by Jonathan Richardson
The holiday season is upon us once again, and that means it is time for our ears to be graced by the pleasant and wondrous sounds of Christmas music. During this time of year, Christmas music is prevalent so as to help everyone get into the holiday spirit. Just about anywhere music is played you will almost certainly hear the sounds of Elvis belting out “Blue Christmas” or Bing Crosby crooning “White Christmas.”
One can find a Christmas album or song in just about any genre of music, from jazz and punk rock to country and rap and so on. It seems that at some point almost every major artist in these different genres has dabbled in Christmas music. Let’s dive into these different genres and some of the most popular Christmas albums and songs that you could possibly find, shall we?
First, it seems that punk rockers do indeed get into the Christmas spirit. “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight)” by The Ramones is probably the most famous punk Christmas song. It was released as a B-side to “I Wanna Live,” and while it didn’t chart, it did becom
e popular after the band’s demise. (If you haven’t heard it, I suggest you check it out.) In 2013, Bad Religion released Christmas Songs, an album chock full of their takes on traditional Christmas ditties like “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” and “Little Drummer Boy.” My favorite part about this album was that 20 percent of the proceeds went to a charity.
From punk to jazz, possibly the most well known jazz Christmas album (because you probably hear some of it on television during the holidays) could be A Charlie Brown Christmas by the Vince Guaraldi Trio. It is the soundtrack to the classic television special featuring Charlie Brown; if you’ve watched it, then you know how good both the original songs (“Linus and Lucy”) and the covers (“The Christmas Song”) are. In 2007, this album was voted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, and in 2012 it was added to the Library of Congress’s National Recording Registry list. Other popular jazz Christmas albums are Ella Fitzgerald’s Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas (1960), A Dave Brubeck Christmas (1996) by Dave Brubeck, and Sound of Christmas (1961) by The Ramsey Lewis Trio. If you are a fan of jazz and Christmas, you should definitely give these a listen.
The most well known rap Christmas song has to be “Christmas in Hollis” by Run D.M.C. It was so good that it was put on two different Christmas compilation albums in 1987. The first, A Very Special Christmas, featured many prominent artists and was produced to benefit Special Olympics, while the second, A Christmas Rap, featured solely rap and hip-hop acts. Also in the rap Christmas genre is Christmas on Death Row (1996), another charity compilation release featuring some the biggest names from the west coast label.
If there is any genre of music that over the past few decades has been prolific in Christmas releases, country music would have to rank first. It seems as if every year more and more country music artists are dropping Christmas albums. Martina McBride’s White Christmas seems to top most people’s lists. (Apparently it is so good that it was released three times after the album’s initial debut in 1998!) Each time it is rereleased, it includes new artwork and a few new tracks; for example the 2013 release included her duet with Elvis on “Blue Christmas.” In 1999, the album was certified Gold, and in 2003 it achieved platinum status. Another good country Christmas album that is on a lot of lists is Brad Paisley’s Brad Paisley Christmas. It is a mix of covers and originals, with one of the originals (“Born On Christmas Day”) being written by Paisley when he was 13 years old. Some other country Christmas albums you may enjoy are Faith Hill’s Joy to the World (2008), the Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers album Once Upon a Christmas (1984), and Emmylou Harris’ Light of the Stable (1979).
How about a little hard rock for Christmas? If so, then A Twisted Christmas by Twisted Sister might just be right up your alley as it contains classic Christmas songs done in heavy metal style. (Their big 80s hit “We’re Not Gonna Take It” was actually influenced by “Oh Come All Ye Faithful.”) Another nice rock Christmas album is Jethro Tull’s The Jethro Tull Christmas Album. Released in 2003, it is a mix of classic Christmas tunes and original holiday material. If you are lucky enough to score the 2009 release of the album, you can also get Christmas at St. Brides 2008, a live bonus disc packaged with the CD. If you are in the mood for a classic rock Christmas album that is a little lighter, then how about The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album? Released in 1964 with a mix of originals and standards, it turned out to be a perennial success during the holiday seasons after its release. It reached number six on the Billboard chart in its release year, and eventually was certified gold. Many consider it to be the finest rock Christmas album.
Finally, if you want to add some R&B to your Christmas, then you must give a listen to A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector. Released in 1963, it features Spector’s “Wall of Sound” with many of his well-known artists from that time. Many people consider it to be the best Christmas album ever.
Do you have a favorite Christmas album? If not, then places like The Great Escape can hopefully fulfill your Christmas music needs and help you find one. Happy Holidays!
