Christmas songs that are actually brilliant

[RuffleCrow]

And that you like as songs in their own right?

Controversial but my first choice is Fairytale of New York. Poignant and raw. Shattered dreams, unhealthy codependency . Also a gorgeous melody and good arrangement (for 1987!)

My other choices are:

Just for Now by Imogen Heap

and

River by Joni Mitchell

Ideally i'd like a substantial playlist i can stick on when i've heard "Merry Christmas Everybody" one time too many. All suggestions welcome

Coventry Carol.

Spaceman came travelling

@ScreamingValenta Gaudete is a favourite here too

Dominic the donkey

Santa Baby, my ex used to sing it to me

No contest, 100% ' December will be magic again' Kate Bush (thanks to someone on MN who recommended it a few years ago). It was used in the The Nightmare before Christmas.

Grandma got run over by a reindeer.
The contrast between the lyrics and the cheery melody just makes me grin.

But I also love The Angel Gabriel - also a minor key one.

Gaudete is great but I honestly can't hear it now without seeing Alan Partridge.

I love Must Be Santa too.

A Great Big Sled by The Killers
It Feels Like Christmas by The Muppets
The Bells of St Mary’s
There’s a Light by Emmy Lou Harris

Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) it's a Phil Spector track featured in Christmas with the Kranks

Driving Home for Christmas - saw Chris Rea perform this live and it was cheesy and magical

Darlene Love - Christmas (Baby please come home)

And newdeer, I agree with you entirely about Baby, It's Cold Outside

Oi Mush- Paul Alan. Classic Welsh Christmas song.

x post. satsuma!

Lol, the film just finished on Channel 5 , my favourite Xmas movie ( I may have watched it in October )

O

I'm glad to see I want a hippopotamus...... my kids discovered it & now it's in my head forever along with dominic the donkey

Darlene Love singing Xmas (baby please come home) on telly every year is a true American tradition that's been going for decades. I agree it's a fab song

2000 miles, the Pretenders.

I second White Wine in the Sun by Tim Minchin. I love it so much; I have to ration how much I play it at Christmas so it doesn't lose its magic. Makes me cry every time.

'Blue Christmas' Elvis & Martina mcbride

'Lonely this Christmas' Mud

Fairytale of Newyork, obviously

I quite like Leona Lewis's 'One more sleep'

Happy Christmas, war is over

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow - or maybe it's just simply called 'Let it snow'?

Have a holly jolly Christmas, it's the best time of the year...

Christmas, baby please come home

Jonny Cash singing little drummer boy. He doesn't do the sound affects (par ump a pum pun, or however its spelt) . He just sings a rather lovely song.

It's fairly late Cash, so his voice is gravelly but still beautiful

I prefer the Bing Crosby David Bowie version of LDB

Or even the Terry Wogan Aled Jones one

I will listen to that now @user1471453601 🎄

I adore Johnny Cash

Jackson Browne - The Rebel Jesus

For those who like a tongue in cheek rock song, fill your stocking by Steel panther