Song #9: Merry, Merry Christmas Baby
Artist: Margo Sylvia and the Tune Weavers
Year: 1988
Notes: Same act scored a Top 5 hit in 1957 with "Happy, Happy Birthday Baby." 31 years later they changed some lyrics and re-recorded their signature number as this Christmas song.
Song #8: Santa Can't Stay
Artist: Dwight Yoakam
Year: 1997
Notes: The festive upbeat melody belies the sad lyrics about a kid in a broken home at Christmastime.
Song #7: On Christmas Day
Artist: Nazanin Afshin-Jam
Year: 2007
Notes: Iranian artist offering proceeds from iTunes download of this song to petition her government to stop executing children.
Song #6: What Will Santa Claus Say (When he Finds Everybody Swinging)?
Artist: Louis Prima And His New Orleans Gang
Year: 1936
Notes: Beloved New Orleans jazz trumpeter and band leader. Was also the voice of King Louie in the movie The Jungle Book. You might remember the orangutan who sang I Wanna Be Like You.
Song #5: Christmas Serenade
Artist: Johnny Maestro & The Brooklyn Bridge
Year: 1989
Notes: Johnny Maestro was also the lead singer of the Doo Wop group The Crests of "16 Candles" fame.
Song #4: Give the Jew Girl Toys
Artist: Sarah Silverman
Year: 2005
Notes: Perhaps not safe for work. But one of the best Christmas songs ever that contains the word "penis" in the lyrics.
Song #3: Washington Square
Artist: Chris Isaak
Year: 2004
Notes: From his outstanding holiday album. Every track is great but my favorites are the sad ones, like this.
Song #2: My Girlfriend (Forgot Me This Christmas)
Artist: The Click Five
Year: 2005
Notes: Power Pop band from Boston
Song #1: 2000 Miles
Artist: Coldplay
Year: 2003
Notes: Cover of Pretenders' modern classic
There's more to Christmas music than the same 12 songs you hear on the radio every year. I collect the stuff and listen to it year round. Now you can too with Christmas MusicEveryday.com, streaming a different holiday song every day of the year.
Beginning Thursday, 22 November 2007. It's something to give thanks for!
