Rock songs that mention Christmas

I was thinking how there weren't as many Chrismtas-y Rock songs or albums that get me in the spirit the way, say I can put on any Ozzy/Sabbath or Alice Cooper album and get into the spirit of Halloween, or even just Halloweeny songs like Blue Oyster Cult's "Don't Fear the Reaper" and Rush's "Witch Hunt". And I don't mean seasonal releases i.e. Twisted Sister's Twisted Christmas, but something that gets played year round, but more so during the holidays.

What are some songs in Rock that mention Christmas or get you into the spirit, but aren't necessarily seasonal? Here's the ones I can think of off the top of my head:

The Who - "Rael" ('return to this spot on Christmas day...') and "Christmas"
Genesis - "Blood on the Rooftops" ('We always watch the queen on Christmas day')
The Ramones - "I Wanted Everything" ('I heard about the Easter Bunny, presents under the Christmas tree')
Queen - "Jesus"
Stryper - Almost anything, really

 

Joni Mitchell's River and The Pretenders 2000 Miles would've qualified in the past, but now they have been covered on quite a few Christmas releases by other artists.

 

Aimee Mann -- Clean Up for Christmas

 

The Wedding Present- "No Christmas" (well, at least the title mentions Christmas)
The Flaming LIps- "Christmas at the Zoo"
Archers of Loaf- "Assassination on X-Mas Eve"
Boyracer- "Boxing Day" (lyric: "don't want to spend this Christmas alone")
Guided by Voices- "Fathers Sgt. Christmas Card"
Boston Spaceships- "Christmas Girl"
The Pogues- "Fairytale of New York"

 

The Lovin' Spoonful's "Full Measure" in its last verse. They even throw in sleigh bells.

 

Winter Song - Lindisfarne

When winter's shadowy fingers
First pursue you down the street
And your boots no longer lie
About the cold around your feet
Do you spare a thought for summer
Whose passage is complete
Whose memories lie in ruins
And whose ruins lie in heat
When winter comes howling in
When the wind is singing strangely
Blowing music through your head
And your rain splattered windows
Make you decide to stay in bed
Do you spare a thought for the homeless tramp
Who wishes he was dead
Or do you pull your bedclothes higher
Dream of summertime instead?
When winter comes howling in
The creeping cold has fingers
That caress without permission
And mystic crystal snowdrops
Only aggravate the condition
Do you spare one thought for the gypsy
With no secure position
Who's turned and spurned by village and town
At the magistrate's decision
When winter comes howling in
When the turkey's in the oven
And the Christmas presents are bought
And Santa's in his module
He's an American astronaut
Do you spare one thought for Jesus
Who had nothing but his thoughts
Who got busted just for talking
And befriending the wrong sorts?
When winter comes howling in
When winter comes howling in



One of my favs!

Edit....sorry. Not rock...
But still good!

 

Paul Simon

 

It doesn't get any more Christmasy than this:

 

Big Star's "Jesus Christ" is Christmas themed and has some sleigh bells

 

Connie Francis "I'm Gonna Be Warm This Winter"

 

"The Mercy Seat" by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds gets me into the Christmas mood.

"I hear stories from the chamber
How Christ was born into a manger
And like some ragged stranger
Died upon the cross"

I am not a Christmas person.

 

2000 Miles by The Pretenders from Learning To Crawl

 

May Blitz - "The 25th of December" (1971)

 

Van Morrison "Glad Tidings"

 

“I Just Called to Say I love You” - Stevie Wonder (mentions Christmas Day)

 

Cracker, "Merry Christmas, Emily," from 2002's Forever album, a nice little depraved Xmas classic:

Emily, she was 23
Sitting on the ground under a dead palm tree
6th and Speedway on Christmas day
It seemed like things were going to go my way

But we had some good times, drinking cheap wine and popping pills
Spending the holidays getting drunk at the Rusty Nail

But then there's Emily from a good family
They ****ed up your head and sent you to me
"Its a Wonderful Life" is playing on the TV
I still think about you, do you think about me?

Merry Christmas, Emily
I still think about you, do you still think about me?

It may have seemed like i was down and out
But my insurance claim was still paying out
You were heading back up while I was going down
So I reformed the band to try to keep you around

Then we had some bad times drinking wine in the summer heat
A couple loud arguments standing in the middle of Congress Street
Then there's Emily under the dead palm tree
It's Christmas day and its like 80 degrees
I still think about you, do you still think about me?

 

Not a Christmas tune, per se, but the Christmas tree is mentioned, twice, and plays a part in this very silly (but fun) video.

Great song, from one of Billy’s best albums (The Nylon Curtain):

 

As does "I wish".

Looking back on when I was a little nappy headed boy
Then my only worry was for Christmas what would be my toy

 

This is an old favorite from Willard Grant Conspiracy, Christmas in Nevada, rest in peace Robert Fisher ...

 

Tom Petty - Christmas Time All Over Again

 

I Want An Alien For Christmas - Fountains of Wayne