Rocking Around the Christmas Tree

The Dispatch staff (and friends) share their favorite underrated Christmas songs and why they deserve your attention.

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With Thanksgiving now behind us, it’s now open season for Christmas music. (Kudos to those of you who waited; for those who couldn’t and have been jamming out to Christmas songs for the last month: No judgement, we understand.) As such, the Dispatch staff has been discussing some of our favorite underrated Christmas songs; the sort of music you may not think of right away to include in your Christmas party playlist but that deserves a spot and songs that you might be familiar with but deserve more love. Here are some of the ones we came up with:

“Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays,” *NSYNC

Here’s a free tip for you: If you’re at a party that is kind of lame, take over the aux cord and turn on some late 90s/early 2000s music and people will immediately jump to the dance floor. The party will liven up and the people will thank you on your way out the door. 

You may be thinking this rule doesn’t apply to holiday parties, but that’s where you’d be wrong. My pick for most underappreciated Christmas song is “Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays” by *NSYNC. Whenever this song comes on, everyone in the room just instinctually starts to dance a little bit and lets out an audible “I forgot about this song! It’s so great!” 

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  1. Avatar photo
    Ben Connelly

    I can tell I’ve listened to Young Americans too much when I read a few sentences of the Wham section and immediately could hear Alec saying it.

    Tom Petty and Christmas Wrapping. Solid choices.

    Gotta love Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole and the Rat Pack and Trans Siberian Orchestra. Also any Christmas hymn. But we said underrated. Okay. Let’s see.

    Christmas in America- Kenny Rogers

    Christmas in Hollis - Run DMC

    Thank God it’s Christmas- Queen

    The Season’s Upon Us - The Dropkick Murphy’s

    Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight Tonight) - The Ramones

    Christmas for Cowboys - John Denver

    Christmas is All Around - Billy Mack (hey Love Actually is pretty funny okay)

    Run Run Rudolf - The Lemmy Kilmister version…

    Santa Claws is Coming to Town - Alice Cooper

    The Hanukkah Song - Adam Sandler (…?)

    Fairytale of New York - The Pogues

    A Twisted Christmas Album by Twisted Sister (admittedly this feels a bit sacrilegious but I like how they manage to sneak We’re Not Gonna Take It into Oh Come All Ye Faithful)

    Christmas in Killarney - Bing Crosby

    Bing and David Bowie doing Little Drummer Boy

    Stevie Nicks’ version of Silent Night

    Bob Dylan’s Christmas album (especially his music video for Must Be Santa)

    God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - the Ronny James Dio version

    Any version of Adeste Fideles actually sung in Latin

    2000 Miles - The Pretenders

    Christopher Lee’s Christmas albums (especially Jingle Hells and Little Drummer Boy)

    Henry Rollins’ spoken word version of A Visit from St. Nicholas

    That ought to be a good start

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    Jonathan M

    Declan and Haley killed it with their recs!

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    Nick H

    A few of these I don't know. Of those, the last one by the Oh Hellos is the only one that sounds worth checking out. But I have to ask if Alec is trolling with his choice. Last Christmas is one of the worst Christmas songs of all time. I utterly loathe and despise that song. If he really does enjoy it, that makes me strongly question his fitness as the lead fact checker for The Dispatch.

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      Nick H

      OK, not really on that last part. 😛

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    Braden S.

    As I was scrolling through this I kept thinking, "the Oh Hellos Christmas album would be my choice for most underrated Christmas songs." What a delight to reach the end of the article and find that was Haley's choice as well! I listen to it on repeat all December, along with the Christmas albums by Matt Maher and Kings Kaleidoscope.

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      Haley Byrd Wilt vertical-nib Author

      I didn't know Kings Kaleidoscope has a Christmas album! I'll have to listen :)

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        Braden S.

        It's an EP titled "Joy Has Dawned." I love their sound. I hope you enjoy it!

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    Matt F.

    "Frosty the Snowman" by Cocteau Twins. "Fairytale of New York" by the Pogues. And of course "Christmas at Ground Zero" by Weird Al.

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    Tricia Stevenson

    When I used to live outside of DC, the am radio station WMAL used to play "Christmas Eve in Washington" - it really is a lovely song for the city!
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1F5-vROAKNw

    I really love instrumental Christmas music - from Vince Guaraldi's Charlie Brown Christmas to Mannheim Steamroller. This year I found gorgeous piano music via a recommend on Twitter, Joel Clarkson's Midwinter Carols and Midwinter Carols Vol 2. Listen to "Of the Father's Love Begotten" . . . https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=PqJq3VAgAUU&list=OLAK5uy_l8sAcvq08OxQagzxjFItZ_D7kgFJFSDmI

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    Dustin Anglin

    Some great choices in here! Love that album by Oh Hellos, and so happy to see The Waitresses represented!

    But if you are going to pick an *NYSNC Christmas song, there is only one, and it's their a cappella rendition of O Holy Night (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHOTA4ySBSk). I distinctly remember the first time I heard it. I was not exactly a huge fan of *NSYNC despite how colossal they were in my high school years... well, likely *because* of how colossal they were in my high school years. But I remember my brother playing this song for me from a mix CD he had made for his then girlfriend, now wife. He was insistent it would change my mind about the group, and I remember being floored by how much vocal talent was on display. It was the first time I had considered that *NYSNC was made of talented musicians, not just well marketed ones. It was a song that opened my mind to the idea that boy bands weren't *only* popular for their ephemeral tween girl appeal. :)

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  8. LucyTrice

    Thanks so much for all the suggestions- I have been in need of new Christmas music for a long time.

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    Torsius

    Elizabeth Mitchell’s “The Sounding Joy.”
    https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_n20j5KYhDxtH2ewBgDGWWzv-tuAoJ25RE

    A double album of folk Christmas songs with great singing by weird and wonderful singers.

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    Linda Beggs

    Since we're talking about underrated Christmas songs, I'll add three:

    1. Snowfall by Henry Mancini
    This sophisticated instrumental calls out for a warm fire and a cold cocktail--preferably served in a vintage glass. I suggest a White Christmas martini.

    2. Above the Northern Lights by Mannheim Steamroller
    My family listened to this song while driving through forest from Salt Lake City into Jackson Hole Wyoming on a snowy night for a lovely Christmas holiday. Truly magical. ❄

    https://music.amazon.com/albums/B00A8AE8T6?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&ref=dm_sh_pqJ4qDrNy2XKMm4fChdSHQTML&trackAsin=B00A8AEHD8

    3. It's Christmas by Cy Timmons
    Cy owned a little cafe/bar in Atlanta called Cafe Erewhon (Nowhere spelled backwards) in the 70s. Very popular spot where he amazed a devoted following (including me) with his vocals and amazing guitar skills. This sweet song feels nostalgic the first time you hear it. Good luck finding it in stores or online. I suppose he's content to being "The World's Greatest Unknown" (another song of his).

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lZDk38-Fg4

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    1. Avatar photo
      Linda Beggs

      Forgot to include the link to the Snowfall: https://music.amazon.com/albums/B00A8AE8T6?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&ref=dm_sh_pqJ4qDrNy2XKMm4fChdSHQTML&trackAsin=B00A8AEHD8

      Also, the link to the song of "It's Christmas" is made by a fan. Well intended I'm sure but a little cringy. I suggest just listening to the song and skip the video. 😬

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