Back in the day we always looked forward to see what would be the Christmas song for December. Sadly, today it seems none of the top artists aren't really too bothered about producing one.

When I first started going out with the wife, Wham's "Last Christmas" was the big one. The wife now always reminds me that it's our song whenever it's played at this time of the year. However I haven't got the heart to tell her that I think it's bloody awful.

Greg Lake's "I believe in Father Christmas" is the best ever with it's lyrics, epic instrumental and choir in my humble opinion.

Any more favourites ?

Agree with Greg Lake as best but Fairy Tale of New York comes a close second

Not sure if this is a Christmas song or not, but it gets played a lot at this time of year..it could certainly pass as such, and Jon Anderson will do for me..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6_p5CV5plc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Jon and Vangelis - 'I'll Find My Way Home' [1981]

Barenaked Ladies, "I Saw Three Ships'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5MNiukRWmA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Fairy Tale of New York - classic

None of them

"Do you hear what I hear?", the Bing Crosby version. Best known for playing in the background as a feisty Lynn Peltzer slaughters half a dozen Gremlins in the 80s classic.

International class wrote:Back in the day we always looked forward to see what would be the Christmas song for December. Sadly, today it seems none of the top artists aren't really too bothered about producing one.

When I first started going out with the wife, Wham's "Last Christmas" was the big one. The wife now always reminds me that it's our song whenever it's played at this time of the year. However I haven't got the heart to tell her that I think it's bloody awful.

Greg Lake's "I believe in Father Christmas" is the best ever with it's lyrics, epic instrumental and choir in my humble opinion.

Any more favourites ?

You beat me to it mate. Greg Lake wrote a classic when he wrote that. The funny thing is it's a very 'anti' Christmas song when you listen to the lyrics. The last stanza is brilliantly sardonic:
Hallelujah, noel, be it heaven or hell
The Christmas you get you deserve.
I loved ELP and was gutted when he died recently. Weird how he and Keith Emerson both went within a year of each other.
While talking of favourites a quick nod in the direction of 'A Fairytale of New York' and 'A Spaceman Came Travelling' as well.

Jingle bells,jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh what fun it is to see
The Clarets win away..

Altogether now

Another vote for Fairy tale of New York.

Always like to hear stop the cavalry by Jonah Lewis amongst many others.

Now off to put on my 2 1/2 hour Christmas playlist for the first time this year

Happy Xmas (War is over) - John Lennon.

The answer is of course "A Great Big Sled" by The Killers, written when they were at their peak.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-nse84xIpE

NottsClaret wrote:"Do you hear what I hear?", the Bing Crosby version. Best known for playing in the background as a feisty Lynn Peltzer slaughters half a dozen Gremlins in the 80s classic.

That scene is so memorable to me that the mentioning of the song got me thinking about it before I'd even got to the end of your post.

Have loved most of the usual Christmas songs but hearing them churned out year after year, no thanks.

Prefer the more obscure tunes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlsJD8RlhbI" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

hampsteadclaret wrote:Not sure if this is a Christmas song or not, but it gets played a lot at this time of year..it could certainly pass as such, and Jon Anderson will do for me..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6_p5CV5plc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Jon and Vangelis - 'I'll Find My Way Home' [1981]

It's not a Christmas song mate but it's beautiful nonetheless. I'm a massive fan of Anderson, especially his work with Yes for over 40 years. Accrington's most famous son.

Greg Lake and Fairytale of New York are great but it has to be...

Pretenders - 2,000 miles

Mrs G says - Chris Rea Home for Christmas - but she has better taste in men!

No Xmas for John Quays the Fall

I'm almost ashamed to admit that I really like "Merry Christmas" by John and Yoko.

Even more than a fairytale of New York

Fairy Tale in New York it is.

I could have been someone
Well so could anyone
You took my dreams from me
When I first found you
I kept them with me babe
I put them with my own
Can’t make it all alone
I’ve built my dreams around you

Silent Night.

Kirsty Mcoll died long before her time...a wonderful singer.

Guich wrote:Greg Lake and Fairytale of New York are great but it has to be...

Pretenders - 2,000 miles

I love Chrissie Hynde's voice. Not a fan of Xmas songs but this, Greg Lake and Last Christmas are the best 3.

Hate the Slade number but I'll bet Noddy gets a kick out of it bugging the hell out of everyone.

And the royalty cheques that goes with it every year !

https://youtu.be/af7LwnA913g" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The Enclosure wrote:Kirsty Mcoll died long before her time...a wonderful singer.

Agreed 100%, her father Ewan McColl wrote Roberta Flack's " The first time ever I saw your face ", a beautiful song !

Christmas ( Baby Please come home ) by the fabulous Darlene Love......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkJRCeCoCjY

Let it snow by Sinatra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGRC2LYmHfU

The Enclosure wrote:Kirsty Mcoll died long before her time...a wonderful singer.

Apart from her singing i love the humour in her lyrics. England 2 Colombia0 and In These Shoes are particular favourites.

So after that I'll vote for Fairytale of New York.

I'm a bit of a scrooge since losing both parents, but I always liked Last Christmas by Wham! and John Lennon's 'So this is Christmas'.

Last year, I had this song in my bloody head until about.. March!

Jose Feliciano - Feliz Navidad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6zXgiKhTus" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

are you frikkin kidding me!!!

Bear in mind what Christmas is ACTUALLY about, I don't believe there is a better lyric out there than the original:
Peuple à genoux, attends ta délivrance.
Noël, Noël, voici le Rédempteur,
Noël, Noël, voici le Rédempteur!

only bettered by the (remarkably) unattributed English translation
Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was Born;
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

try this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7uiqRCW6I8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (the prelude in this is wonderful)

this for the most simple production, but the highest evocation of delivery
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofKk_Etapq4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

and if this doesn't make you at least well-up, there's something wrong with you
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5mdybeyLVc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Has to be "Last Christmas" Wham. Probably because my first son was born when it was released and my wife used to dance round the room with him every time it was played.

The Enclosure wrote:Kirsty Mcoll died long before her time...a wonderful singer.

One of my all time favourite singles is Days by The Kinks and she did a marvellous cover of that. I don't normally like covers of great songs but that was amazing.

Merry Christmas Everyone - Shakin Stevens

Also, OP said nobody tries releasing Christmas songs any more. I don't think that's true. An assortment 'big' artists try it every year, but there just doesn't seem to be a demand for it. That said, Leona Lewis's One More Sleep (from 2013) is excellent.

NRC wrote:are you frikkin kidding me!!!

Bear in mind what Christmas is ACTUALLY about, I don't believe there is a better lyric out there than the original:
Peuple à genoux, attends ta délivrance.
Noël, Noël, voici le Rédempteur,
Noël, Noël, voici le Rédempteur!

only bettered by the (remarkably) unattributed English translation
Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was Born;
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

try this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7uiqRCW6I8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (the prelude in this is wonderful)

this for the most simple production, but the highest evocation of delivery
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofKk_Etapq4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

and if this doesn't make you at least well-up, there's something wrong with you
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5mdybeyLVc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

NRC On the subject of Oh Holy Night, Laura Mitchell did a version in Christmas with Aled (yes really) at the Royal Albert Hall 2-3 years ago and almost had me going to church - having been a lapsed Christian for many years!!

East 17, Stay now....

That famous Christmas song, that is only a Christmas song because they wore silly big white coats, and it snowed in the video

MACCA wrote:East 17, Stay now....

That famous Christmas song, that is only a Christmas song because they wore silly big white coats, and it snowed in the video

Weren't they begging Santa not to leave?

I thought that Slade was OK
[urlhttps://www.google.com/searchq=youtube+slade+me ... e&ie=UTF-8][/url]

I think I made a horlicks of adding a link

Toss up between Rock the Cavalry and Fairy tale of New York,though strictly they are not Christmas songs you can enjoy them at any time of year.
If pushed would plump for jona lewie the video is more poignant this year given the World War One anniversaries.

It's Stop the Cavalry. An anti-war message so he's definitely nor rocking them.

For me I would also go Fairy Tale of New York but, sticking with an American Cities theme, The Killers Christmas in LA is also great Top video too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=938GYJjxBeU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Any Christmas song that includes, scumbag, faggot, cheap lousy maggot and ar5e sung by a p!seed Paddy gets my vote.

Without a doubt best crimbo song in the recent past
Proper crimbo
boselecta

Burnley scoring
All around us
Ba$tard Rovers
In League 1

Tis the season - Love and understanding
Merry Christmas - To Blackburn

These were Christmas to me and still are! Cheesy.... and some!!

The Ronettes, Frosty
https://youtu.be/qL5EI4c9NUs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Elton John, Step into Christmas
https://youtu.be/eDqi8ENS1FU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Boney M, Mary’s Boy Child
https://youtu.be/hxm1FlLSfe4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Happy Christmas Fellow Clarets!

aclaretinstevenage wrote:Agree with Greg Lake as best but Fairy Tale of New York comes a close second

My favourite two closely followed by Christmas Wrapping by The Waitresses. Played to death every Xmas but has never made the top 40

BennyD wrote:Any Christmas song that includes, scumbag, faggot, cheap lousy maggot and ar5e sung by a p!seed Paddy gets my vote.

I always thought shane macgowan was Irish but my dad claimed the other day he was actually born in Kent.You do wonder if this song would be written now it not exactly pc but what the hell the chorus is too catchy so who cares.

Mike Oldfield - In Dulci Jubilo


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIUlEUWKloM" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;