perry Como & the Fontane
Sisters
It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year - Andy Williams
Jingle Bells - Les Paul
Jolly Old St. Nicholas - Ray Conniff/Eddy Arnold
Joy To The World - Nat "King" Cole
Let's Make Christmas Mean Something This Year - James Brown
Little Altar Boy - Vic Dana
The Little Drummer Boy - The Harry Simeone Chorale
The Man With All The Toys - The Beach Boys
A Marshamallow World - Darlene Love/Bing Crosby
The Marvelous Toy - The Irish Rovers/The Chad Mitchell Trio
Mary's Boy Child - Harry Belafonte
Merry Christmas Baby - Otis Redding
Merry Christmas Darling - The Carpenters
The Merry Christmas Polka - The Andrews Sisters
Merry, Merry Christmas Baby - Dodie Stevens
Mistletoe And Holly - Frank Sinatra
Must Be Santa - Mitch Miller
Nuttin' For Christmas - Barry Gordon & Art Mooney
O Come All Ye Faithful - Elvis Presley
O Holy Night - Johnny Mathis
*An Old Christmas Card - Jim Reeves
Old Toy Trains - Roger Miller
The Parade Of The Wooden Soldiers - The Crystals
*Please Come Home for Christmas - Charles Brown
Presents For Christmas - Solomon Burke
Pretty Paper - Roy Orbison
The Reindeer Boogie - Hank Snow
Run Rudolph Run - Chuck Berry
Santa Baby - Eartha Kitt
Santa Bring My Baby Back To Me - Elvis Presley
*Santa Claus is Back in Town - Elvis Presley
Shake Me I Rattle - Marion Worth
Silent Night - The Temptations
Silver Bells - The Supremes
Sleigh Ride - Leroy Anderson
Snowflake - Marvin Gaye
*Snowflake - Jim Reeves
Someday At Christmas - Stevie Wonder
*Suzy Snowflake - Rosemary Clooney
*Take Me Back to Toyland - Nat "King" Cole
This Christmas - Donny Hathaway
*This Time of the Year - Brook Benton
Toyland - Doris Day
The Twelve Days Of Christmas - Mitch Miller/Ray Conniff
Up On The Housetop - Eddy Arnold/Gene Autry
We Need a Little Christmas - Percy Faith/The New Christy Minstrels
We Wish You A Merry Christmas - Andre Kostelanetz/Ray Conniff
What Child Is This - Johnny Mathis/Kenny G
When A Child Is Born - Johnny Mathis
Where Are You Christmas - Faith Hill
Winter Wonderland - The Eurhythmics/Mitch Miller
*You're All I Want for Christmas - Frankie Laine
Zat You Santa Claus - Louis Armstrong
The * indicates that Scarlotti and I both included the same version of
the same Song. In my view, You're All I Want For Christmas might be
the most under appreciated Christmas Song ever.
Merry Christmas to each of you.
Phil Zorn
50s
You're jumbling those facts up a bit here.
Musicman55
It would appear that I got quite carried away with this task and ended
up with 96 entries on the original List. In order to feature exactly
100 entries, these were the 4 best Christmas Hits that missed using
the same filters as before.
Blue Christmas - Seymour Swine/The Browns
Here We Come A-Caroling - Ray Conniff
Last Christmas - Wham
White Christmas - Clyde McPhattter & the Drifters
Happy Holidays!!!
Phil Zorn
P.S. No, I do not consider the original 96 to be superior to these 4
musically. White Christmas by Bing Crosby was an enormous Hit. The R
& B version got played on the radio for many years.
Blue Christmas was Elvis' biggest Christmas Hit ever. Last Christmas
has been quite successful on Adult Contemporary stations. The Ray
Conniff Song was a very near miss on the first List.
Musicman55
This will be my second update to the original List. After checking
over everything, one Christmas Single remains that should have made
the previous Lists.
My Grown-Up Christmas List - Natalie Cole
The 3 most questionable entries on the original List were
*Christmas Alphabet - The McGuire Sisters
*I'm Gonna Be Warm this Winter - Connie Francis
*Snowflake - Jim Reeves
The McGuire Sisters record is both a good Song and a legitimate
Christmas Record. The other two Songs are both nice enough
musically. The Jim Reeves Song is a Borderline Christmas Song.
So I choose to eliminate the Connie Francis Song which is quite good
musically, but in truth has no legitimate tie to Christmas. That will
leave us with 100 entries again.
I hope each of you have a Great Christmas.
Phil Zorn
50s
> This will be my second update to the original List. After checking
> over everything, one Christmas Single remains that should have made
> the previous Lists.
>
> My Grown-Up Christmas List - Natalie Cole
>
> The 3 most questionable entries on the original List were
>
> *Christmas Alphabet - The McGuire Sisters
> *I'm Gonna Be Warm this Winter - Connie Francis
> *Snowflake - Jim Reeves
>
> The McGuire Sisters record is both a good Song and a legitimate
> Christmas Record.
You're half right.
The McGuire Sisters never made a good song.
50s
Where's "Jingle Bell Rock?"
Sharx35
"50s" <Sav...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:2d579f66-d6c7-48dd...@j4g2000yqe.googlegroups.com...
And YOUR mother never had a child that survived postpartum.
Sharx35
"50s" <Sav...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:64e526e5-8223-40d1...@r24g2000yqd.googlegroups.com...
Where's YOUR brain?
>
Musicman55
> Where's "Jingle Bell Rock?"
>
Bruce,
Not only did I leave off Jingle Bell Rock, I left off all the
following Christmas Hits.
Jingle Bell Rock - Bobby Helms
Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer - Gene Autry/The Crystals
Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town - The Crystals/The Jackson Five
Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee
Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley
Frosty The Snowman - The Ronettes/Gene Autry
Please Come Home For Christmas - The Eagles
Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer - Elmo & Patsy
Sleigh Ride - The Ronettes
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus - Jimmy Boyd/The Ronettes
Here Comes Santa Claus - Ray Conniff/Gene Autry
The Chipmunk Song - David Seville
All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth - Spike Jones
Little St. Nick - The Beach Boys
Away In A Manger - Kenny G
Wonderful Christmastime - Paul McCartney
Santa Claus Is Watching You - Ray Stevens
In a few cases, I listed another version of the same Song. But many
of these were left off because they are Novelty Songs. And I figured
everyone in this Groups has heard Jingle Bell Rock, Blue Christmas,
and Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree many, many times.
Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town by The Crystals is among my All Time
personal Favorite Christmas Songs. All of these are good enough
musically to have made the List if they did not happen in many cases
to be more well known than the choices I did list.
Merry Christmas!!!
Phil Zorn