Thursday, December 24, 2009

Christmas Compilation Albums


In the spirit of decking the halls and fa la la, every band seems to jump on the Christmas album bandwagon.
Everyone from Elvis Presley to Weird Al has one. Because many people around the world celebrate the holiday, there are also a lot of really bad ones, like Regis Philbin and Donny Osmond.
Here are a few of my favorites and recent discoveries:

1. A Very Special Christmas An 80s staple, with a few of the classics, such as Madonna's version of "Santa Baby" and some originals like Run D.M.C.'s "Christmas in Hollis". Highlight: U2's "Chistmas (Baby Please Come Home)"

2.The Reverend Horton Heat, We Three Kings. These guys know how to have fun, and their Christmas record is no different. Some originals and some traditional carols.

3. We Wish You a Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year Badass Lemme Kilmeister sings "Run, Run Rudolph" with help from Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top and Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters.

4. Disney's Season of Song It's not your standard Mickey and Goofy-ness. Traditional carols done with a beautifully rounded out choir and orchestral accompaniment.

5. Christmas With Weezer Rivers and Co. play a handful of straightforward Christmas carols. Pretty true to the originals, with a Weezer twist.

2 comments:

  1. A Very Special Christmas, and the first disc of That's What I Call Christmas are my favorites.

    As much as I have loathed the holiday for most of my life, I really do love Christmas music- but it's the classics, mostly. Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" is my favorite. Bing, Nat King Cole, those guys... There are some modern tunes I like too, namely Tom Petty's "Christmas All Over". Last year, I also discovered The Pogues "Fairytale of New York" and "Merry Christmas Everybody" by Slade.

    What I don't like are modern versions of classic songs. The danced up version of A Christmas Song that Lee Ann Rimes did a number of years ago makes me want to rip my eyes out.

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  2. I love Fairytale of New York, Kris introduced me :)

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