Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Top 10 Favorite Christmas songs (non-traditional)

Here are my top 10 favorite Christmas songs of the non-traditional (mainly rock) variety (in no particular order)
"2000 Miles" by the Pretenders. Sorrowful tune by Chrissie Hynde and beautiful melody.
"Santa Claus Back in Town" by Elvis. As nasty a rock song as there is, period, Christmas or not. We ALL know what Santa is looking for.
Happy Christmas (War is Over) by John Lennon. I consider this to be as classic as "White Christmas" or any hymn.
"I Believe in Father Christmas" by Emerson, Lake and Palmer. Actually this is Greg Palmer's song all the way and it builds to a greaat crescendo.
"Christmastime is Here" by Vince Guaraldi Trio. It's part of the "Charlie Brown Christmas" score and along with "Linus and Lucy" comprise the best stuff ever done on television.
"Run Run Rudolph" by Chuck Berry. The greatest poet of his time fashions a rock tune that bee-bops right Santa Claus lane. Bryan Adams' remake is better than Bon Jovi's.
"Rockin' 'Round the Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee. Done when she was not yet a teenager. Great combination of old time country, rockabilly and rock and roll.
"Sleigh Ride" by the Ronettes. An older song given the Phil Spector sound update in 1962. Off the greatest rock Christmas album ever.
"The Bells of St. Mary" by Bob B. Soxx and the Blue Jeans. Also off that Spector album and as powerful a song as could be recorded by a group no one heard from again.
"Nothin' But a Chlld" by Steve Earle. The last song on "Copperhead Road" and it will make you cry because of its tenderness from such a renegade.
Your list is solicited.

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