Yes.... I know this is a tad bit early since halloween hasn't even happened yet but,,,,

What's your favorite Christmas music to listen to?

Jose Feliciano ~ Feliz Navidad
Paul McCartney ~ Wonderful Christmastime

Mabel Scott ~ Boogie Woogie Santa Claus
Johnny Moore's Three Blazers ~ Merry Christmas Baby
Bob Rivers ~ 12 Pains Of Christmas
The Emotions ~ What Do The Lonely Do

Hillside Singers ~ I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing

Brenda Lee ~ Rockin Around The Christmas Tree
O'Jays ~ Christmas Ain't Christmas, New Years Ain't New Years
O'Jays ~ I Can Hardly Wait For Christmas

The Whispers ~ Happy Holidays To You
Run DMC ~ Christmas In Hollis
Kurtis Blow ~ Christmas Rappin'
The Temptations ~ Silent Night (1980 version)
Mahalia Jackson ~ Go Tell It On The Mountain
Nat King Cole - The Christmas Song
Bruce Springsteen ~ Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Three Stooges ~ All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth
Chuck Berry ~ Run Rudolph Run
Wham! ~ Last Christmas

Donny Hathaway ~ This Christmas

Amos Milburn ~ Christmas (Comes But Once A Year)

Eagles ~ Please Come Home For Christmas

The Monkees ~ Riu Chiu

James Brown ~ Hey America
Gayla Peevey ~ I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas
Marvin Gaye ~ I Want To Come Home For Christmas
Elton John ~ Step Into Christmas
Bryan Adams ~ Reggae Christmas
Stevie Wonder ~ Ave Maria

B.B. King ~ Christmas Celebration {1964}

Johnny Mathis ~ It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year
Jackson 5 ~ Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Elmo & Patsy ~ Grandma Got Run Over By A Raindeer
The Waitresses ~ Christmas Wrapping

Madonna / Eartha Kitt ~ Santa Baby

The Miracles ~ Christmas Everyday

Clarence Carter ~ Back Door Santa

I usually listen to the same ones--Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Johny Mathis, and Nat King Cole for the standards.

Selected Albums

Vince Guaraldi Trio -- A Charlie Brown Christmas
Ella Fitzgerald -- Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas
Wynton Marsalis -- Crescent City Christmas Carol
Anonymous 4 -- On Yoolis Night

Selected Compilations

A Motown Christmas (Motown)
Jingle Bell Jazz (Columbia)
The Very Best of Christmas Jazz (Verve)
In The Christmas Groove (Strut)

Selected Originals

"This Christmas" -- Donny Hathaway
"Another Lonely Christmas" -- Prince and The Revolution
"Purple Snowflakes" -- Marvin Gaye
"Christmas In Hollis" -- Run-DMC
"Hard Candy Christmas" -- Dolly Parton
"Carol of St. Benjamin The Bearded One" -- Sufjan Stevens
"It Snowed" -- Meaghan Smith
"Dana Dane Is Coming To Town" -- Dana Dane
"You Don't Have To Be A Santa Claus" -- The Mills Brothers
"Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern)" -- Miles Davis
"Merry Christmas All" -- Salsoul Orchestra (discovered in this forum!)

[Edited 10/20/17 8:58am]

MickyDolenz said:

Jose Feliciano ~ Feliz Navidad
Paul McCartney ~ Wonderful Christmastime
The Emotions ~ What Do The Lonely Do
Run DMC ~ Christmas In Hollis
Marvin Gaye ~ I Want To Come Home For Christmas
The Waitresses ~ Christmas Wrapping

All on the playlist

Every year, at least once with a cup of cocoa, its time for "A Motown Christmas" and "Jingle Bell Jazz".

.

Jingle Bell Jazz (re-issued as Christmas Jazz) is a collection of jazz versions of Christmas songs recorded between 1959 and 1962 by some of the most popular artists on the Columbia label. It was released on October 17, 1962.

Side One

1. "Jingle Bells" – Duke Ellington and His Orchestra
2. "White Christmas" – Lionel Hampton
3. "Winter Wonderland" – Chico Hamilton
4. "The Christmas Song" – Carmen McRae
5. "Rudolph the Red–Nosed Reindeer" – Pony Poindexter
6. "We Three Kings of Orient Are" – Paul Horn

Side Two

1. "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" – Dave Brubeck
2. "Deck Us All with Boston Charlie" – Lambert, Hendricks & Ross
3. "Frosty the Snowman" – Dukes of Dixieland
4. "If I Were a Bell" – Manhattan Jazz All–Stars
5. "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" – Marlowe Morris
6. "Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern)" – Miles Davis (Bob Dorough, vocal)

The 1973 (Harmony ) and 1980 (Columbia) reissues replace side 2, track 3 with "Deck the Halls" by Herbie Hancock, recorded in 1969.

StrangeButTrue said:

Every year, at least once with a cup of cocoa, its time for "A Motown Christmas" and "Jingle Bell Jazz".

.

Jingle Bell Jazz (re-issued as Christmas Jazz) is a collection of jazz versions of Christmas songs recorded between 1959 and 1962 by some of the most popular artists on the Columbia label. It was released on October 17, 1962.

Side One

1. "Jingle Bells" – Duke Ellington and His Orchestra
2. "White Christmas" – Lionel Hampton
3. "Winter Wonderland" – Chico Hamilton
4. "The Christmas Song" – Carmen McRae
5. "Rudolph the Red–Nosed Reindeer" – Pony Poindexter
6. "We Three Kings of Orient Are" – Paul Horn

Side Two

1. "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" – Dave Brubeck
2. "Deck Us All with Boston Charlie" – Lambert, Hendricks & Ross
3. "Frosty the Snowman" – Dukes of Dixieland
4. "If I Were a Bell" – Manhattan Jazz All–Stars
5. "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" – Marlowe Morris
6. "Blue Xmas (To Whom It May Concern)" – Miles Davis (Bob Dorough, vocal)

The 1973 (Harmony ) and 1980 (Columbia) reissues replace side 2, track 3 with "Deck the Halls" by Herbie Hancock, recorded in 1969.

A CD reissue in the 90's features tracks by Dexter Gordon ("Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas"); Arthur Blythe Quintet ("The Christmas Song"), The Heath Brothers ("Our Little Town"), Paquito D'Rivera ("God Rest Ye, Merry Gentlemen"), and the Wynton Marsalis Quintet ("We Three Kings").

Another nice collection is Christmas In The Holy Land, featuring a variety of ancient songs from Orthodox, Coptic, Catholic and other churches in Jerusalem. The recordings date back to the 1950's and 60's I think.

It takes you back to the roots and is worth a listen.

...and this one.

Also LaFace Christmas has a few good cuts (Toni Braxton, Outkast) and TLC's classic "Sleigh Ride". Last year I happened upon a Starbucks during Holiday season that was blaring Sleigh Ride and it made me wanna break out the 90s dance steps. Its a cute throwback, I wasn't too jazzed about it back in their heyday but now its got a bit of a vintage to it.

I'm not a big "Christmas person", but I've softened a bit to the holiday in recent years. Last year, I believe, I bought Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings' Holiday Soul Party, and I loved it. Will definitely play it a few times this December too

thekidsgirl said:

I'm not a big "Christmas person", but I've softened a bit to the holiday in recent years. Last year, I believe, I bought Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings' Holiday Soul Party, and I loved it. Will definitely play it a few times this December too

Didn't know about this one! I'll definitely add it to the holiday play list...

I genuinely love Here Comes Santa and Little Drummer Boy Bob Dylan's versions.

Weird Al ~ Christmas At Ground Zero / The Night Santa Went Crazy

Still the best arrangement of an Xmas song of all time

The Temptations did a superb Christmas album in 1980.Their version of "Silent Night" is heavenly

My favorite versions of Christmas classics:

"Angels We Have Heard on High" -- Ella Fitzgerald

"Away In A Manger" -- Nat "King" Cole

"The Christmas Song" -- Nat "King" Cole

"Deck The Halls" -- The Miracles

"The First Noel" -- Mahalia Jackson

"Greensleeves" -- Vince Guaraldi Trio

"My Favorite Things" -- The Supremes

"Rudolph, The Red Nosed Reindeer" -- The Temptations

"Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town" -- Jackson 5

"'Twas The Night Before Christmas" -- Wynton Marsalis

"What Child Is This?" -- Vanessa Williams

namepeace said:

My favorite versions of Christmas classics:

"Angels We Have Heard on High" -- Ella Fitzgerald

"Away In A Manger" -- Nat "King" Cole

"The Christmas Song" -- Nat "King" Cole

"Deck The Halls" -- The Miracles

"The First Noel" -- Mahalia Jackson

"Greensleeves" -- Vince Guaraldi Trio

"My Favorite Things" -- The Supremes

"Rudolph, The Red Nosed Reindeer" -- The Temptations

"Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town" -- Jackson 5

"'Twas The Night Before Christmas" -- Wynton Marsalis

"What Child Is This?" -- Vanessa Williams

The last one is a great song.

214 said:

namepeace said:

"What Child Is This?" -- Vanessa Williams

The last one is a great song.

Of the hundreds of Christmas songs I play every year, this version is in my top 20.

namepeace said:

214 said:

The last one is a great song.

Of the hundreds of Christmas songs I play every year, this version is in my top 20.

It's a beautiful song.

Donny Hathaway - "This Christmas"

"The Jackson 5 Christmas Album"

if youre from a black family and you didnt have these joints playing at your crib on Dec. 24-Dec. 25, you wasnt doing it right... no disrespect...

RJOrion said:

RJOrion said:

Donny Hathaway - "This Christmas"

"The Jackson 5 Christmas Album"

if youre from a black family and you didnt have these joints playing at your crib on Dec. 24-Dec. 25, you wasnt doing it right... no disrespect...

We did it even better. We had "This Christmas" and A Motown Christmas, the best Christmas anthology ever compiled.

[Edited 10/31/17 19:17pm]

namepeace said:

RJOrion said:

Donny Hathaway - "This Christmas"

"The Jackson 5 Christmas Album"

if youre from a black family and you didnt have these joints playing at your crib on Dec. 24-Dec. 25, you wasnt doing it right... no disrespect...

We did it even better. We had "This Christmas" and A Motown Christmas, the best Christmas anthology ever compiled.

[Edited 10/31/17 19:17pm]

word...you already know.... that was one of the first double i remember from my youth... "Rudolph" by The Temptations..."Silver Bells" by Diana Ross & The Supremes....and Jermaine closing it out singing lead on "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas"....good times...

With the exception of Bing Crosby's White Christmas, Christmas music sucks a long fat hairy one!