Many years ago I worked as a disc jockey for several different radio stations. One holiday season I worked both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day playing nothing but Christmas songs.
It was during those two shifts that I realized a couple of truths. First, there are only a limited number of Christmas songs but dozens of versions of each song. If you don't believe me, just put the name of a popular Christmas song in the search box on ITunes and see how many different versions pop up. It's staggering. My guess is that you really haven't made it as a musician until you've had a chance to record a few Christmas songs.
Second, I realized there is a lot of really bad Christmas music floating around out there. I don't mean that the songs themselves are bad but that some renditions really shouldn't have been recorded. I don't understand why artists have a need to record songs that have been done over and over again by other performers. You certainly wouldn't see that with other types of popular songs, would you?
Those two shifts at the radio station instilled in me a strong dislike for Christmas music. Because so much of it can be really cheesy it's difficult sometimes for me to bear it. But there are some things I do enjoy listening to during the holiday season.
First, I can listen to just about anything recorded by Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra. When you think of holiday music those are the first two folks to come to mind.
Next, I will listen to the soundtrack from A Charlie Brown Christmas by the Vince Guaraldi Trio over and over again. I never get tired of this holiday classic. It's also my favorite holiday TV special.
Apart from that, here is a list of my other favorite Christmas songs in no particular order.
Please Come Home For Christmas - The Eagles
I'll Be Home For Christmas - The Beach Boys
Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee
White Christmas - The Drifters
Jingle Bell Rock - Bobby Helms
Run, Run Rudolph - Chuck Berry
The Christmas Song - Nat King Cole
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Diana Krall
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
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