The Classic Christmas 80s Album flunks the Deb Test (no “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” here!) but for the nostalgia lover on your gift list, here’s a Christmas CD that will bring back a lot of memories. My favorite song on this CD is Hall & Oates’s “Jingle Bell Rock.” The songs on this album run the gamut from rap–“Christmas in Hollis” by Run-D.M.C.–to heart-felt–“This One’s For the Children” by New Kids on the Block–to uplifting, Whitney Houston’s moving version of “Do You Hear What I Hear?” This is one of the eclectic Christmas song collections I’ve heard. What’s your favorite Christmas song? GRADE: B+
TRACK LIST:
1. Christmas Wrapping – Waitresses
2. Last Christmas – Wham!
3. Hazy Shade of Winter – Bangles
4. Christmas In Hollis – Run-D.M.C.
5. Jingle Bell Rock – Oates & Oates
6. Do You Hear What I Hear? – Whitney Houston
7. Christmas Is the Time to Say “I Love You” – Billy Squier
8. Run Rudolph Run – Dave Edmunds
9. Zat You Santa Claus – Buster Poindexter & His Banshees of Blue
10. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town – Pointer Sisters
11. Christmas Time Is Here – Ray Parker
12. Twelve Days of Christmas – Bob McKenzie
13. This One’s for the Children – New Kids on the Block
14. Slick Nick, You Devil You – Fishbone
15. Silent Night – Hooters
Next to the stuttering pig singing Blue Christmas, my fab fave is O, Holy Night, as long as the singer can handle the high notes! I’ll be sure to avoid that ’80s album with every fiber of my being!
Bob, what were you doing back in the 80s?
You just can’t beat Judy Garland singing “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” to Margaret O’Brien in MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS.
Dan, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” has always been a favorite of mine, too!
George, I have listened to many of these singers, though not their Christmas numbers, save for George Michael’s “Last Christmas.” WHAM! was popular in the eighties.
Prashant, one of my sisters loved WHAM! back in the 1980s. WHAM! songs played in our house non-stop back then!
(Turn off italics please.)
Wow–I now have a test named for me. I feel like Allison Bechdel!
So, yes, my favorite carol is definitely “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”; while my favorite secular Christmas song is Eartha Kitt’s “Santa Baby” (please don’t even bother to listen to Madonna’s version). Of more recent vintage, I like Elton John’s “Step into Christmas”, Paul McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmastime”, and the Carpenters’ “Merry Christmas Darling”.
I’ll put in a plug for a CD called “The Most Fabulous Christmas Album Ever” which is always in heavy rotation at our house this time of year. And, of course, Elvis’s Christmas Album. I can’t trim the tree without listening to that.
Deb, thanks for the heads up on the italics (it’s fixed now). WORDPRESS drives me crazy sometimes. You’ve made some great choices for Christmas songs! I’m with you on Madonna.
Tempted to get this one because it would remind me of my kids’ youth.
Patti, most of these songs reminded me of the 1980s. A couple seem timeless.
I’ve never thought of “Hazy Shade of Winter” as a Christmas song. I like a lot of Christmas songs, and I don’t have a favorite. My favorite Christmas album is Elvis’ Christmas Album, though.
Bill, you and Deb have great taste in Elvis!
My first thought as well, Bill, about the Bangles track. “2000 Miles” by the Pretenders would’ve made more sense…
I hate McCartney’s “Wonderful Christmas Time” with every fiber of my being, Deb. I also dislike “Have a Holly, Jolly Christmas” by Burl Ives, and even though I don’t hate the song, I despise Bing Crosby so don’t listen to that song.
I agree with the Cap’n on “Blue Christmas” by Porky Pig (Elvis’s version is OK too!), and Dan on “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” among others. I love Phil Spector’s Christmas album (A CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR YOU), especially the great Darlene Love doing “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).” Agree on Eartha Kitt’s “Santa Baby” (the how awful the Madonna remake is).
Others:
I’ll Be Home For Christmas
The Christmas Song (Nat King Cole)
And yes, I get a kick out of “Santa Got Run Over by a Raindeer.”
There, I said it.
Jeff, I’m with you on Phil Spector’s A CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR YOU. Darlene Love was performing at a local casino a week ago and I was tempted to go see her (I resisted and corrected research papers instead). I wish the Giants had held on to that 10-point Fourth Quarter lead over the Jets.
Jeff I always enjoyed Darlene Love singing Christmas on Letterman I just watched 20ft from Stardom and enjoyed that as well.
That certainly would have helped the Bills if they had. But they’ve blown fourth quarter leads repeatedly this year. It’s been a big disappointment. Coughlin is definitely going after the season.
At least the Bills are still hanging in there.
Although I like a lot of ’80s music, I’ll pass on this one.
None of the artists really excite me. The past couple of years I’ve really enjoyed Joni Mitchell’s River. Sarah McLachlan put out a good Christmas album a few years ago and included River on it. Lovely.
Beth, I completely agree with you on Sarah McLachlan’s Christmas album. It’s on heavy rotation in the Kelley household. Diane loves “River.”
Although I like both “River” and “Hazy Shade of Winter”, neither of the strike me as Christmas songs. Yes, “River” begins with a line about Christmas and “Hazy” mentions the Salvation Army, but to me it’s a stretch to consider either of them really Christmas songs.
Deb, I’m with you on “Hazy Shade of Winter.” Not very Christmasy.
The Messiah by Handel. The album Christmas At Trinity with the choir singing the standards such as “Do You Hear What I Hear?” and “Oh Come, All Ye Faithful”. I’m not much for the more pop stuff, though I have a lot of CDs of Christmas music. One I’m fond of is Gloria Estivan’s Christmas album.
Rick, I know you’re going to find this hard to believe but I don’t own Gloria Estivan’s Christmas album. I’ll have to rectify that!
It’s CHRISTMAS THROUGH YOUR EYES, George. Apparently out of pressing, but can be MP3 downloaded.
Rick, I’ll search the Internet for a used copy!
I consider myself fortunate because I spent most of the 80s with my head in the 60s. As much as I like Eartha Kitt, ‘Santa Baby” is not one of my favorites (Kitty hates it with a passion). I go for the more traditional carols. As for Christmas albums, give me Peter, Paul, and Mary or Elvis,
Jerry, who knew you were such a traditionalist! Peter, Paul, and Mary…and Elvis. Can’t go wrong with them!
In the eighties I was working hard at my job, going to Bouchercons, doing MDM from 1984 on, hunting, fishing, Dapa-Em, and looking for love!
Bob, I don’t know about all those other things, but I know you found love several times at BOUCHERCON.
Crucial Youth: “Santa Claus is Coming…AND YOU’RE ON HIS LIST!”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nm8DpZMVIIE
Actually, this upload sounds better: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DB5v37ykmSo
Todd, thanks for the link!