Ink Tea Stone Leaf

The following posts contains spoilers for the Christmas Party I will be hosting on December 25th of this year. If you will be attending this party, consider whether you wish to know what music you will hear ahead of time, or whether you would like to be surprised.

In recent weeks, and thanks to the magic of library cards, Ariele and I have considerably augmented our digital library of Christmas music. As we will be hosting family at our home for the day, I thought that rather than rely on such an impersonal device as shuffling, a worthy use of my time might be to craft this raw material into a custom program of holiday cheer, encompassing the secular, the spiritual, the seasonal, and the slapstick.

Using MusicBee, I gathered my files and began the process of rolling them out and pressing them into festive shape. To maintain playlist discipline and achieve a premium of quality and listen-ability, I (mostly) avoided multiple versions of the same tune, and imposed a limit of 100 tracks; the result comes to just over 5 hours, which should allow it to last through the party with ease, after which we may resort to playing full albums, or even shuffling through them if we’re feeling naughty.

Perhaps you would like to avoid the painstaking work of assembling your own playlist, and would prefer to do the painstaking work of replicating mine. If this is the case, this post is for you, friend. Without further ado, here with artists, the albums I got them from, and additional commentary, are the contents of “Christmassy Tracks,” a playlist for the ages.

1. Uwa!! So Holiday♫ / toby fox, UNDERTALE Soundtrack
2. Snowdin Town

Two short instrumental pieces with a wintry theme from a 2015 video game serve as a kind of gentle overture to the playlist. The soundtrack as a whole is one of my favorite examples video game music, worth listening to any time of year.

3. The Man with All the Toys / The Beach Boys, The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album

This is a song that could have easily come out of the landscape established by the opening tracks. It’s a strange little tune: very short, with a highly unconventional arrangement reliant on pauses. An underappreciated classic.

4. O Little Town of Bethlehem / Nat King Cole, Christmas Favorites

The first religious installment on the list welcomes you to the birthplace of the reason for the season, on the very night in question. There are millions of versions of this song, but I’ve always like Cole’s, and he keeps things mellow at the start.

5. O l’heureuse journée / The Boston Camerata, Joel Cohen, Noël, Noël! Noëls Francais: French Christmas Music 1200-1600

The percussion part strongly reminds me of a track from the music of Ocarina of Time. I’d never heard this tune before, but it brought a smile to my face.

6. Here We Come A-Wassailing / Steve Schuch & The Night Heron Consort, Putumayo Presents: Christmas Around the World

A good follow-up, I thought, to a traditional French carol is a traditional English one. I wish we heard Wassailing more often.

7. A Christmas Song / Jethro Tull, The Jethro Tull Christmas Album

A cozy-sounding song with a conscience. I love the flute, and when it’s Jethro Tull you really have to.

8. ‘Zat You, Santa Claus? / The Electric Mayhem, The Muppets: A Green and Red Christmas

I’ve always liked this goofy, jazzy, almost spooky song, and I love the fact that it’s performed by Muppets even more.

9. Jingle in the Jungle / Steven Davis, & Kelvin Chow-Min Yu, The Bob’s Burgers Music Album

This is just silly nonsense, and I could not help myself.

10. Holly Jolly Christmas / Dolly Parton, A Holly Dolly Christmas

A cornerstone of any Christmas that aspires to be thoroughly jolly, sung by Dolly Parton, who is always welcome. Reading the title, artist, and album all in a row is a bit of a tongue twister.

11. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings / Barenaked Ladies featuring Sarah McLachlan, Barenaked for the Holidays

This is an excellent medley and a really dynamic, jazzed-up arrangement. It really brings the fun to what are otherwise extremely sober songs.

12. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer / Ray Charles, A Jazz & Blues Christmas

Not to say that the material necessarily needs elevating, but Ray Charles absolutely does elevate any material he touches. This is an absolute groove.

13. Step Into Christmas / Elton John, Elton John’s Christmas Party

This song basically sounds like any other Elton John original, which is to say that it bounces, swings, and cannot be denied. The lyrics are on point.

14. Santa Baby / Emilie-Claire Barlow, A Jazz & Blues Christmas

Yes, the song is cheesy, but it’s fun, and I love the way Barlow sings it with what is clearly a wide grin on her face, without too much coy pretense.

15. Silver Bells / Bing Crosby, White Christmas

I’ve always liked this song a lot, ever since I learned to sing it in elementary school. It’s such a nostalgic song that I had to have the Bing Crosby-est version I could find for this one, and here we are.

16. What Child is This / Vince Guaraldi Trio, A Charlie Brown Christmas

When I listened to this classic soundtrack again this year, I was particularly struck by the way Guaraldi transforms the traditional Greensleeves melody. I almost put the longer bonus track on instead, but I think I actually like this take better.

17. O Holy Night (Po Hemolele) / Joanie & Ruth Komatsu, Hawaiian Slack Key Christmas

This is one of the greatest Christmas melodies of all, and it sounds gorgeous with Hawaiian lyrics. I particularly like how the songs on this collection do not strain to play up the imagined contrast between a tropical climate and a holiday so closely tied to cold weather; it all sounds perfectly natural, as it should.

18. Chantons Noël menons joyeuse vie / Pierre Certon, The Boston Camerata, Joel Cohen, Noël, Noël! Noëls Francais: French Christmas Music 1200-1600

I thought the previous track would pair well with another traditional French tune. This shall be a very worldly Christmas indeed.

19. Angels We Have Heard on High / Josh Groban featuring Brian McKnight, Noël

This song adds a bit of musical drama to the mix. I enjoy the way Groban so conscientiously pronounces the word excelsis.

20. Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24 / Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Christmas Eve and Other Stories

Here by popular demand to turn the drama up to 11, for when you want your Christmas music to sound like the Yugoslav Wars.

21. The Christmas Song / Nat King Cole, Christmas Favorites

I often say that there are certain melodies that seem to have been discovered rather than composed, much like Michelangelo would speak of uncovering figures from raw blocks of marble. Within the world of holiday music, I would say this song best evokes that feeling. Impossible not to include.

22. On Christmas Day / Brian Wilson, What I Really Want for Christmas

Listening closely, I’m not sure the lyrics make logical sense all the time (Frosty’s melting, but it’s starting to snow?), but it’s a very well crafted tune.

23. What Christmas Means to Me / Stevie Wonder, Someday at Christmas

Just a bumpin’ tune suffused with childlike seasonal joy, by one of the most infectiously joyous singers of all time.

24. A Christmas Carol (Live) / Tom Lehrer, The Remains of Tom Lehrer

A little joke to follow up on the previous track, wherein the 20th Century’s premier musical satirist elucidates the true meaning of Christmas, as it is observed in the United States. I chose the live version because I love the stage talk too much to leave it out.

25. Run Rudolph Run / Chuck Berry, Elton John’s Christmas Party

While we’re in a funny mood, why not a rock n’ roll spoof on an old favorite? Incidentally, I only just learned this year that the song’s original title is not “Run, Run, Rudolph,” regardless of what Chuck is singing.

26. Santa’s Beard / They Might Be Giants, Lincoln

Call it a punk rock “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,” except instead of Mommy, it’s a wife of dubious fidelity. I’ve always thought it was hilarious, and I wish it was on more Christmas playlists.

27. Here Comes Santa Claus / The Ramsey Lewis Trio, A Jazz and Blues Christmas

If you love mid-century jazz trios, you know that Ramsey Lewis had one of the best. The groove he finds for this song is incredibly catchy, much like just about everything else he played.

28. Stone Soul Christmas / Binky Griptite

No, I wasn’t finished being funny. I first heard this song a couple of years ago on the jazz station; it’s a holiday rewrite of Laura Nyro’s “Stoned Soul Picnic,” and it’s far too funky and silly to either exist or be left off of this playlist. I downloaded it specifically for this, I have no idea what album you might find it on. Check it out if you can find it (you can find it on Youtube).

29. Winter Festival / ConcernedApe, Stardew Valley OST

This is the first of several bits I’ve included from Stardew Valley, a game which is at its heart about the cycle of seasons. This track plays when the player and the townsfolk gather for a vaguely Christmas-themed holiday to exchange gifts, so it’s suitably festive.

30. Adeste Fideles / Nat King Cole, Christmas Favorites

It seemed like a good time to return to the religious side of things, for the religious folks and for lovers a good hymn regardless. I always like versions of “O Come All Ye Faithful” that include the original Latin. I chose Cole over Crosby, I don’t regret it.

31. Three Songs of Christmas: Advent / I Sonatori, I Sonatori Play Music by Christopher M. Wicks
32. Three Songs of Christmas: The Oxen
33. Three Songs of Christmas: The Savior Must Have Been

This is a mini-suite by a composer from around these parts (Marion County, Oregon), so I thought it would add a nice dash of local flavor, as well as a bit of something not commonly found.

34. Christmas Island / Jimmy Buffet, Christmas Island

Not the original version of course, but was anybody ever more suited to sing it? It’s basically the opposite of the spirit I endorsed in the actual Polynesian music in this playlist, but hey, I’m not anti-fun.

35. St. Nicholas / Sheryl Cormier & Cajun Sounds, Putumayo Presents: Christmas Around the World

Speaking of Christmas from unusual climes, more playlists could use a good dash of zydeco. Accordion!

36. Let it Snow / Oscar Peterson, An Oscar Peterson Christmas

Back to the conventionally cold weather. A beautiful rendition of a purely seasonal song, by an uncommonly graceful pianist (with some very nice vibraphone accents). I have several other selections from this album here, as it’s basically the coziest thing imaginable.

37. Wizards in Winter / Trans-Siberian Orchestra, The Lost Christmas Eve

A flourish from that rarest of things, a heavy metal Christmas rock opera. Call it a response to the previous track; this part of the playlist is supposed to suggest a blizzard, you see.

38. Winter (Nocturne of Ice) / ConcernedApe, Stardew Valley OST

The storm has calmed, but it’s left behind an icy aftermath. I told you, there is sometimes a method to all this madness.

39. We Three Kings of Orient Are / The Beach Boys, The Beach Boys Christmas Album

The vocal arrangement is incredibly tight, and it gives the song an ethereal, almost spooky quality. Definitely one of my favorite versions of a classic melody for long winter journeys.

40. One Toy Soldier / Enya, And Winter Came…

This song in particular gives me a sense of being out in the snow again, not for hardship but for play. It’s very charming.

41. Journey Through the Snow/Waltz of the Snowflakes / Eugene Ormandy, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker Ballet Suite

This is the last “winter weather” piece for a while, and it’s also the longest track on the playlist, at nearly ten minutes. We have been walking through the snow for a while now, but we’ve come to an enchanted place. This is a well-known version of the suite, and it really sells the enchantment.

42. Christmas Must Be Tonight / The Band, Elton John’s Christmas Party

It’s a special quality of the Band that they wrote original songs with such an earthy, folksy character that you can’t quite believe that they aren’t traditional tunes. A very lovely nativity tale.

43. Away in a Manger / Oscar Peterson, An Oscar Peterson Christmas

The muted trumpet takes the lead on this melody, and then includes a beautiful improvisation. Pure class.

44. Please Come Home for Christmas / Darlene Love, It’s Christmas, of Course

There are any number of notable covers of this song, but I went with one that isn’t well known, by a singer who deserves to be better known all around. Such a powerful voice for a song of powerful yearning.

45. Blue Christmas / Grover Washington Jr, A Jazzy Wonderland

I thought this tune paired well with the previous one. I think most people dig Washington’s saxophone stylings, even if they don’t know it. He and the band swing well here.

46. December Will Be Magic Again / Kate Bush, Elton John’s Christmas Party

Nobody writes a melody quite like Kate Bush does, or produces such dramatic arrangements. This is one of my artiest selections, and I’m including actual “art music” in that assessment. I wish this one was on more playlists too.

47. Another Christmas Song / Jethro Tull, The Jethro Tull Christmas Album

We had one (see number 7), now we have another. I can never remember most of the words, but the flute part is indelible in my mind. It’s very comfortably domestic.

48. What I Really Want for Christmas / Brian Wilson, What I Really Want for Christmas

I’d like to see this song covered more in the future, but everything about it is so characteristically latter-day Brian Wilson that it’s hard to imagine anybody else singing it. We are once again in that region approaching “art music,” however you define it.

49. Winter (The Wind Can Be Still) / ConcernedApe, Stardew Valley OST

Very serene. Play Stardew Valley if you haven’t, it’s all good like this.

50. Good King Wenceslas / Bing Crosby, White Christmas

This is the sort of song that was made to be recorded by a crooning baritone in the 40s, as it’s not the sort of thing you find in more modern pop or even jazz collections. You’ve got to reach back to the old stuff.

51. It Came Upon the Midnight Clear / Willie Nelson, Willie Nelson Christmas

Such a deep, rich piano. I love when Willie stakes out that middle ground between jazz and country that is so clearly his. This is also one of my favorite religious Christmas melodies.

52. Mele Kalikimaka la Oe (Merry Christmas to You) / George Kuo, Hawaiian Slack Key Christmas

No, it’s not that “Mele Kalikimaka.” This is much more authentic and heartfelt (and instrumental). I adore that clear, chiming sound on the guitar strings.

53. Jingle Bells / SpongeBob Squarepants, The Yellow Album

OK, this is extremely inauthentic, ukuleles not withstanding. But it’s only “Jingle Bells,” and I promise you that it’s instrumental: no singing cartoon sponges. It’s a silly bit of fun.

54. Christmas Celebration / B.B. King, A Jazz and Blues Christmas

You know exactly what a B.B. King Christmas song sounds like; this sounds exactly like that. The King is here, Lucille is here, that undeniable shuffle beat is here. A solid jam.

55. Winter Wonderland / Wynton Marsalis, A Jazzy Wonderland

A jaunty, improvisational take on the classic melody that is never anything but fun to listen to. Don’t let anybody tell you jazz is no fun.

56. (Just Another) Wet Seattle Christmas / The Double Tall Skinny Singers, Best of Christmas in the Northwest

Some more local flavor for you, in the form of a coffee-themed spoof of Carol of the Bells. Also a weird little grunge interlude in the middle that defies explanation. It sure does rain a lot in this part of the world!

57. Santa Baby / Miss Piggy, The Muppets: A Green and Red Christmas

An ironic (?) reprise of track 14. I think it would have been even better if Frank Oz was still voicing Piggy, but it’s still funny.

58. Hanukkah Oh Hanukkah / Barenaked Ladies, Barenaked for the Holidays

A very catchy detour away from Christmastown. We’re barenaked for more than one holiday. And this year Hannukah happens to begin on December 25th, so there’s even more synergy than usual.

59. Christmas Waltz / Oscar Peterson, An Oscar Peterson Christmas

The piano and bass are the heroes for this tune, but there are so many nice instrumental touches and the whole of it is lovely. I was actually not previously familiar with this one, though I understand it’s a Sinatra classic. I don’t have any Sinatra Christmas music, though.

60. Christmas is Coming / The Muppets / John Denver and the Muppets: A Christmas Together

I only have this album on vinyl, actually, but I had to track this song down for this playlist because it is personal favorite and in-joke between Ariele and myself. Contemplate with us the meaning of Gonzo’s reaction to the line “the goose is getting fat.”

61. The Spirits of Christmas / Kevin Kline, The Bob’s Burgers Music Album

An unhinged tribute to the various liquors that get you through the holidays. Mostly just the one.

62. Good Morning Blues / Ella Fitzgerald, Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas

You wouldn’t have guessed it from the song title, but it’s a Christmas song alright. It was apparently written by Count Basie, Eddie Durham, and Jimmy Rushing, but there’s an older song with the same name by Lead Belly, with a very similar verse to this song’s “good morning blues, blues how do you do.” That one is not a Christmas song, so don’t get them confused. Fitzgerald sings perfectly for the occasion.

63. River / Joni Mitchell, Blue

The height of holiday melancholy; we can go no further. It’s amazing how the music of this song (which quotes “Jingle Bells” in the intro and outro) is so well integrated with the sound of the rest of Blue, which is uniformly beautiful. However, I could not justify putting the entirety of Blue on a Christmas playlist.

64. Merry Christmas Baby / Otis Redding, Elton John’s Christmas Party

It’s another blues but not, you know, a sad one. We’re moving on from melancholy, and into the soulful and funky for a moment. Otis Redding was a master of his craft, and I love the tone on that organ.

65. Elf’s Lament / Barenaked Ladies, Barenaked for the Holidays

No Christmas is complete without a little labor union activism and solidarity with the working class. The lyrics are very clever, and there is some very nice harmony work too, so it’s beautiful to boot.

66. Frosty the Snowman / The Ronettes, Elton John’s Christmas Party

Veronica and the girls sound excellent, but what really makes this track is Hal Blaine’s drums, especially the parts where he comes in right after a pause in the music.

67. Christmas Time is Here (Vocal) / Vince Guaraldi Trio, A Charlie Brown Christmas

In deciding between this version and the instrumental, I went with the vocals, because I thought it would hit people more squarely in the nostalgia organ. But listen to the trio’s playing, too.

68. Christmas in Hollis / Run-DMC

I think this song is on a bunch of compilations; I used to have it on one, before my old hard drive blew up. But I got this one from the nebulous web, because I wanted to add another splash of the funky.

69. The Man with the Bag / The Electric Mayhem, The Muppets: A Green and Red Christmas

I do enjoy the micro-subgenre of Santa-Claus-as-hepcat songs, and I enjoy them just as much when sung by swinging Muppet bands.

70. Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town / Bruce Springsteen, Elton John’s Christmas Party

The full power of Clarence Clemons’s saxophone is behind this one. Springsteen is in a silly mood, and so is the guy doing the bass vocals. Everybody’s having so much fun, you’ve got to love it.

71. Feliz Navidad / Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Have Yourself a Meaty Little Christmas

A straightforward-ish take on the original, which quickly devolves into parody lyrics about menu highlights at a Mexican restaurant. Too silly, but I always thought this song needed more words anyway.

72. Ave Maria / Stevie Wonder, Someday at Christmas

When I think of this song, I always think of Stevie. I put it right after the one before because I was feeling like a funny guy, and thought the sacred and the profane might play nice together.

73. Près Bethléem dans une éstable / Jehan Bonfons, Pierre Passereau, The Boston Camerata, Joel Cohen, Noël, Noël! Noëls Francais: French Christmas Music 1200-1600

Lest anybody think the profane have the upper hand, I gave the sacred a little back-up.

74. Petit Papa Noël / Josh Groban, Noël

The singing in French continues, and this lovely tune lends further credence to my theory that Santa Claus may, in fact, be tiny.

75. O Tannenbaum / Vince Guaraldi Trio, A Charlie Brown Christmas

Guaraldi’s Peanuts music is often credited with introducing people to their first taste of jazz. In this sense, his take on “O Tannenbaum” is both flawless and a highly effective demonstration of the principles involved in taking a familiar tune and, literally, jazzing it up. Listen well, children.

76. Deck the Halls / Cuba L.A., Putumayo Presents: Christmas Around the World

The essence of this song is being festive, strewing holly boughs about and all that. It yearns for a Caribbean beat.

77. Jingle Bell Rock / Ozzie Kotani, Hawaiian Slack Key Christmas

No fuss, just a very relaxed instrumental take on an already relaxed rocker. Rock like the gentle swaying of a hammock.

78. Variation I/Variation II (Dance of the Sugar-Plum Fairy)/Coda / Eugene Ormandy, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker Ballet Suite

It’s getting late in the playlist; time for the children to sleep and dream of sugar plums. I am always fascinated by the faintness of the celesta melody. I wonder if, in the midst of the party, it will even be audible.

79. Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) / Darlene Love, A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records

The funny thing is, there’s not really that much to this song, per se. It transcends the sum of its parts by leaps. I had to track it down and put it here.

80. 2000 Miles / The Pretenders, Elton John’s Christmas Party

Building on the previous track is another beautiful song about missing some one during the holidays. It’s a sad one, but it doesn’t sound as sad as it could be.

81. Little St. Nick / The Beach Boys, The Beach Boys Christmas Album

Did you know there are two versions of this song? The one on the album was done after the single release, and removed the sleigh bells and other overdubs. I don’t really get the reasoning behind that, so here’s the single version.

82. Father Christmas / The Kinks, Come Dancing with the Kinks: The Best of The Kinks 1977–1986

This is simply the best straight-ahead rock song in the Christmas canon. It’s also a classic Kinks song: irreverent, incisive, and incredibly fun, even if it is about class conflict and youth violence.

83. Santa’s Blues / Charles Brown, A Jazz and Blues Christmas

I thought Santa might be feeling a little blue after getting beat up by those British kids, but this tune is cool and uptempo, and I think he’ll be alright. It’s really more like the singer has the blues, and expects Santa to do something about it.

84. Christmas Magic (Bob’s Buskers) / The National, The Bob’s Burgers Music Album

This sounds like it should be less ridiculous, based on the mood it sets, but it is actually thoroughly ridiculous music from a cartoon. That’s what I like about it.

85. Winter (Ancient) / ConcernedApe, Stardew Valley OST

Another piece of seasonal mood music from what will surely prove to be a modern classic. The bass parts are especially cool.

86. Concerto no. 4 in F minor “Winter”: I. Allegro non molto / Renato Fasano, Virtuosi di Roma, Vivaldi: The Four Seasons
87. Concerto no. 4 in F minor “Winter”: II. Largo
88. Concerto no. 4 in F minor “Winter”: III. Allegro

Of course, if you want to talk about seasonal mood music, you cannot leave out Antonio Vivaldi. Here is one quarter of his famous suite, specifically the holiday-relevant quarter. Vivaldi’s vision of winter is incredibly dynamic and lively.

89. A Visit from St. Nicholas / Jimmy Buffet, Christmas Island

It’s the famous poem, read straight in Buffet’s folksy twang, over some twinkly background music. Charming.

90. White Christmas / Bing Crosby, White Christmas

Statistically, you have almost certainly heard this one. I enjoy Bing’s doofy little wordplay in the intro; the rest is the sonic equivalent of a mug of hot cocoa.

91. Snowy / toby fox, UNDERTALE Soundtrack

As we near the end of this playlist, I thought the thing to do would be to bring it all back to the beginning, with another fantastically evocative midi-piano piece. It’s short, and it’s gorgeous.

92. Joy to the World / Brian Wilson, What I Really Want for Christmas

Wilson harmonizes with himself via multi-track, and it sounds like the inside of a very pretty snow globe.

93. Spotlight on Christmas / Rufus Wainwright, Elton John’s Christmas Party

Here begins a set of socially conscious songs, starting with an ironic yet compelling march for social justice. Not many Christmas songs have words like “you can measure it in blood,” or sound this nice about it.

94. Happy Xmas (War Is Over) / John Lennon, Working Class Hero – The Definitive Lennon

There’s some unfortunately outdated ethnic terminology in this song, but you can’t knock the intentions, or the broader message.

95. Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy / David Bowie, Bing Crosby

This is a genuine favorite of mine, one of the best examples of putting a meaningful twist on an old chestnut. Bowie’s countermelody is a good idea done right, and the lyrics should be taken seriously.

96. Someday at Christmas / Stevie Wonder, Someday at Christmas

I’m not afraid to say this could easily be my favorite Christmas song. However much people play it, it isn’t enough. It’s hopeful, which is not to say it’s optimistic; it just won’t close the door on optimism.

97. Pretty Paper / Willie Nelson, Willie Nelson Christmas

Here is a song about people who are too easily forgotten during the holidays. Willie sings with such empathy, you can only hope it carries through to the listener. It desperately needs to.

98. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas / John Legend, Esperanza Spalding, A Legendary Christmas

Their approaches are a little different, but the two singers complement each other very well on this modern jazz arrangement. Incidentally, Spalding is from Portland, so call this another splash of local color for the road.

99. Silent Night / Nancy Wilson, Kimiko Itoh, A Jazzy Wonderland

One last nativity song, sung in style by two incredible ladies of jazz, with a little Bach between the verses for good measure. It’s maximalist, and very pretty.

100. Auld Lang Syne / The Beach Boys, The Beach Boys Christmas Album

I don’t know a cooler vocal arrangement of this song, and I’ll bet you don’t either.