The Holiday Playlist

2007-12-10
By Kevin Gibbs

Ah, the Holidays.  Time to pull out the CDs, dust off the turntable, or connect the iPod and really get everyone in the holiday spirit.  So, let’s put that playlist together.  You want to include the biggest selling holiday song of all time?  Easy, I know that.  What holiday song has been played the most on the radio?  All over that one.  Who is the most prolific Christmas songwriter?  I got you.  The best holiday song ever?  You’re gonna have to make that call. 

First, let’s set the parameters: there are none.  If you like classical approaches or jazzy ones, fine.  If you like traditional, pop, voices or even Hip Hop, good.  If you are more of a Country Music or Rock & Roll fan, excellent.  Here then, is a list of songs that will keep your celebrants happy.

First let’s start with the obvious.

1. “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire).” Written by Mel Torme and Bob Wells, and performed by nearly everyone with half a voice. But the only version that really matters is Nat King Cole’s.  Nat’s voice (as Torme often said) was meant for this song. It also ranks as radio’s “Most Played” Christmas song [source: ASCAP].  It became such an important part of his repertoire that Cole even sang it in July.

2.  “White Christmas.” Irving Berlin’s gem is easily the most recorded Christmas song ever. Although there have been many noble challenges to the original by, Bing Crosby, who, like Cole, (above) claimed it almost exclusively.   The Drifters’ doo-wop version is so good that all other vocal groups took note (The Temptations version seems practically lazy in comparison).

3. “Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer.” The Temptations redeem themselves on this one. Lacking none of the heart beating punch found in most of the Motown songs of the era, the Temps tell the story of the fabled reindeer in a way that Gene Autry and even Burl Ives could not attempt.

4. “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.” Like “Winter Wonderland,” It shares the distinction of being the oldest of holiday songs on record.  It is also one of the most recorded, having been sung in several languages and a variety of styles.  For a nice change of pace, check out the Salsa Kids version with its lively horns or saxophonist  Joshua Redman’s swinging version – both light years away from the  Fred Astaire and Gene Autry versions most of us have come to recognize as the archetypal renditions. For pure joy, the Jackson Five’s interpretation still wins.

5. “Adeste Fideles (O Come All Ye Faithful).” It may surprise you (or maybe it won’t ) that the lone song on this list actually falls near the middle or close to the bottom of the season’s popularity list.   Thank goodness that Jackie Wilson makes up for this embarrassment with his operatic version. Roberta Flack, Celine Dion, and The Trans-Siberian Orchestra versions also stand nicely next to Mary Mary’s African drum inspired version.

Other songs in the “obvious” vein come from the Rock & Roll era.  They include Jose Feliciano’s “Feliz Navidad,” The Temptation’s, “Silent Night,” Andy Williams’, “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year,”  two from Brenda Lee, “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” and “Jingle Bell Rock,” Band Aid’s, “Do They Know It’s Christmas,” and Mary Mary’s, “California Christmas.”  Elvis Presley’s “Blue Christmas” is very popular but absent from my list because he actually sounds like an Elvis impersonator on this song.

If your fondest memories include TV shows, Vince Guaraldi’s “A Charlie Brown Christmas” album, like Nat King Cole’s holiday songs, is one you can put on and walk away from. Also, consider Thurl Ravenscroft’s rich baritone on “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch.” 

And if you really want to add some cayenne pepper to the playlist, try dropping “Merry Christmas (IDon’t Want to Fight Tonight)" by the Ramones or the “Chanukah Song” by Adam Sandler.

No matter what you decide to play during the holidays, there are a few tunes that are, well, required. 

No gathering is complete if you don’t hear, “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve” by Nancy Wilson, “Merry Christmas Baby” by Chuck Berry, the entire Whispers “Happy Holidays To You” album, “It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas” by Johnny Mathis, or “Please Come Home For Christmas” by Charles Brown.  You might also think about including “Silver Bells” by Doris Day, “Little Drummer Boy” by the Vienna Boys’ Choir, “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas” by Yolanda Adams, “Santa Baby” by Eartha Kitt, “Auld Lang Syne” by Bobby Darin, “Let It Snow! Let It Snow!” by Lena Horne or Boney James, “Someday At Christmas” by Stevie Wonder or Mary J. Blige and “Little Drummer Boy” by Take 6. 

I do have a favorite holiday song.  And, yeah, I know I said I wouldn’t go there but I don’t think there is another songthat captures the spirit of the holiday, does more to reference visually, is lyrically more concise, or vocally more believable than Donny Hathaway’s “This Christmas.”  His voice is sanguine, naturally joyful and at times tinged with pain.  Hathaway’s voice rises not like a wailing but rather in tribute of life.  It falls low enough to remain in concert with his technical accompaniment but not out of sight. It’s all real – there are no special effects – not even the slightest studio trick.  It’s his voice flying solo– any mistake he might have made would have been his alone but in the end it is a masterpiece.
 

Hear samples of Chico's recommended songs and download the EbonyJet.com Christmas iMix.

Kevin "Chico" Gibbs is a veteran music executive and critic. He covers classic music and throwback culture for EbonyJet.com.