Local music lovers name their favorite seasonal songs

Posted on Fri, Dec 25, 2009 : 5:40 a.m.

Local music lovers name their favorite seasonal songs

By AnnArbor.com Staff

Music has long been an important part of the winter holidays. With that in mind, AnnArbor.com asked some leading members of the local music community for their favorite holiday/Christmas/winter songs. Here are their responses — and please add your own choices in a comment:

Martin Bandyke, Ann Arbor's 107one, WQKL-FM:

• "Linus and Lucy" - Vince Guaraldi
• "Blue Christmas" - Elvis Presley
• "Song For a Winter's Night" - Gordon Lightfoot
• "Father Christmas" - The Kinks
• "Silver Bells" - Joe Williams

Rod Capps, musician:

• "The Christians & the Pagans" - Dar Wiliams
• "All I Want For Chrifmas If My Two Front Teef" - Spike Jones
• "Jasper's Worst Christmas" - Whit Hill
• "The River" - Joni Mitchell
• "Blue Christmas" - Porky's version
• "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" - John Lennon

And Annie Capps adds: "I concur with Rod... Mostly... I would skip #2 and #6 and add 'Going With My Brother to See Santa at The Mall' by John Latini."

Jim Fleming, Fleming Artists

• "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" - Frank Sinatra
• "The Last Month of the Year" - Connie Kaldor & Bim (Roy Forbes)
• "Little Drummer Boy" - Bing Crosby
• "Mary, Did You Know?" - Kathy Mattea
• "Silent Night, Holy Night" Johnny Mathis

Brad Hales, Ann Arbor Soul Club:

• "Back Door Santa" - Clarence Carter • "Santa Claus Go Straight To The Ghetto" - James Brown • "Mr. Santa Claus" - Nathaniel Mayer

Marianne James, executive director, The Ark:

• "Linus and Lucy" - Vince Guaraldi
• "Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming" - Jane Siberry
• "Joy" - George Winston
• "Soul Cake" - Sting
• "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"

Paul Keller, musician and bandleader:

• "Silent Night" • "Hark The Herald Angels Sing" • "Adeste Fidelis (O Come All Ye Faithful)" • "Jingle Bells" • "Sleigh Ride"

Jim Leija, University Musical Society:

• "Deck the Halls" - Julie Andrews
• "Let It Snow" - Frank Sinatra
• "Christmas Time Is Here" - Diana Krall
• "Jingle Bells" - Barbara Streisand
• "Angels We Have Heard on High" - Josh Groban and Brian McKnight
• "Merry Christmas Darling" - The Carpenters
• "Lo! How A Rose E’er Blooming" - Sufjan Stevens
• "What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?" - Bette Midler

Molly Motherwell, 89.1 WEMU FM:

• "Do They Know It's Christmas?" - Band Aid • "Linus and Lucy" - Vince Guaraldi • "O Come All Ye Faithful" • "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" - Bruce Springsteen • "Bring A Torch, Jeannette Isabella"

Rob Reinhart, host of locally produced, syndicated radio show "Acoustic CafÃ©":

• "Charlie Brown Christmas" soundtrack - Vince Guaraldi
• "Baby, It's Cold Outside" - Ray Charles and Betty Carter
• "Step Into Christmas" - Elton John
• "The Chanukah Song" - Adam Sandler
• "A Junkie's Christmas" - William S. Burroughs (not really a song, but done to music... alarmingly moving!)

DJ Graffiti/Martin Smith, DJ and producer:

• "This Christmas" - Donny Hathaway
• "Silent Night" - The Temptations
• "The Christmas Song" - Nat King Cole
• "Wonderful Christmas Time" - Paul McCartney
• "What Christmas Means to Me" - Stevie Wonder

Jeremy Wheeler, The Bang!

• "Sleigh Ride" - Lenny Dee • "Christmas is the Time to Say I Love You" - Billy Squier • "Father Christmas" - The Kinks • "Frosty the Snowman" - The Ronettes • "Muppet Carol Medley" from "A Muppet Family Christmas"

Andrew W.K., rocker originally from Ann Arbor:

• "Silent Night"
• "O Holy Night"
• "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" - Wizzard
• "White Christmas" - Bing Crosby
• "Party Hard" - Andrew W.K.

The staff of the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra really got into the spirit, with each member submitting a list: See the favorite holiday songs of Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra members.

And, from the entertainment staff here at AnnArbor.com ...

Jenn McKee, entertainment digital journalist:

• "Baby, It's Cold Outside" - Ray Charles and Betty Carter
• "The Chanukah Song" - Adam Sandler
• "Can I Interest You in Hannukah" - Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert (also Colbert's "Another Christmas Song" is fabulous)
• "Wonderful Christmastime" - Paul McCartney
• "(It Must've Been Ol') Santa Claus" - Harry Connick Jr.

Chrysta Cherrie, entertainment producer/copy editor:

• "Little St. Nick" - Beach Boys
• "Knick Knack Paddywack (Chuck It in the Bin)" - Billy Childish
• "Come On Santa" - Hentchmen
• "Alive in the Snow" - Lost Kids
• "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" from "A Christmas Gift for You from Phil Spector"

Bob Needham, entertainment content director:

• "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" - Judy Garland
• "Merry Christmas from the Family" - Robert Earl Keen Jr.
• "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" - John Lennon and Yoko Ono
• "What Christmas Means to Me" - Stevie Wonder
• "Fairytale of New York" - The Pogues with Kirsty MacColl

Renee Tellez, calendar clerk:

• "Do They Know It's Christmas?" - Band Aid
• "O Holy Night"
• "The First Noel"
• "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree"
• "White Christmas"

Listen to a shuffled selection of some of the songs listed above (NOTE: Some lyrics may not be entirely family friendly):

Comments

Kevin Ransom

Sat, Dec 26, 2009 : 12:52 p.m.

Yes, I like do like Stevens' work

garrisondyer

Fri, Dec 25, 2009 : 10:54 p.m.

Gramma got run over by a reindeer! Kevin, are you a Sufjan Stevens fan?

Kevin Ransom

Fri, Dec 25, 2009 : 5:10 p.m.

Also, here are my favorite / recommended Christmas albums: "The Soul of Christmas: A Celtic Music Celebration" -- With Celtic-music stalwarts like iconic fiddler Johnny Cunningham, honey-voiced singers Susan McKeown and Cathie Ryan (a Dearborn native), piper Seamus Egan and more. "The Holly & The Ivy," The Choir of Clare College, Cambridge, conducted by John Rutter. My favorite choral Christmas album. Pristine, haunting, shimmery choral arrangements "Carols & Capers," Maddy Prior & the Carnival Band -- Christmas songs and other English trad-folk tunes done in Renaissance style, played on period instruments. But they're not afraid to veer off into the occasional jazzy vamp. "New England Christmastide," Volumes 1 and 2 -- Rustic, old-time-folk instrumental arrangements, with fiddle, concertina, banjo, Irish whistle, zither, etc "A Warner Western Christmas" -- Christmas songs done up in Western-swing / cowboy-music style "A Charlie Brown Christmas" "Christmas at the Eagle Tavern" -- Local recording, performed by the singers at Greenfield Village in Dearborn, featuring 1800s-era vocal arrangements and presentation. "Mannheim Steamroller Christmas" -- I like it more for the tunes played in the traditional, historic, acoustic style than for the electro-progressive-rock songs, but those are pretty cool as well. "Seven Gates," Ben Keith & Friends. Neil Young fans know that Keith has been playing steel guitar for Neil, on and off, for more than 30 years. The best songs here are his weeping, Hawaiian-steel-guitar renditions of Christmas songs. Neil also sings on a couple of tracks. "Santamental Journey: Pop Vocal Christmas Classics" -- A few clunkers here, like the Jimmy Durante and Jack Jones tracks. But, worth it for Judy Garland's quavering "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," Billy Eckstine's poignant "Blue Christmas," Jo Stafford's chipper "Let it Snow," Peggy Lee's elegant "Christmas Waltz," the Platters swooning "The Christmas Song" and Der Bingle's "White Christmas."

Kevin Ransom

Fri, Dec 25, 2009 : 2:23 p.m.

Jesus Christ the Apple Tree Lo, How A Rose Eer Blooming In the Bleak Mid-Winter Bring A Torch, Jeannette, Isabella Gabriel's Message Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas O Come, O Come, Emmanuel In Dulci Jubilo Holly & the Ivy I Saw Three Ships

David Briegel

Fri, Dec 25, 2009 : 11:01 a.m.

The Phil Spector Christmas album has always been my favorite. Christmas, Baby Please Come Home by Darlene Love Johnny Mathis O Holy Night Adam Sandler The Channuka Song I have had your music choices playing all morning on my computer! Wonderful!