this post was submitted on
1,156 points (61% like it)
3,169 up votes 2,013 down votes
top 200 commentsshow 500

[–]Fruit_is_Blind 565 points566 points ago

"(Note that this applies to only the US)"

Believe me, the rest of the world is exactly the same regarding this issue

[–]cesclaveria 149 points150 points ago

I have been on or around Christmas in the UK, Spain, France, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Panama. It has been the same songs in all those countries, of course, they are mixed with Christmas songs from each country.

[–]giggs123 164 points165 points ago

UK have Slade and Wizzard!

[–]crin 88 points89 points ago

Don't forget The Pogues' Fairytale of New York!

All Christmas songs should be about failed relationships and crushed hopes :P

[–]exjentric 12 points13 points ago

Aw, I don't get that from that song. I think that song contains one of the most romantic lines I've ever heard regarding dreams and hopes and aspiration when in a couple: "I kept them with me, bab. I've put them with my own. Can't make it out alone; I've built my dreams around you."

That's goddamn hopeful, I think.

[–]niblot1 20 points21 points ago

You scumbag you maggot, you cheap lousy faggot, merry Christmas you arse, I pray god it's your last.

One of the most romantic songs ever written.

[–]Mizzenmast 20 points21 points ago

Not to mention include the word 'faggot'. All Xmas songs should include the word 'faggot'.

[–]Bloody_Conspiracies 162 points163 points ago

IT'S CHRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRISTMAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSS

I love our Christmas songs.

[–]xcallmejudasx 42 points43 points ago

The hell is up with his facial hair?

[–]grishnackh 125 points126 points ago

FUCK YOU THAT'S WHATS UP WITH IT.

[–]Caramel_Chew_Chew 21 points22 points ago

Never seen a more impassioned defence of Noddy Holder. Good man.

[–]grishnackh 4 points5 points ago

Gotta love the Nodbert.

Best Xmas song ever, too.

[–]JudahBotwin 4 points5 points ago

Looks like Amy Poehler in a fake goat beard.

[–]Jimmymgs 38 points39 points ago

Makes me proud to be British that we got this to Number 1 for Christmas a couple of years back http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWXazVhlyxQ&ob=av2n

[–]TheShambles 15 points16 points ago*

The only song I hear in the UK that reminds me of Christmas - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLb213lak5s

[–]jblah 11 points12 points ago

That's an actual thing? The Number 1 for Christmas? I always assumed it was some plot gimmick for Bill Nighy in Love Actually.

[–]Sauropodlet 14 points15 points ago

Yep, real thing. Based off the number of people who have bought the song in the weeks leading up to Christmas (as far as I know!).

However, the Rage against the Machine song was chosen that year as a kind of protest against the previous years, where the X factor winners had won with rather boring and mediochre songs.

[–]BritishHobo 10 points11 points ago

Then last year everyone tried to repeat it and just divided themselves by the songs they wanted. Sucks.

[–]tatch 14 points15 points ago

Don't forget the Pogues.

[–]Wavemanns 10 points11 points ago

I made my brother in law so happy last year when I found a copy of this to play in Canada. He said Christmas wasn't the same without hearing it.

[–]Joe_Kehr 47 points48 points ago

I didn't really notice Christmas songs in Germany, although there are, of course, traditional Christmas song. However, they are not played on the radio that much.

But there is one exception, one song, one fucking song: "Laaaaaaaaast Christmas I gave you my heart, but the very..." SHUT THE FUCK UP, GEORGE!!!

God, this fucking awful song.

[–]byproxxy 16 points17 points ago

I heard that song, followed by a fucking cover of that song, back to back in the grocery store. That is not okay. ಠ_ಠ

[–]bigos 60 points61 points ago

Oh, you Americans have it good! Your christmas songs are relatively new and understandable. In Poland we have some 200-300 yo bullshit that is hardly decipherable by modern Poles. Crazy cool melodies, though, much better than American ones (except, maybe, for Jingle Bells, this one is cool, too bad it's so overplayed that everyone in the world hates it).

[–]spazmodic- 25 points26 points ago

there must have some youtube links?! I'm interested in hearing the songs!

[–]bigos 17 points18 points ago*

Sure! :) "They came to Bethlehem" is my favorite, sung by a folk band in traditional clothing :D. Today in Bethlehem is also cool. There are also slow-paced, melancholic songs, but I don't really like them ;).

I think I want to make dubstep versions of these two!

EDIT: According to what MatmaRex found, the first one is from 17th century and the second from 19th century.

[–]MatmaRex 7 points8 points ago

I assume bigos is talking about traditional songs, which we Poles do have quite a lot of, which actually are quite nice to listen to, and many of which actually are a little dated.

There's a nice list on Polish Wikipedia, here: http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kolędy_polskie - just Google some of the blue title and something will certainly pop up. I'll look up some nice recording and post them here in a minute.

And yes, we don't really have much Christmas songs more recent than ~100 years. Only one I can recall off the top of my head is this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eq_vGXSeu8I - there are lyrics in the video description, you could try Google Translating them.

[–]MatmaRex 5 points6 points ago

Some recordings. As you can see, these are often sang by artists today as well.

It happens that all the recent recording here are sung by the same band, Golec uOrkiestra - it was just easy to find their versions in nice quality, you'll find much more on YouTube.

[–]hotcars 13 points14 points ago

I came here to say this. Currently most of the radio stations in Canada are obsessively repeating the same annoying, uninspired Christmas music. Bah humbug.

[–]lebenohnestaedte 14 points15 points ago

To be fair, when we're talking about a cultural phenomenon like Christmas songs, counting Canada as non-US isn't saying much. I get as grumpy as the next Canadian when people say Canada is the same as the US -- because it isn't -- but I have to admit that we're close enough that it oftentimes doesn't make any sense to say, "No, it's not just an American thing; it happens in Canada too!"

Speaking of Canada, has anyone heard Justin Bieber's cover of Little Drummer Boy? It is the most hilariously terrible cover of a Christmas song that I have ever heard, and I'm not saying that just because I don't like his voice.

[–]Louizidunz 49 points50 points ago

Caroll of the bells. All day long.

[–]oldzealand 70 points71 points ago

Ding! Fries are done!
Ding! Fries are done!
Ding! Fries are done!
Ding! Fries are done!

[–]broostenq 8 points9 points ago

Would you like an apple pie with that?

[–]obsessive_cook 69 points70 points ago

I keep hoping Sufjan Stevens catches on. Great voice and some of his stuff is really original while still keeping the holiday spirit and way more relatable than other Christmas songs.

[–]greeneggsnkaty 17 points18 points ago

Sufjan is the best. He actually makes me enjoy christmas music. Plus his 5 disk album has a lot of covers and original songs to choose from.

[–]lazarustheastronaut 5 points6 points ago

"Christmas in the Room" is easily one of my favourite Christmas songs.

[–]thepringlesguy 5 points6 points ago

I've actually been playing his Christmas albums in my office all day long. This song in particular is just so upbeat and easy to listen to.

[–]skooma714 348 points349 points ago

I don't understand how a culture puts up with listening to the same 20 songs on a loop for 2 months.

[–]notkenneth 91 points92 points ago

My desk is located across from a lab that has the Easy Listening/All Christmas All The Time format going from Thanksgiving to Christmas. It goes from "charming" to "intolerable" in about a day. I recently timed the gap between songs, and found out I had heard "Last Christmas" by Wham! twice in 90 minutes. If I hear "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" again, I may self destruct.

This anecdote does nothing to address the issue at large. It is merely a plea for help. I may not make it. Send provisions.

[–]belated_quitter 56 points57 points ago

Anyone else notice with "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus", why would the dad dress up as Santa if he didn't think his kid was watching but why would he kiss mommy dressed as Santa if he knew his kid was watching??

[–]WaltherRathenau 180 points181 points ago

Until now I never made the connection that Santa was played by the dad. I always thought mommy is a whore and wondered why this song is a christmas classic.

[–]110289 28 points29 points ago

me too. I like our version better.

[–]Rilakai 17 points18 points ago

Holy shit...

[–]frikk 9 points10 points ago

I thought this until last year. I never knew why it was a "good" thing to have a promiscuous mommy.

[–][deleted] 58 points59 points ago

Q: "Why would the dad dress up as Santa if he didn't think his kid was watching?"

A: Fetish.

[–]Vicious_Violet 13 points14 points ago

Schrödinger's Santa.

[–]skooma714 18 points19 points ago

An Mp3 player loaded with indie rock is on its way.

In the mean time, smooth jazz will be deployed in 3...2...1

[–]IdioticPost 5 points6 points ago

I had no idea Last Christmas by Wham was first published in 1984. Anyways, I can never get tired of listening to this song.

Because it hurts every time I hear it.

[–]thephotoman 549 points550 points ago

It's not that different from the rest of Top 40 radio.

[–][deleted] 202 points203 points ago

ALL THE OTHER KIDS WITH THE PUMPED UP KICKS....

[–]kevinconnor126 31 points32 points ago

I turned that song off every time I heard it on the radio/tv, or whatever. When you only listen to it at your leisure, it's still fantastic. Also, very good live.

[–]richunclesam 23 points24 points ago

I heard that song once when I let someone else plug their iPod into my car. Actually liked it.

This happens periodically. It's really one of the major ancillary benefits of listening only to NPR on the radio. I get to actually enjoy music.

[–]Confettiwords 6 points7 points ago

OH THANKS. I needed that stuck in my head for the next two hours.

[–]colonel_mortimer 106 points107 points ago

Yes it is, it's only like half the total number of songs.

[–]thephotoman 61 points62 points ago

Rarely does a Top 40 station actually give you 40 songs on rotation.

[–]richunclesam 4 points5 points ago

The rotations are weighted, aren't they?

There might be 40 songs in the mix, but ten or so will repeat at least once every 3 hours, and the other 30 get spread throughout the day. If the day divided into 4 minute chunks, that would be 360 slots, minus 50 of them being commercials and 10 being news bites etc... so 300 slots per day, divided by 40 leaves room for 7 repeats of the "bottom 30 of the top 30" and 9 repeats of the top 10.

Of course that's just one of many potential ways to divide it.

[–]DIDNT_GET_SARCASM 75 points76 points ago

On my stations they play more variety of Christmas music than pop

[–]Not_Using_Sarcasm 17 points18 points ago

YOU LIVE INN THE MOST UNIQUE CITY WIHT THE MOST UNIQUE RADIO STATION IN THE WORLD!

[–]T0mServo 7 points8 points ago

but it's only for 1-2 months a year. Also, change the channel and avoid the stores. Not that hard in this Amazon/ebay culture.

[–]wreckemtech 50 points51 points ago

As a person who once worked in a mall, I can tell you, I would kill to listen to those same 20 songs on a loop for 2 months. Dean Martin's Winter Wonderland and Bing Crosby's White Christmas are a godsend compared to Beyonce Knowles' and Maria Carey's latest hip-hop/R&B/pop version of these songs. Listening to that shit for 3 months made me want to kick baby Jesus.

[–]usnero 40 points41 points ago

I kind of like Maria Carey's version of All I Want For Christmas.

[–]Wazowski 21 points22 points ago

Her version? She wrote the song!

It's a good example of a contemporary classic -- it was first released in 1994.

[–]requiem1394 8 points9 points ago

Version? She wrote it.

[–]taricorp 741 points742 points ago

Relevant XKCD. Hoping this changes in the coming decades.

[–]ebass 243 points244 points ago

I doubt it, especially if the point was that these sounds are popular because adults want to recreate the mood of Christmas from their childhoods. The past few decades we grew up with these same songs so eventually when the young ones grow up with kids of their own, it would be the same deal all over again.

[–]colonel_mortimer 79 points80 points ago

It might just be that one of the obnoxious trends caused by baby boomers is actually self-sustaining and not that harmful.

[–]fgriglesnickerseven 433 points434 points ago

Ah those were the days back in the 50's, the grass was greener, the peace was peacier, and all the blacks sat at the back of the bus.

Such fond memories

[–]FourOfFiveDentists 145 points146 points ago

Don't forget all the hiding under desks from the threat of nuclear weapons!

[–]servohahn 112 points113 points ago

the grass was greener, the peace was peacier, and all the blacks sat at the back of the bus.

The roads are the dustiest

The winds are the gustiest

The gates are the rustiest

The pies are the crustiest

The songs the lustiest

The friends the trustiest

[–]MMXIIORBUST 46 points47 points ago

waaay baack hoomme.

[–]Bucky_Ohare 16 points17 points ago

I love this song since I heard it in Fallout. Stuff I never would've thought about. Suddenly, this and "Arizona Ranger" just magically found their way to my ipod's favorites...

[–]asdfcasdf 6 points7 points ago

Just so you know, it's actually called Big Iron, not Arizona Ranger

[–]Bucky_Ohare 1 point2 points ago

Thank you, had to um... place the title myself as it wasn't immediately available...

Appreciate the help, thanks :)

[–]michallewtak 24 points25 points ago

Damn you! Now I gotta replay Fallout 3! There goes 100 hours...

[–]Icanus 9 points10 points ago

They still sit there...

[–]chipbuddy 58 points59 points ago

My sister put in a CD and said "Lets listen to Christmas music!" I rolled my eyes because it was the week after Thanksgiving and I was already sick of Christmas music.

Then we listened to "What's This" from the Nightmare Before Christmas, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra's version of "Carol of the Bells" and other awesome songs. Good, new Christmas music exists, so i'm still hopeful that 50's Christmas music will eventually fall to the wayside.

[–]psiphre 25 points26 points ago*

TSO's carol of the bells is like 20 15 years old, dude.

edit: corrected age, shit was out in 1996.

[–]chipbuddy 75 points76 points ago

1996 is closer to today than it is to 1950.

(wow, deciding on a consistent tense rule for that sentence was kind of weird. In case i got it wrong, here it is in the past tense)

1996 was closer to today than it was to 1950.

(Now we'll try mixed tenses)

1996 is closer to today than it was to 1950.

(and just 'cause there's only one permutation left...)

1996 was closer to today than it is to 1950.

[–]LegoForte 5 points6 points ago

I would say "1996 is closer to today than to 1950" and leave the second verb tense as a subconscious exercise to the reader.

[–]Offensive_Username2 56 points57 points ago

What about that Mariah Carey song? They play that a lot.

[–]BattleHall 6 points7 points ago

Even if she never did anything else, should could probably live on the residuals from that song, like Hugh Grant in "About A Boy".

[–]iAegis 22 points23 points ago

Oh god please no mre

[–]eamonman2 54 points55 points ago

Well there's the 80's classic (technically 1979 though)

Grandma got run over by a reindeer

[–]toiletmouth 13 points14 points ago

I was going to post that chart is missing that song in the 80's and the dogs barking jingle bells in the 90's.

[–]cowbey 20 points21 points ago

And McCartney's song "Wonderful Christmas Time" (1979) belongs here as well.

[–]kangaroo2 17 points18 points ago

This song haunts me. I don't even have to hear it, just hear someone mention it. I am going to drink a bottle of cough syrup in hopes that I will sleep long enough that I will forget.

[–]mfetter 9 points10 points ago

I feel like I hear this one the most. I'm convinced it's the worst song of all time.

[–]popwhatpopwhat 27 points28 points ago

I tend to think it's because Santa was a Baby Boomer

[–]TheFluxCapacitor 39 points40 points ago

I must admit, I think Jingle Bell Rock is a great song. I wish it was socially acceptable to listen to it year round.

[–]strawberryberet 12 points13 points ago

I like Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, personally. It's the only song that can truly encapsulate my love for fuckin' pie.

[–]Monkeyavelli 42 points43 points ago

Honestly, why? I know it's the cool thing on reddit to say you hate Christmas music but I...don't? Like many people, I enjoy these holiday songs, along with the real "classics" that have been played for centuries. They're fun songs. There other Christmas songs made all the time that you can listen to as well. You act as if listening to the same songs as a tradition is a bad thing.

This thread, and that comic, just seems full of vague hate for "Boomers". It comes off as silly as older people complaining about kids these days.

Is there an actual reason for you or others here hoping these songs die off other than to show how cool and trendy you are and to let everyone know that you, too, don't like the evil Baby Boomers?

[–]balljoint 77 points78 points ago*

Ever worked retail?

There's only so many Christmas songs and you will listen to them every day for eight hours for a month and a half. Once your shift is over you then have to deal with this music playing in every restaurant and store, while at the same time invading what you listen to on the radio and watch on TV. I gets annoying pretty quick.

[–]tedtutors 18 points19 points ago

Came here to rant about this, searched for 'retail' first.

I worked at a store through high school, and then college during vacations. (My college winter break was Thanksgiving week to New Years, perfect for making some holiday money.) I worked seven Christmas seasons.

The store had whatever automatic bland music system was in use at the time, basically a glorified tape on infinite repeat. The holiday version had a run time of less than an hour, so on a weekend shift I'd hear the same songs about 20 times. In the same order.

So I pretty much hate standard holiday music, forever. But on the flip side, I'm really nice to people who work retail, especially this time of year.

[–]Yimris 15 points16 points ago

All of us in retail want to thank you for that. The amount of bullshit we have to deal with this season is seriously ridiculous, and the songs certainly don't make it easier.

[–]lacienega 6 points7 points ago

This is the reason why I hate Nickleback. Gap had them guaranteed on every single CD we'd get every month. I didn't even know who Nickleback were until I grew to learn to dread the song that came before them on the track. We would try and make excuses to be off the floor everytime their song played. I still almost feel like I get PTSD now whenever I hear one of their songs start to kick in.

Gap was never that big on Christmas music though, our actual one bright relief spot during the Christmas period was the lone Mariah Carey song in a sea of bland bland alt rock, and they only ever played that song halfway, like they knew we didn't deserve anything too happy.

[–]thisismyid 20 points21 points ago

For me it is the fact that EVERYWHERE you go they are playing. To me it is no different then the radio overplaying a regular Top Ten Song. Songs become no longer enjoyable to hear after I've already heard it 10 times that day.

[–]reuvenb 5 points6 points ago

How about the irritating fact that for a full month everyone who goes out in public (even at work!) has to hear the same twenty songs over and over and over. To a lot of people, that is incredibly irritating.

[–]ghost_in_the_circuit 11 points12 points ago

Can't speak for everyone, but some of us genuinely dislike Christmas music, thank you very much. (I know, totally inconceivable, right?)

I don't mind and actually somewhat like Christmas music IF (and only if) I'm doing "Christmas-y" things, like decorating the tree with my family or baking Christmas cookies. And in that case, I really only like it because all those things are holiday traditions and the childhood memories come with the music, so it's fun and nostalgic.

But for everyday, normal activities that have nothing to do with Christmas, I prefer my music without a side of reindeers and old men coming down chimneys. (Not to mention that it's practically the only thing you hear anywhere you go from the middle of November until New Year's. That gets annoying with anything.)

[–]RTPGiants 171 points172 points ago

I know this is more 90s than "now", but since that's only 10 years ago you might want to check out Trans-Siberian Orchestra

[–]wreckemtech 82 points83 points ago

I always thought TSO had like one Christmas album with Carol of the Bells on it, that was just their most popular work.

It turns out they have like 10 Christmas Albums and each one has it's own plot.

[–]MereInterest 29 points30 points ago

3 Christmas albums and 2 non-Christmas albums.

[–]wreckemtech 185 points186 points ago

That's what I said "like 10"

[–]oskay 75 points76 points ago

Upvote for using base-3.

[–]wellthatsnotgood 33 points34 points ago

I saw TSO live. It's now the only xmas music I enjoy listening to. I put my devil horns in the air during the drum solo... got some weird looks.

[–]nyyx 18 points19 points ago

They put on an AWESOME freaking show. I was seriously blown away.

[–]RTPGiants 13 points14 points ago

TSO live rocks. Have been to their winter tour for something like 8 straight years and traveled to go see the Spring (non-Christmas) tour.

In any event, there are tons of YouTube clips, but here's a video from about 5th row back last year

[–]nandryshak 6 points7 points ago

dat laser light show

[–][deleted] ago

[deleted]

[–]rhoner 2 points3 points ago

I'm not a fan of them. I know their stuff, it is technically impressive and executed better than 90% of comercial music out there. But it just ain't my thing, you now? That said, I got tickets to go see them this year from my work...

HOLY SHIT! That was ridiculous. Everyone needs to go see them live at christmas just to experience what happens when the entirety of the 80's rock/metal virtuosity period is remixed fairly tastefully by Andrew Lloyd Webber and the Michael Bay. I have never, ever seen that much pyro in my life. The stage turned into a fucking dragon. It snowed indoors for like 30 minutes. Totally whackadoo in the best possible sense. Two thumbs way up, would see again.

[–]sdpr 73 points74 points ago

SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN! SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN! SANTA CLAUS IS COMINNNNNNNNNnnnnnnNNNNNNNnnnnnNNNNN TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooo TOWNNNNNNNNNN

Fuck you, Bruce Springsteen

[–]danhawkeye 49 points50 points ago

Hearing Bruce Springsteen wail that crap is like seeing Sean Connery in sweatpants.

[–]CantWearHats 59 points60 points ago

Schweatpantsh.

[–]Kody59527 15 points16 points ago

...sexy as all hell?

[–]Emerson3381 5 points6 points ago

BEDDA BE GOOD FOR GOODNUSS SAKE

RIP Big Man

[–]pppoe 104 points105 points ago

idk..but michael buble sure makes it a little easier to listen too..and i'm not even a fan of buble....buble.

god this word buble seems weirder as i type it more and more. buble.

[–]KingofSuede 11 points12 points ago

I spell it "Bewb-lay"

[–]Shaysdays 48 points49 points ago

I think a lot of times people grow up with these 'retro' songs because they got so huge for the baby boomers and became 'traditional' even though some of them were just advertisements. Then as adults we (the current generation) play them for a new generation, which then becomes their childhood association, and so on.

Same thing with Halloween songs- most of them are from the 50s-60s. Until Thriller and Nightmare Before Christmas came along (and to a lesser extent, "Werewolf Bar Mitzvah") there weren't any new Halloween songs (I can think) of for the longest time. The Boomers glutted the market.

Although I have the horrible idea that in the future we will be listening to an 'updated' "Christmas Shoes" on the holophonor.

[–]frogsyjane 44 points45 points ago

Boys becoming men, men becoming wolves!

[–]RevDan 49 points50 points ago

TIL there are "traditional" Halloween songs.

[–]xAbaddon 96 points97 points ago

Monster Mash, man.

[–]Iskarott 47 points48 points ago

IT WAS A GRAVEYARD SMASH!

[–]yodoleehoo 14 points15 points ago

It caught on in a flash

[–]CaptainNonchalant 10 points11 points ago

To be honest, I've never heard a real Halloween song besides "This is Halloween." Thriller has Halloween ties, but it's more of an all-year song that just happens to go well with Halloween.

[–]Shaysdays 37 points38 points ago

Monster Mash (and the related song Transylvania Twist), I Put a Spell on You, Voodoo Mama, Hey There Little Red Riding Hood, I'm the Wolfman, Curse of the Hearse, Wooly Bully, The Mad Scientist, Watusi Zombie, Adams Family and Munsters themes (also The Lurch), Giant Purple People Eater, He's a Vampire, Frankenstein Stomp, Frankenstein Twist, Look Out There's a Monster Coming, The Wobblin' Goblin... just look up any of these on Youtube, there's a whole world of schlocky Halloween songs, bolstered by the monster movie/horror craze of the 50's. They are pretty awesome.

[–]poneil 39 points40 points ago

Muppet Christmas Carol Soundtrack is all the Christmas music I, or anyone else, could ever need.

[–]annalatrina 29 points30 points ago

I think you have forgotten the best Christmas album ever produced, John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together

[–]YHZ 9 points10 points ago

Plus, the movie is hands down the best X-mas movie out there.

[–]snoobs89 140 points141 points ago

If i haven't heard Maria Carey's Christmas song it's just not christmas yet.

[–]spamlovingsuckmonkey 57 points58 points ago

I have not heard Christmas in Hollis. For me it's not Christmas without that.

[–]hogiewan 29 points30 points ago

[–][deleted] 12 points13 points ago

It was December 24th on Hollis Ave in the dark

When I seen a man chilling with his dog in the park

I approached very slowly with my heart full of fear

Looked at his dog, oh my God, AN ILL REINDEER!!

[–]skinneej 5 points6 points ago

[–]thatwasntveryraven 29 points30 points ago

Do they know it's Christmas time in Africa?

(and I'm sure I mangled the words, since I haven't heard that song since last xmas)

[–][deleted] 14 points15 points ago

Feeeeeeed the wOOOOOooorld

[–]algo_trader 14 points15 points ago

and note that this is not: Jesus WHOOOOAAAAAH

thought that was what they were singing until I was about 27.

[–]lrpiccolo 7 points8 points ago

They were playing that song at my local grocery store this morning. I'm not sure that was the best musical choice they could have made--there's nothing like a song about starving children in Africa to make you put that big packet of cookies and 2-liter jug of soda right back on the shelf.

[–]snoobs89 5 points6 points ago

I got the jist of it.

[–]Brandaman 2 points3 points ago

For me, it's Fairytale of New York.

[–]kowbonez 38 points39 points ago

I was thinking about this at work the other day when we had the Charlie Brown Christmas album playing on loop for six hours. Not once did we get sick of it. I guess because we only hear that sort of music for a limited time every year, it's acceptable to play out all of it, even from 50 years ago.

[–]judehaz 128 points129 points ago

I hope we are stuck with the same Christmas songs for all eternity. In our constantly changing and increasingly fickle culture, it's nice to have something be the same as it was 20+ years ago when I was a kid waiting for Santa. I hope when I'm 60 I still here "pa rum pum pum..." on whatever constitutes radio in 2043.

[–]Whitworth 107 points108 points ago

I look forward to the same 20 songs every year. I'm a sucker for Christmas, and I'm a hardcore atheist.

[–]aprycot 62 points63 points ago

I think you accidentally a pum.

[–]sk1234sk 25 points26 points ago

Trans-Siberian Orchestra has a pretty good take on the classics, as well as some original stuff.

[–]Milieunairess 9 points10 points ago

I think so. I was in H Mart last weekend, and listened to "Rudolph," "The Little Drummer Boy" AND "I saw Mommy Kissing Santa" -- in KOREAN.

Couldn't decide if it was just annoying or kind of mind-fucking.

[–]thatwasntveryraven 9 points10 points ago

H Mart? Like K-Mart minus E?

[–]b56koutu 25 points26 points ago

I have to listen to Alvin and the Chipmunks Christmas album all day. It is like a papercut in my eardrum. Who would you even want to make a good Christmas song anyway?

[–]cmd_iii 12 points13 points ago

Because a popular song earns royalties while it's in airplay rotation, and as long as people are buying it. For the most part, this is a limited cycle: a few weeks or months -- a year or more, if you're lucky. After that, your song is relegated to the "classic" or "oldies" segment of the industry, and royalty receipts are on a downward trend from there.

A Christmas song, however, earns royalties every single year. It's a shorter cycle, but it's more reliable. That's why you get so many "one-hit wonders" in the Christmas bin. Those guys are set for life!

[–]daffodilhill 12 points13 points ago

I still want a HUUUUUULA HOOOOOOP

[–]barbsteele 132 points133 points ago

Recordings that should be burned: Grandma got run over by a reindeer, all I want for Christmas is my two front teeth, I want a hippo for Christmas, Santa Baby, I saw Mommy Kissing Santa, Baby its Cold Outside, any and all chipmunk songs.

[–]Titan_Astraeus 62 points63 points ago

And the one about the kid buying shoes for his dying mom. Fuck that shit.

[–]Pnut1221 29 points30 points ago

This song enrages me. Christmas songs are supposed to be fun and celebratory, not cheaply pander to your sadness with a song about dying moms.

In my opinion, of course.

[–][deleted] 11 points12 points ago

[–]CapstickWentHome 4 points5 points ago

Thanks for that, the response is the perfect antidote.

Heard the damned song on the radio this morning, followed by the presenter saying "it's the most requested". All I can say is there are some sick bastards in Austin.

[–]Squagmire 123 points124 points ago

I understand your reasoning for all of those.. Except Baby It's Cold Outside...

Why?

[–]cdahlkvist 176 points177 points ago

That song does come across as a little "rapey".

[–]TheatricalSpectre 96 points97 points ago

"Say, what's in this drink"

[–]hellweaver666 64 points65 points ago

Orange juice... and a tiny bit of rohypnol

[–]jasmaree 12 points13 points ago

And then he completely ignores that question.

[–]sirhelix 14 points15 points ago

This is my favorite version of that song, for that exact reason. The Muppet Show is just so irreverant...

[–]notrace 8 points9 points ago

Regardless of the rape vibes, Tbaby just did the cold thing better.

[–]underline2 11 points12 points ago

There was a thread about this a couple weeks ago that actually changed my mind on this point.

It was written in the 30's when a 'proper' lady could not say she wanted to stay. The female part never says that she actually wants to leave. The "say what's in this drink?" line could be taken as she's either stalling having to go home, or is thinking she can blame her improper decision on alcohol.

[–]PolarisX 9 points10 points ago

Now I don't mind when things are open about raping me, but when things tip toe around it, then I get aggravated.

[–]NeoTranshuman 11 points12 points ago

[–]zoomshoes 41 points42 points ago

I'm Gettin' Nuttin' For Christmas should be right the fuck up there with the worst of 'em. My workplace plays the most irritating rendition of this song possible.

[–]MrDelish 12 points13 points ago

"mommy and daddy are maaaaaaaaad"

[–]AlwaysFapping 14 points15 points ago

Do not forget the Christmas Shoes song. FUCK EVERYTHING ABOUT THAT SONG

[–]curtymcgirty 8 points9 points ago

merry muthafuckin christmas-Eazy-E, best christmas song ever best belee dat son

[–][deleted] 7 points8 points ago

What about Mariah Carey's "All I want for Christmas Is You' That song is 1990s and is played more than any other Christmas song, I feel.

[–]brainstain 15 points16 points ago

New album coming out will take Christmas by storm: Old St. Nickelback

[–]JohnnyWasHere 42 points43 points ago

Dominick the Donkey all day, every day.

[–]Drunken_Economist 11 points12 points ago

Jiggity jig!

[–]The_Friendly_Ghost 11 points12 points ago

Hee Haw Hee Haw

[–]StChas77 5 points6 points ago

Some of them at least will be around for years and years to come, sure.

'Coventry Carol' has been around for half a millennium and doesn't seem to be going anywhere.

[–]WalterFStarbuck 6 points7 points ago

I want to know where to find some good Saturnalia songs.

[–]Chastain86 11 points12 points ago

I want to be very clear about this. I spent three years working as an afternoon jock at a radio station that played nothing but Christmas music from Thanksgiving through New Year's. Lots of people say, "Chastain86, you didn't have it any worse than the people that work at Wal*Mart that have to listen to it every day!"

I had it exponentially worse, my friend. Because my job didn't require that I do other things while Christmas music blared in the background. Oh HELL no. My job was to LISTEN to the shit, day in and day out. I couldn't turn it down. I had to listen to it so I knew when to fire the next song off. Did you know that on average it only takes people 6 seconds to change a radio station if they hear silence? Our ratings depended upon me listening to this dreck over and over again and playing the next song, or the next set of commercials, on cue.

Fuck Christmas music. Fuck it right in the Navidad sideways with a jingle bell.

[–]loopy212 10 points11 points ago

Christmas for most people is, in a way, all about the classic songs. It's about tradition and family and friends and remembering your childhood. So those songs will be around as long as we are playing them for kids and those kids grow up and play them for their kids...

That said, there are new songs that enter into the pantheon of Christmas music; they just typically have to be exceptional. Someone already mentioned the Mariah Carey song "All I Want for Christmas is You"?, but there are others such as "Happy Xmas", "Same Auld Lang Syne", and "A Wonderful Christmas Time" that were popular songs about Christmas and have since crossed over to become "standard" Christmas tunes.

[–]legendary_ironwood 9 points10 points ago*

It seems like it. Hopefully radio will learn to embrace new classics like The Killers - Don't Shoot Me Santa Claus. I think now it's just quite slow to adopt new songs. I long for the day when the Muppets Christmas album is on the radio.

[–]omplatt 4 points5 points ago*

most of my favorite Christmas songs are from the 19th century but I still appreciate this modern classic

[–]p4nda 6 points7 points ago

Save yourself and those around you from aural holiday suck by downloading the Santastic series of badass holiday mashups. I played these at our big office party last night and got mad props.

[–]cyrex 3 points4 points ago

Do we sing the same songs they sang 500 years ago? No. So will they be replaced eventually? Yes. Its tough to say when, but eventually, yes.

[–]annalatrina 15 points16 points ago

They didn't have recording technology 500 years ago. Our relationship with music has changed dramatically in the last century. Besides, some Christmas carols are that old. The tune for Greensleeves has been around since at least 1580.

[–]omnilynx 5 points6 points ago*

Ha ha, are you kidding? Both of those songs are less than a hundred years old. In two hundred years they'll probably only be known to hipsters and historians.

There are a few old carols. O come, O come, Emmanuel is from medieval times.

[–]HardlyWorkinDBA 6 points7 points ago

With new songs like Christmas Shoes I dont't know that that's a bad thing.

[–]rdlizenby 5 points6 points ago

"Simply having a wonderful Christmas time..."

[–]Charl3magne 14 points15 points ago

Just so long as that new Justin Beiber shit doesn't become a classic...

[–]ajohns95616 24 points25 points ago*

Relient K has an album called "Let it Snow Baby...Let it Reindeer". They've got classics as well as a couple originals. If you like their musical style, and can stand the fact that they're known as a Christian band (I don't know how much atheists can't stand the word "God" in music, even Christmas music. And lets face it, Reddit is full of atheists).

EDIT: Seems like I underestimated the number of atheists out there that don't care, since Christmas is more tradition than it is about religion to them. Interesting.

[–]SomeCalcium 20 points21 points ago

You should listen to Sufjan Steven's Christmas album.

Here's a few examples of how awesome his Christmas album is -

I happened to pick it up in June of this year, and absolutely love it. Plenty of originals church classics.

[–]herrmister 15 points16 points ago

Reddit atheists seem to be fine with innocuous references to religious traditions. Most of us loooove Christmas, and I enjoy relient k myself.

[–]niceyoungman 6 points7 points ago

In a similar way, Tooth and Nail records has released several Christmas compilations.

[–]aydiosmio 15 points16 points ago*

I think about this every year. I'm comforted by The Beach Boys, who made probably the best Christmas album in modern history. "Little Saint Nick" was an original composition by Wilson and Love, along with 4 other tracks on the album. Little Saint Nick on YouTube

Edit: There are also a few quality compositions in the country genre, but they don't get much airplay. I, like OP I'm assuming, am quite tired of traditional holiday songs being rehashed over and over. It's kind of a quandary though, is it holiday music if it's not traditional? It's hard to make an enjoyable, convincing holiday composition without echoing traditional songs.

[–]dunezone 14 points15 points ago

Father Christmas by The Kinks is my favorite to listen to around this time of the year.

The Kinks - Father Christmas

[–]usemyname 7 points8 points ago

You might want to check out the Jethro Tull Christmas Album. It's largely made up of original compositions, some of which draw from traditional songs to varying degrees. My personal favorite is First Snow on Brooklyn, which is a rockin jam in its own right. Plus, the country-tinged flute rock of Jethro Tull just seems to fit with the holiday spirit.

[–]Jackpot777 13 points14 points ago

If you can get radio stations and stores to play your Christmas song, you're set for the rest of your life (and future generations too).

It may just seem like the premise from About A Boy, but think about it. Radio stations pay royalties for the songs they play. And many radio stations here in the US play nothing but one narrow genre, Christmas songs, for around ten percent of the year. And radio stations are noted for having a small playlist.

So I'm writing a Christmas song called "Every Day Is Christmas With You" (I've mentioned this before online). I will send copies of the song (lyric sheet, CD) to the agencies of the major middle-of-the-road singers that are already signed to an artist rights association (Celine Dion, Michael Bublé, etc.) and if one of them sings it, and radio stations pick it up, I think I'll spend Christmas in a non-English-speaking country every year to escape the dross that's making me a bundle a year.

So if you ever hear a song called Every Day Is Christmas With You for every day between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and it sounds like the most contrived shit you've ever heard, there may be an IAMA / AMA later!

(after searching on Google) - Beth Ditto, you fat cow, you stole my idea!

[–]Milieunairess 5 points6 points ago

"spend Christmas in a non-English-speaking country" to avoid xmas carols. See post re: H-Mart.

It's ubiquitous. Probably there's an aboriginal digeridoo version of "Frosty The Snowman" even though in Oz it's summer now.

[–]MostlyHarmless121 5 points6 points ago

[–]rhubarbs 4 points5 points ago