Sing we Noel.

It's that time of year again.  Mind you, if it were up to me, I would play holiday music in July. Wherever I am in "my journey of faith" (and right now, that would be at the "I'm not sure a deity exists anymore" stage), I love these songs.  Here is my top 25 -- at least for this week.

"The 4 Seasons (Winter) I. Allegro Non Molto,"   Antonio Vivaldi*
(It has "Winter" in the title, right?)

"Angels We Have Heard On High," Josh Groban & Brian McKnight*

"Celebrate Me Home," Kenny Loggins

"Elf's Lament," Barenaked Ladies & Michael Bublé *
(The theme song for the Occupy North Pole movement.)

"Feliz Navidad," José Feliciano

"Fifty Kilowatt Tree," The Bobs*
(For those in my neck of the woods, think of some of the gaudier houses in Willow Glen, and triple it.)

"Gaudete, Gaudete," El Duende*

"God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen" Barenaked Ladies & Sarah McLachlan*
(Best version of this song ever.  Period.)

"Light One Candle," Peter, Paul and Mary

"Merry Christmas from the Family," Jill Sobule*

"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," Judy Garland

"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," Twisted Sister*
(Yes, I have two versions of this song.  One is iconic, the other just... strange.)

"Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town," Bruce Springsteen

"12 Days of Christmas," John Denver & the Muppets*
"The 12 Days of Christmas (Live)" Straight No Chaser*
(Yes, I have two versions of this, too.  The first is, well, the Muppets! With a bravura performance by Miss Piggy! And the SNC version has to be heard to be believed.)

"What Child Is This," John Denver

"Calypso Noel ," Johnny Mathis
(I remember this fondly from my childhood because it has no freakin' snow in it.  It's tropical, which worked for me since, as my sister said, "The only part of Christmas that is white around here is the sand.")

"The Chanukah Song," Adam Sandler
(Hate his movies -- except for Punch Drunk Love; like this song for no discernible reason I can think of.)

"Christmas Time Is Here," Vince Guaraldi Trio
(You may remember this from A Charlie Brown Christmas.)

"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing / Angels We Have Heard On High," Straight No Chaser

"Simple Gifts," Judy Collins

"I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm," Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong*

"The First Noel," Josh Groban & Faith Hill*

"Symphony No. 9, "Choral", Ode to Joy," Ludwig von Beethoven
(I hereby declare this to be a holiday song.  Doesn't it just sound redolent of pine trees and snow?)


What are your favorites?

*Music is a social phenomenon. These are songs that I heard about from other people: most of them from my friend Cathy, the Muppets from my friend Sarah, my friend Susan gave me Josh Groban's Christmas CD, and also said, "You have to look on YouTube for the Straight No Chaser "12 Days of Christmas."  The Red-Headed Menace turned me on to Vivaldi, and The Not-So-Little Drummer Boy likes Ella Fitzgerald.