Let the debate begin! Below is my subjective list of favorites, with videos of good to great renditions of each. I have also included my favorite line(s) of each song:
Top 10 Christmas Carols
Top 10 Christmas Carols
Posted on 12/18/2010 10:48:09 AM PST by Salvation
I feel the same way when I hear “O Holy Night’’. I love “Hark, The Herald Angels Sing’’, that one is my favorite.
‘Silent Night,’ sung in candlelight, accompanied by a guitar, as originally intended.
I’d respectfully disagree with “Do You Hear What I Hear.”
In 56 civilized countries and Canada, it’s considered an absolute defense to a charge or murder that the victim was singing “Do You Hear What I Hear” or “The Little Drummer Boy.”
Canadians? That was just a little humor. Very little humor, eh?
But later on I liked and still do, 'Good King Wenceslas'. It's got a catchy beat (You Tube) and makes me feel happy.
Dittos! Also like Infant Bambino, just as instrumental. It's for youthful memories of standing in a open courtyard listening to it played on the trumpet. The cold fingers of Ray Ivans, in his newly issued green jacket, did the solo flawlessly. If I close my eyes, I can hear it again so clearly. Memories are wonderful.
Love that one. Not too well known I think.
Hayley Westenra’s version is also awesome:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjykMVzFd7g
Another one from her Christmas album:
Veni Veni Emmanuel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_zwV—INfs&feature=related
David Archuletta- Pat a Pan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3i1HIKwX_bI
Try this one... you can play online. I laughed myself silly, while my wife thinks it’s the most annoying song she ever heard. :)
http://falalalala.com/2010/12/christmas-piano-by-boyce-hawkins/
“Good King Winseslas” and “Hark! How the Bells!” -
On the twelfth day of demXmas,
my true love sent to me,
Twelve health care waivers,
Eleven cells in gitmo,
Ten eavesdropped calls,
Nine bags of stimulus,
Eight lobbyist paychecks,
Seven stacks of earmarks,
Six waterboardings,
Five Predator strikes,
Four Brigades for Karzai,
Three Bankster bonuses,
Two secret prisons,
and tax cuts for the wealthy!
Good King Whatshisface.
Jingle Bells a as performed by Frank Sinatra.
“O Holy Night” for me.
I like anything sung by the King’s College Choir and/or written by John Rutter.
Sussex Carol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKSM4kmpX9s&feature=related
What Sweeter Music (by John Rutter)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ucVQSJunR4
Shepherd’s Pipe Carol (by John Rutter)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EhVWGHDM9c&feature=related
I have an old cassette of a compilation of Christmas songs. It has an instrumental version of "O Holy Night" that is unbelievable.
Among carols sung by popular figures in recent decades, Bing Crosby's rendition of "Do You Hear What I Hear?" is a favorite of mine.
O Holy Night is my favorite as well.
I like the Jewish Christmas carol: God Rest Ye, Jerry Mendelbaum.
“We Three Kings”
I’m not sure if you’d like it, but Bare Naked Ladies and Sara McLaughlin (I think it’s she) do a very nice arrangement of We Three Kings and Star of Wonder, it’s really one of my faves.
My favorite carol is definitely God Rest You Merry Gentlemen, I think of it as the ultimate Christmas song.
I also really like Joy to the World.
My family likes Mary’s Boy Child by Boney M, from the early 80s.
It’s really, well, different. Sung in English by Germans with a reggae beat. If I remember correctly, it was the same producers who brought us Milli Vanilli.
“Hark, now hear the angels sing, a King was born today,
And man will live forevermore, because of Christmas Day.
Mary’s boy child, Jesus Christ, was born on Christmas Day.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7-4GC828rM
Makes me tear up every time.
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