Mick Foley Blogs
MICK’S TOP 25 CHRISTMAS SONGS
As one of those year-round, Christmas music enthusiasts, I have often thought of compiling a list of my favorite Christmas songs – a follow up of sorts to a top 10 list from my 2001 book, “Foley is Good.” I kept putting it off, knowing that compiling a thorough list would take time and energy. But here it finally is – a combination of beloved classics and some that you might not be so familiar with. I would consider it an honor if anyone made a playlist and utilized my selections during their yuletide festivities.
Kicking off the list, from numbers 25–21 are the showtunes: songs best known or originally performed on TV shows or movies.
25) ”Santa’s Coming Tonight Tonight” – SpongeBob SquarePants. Clocking in at less than a minute, every precious second is filled with the earnestness of young SpongeBob trying to bring Christmas to Bikini Bottom.
24) ”NorthPole, North Pole” – Martin Short. Marty sings the heck out of this “New York, New York” inspired show-stopper from the 2006 movie “The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Claus”.
23) ”My World is Beginning Today” – Robie Lester. Lester was the voice behind Miss Jessica/Mrs Claus in the 1970 Rankin/Bass animated classic “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town”. In the song, Jessica literally lets her hair down, transforming from frigid school-marm into heavy lidded flower child; one of the most startling metamorphoses this side of “The Incredible Hulk”. My wife seems to be perfectly OK with my lifelong obsession with a claymation figure.
22) ”Heat Miser/Snow Miser” – “The Year Without a Santa Claus. I remember when this premiered on ABC in 1974, and it was an instant hit at my elementary school. A tune I can be heard randomly singing throughout the house on a year-round basis.
21) ”Christmas is All Around” – Bill Nighy. I recently figured out why I’m in no rush to re-watch “Love Actually” every year. I’m just not that interested in four of the seven story lines. But I love, absolutely love, Nighy’s depiction of aging rocker Billy Mack, whose self-described “festering turd of a song” takes off on a rocket ride to the top of the charts. For many a year, I can be heard walking around the Foley home singing, “if you really love Christmas, come on and let it snow.” I’m guessing some of you have, too. In case, you’re wondering, the other storylines I really enjoy are: Hugh Grant’s romance, the friend who is secretly in love with Kiera Knightly, and Liam Neeson trying to pull his life together (and be a good dad) after the loss of his wife. The story lines I could do without? The nude models finding love, Emma Thompson’s crummy husband, the one guy landing, and possibly attractive Nordic women and Colin Firth falling in love in record time on the rebound. But Billy Mack rules…so come on and let it snow!
20) ”Calling on Mary” – Aimee Mann. It has been said that great songs are open to interpretation. Well, I have listened to this song from Mann’s eclectic 2006 Holiday album, “One More Drifter in the Snow” literally hundreds of times during the course of my travels – and I still have no idea what it’s about. But it’s beautiful, and sad, and has often kept me company on long, lonely, late night winter drives.
19) ”They Knelt in Silent Prayer” – Charlie Pride. The owner of one of the purest voices in country music history, Pride ventures outside his country comfort zone on a handful of tunes on his outstanding 1970 album “Christmas in my Hometown”. Indeed, this song, which I stumbled into only recently, feels like it would be right at home in a Cecil B DeMille Hollywood extravaganza. It’s a powerhouse, biblical tune; one that I’m trying to convince my son to perform a Christian metal version of. Definitely a hidden gem and well worth discovering.
18) ”Up on the Housetop” – Eddie Arnold. Written in 1857, this song is considered to be the second oldest secular Christmas Carol (after Jingle Bells) and the first to focus primarily on Santa Claus. For me, it’s one of those special songs that instantly bring back memories of the childhood magic of Christmas. I go back-and-forth between the Gene Autry version and this gentle Eddie Arnold offering – but decided to give Arnold the nod on this list.
17) ”Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” – Twisted Sister. Sure, Judy Garland’s tender version gets most of the credit, but Dee Snider and the boys turn Garland’s mournful plea into a rocking command. With Snider at the helm, having yourself a merry little Christmas is not merely an option…it’s mandatory!
16) ”Let it Be Christmas” – Allan Jackson. One of the very best contemporary Christmas songs, it’s filled with optimism, and is one of the most thoughtful dissertations on keeping the spirit of Christmas alive throughout the year.
15) ”Must Be Santa” – Mitch Miller & the Gang. A perennial Foley family favorite when I was a child, this is the tune that stands out most clearly in an album packed with Miller’s instantly recognizable sing-along style of music. I liked the version so much (far better than Bob Dylan’s rushed version) that I convinced Norah Jones, Catherine Popper, and Sasha Dobson to learn it so I could accompany them as Santa Claus on vocals. Just Google “Norah Jones” and “Must be Santa” to see the results.
14) ”The Little Drummer Boy” – Bob Seger. Just a fantastic reimagining that turns the solemn classic into a rollicking, but no less touching tune.
13) ”Here Comes Santa Claus” – Gene Autry. While songs written during the World War II years waxed nostalgic about Christmases long ago (White Christmas) or Christmases far away (I’ll be Home For Christmas”)the post-war years immediately turned out ebullient tunes like this one.
12) ”There is No Christmas Like a Home Christmas” – Perry Como. Many years ago, I once saw an SCTV skit, “Perry Como: Still Alive” with Como (referred to by John Candy as “Mr Relaxation”) singing 70’s disco standards (“I Will Survive”, “I Love the Night Life, I’ve Got to Boogie”) in increasingly more relaxing situations: being propped up by his back-up dancers, in a lounge chair, laying in bed with a microphone on his pillow. In the interest of research, I just rewatched the skit, and found it every bit as ridiculous and hilarious as I did back in 1981. But there is no doubt that Como’s music is relaxing…it just took me a while to realize that is a good thing! This selection is not particularly well known, but it immediately brings back memories of all the great childhood Christmases I shared with my family. Give it a listen… and see if you don’t find yourself, feeling instantly more relaxed!
11) ”We Three Kings” – Tori Amos. Upon hearing that she was working on a holiday album, I personally told Tori Amos, that this was like it of the Reese’s peanut butter cup of Christmas albums for me – one of my very favorite singers taking a deep dive into my favorite musical genre. The resulting album, “Midwinter Graces” is one of my favorite from beginning to end with Tori, taking on some lesser-known deep cuts, as well as putting her own touches and lyrics into some better known classics. That’s the case with this tune, in which she breathes new life into a revered Christmas classic.
10) ”Happy Holiday” – Andy Williams. William’s take on the classic 1942 Irving Berlin composition, puts me in the Christmas mood immediately. As a matter fact, I’m watching one of Andy Williams 1970’s Christmas specials as I write this. I have personally modified this song for my Cameo video purposes, turning it into a Mother’s Day, song, Father’s Day song, a Hanukkah song, as well as giving my take on the Christmas classic.
9) ”Good King Wenceslas” – Blackmore’s Night. “Winter Carols” is another one of my go-to albums – with this version of the closet classic clocking in as my favorite. I actually have no idea who King Wenceslas was, or what his connection to Christmas is – but it doesn’t seem to matter when Candice Knight is laying down these sumptuous vocals, while husband Ritchie Blackmore backs her up with guitar work every bit as masterful as his legendary rock riffs from “Deep Purple” and “Rainbow”.
😎 ”Holly Jolly Christmas” – Burl Ives. I believe this is one of the few songs specifically written for a TV special that has broken through to become a perennial Christmas classic. Keep in mind “Rudolph” was a song first, before it became a TV show, as was “Frosty”. This is Dude Love’s absolute favorite tune on Cameo, with the lyrics changed just slightly to “ Have a Holly Jolly Christmas, but please don’t you be rude. Say hello to those friends, you know, though they’re not as cool as the Dude.” And for those who might not be wrestling fans looking at this list, Dude Love (created in 1984) absolutely was “The Dude” before Jeff Bridges!
7) ”The Christmas Visitor” – Johnny Cash. No one did the talk-song quite like Johnny Cash, and this is the best of a very good bunch. No matter how many times I listen, the ending always gets me. For those looking for the reason for the season, this one packs an emotional punch.
6) ”Hands” – Jewel. Already one of my favorite songs, the lush orchestration of this holiday version of “Hands” is just gorgeous. If you don’t consider “Hands” to be a holiday tune, then, just place Jewel’s “Joy to the World” in this spot. I have been most fortunate to have played a small role in Jewel’s Christmas traditions over the years, stepping up to do handwritten letters and videos when the big guy himself is a little too busy.
5) ”Father Christmas” – The Kinks. Quite simply, the finest Rock and Roll Christmas tune of them all. End of discussion!
4) ”Frosty the Snowman” – The Partridge Family. No, I’m not joking; I love this song! As a matter of fact, I love almost every song on their 1971 “Christmas Card” album. In doing a little research to see if the Partridge Family was the first to record a somber version of the usually peppy song, I came across an article from Esquire that referred to the Partridge Family version as the best recording of the worst Christmas song ever. While I wholeheartedly disagree with the idea that Frosty is a terrible song, I do love the poignancy with which David Cassidy sings about Frosty’s plight – giving the distinct impression that the rapidly melting fellow might not be coming back again someday. Who’s kidding who here? Frosty dies at the end of the song. David Cassidy knew it, I know it – and now you know it too!
3) ”Oh Holy Night” – Nat King Cole. I remember my parents playing “The Magic of Christmas” (renamed “The Christmas Song” in later releases) over and over – one of a stack of LPs that would drop one after another every day from Thanksgiving until New Year’s. Although other notable singers have tackled this timeless tune with far more range and bombast, no one will ever sing a better, more soothing version than Nat King Cole.
2) “Jolly Old St Nicholas” – Chet Atkins. Two Christmases ago, I sang this song as part of a Cameo video – and when I looked up, my wife was wiping away tears. She thought it was beautiful – not my voice, but the earnestness with which my Mankind character sang it. In this version of the song, the lyrics take a backseat to Chet Atkins incredibly nimble guitar picking, with just a few notes instantly taking me back to a simpler time.
1) ”Old Toy Trains” – Roger Miller. I think everyone has an image in their mind of exactly who Santa is and what he looks like. For some reason, this 1967 tune from legendary songwriter Roger Miller – written about his two-year-old son’s resistance to going to sleep on Christmas Eve – immediately brings that image into my mind. Clocking in at just over two minutes in length, I can listen to it 10 times in a row, sometimes more. The Joe Nichols version is pretty darn good as well.
Thanks for checking my list out. Let me know what you think on Facebook and Instagram!