Christmas is a time to remember the nativity of Jesus Christ for his followers and also a global cultural event of merrymaking to gift-giving. It is also a time for playing Christmas tunes. Almost the entire December feels like Christmas as radios to shopping malls blast Christmas carols. While in the time of the pandemic, families might be playing their favourite Christmas songs in the background to get into the spirit of the holidays. Here are the 7 best songs we recommend to play to celebrate Christmas!
1. “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus”
This song was originally recorded by Jimmy Boyd in 1952. The song was released as the no. 1 song on Billboard charts and sold 2 million records in less than 10 weeks. The song was written by Tommie Connors and has been covered by the Jackson 5, John Mellencamp, and Amy Winehouse. In case you are wondering, this song is not about a kid seeing his mom cheat on his father with Santa Claus.
2. “Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer”
Rudolph is a fictional character created by Robert Lewis May. Rudolph is usually depicted as the youngest of Santa Claus’ reindeer. In the song, Rudolph was mocked for his red-nose as a fawn, but the brightness of his nose was so powerful it illuminated the team’s path through the harsh winter. This was a fantasy story made for American children to express the need of each child’s approval for his or her individuality. One of the best versions of this song was sung by Harry Connick Jr.
3. “All I Want For Christmas Is You”
One of the most well-known modern Christmas songs is by Mariah Carey. SHe co-wrote and co-produced “All I want for Christmas is you” with Walter Afanasieff for her fourth studio album and her first-holiday album Merry Christmas in 1994. The song reached number one in numerous countries from Australia, Canada, France, Germany and in the United States.
4. “Last Christmas”
“Last Christmas” is another popular Christmas song written by George Michael when he was 21-year-old playing in the band Wham! with his best friend Andrew Ridgeley. The song was written in 1984 and is the UK’s second most played Christmas song after The Pogues’ Fairytale of New York. This romantic Christmas pop tune was released in 1984 but did not top the charts until 2017.
5. “The Christmas Waltz”
An iconic Christmas song, “The Christmas Waltz” was written by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne for jazz great Frank Sinatra. The song was originally recorded in 1954 as the B-side of Sinatra’s recording of “White Christmas” in 195 for his album A Jolly Christmas From Frank Sinatra. A rendition of this song by indie band She and He is worth playing to get into the Christmas mood.
6. “Silver Bells”
The song “Silver Bells” became a hit song when Bing Crosby recorded a duet with Carol Richards. The song was originally written for the movie, “The Lemon Drop Kid” starring Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell in 1951. It was written by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans who were reluctant to write a Christmas song as few Christmas tunes made the hit list. Fortunately, the song became a hit and it’s based on department store Santas and Salvation Army workers tinkling their bells on New York street corners.
7. “Feliz Navidad”
Last but not least, “Feliz Navidad” is Ritmo Music Studio’s favourite Christmas tune! Most remember the song for its catchy Spanish chorus “Feliz Navidad, prospero ano y felicidad” which translates as “Merry Christmas, a prosperous year and happiness”. It was written in 1970 by Puerto Rican singer-songwriter Jose Feliciano. Check out Teacher Joel’s upbeat rendition of this popular Christmas song on his ukulele!
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