Christmas Music

The holiday songs I am obsessed with this year are as follows:

- "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch." Just can't get enough of it. Not because I'm feeling particularly Grinchy, just that it's chock full of Facebook status quotes! (Hence the recent post of "Kara is a three-decker saurkraut and toadstool sandwich... with arsenic sauce!") This is also one of my ringtones. I think it's clever.

- Judy Garland's version of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." I read an article in Newsweek a couple of years ago about the history of the song, and the reason for its many changes over the years. It was pretty interesting. And Judy's melancholy voice just adds a wistfulness that tugs at my heartstrings. Also a current ringtone, assigned to my favorite cell phone contacts. :)

- Indelible Grace's renditions of "O Come, O Come Emmanuel" and "Silent Night." That is, for the few days I got to enjoy them before I forgot the brand-new CD in my totalled car that is now officially property of AIG Insurance Company.

- One that remains a constant since I first heard it is the unlikely duet of Trisha Yearwood and Luciano Pavarotti of "Adeste Fideles." Trisha's more contemporary voice translates in English the Latin verses sung by Pavarotti's dulcet tenor, backed up by the London Children's Choir... timeless and magical.


Songs that if I hear them one more time, I'll scream are:

- "Last Christmas" by Wham... what the heck does it even mean? Stupidest song ever.

- "Christmas Shoes" by Bob Carlisle (?). The holidays make me weepy enough without adding that crap. See also, "Bring Him Home, Santa" by that sweet little girl that never fails to make me cry.

- If I were Catholic, I would be convinced "Here Comes Santa Claus" bought Gene Autry a few extra years in purgatory for the line "Let's give thanks to the Lord above, 'cause Santa Claus comes tonight!" Good Baspbeterian that I am, though, I'll just hope he repented of his wicked ways before he met his Maker.

- A few years ago, country duo Montgomery Gentry covered the hysterically funny "Merry Christmas From the Family" originally written and performed by bluesman Robert Earl Keen. Not only did they just not do the song justice, but they completely ruined it by changing the reason for the "Stop-N-Go" run from tampons to the less daring, more politically correct Pampers. That was the brilliance of the song, geniuses. Couldn't they leave well enough alone?