What are the most obscure Christmas songs you listen to?

Like the title says, what are the most obscure Christmas songs you listen to? Are they a favorite of yours? How did you stumble upon it?

 

"What Sweeter Music" by John Rutter, recorded by his Cambridge Singers...it's the one that was used in the Volvo TV commercial in the '90s.
"Soul Cake" recorded by Sting for his If On A Winter's Night... album got a lot of replays by me this year when choosing which tracks I'd play on Ariel Stream. Written by Noel Paul Stookey, IIRC.
Paul Winter Consort's version of the "Cherry Tree Carol" from his Wintersongs album; I'm a big Paul Winter fan.
As for upbeat & poppy, I do love The Blenders' disco-like rave-up "All Wrapped Up" that closes out their Most Wonderful Time.




Now playing on http://www.arielstream.com/]Ariel Stream[/URL]: Willie Nelson - September Song

 

"J.S. Bach's Christmas Oratorio - BVW 248 # 41" on Bela Fleck's Jingle All The Way album.

 

Gee Whiz, It's Christmas - Carla Thomas
All I Want For Christmas Is You - Carla Thomas

Both are from a compilation I found called A Soul Christmas.

 

Elton Duck: Xmas. Released as a rare flexi-disc in 1981, finally made available on compact disc as part of the Elton Duck release this year.

 

It Doesn't Often Snow at Christmas – Pet Shop Boys
Snow – Claudine Longet
Christmas Eve – Gorky's Zygotic Mynci
Give Us A Kiss For Christmas – Lionel Bart

 

Back in 1988 when I was working in a record store, Arista Records distributed free promo 45s of "Red Lights (Merry Christmas)" by a jangley REM-type band from Athens, GA called Dreams So Real. I listen to it every year, it's pretty good.

I also have a 4-song 7" EP by the '90s lounge-jazz-beatnik combo, the Coctails, called "Winter Wonderland." It's a lot of fun. They even used a musical saw to simulate the sound of cold wind blowing!

 

Daddy's Drinking All Our Christmas: Commander Cody And The Lost Planet Airmen

Big Commander Cody fan
Happy Listening

 

"Merry Christmas"
Written by Fred Spielman and Janice Torre
Performed by Judy Garland in the film In the Good Old Summertime , 1949

 

The Killers have two I really like: "A Great Big Sled" and "Joseph, Better You Than Me" with Elton John and Neil Tennant.

The Killers said they were going to do one a year until they had enough for an album but they seem to have abandoned that idea.

 

Back in the '80s Warner Bros put out promo-only vinyl of holiday greetings and songs from various acts on its label, including George Harrison. Some fun stuff there. Otherwise, it's Bruce Cockburn's Christmas album -- not exactly obscure but the best Xmas album out there. Also the "live from McCabe's" Xmas promos.

 

The Fall "A Protein Christmas"
The Fall "Xmas With Simon"
John Cale "A Child's Christmas in Wales"

Not very traditional but great songs to contrast with the more standard Carpenters and Elvis ones I like a lot.

 

"Little Drummer Boy" by Karl Lundeberg and Full Circle, on the Jazzy Wonderland collection. Instrumental, very subdued, and middle-eastern sounding. Great song, great rendition.

 

I discovered quite a few (mostly of the comedy/novelty/kitsch variety) back in the good old days of XM Radio's "Special Xmas" channel. Was a great alternative to the usual Bing/Nat/Carpenters christmas fare.
The closest alternative I've found is SomaFM's "Xmas In Frisko" stream. http://somafm.com/xmasinfrisko/

A couple that have found their way to my normal holiday playlist:

Throwing Toasters: It's Xmas Time
Arrogant Worms: Santa's Gonna Kick Your Ass

 

Rotary Connection: the whole "Peace" lp: psych-soul - charles stepney produced - Christmas
masterpiece!

 

Gordon Lightfoot's bummer "Circle of Steel"

 

"Run With The Fox" by Chris Squire and Alan White. Great musical and lyrical imagery.

"Little Drummer Boy" by The Salsoul Orchestra. Corny 1970s disco remake but I just love the production and the arrangement and, most of all, and Earl Young's drumming.

 

Farandol (March of the Kings) - Rick Wakeman featuring Steve Howe, Chris Squire and Bill Bruford. It's on The Classical Connection 2 and was cut during the Six Wives sessions.
Silent Night - Ween from an Elektra records sampler

 

Missile Toe does a mind-blowing Christmas take on Gloria

 

My favorite is "Christmas Is Coming" by The Payola$. I really can't stand all of the "traditional" holiday songs; most of what I listen to during this time of year are '80s songs like "Do They Know It's Christmas?" by Band Aid or "Last Christmas" by Wham! I also really like Prince's "Another Lonely Christmas," "I Want An Alien For Christmas" by Fountains of Wayne, "Christmas Wrapping" by The Waitresses, and "Fairytale of New York" by The Pogues with Kirsty MacColl. Another rarity is "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch" by Whirling Dervishes ('90s track). Oh, and not specifically a Xmas song, but "Does She Love That Man?" by Breathe from 1990 mentions Christmas all throughout the song.

My 9 years in music retail killed any appreciation of traditional Xmas songs because I had to hear the same songs over and over for 12 hours a day when working in record stores. Shoppers would revolt if we played anything non-Xmas during that time.

 

June Christy's album "This Time of Year" has not one traditional Christmas song on it but is great with its original compositions.

 

Ray Parker Jr. - Christmas Time Is Here

 

I always get some kind of reaction when I play James Brown's Funky Christmas. Definitely obscure in my small circle.

 

Don't know how obscure they are, but my two favorite Christmas albums are Christmas With Buck Owens and Los Straitjackets - Tis The Season For Los Straitjackets. Most of my friends weren't familiar with either until they heard them repeatedly cranked at my place!