The Five Best Christmas/Yule Songs Of All Time, In Your Opinion Are?
By Darkwing
@Darkwing (21583)
December 6, 2008 4:27pm CST
Being Pagan, of course I prefer Yule songs to Christmas ones, but I'm not averse to listening to Christmas ones. I think my favourite Yule song would be Jethro Tull's, 'Solstice Bells', which in fact, I was sent for Yule last year, and although Blackmore's Night mention Christmas, I love their basically pagan 'Christmas Eve'. I've posted the links to videos of both these songs below, if anybody's interested.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=6qcPS-J0HTg
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=rWaetIbRd-8
Besides these, the pagan community has changed words of other popular Christmas songs and carols, to align them with Yule. I love them all. Here are the pagan lyrics which are sung to the tune of 'Silent Night'.
Silent night, Solstice Night
All is calm, all is bright
Nature slumbers in forest and glen
Till in Springtime She wakens again
Sleeping spirits grow strong!
Sleeping spirits grow strong!
Silent night, Solstice night
Silver moon shining bright
Snowfall blankets the slumbering Earth
Yule fires welcome the Sun's rebirth
Hark, the Light is reborn!
Hark, the Light is reborn!
Silent night, Solstice night
Quiet rest till the Light
Turning ever the rolling Wheel
Brings the winter to comfort and heal
Rest your spirit in peace!
Rest your spirit in peace!
Isn't that beautiful? The words were adapted by Ellen Reed.
As far as popular Christmas songs go, I like The Pogues with 'New York Fairy Tale', (The Bells Are Ringing out on Christmas Day). This is a typically Irish folk-type song which is very bouncy and makes you feel great. I'm going to give you my top five... perhaps you could reciprocate with your top five favourite Christmas/Yule songs of all time.
1. Solstice Bells - Jethro Tull
2. Christmas Eve - Blackmore's Night
3. Winter Solstice Song - Lisa Thiel
4. New York Fairy Tale - The Pogues and Kirsty Macoll
5. Two Thousand Miles - The Pretenders
So do you go for the main favourites like Slade, Wizzard and Cliff Richard? Tell me your favourites. You might well remind me of some others I like. I quite like Chris De Burgh's, but I ran out of numbers. 
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6 responses
@lronMaiden (993)
• Finland
5 Jan 09
Dunno but the best christmas album is absolutely Twisted Sister's 'Twisted Christmas' 
It has the best christmas songs ever made 
It has the best christmas songs ever made 1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
11 Jan 09
But "Bring Your Daughter to The Slaughter" is hardly a Christmas song, and being released on Christmas Eve, it didn't even have chance to climb the charts and become Christmas number one. No... I think they ought to do something relating to Christmas.
1 person likes this
@lronMaiden (993)
• Finland
7 Jan 09
Hopefully they'll do a christmas album some day... But Bring Your Daughter... To The Slaughter single was released christmas eve of 1991
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@Darkwing (21583)
•
7 Dec 08
It was a promo video, very rare apparently, but it holds all the true meanings of the Winter Solstice. I love it too.
Now, that must be an American one, which I've never heard of. I thought you were pulling my leg when you listed 'Grandmaw Got Run Over By A Reindeer'... how funny! Then I thought that maybe it's not so different from 'When Santa Got Stuck Up The Chimney'! Ya know, my Grandson loved the Santa one, and I had to teach him all the words. He always sang it coming up to Christmas and on Christmas Day... bless him. I miss him so much. 
But, he would have been nineteen now, and probably out with his friends a lot of the time, and the Santa song would have been forgotten. At least I have in my memory a picture of him singing it.
Brightest Blessings my friend, and thank you for your contribution. xx
But, he would have been nineteen now, and probably out with his friends a lot of the time, and the Santa song would have been forgotten. At least I have in my memory a picture of him singing it.
Brightest Blessings my friend, and thank you for your contribution. xx
@rosettaresearch (1285)
• United States
9 Dec 08
Okay, I like really sappy ones. It's Christmas so it is allowed.
I like the Christmas Shoes (no one else does, but I don't care). Snoopy's Christmas is cheesy, funny and sappy. And there is a special one for D.C. called "Christmas in Washington." Do not listen to this one if you are diabetic. It will cause sugar shock.
But, in general, I like all Christmas songs. It's so fun to get into the spirit of the season -- regardless of religious beliefs.
Peace on Earth, Goodwill to all.
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
20 Dec 08
It's a season to be happy for all religions my friend. We all have our time to reflect and our new beginnings to look forward to, whichever way we look at them, and yes, I agree we need to be light-hearted and have fun at this dark time of year.
I can't say I've heard any of those songs, so I will have to look them out. Thank you for your contribution and Brightest Yuletide Blessings to you and yours. xx
@danishcanadian (28955)
• Canada
7 Dec 08
Not sure if I can think of five titles off hand, but I will say that to me the best Christmas songs are the Danish and German ones I heard growing up as a child. The English ones just can't compare, in my opinions, to the Danish ones that I was raised on as a child. The German ones are similar because the language is similar, but I especially love the Danish ones.
@Darkwing (21583)
•
7 Dec 08
I know a bit of German and I like the sound of Christmas songs being sung in the language but I don't know many. Could you perhaps let me know some titles, apart from Oh Tannenbaum which we learned in school? I would be interested to hear them, or at least read the words.
Brightest Blessings my friend and thank you for your contribution.
@TheGreatWhiteBuffalo (4822)
• United States
7 Dec 08
Hi Darkwing,
I can't name just five,
Pagan or Christian there are so many great songs serious and silly.
Elvis and Here Comes Santa Clause, well if you are only a little depraved you might find this a bit provocative, if you stretch your imagination it might even be sensual.
I Like Bing Crosby singing Do You Hear What I Hear...
Dan Fogelberg and Auld Lang Signe (Sp?)
The Red Shoes (I just want mama to look beautiful if she meets Jesus tonight)
Anything by Karen Carpenter
Dean Martin or Frank Sinatra
Along with Tina Mcbride, Kelly Clarkson, and so many others.
So I guess you see that I could never pick just five... LOL :)
Peace and Blessings...
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
•
7 Dec 08
Ah yes, you reminded me of another. Bing Crosby's 'Do You Hear What I Hear'. That's beautiful. As for 'Here Comes Santa Claus' being provocative and maybe even sensual, well, lololol!!!
Has Kelly Clarkson actually made any Christmas songs? I think she's great... she puts so much feeling into her songs. I found it difficult choosing just five as well, but I spent a long time thinking about it and actually listening to them on YouTube first. lol.
Brightest Blessings and thank you for your contribution.
Has Kelly Clarkson actually made any Christmas songs? I think she's great... she puts so much feeling into her songs. I found it difficult choosing just five as well, but I spent a long time thinking about it and actually listening to them on YouTube first. lol.
Brightest Blessings and thank you for your contribution.@TheGreatWhiteBuffalo (4822)
• United States
10 Dec 08
I fired up my work truck this morning and headed on down the road and this song came on the radio, I thought it sounded like Kelly Clarkson and they announced the title and artist of the song sure enough it was the one I was thinking of also...
I'm sure you know 'My Grown up Christmas List' I'm sure you know how to find out more about that song maybe a link or lyrics... She does a great job on this one, just like 'A moment like this' She has to put everything into it, they put her on the spot and I'm sure she loves it. At least she should she has a lot of talent...
Peace to you, and yours,
Sincerely,
Gary
@tamarafireheart (15384)
•
7 Dec 08
Hi Darkwing,
Yes it is so beautiful words and I have just written it down, I also like The Pogues with 'New York Fairy Tale' I bought it las year, I like many Cristmas songs and ofcouse I love Cliff Richard's songs because I like him, but there are some Christmas songs that really grates on me too, my very best Christmas song is White Christmas by Bing Crosby. Bright Blessings.
Tamara
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@Darkwing (21583)
•
7 Dec 08
I think 'White Christmas' sticks with everybody. It was the number one Christmas song for many years, but I believe Slade rule the number one spot now. I do prefer the pagan ones myself. I suppose it's what we're used to listening to, and I love these adapted words to different tunes. I've made a promise to myself to learn them all. It won't be easy after knowing the words from the carols for years, but if I write them in the Yule part of my BOS, I should manage it, eventually.
Brightest Blessings and thank you for your contribution, my friend. x
