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Original poster

Least favourite Christmas songs and carols

131 replies

wanderings · 02/12/2019 09:24

Come hither, Scrooges, let's have a bah humbug musical moan. Which seasonal songs make your heart sink every time you hear the first few notes? My nominations are:

Santa baby - just plain ugh.

Santa Claus is comin' to town: no wonder some children are scared of Santa!

Last Christmas.

I wish it could be Christmas every day, for obvious reasons.

Slow ones, like I'm dreaming of a white Christmas, and chestnuts roasting on an open fire.

Any rendition of a carol where the rhythm has been totally messed up, especially if it's sung slowly and with no accompaniment.

Also the really sad ones: Christmas shoes, The little boy that Santa Claus forgot, the cat carol. Warning - do not listen to the cat carol unless you really want to be bawling your eyes out, especially if you love cats, it is the saddest Christmas song I have ever heard, by a long way, and makes grown men cry. It claims to have a happy ending, but it really doesn't. Before you Google, you have been warned!

I love carols, except away in a manger (because I've heard it so many times), and I saw three ships: how did three ships sail into landlocked Bethlehem? Shock I've just checked on the map, and I can't even see a river. Halo

OP posts:
MashedSpud · 03/12/2019 08:02

Anything by Mariah Carey.

Ginfordinner · 03/12/2019 08:03

TBH every Christmas song. I have heard them far far too often as I am ancient. Hearing Slade's Merry Christmas Everybody for the 46th year running is just so boring.

Fairy tale of New York makes me sad as I went to school with Kirsty MacColl, and her tragic death was so untimely.

Christmas carols - In the Bleak Midwinter and The First No well are so dreary.

MerchantOfVenom · 03/12/2019 08:06

When they tape recorded one of their murders, they used Little Drummer Boy as an introductory soundtrack.

Oh God, really?

Sorry - I'm not in the UK, so of course have heard of it all, but am not aware of any of the details.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Christmas Events & celebrations Music
PrincessHoneysuckle · 03/12/2019 08:13

War is over I hate Yoko ono's screeching.
A wonderful xmas time by Paul McCartney.Hate everything about it.

00100001 · 03/12/2019 08:24

People only like Fairy Tale of New York because if the swearing.

When you point out the song is actually about drunkards in jail and an abusive relationship that ends badly with then being addicted to alcohol and they want to forget about each other.... and then ask them why that makes it their favourite Christmas song, they just go "ummmmm"

MrsNoMopp · 03/12/2019 08:39

Fairytale of New York - faux 'deep' and it just drones on.
Mistletoe and Wine - sounds as if it was written by a robot churning out generic twee seasonal songs
Rocking Around the Christmas Tree - why would I want to "rock" around a tree? And all the build-up ends with a naff Haaap-pyyyyy Holllll-iii-DAAAYYY!
Drummer Boy - creepy and faux worthy
Santa Baby - yuck
Do You Hear What I Hear - no

ExpletiveFairylighted · 03/12/2019 08:51

I do like the Bing Crosby and David Bowie version of Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth, the harmonies are beautiful. Not keen on it otherwise though.

I also dislike Santa Baby and Mistletoe And Wine.

00100001 · 03/12/2019 08:55

The video ruins the Crosby/Bowie song.

Crosby in particular looks bored and a bit "why the fuck did I agree to this?"

Babdoc · 03/12/2019 08:59

God rest ye merry, gentlemen. Total dirge, nothing merry about it.
Rather surprised by the dislikes of some PPs though. How could anyone not love Once in Royal David’s City, with its glorious descant? For me, the opening verse with the solo chorister in Carols from Kings is an essential part of Christmas!

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 04/12/2019 18:55

Oh thought of another one :

Band Aid (the original) Do They Know It's Christmas ?
Band Aid (the re-release)

Apparently Radio DJ Alex Dyke wants to ban FToNY as it's an "offensive pile of downmarket chav bilge"

Don't remember you're song being the most popular Christmas tune Mr Dyke ? Or for that matter , having ever heard of you ? Xmas Hmm

Stravapalava · 04/12/2019 18:57

I also cannot bloody stand The Power of Love by Frankie Goes to Hollywood. It's absolute boring drivel and it isn't even a Christmas song!!

KeithPartridge · 04/12/2019 19:48

I love the video to the Crosby/Bowie song. IIRC it was part of an entertainment show Crosby did on American TV and Bowie was the special guest, so they did this sketch. I love it as I remember the day it was shown on British TV - Christmas 1982 and I was reading a special prayer at a huge Church event that night. I had just seen the video and loved it and instead of being nervous about my prayer I was humming the Little Drummer Boy instead.Grin It's never Christmas until I see it now.

PsychosonicCindy · 04/12/2019 20:00

I HATE Band Aid there won't be snow in Africa what??
And the newer version is even worse.
Hate Santa Baby especially the Kylie Minogue one.
Hate any spice girls Christmas ones.
If you think Fairytale of New York is bleak try listening to The Pogues Christmas Lullaby!!

Original poster
wanderings · 05/12/2019 07:16

Shepherd’s Pipe Carol, because of some painful rehearsals of it at junior school. I remember the teacher having a huge rant: “the dancers and recorder players learned well, and it was very hard for them. You’ve got the easiest part, which is to sing, and you’re not trying!!!!”

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WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 05/12/2019 10:22

Shepherd’s Pipe Carol

I've not heard of that one. Was I the only one who slightly misread the name of the song and instantly started feeling hungry? Grin

Deathraystare · 05/12/2019 10:24

How very dare you Anne of Cleavage, YABVVVVVVVU. I love that song!!!

Original poster
wanderings · 05/12/2019 21:26

@WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll Ha, I hadn't even noticed the pun.

The Shepherd's Pipe Carol is a less well-known carol, by John Rutter, aka the Father Christmas composer, because he has written many modern carols (some of them very beautiful) such as Star Carol, Donkey Carol, Candlelight Carol, Jesus Child. The Shepherd's Pipe Carol is dreaded by pianists and organists because it's very fiddly.

God Rest Ye Merry: every time I hear the first line, I think of "Scrooge rushed out with a long wooden ruler..."

OP posts:
Original poster
wanderings · 05/12/2019 21:31

Sleigh ride! It's only extremely tangentially related to Christmas.

OP posts:
MamaWeasel · 05/12/2019 21:38

Blue Christmas.... Totally depressing

MamaWeasel · 05/12/2019 21:40

And yes, the Band Aid one also

beela · 05/12/2019 21:41

The Coventry Carol. It's just bleaurgh. And it goes on and on.

smemorata · 06/12/2019 17:32

I love The Coventry Carol! It feels like travelling back in time.

Corneliawildthing · 06/12/2019 17:40

I'd always thought Fariytale of New York was my least favourite until last week when I came across some mash-up of Mariah Carey singing O Come All Ye Faithful whilst some opera singer woman warbled along with the Hallelujah Chorus - Shock

As for carols I always hate how O Holy Night wins most popular Christmas "carol". It was never a carol when I was young but then I'm a notorious musical snob

redexpat · 06/12/2019 17:59

I hate away in a sodding manger. Always have. But oh lets hear all the cheeeldrun sing this one. I fucking love being an adult for that alone.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 06/12/2019 18:47

Oddly enough, however much I might try to hate "Christmas Is All Around", I just can't - it's so catchy!

"Thank you, Ant OR Dec!"