I know it’s not even December yet, but it might as well be. Christmas comes sooner and sooner every year and this is evidenced by not just your neighbor who had the tree up before Halloween, but by everywhere you go, you hear Christmas music. It used to be radio stations would start playing Christmas songs all day on Christmas, then that turned into including Christmas Eve, then it turned into that whole week, then the whole month, and now you can find entire radio stations dedicated to everyone’s most wonderful time of the year. This list is dedicated for the best of the best, the songs that almost make Christmas that much more enjoyable, especially when you can concentrate on listening to Frosty the Snowman at the check out instead of the angry, crying kid in the aisle next you throwing a fit because his mom didn’t get him the newest video game.
5. Sleigh Ride (instrumental) Arthur Fiedler & the Boston Pops This song is so wonderful, it doesn’t matter if Andy Williams is singing it, or not. I put the instrumental version at number 5 because it’s the tune that gets stuck in your head for days once you hear it, and unless you’ve listened to it a million times and know the words by heart, you’re just going to be humming or whistling you’re way through it, like me. Either way, it’s a classic tune that instantly puts you into a Christmas mood, ready to give, give, give your way to a happy holiday.
4. Winter Wonderland Perry Como What Christmas party is complete without hearing this warm tune embrace you making you all warm and fuzzy on the inside? And don’t blame the egg nog on this one–Perry Como’s crooning voice soothes the listener into a time travel trip back to simpler ways and simpler times. You can almost see those giant, dangerous 1960’s Christmas tree lights glowing if you let your mind wander while listening. A precious and timeless classic interpreted a million different times and ways, but this one is the best.
3. Most Wonderful Time of the Year Andy Williams All of these songs have been done and redone a thousand different ways, but Mr. Williams version of this classic holiday tune remains tops. Not only is the song fundamentally true, being that Christmas time is the most wonderful time of the year, but there’s so much joy inflicted in each and every word that comes out of Andy’s mouth, you’d have to be a descendant of Scrooge himself not to be infected with Christmas cheer. As soon as I hear this song come on the radio, I turn the volume control all the way up and get in the mood instantly.
2. White Christmas Bing Crosby While this song is perhaps the most recognizable Christmas song of the bunch, it doesn’t get the top spot in this list (you’ll find out why soon enough). What can be said about the unforgettable voice of the immortal Bing Crosby? This cat could sing the phone book and have a number one hit (60 years ago). This is the song that defines the night before Christmas when all the kiddies are in bed and all the parties are over and it’s just you and your sweetie sitting on the couch by the fire with candles lit, drinking egg nog. It’s Christmas mood music before there was ever such a thing. Everyone has a fond memory of this song from somewhere in their childhood.
1. The Christmas Song Nat King Cole The absolute best Christmas song ever written, performed by one of the most distinct and coolest voices ever to sing a song. Nothing comes close to this version with Nat’s silky-smooth voice, the arrangement, and the band playing with him–it’s Christmas perfection. Like all the rest of the songs in this list, many performers have done their best at trying to re-invent this tune with their own little special twist to it, but to no avail. The song represents Christmas entirely with it’s vivid images and catchy harmony and simplest of simple messages, “Merry Christmas to you.”
What else can be said of these versions of these tunes? Do you think I’m wrong? Let me know!