10. Simon and Garfunkel, "Silent Night/7 O'Clock News"--Brilliant. Juxtaposing the serene and mellow sounds of Simon and Garfunkel singing the best known Christmas song to the reading of the nightly news--murder, war, racism, drug overdoses, etc.

9. Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, "I Believe in Father Christmas"--Atheists sing Christmas songs too, just with bitterness and contempt. The reason is the season.

8. The Ronettes, "Frosty the Snowman"--This appeared on Phil Spector's 1963 Christmas album (buy it here), where most of the memorable Christmas songs of the 1960s appear.

7. U2, "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)"--A cover of a song from Phil Spector's Christmas album, "Baby Please Come Home" proves that U2 can do Christmas in addition to New Year's Day.

6. The Waitresses, "Christmas Wrapping"--A quirky, new-wave Christmas song that chronicles a busy year of an English lass who meets her lad at a grocery store on Christmas eve. "You mean you forgot cranberries too?"

5. John Lennon, "Happy Christmas (War Is Over)"--The two biggest Beatles each released a famous Christmas song, and, at least in this instance, preachy beat silly (Paul McCartney's "A Wonderful Christmas Time").

4. The Pretenders, "2000 Miles"--Chrissie Hynde, who bore a child to the man who sings the top song on this list, sang an awesome version of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" in addition to this original contribution.

3. Band Aid, "Do They Know It's Christmas?"--The first and best of the massive '80s charity singles, Bono's "Well tonight thank God it's them instead of you" still sends chills down the spine. The extended version with Paul McCartney, David Bowie, and others talking is really cool.

2. The Pogues, "A Fairytale of New York"--In probably the only Christmas song that gets heavy airplay on St. Patrick's Day, the Pogues and the late Kirsty MacColl explore the negative emotions the holiday season can evoke. "You scumbag, you maggot/You cheap lousy faggot/Happy Christmas your arse/I pray God it's our last." Tell me how you really feel. Check out a Matt Dillon cameo as one of NYC's finest in the video.

1. The Kinks, "Father Christmas"--A class conscious, heart-tugging holiday song about robbing Santa Claus. "Have yourself a merry merry christmas/Have yourself a good time/But remember the kids who got nothin’/While you’re drinkin’ down your wine."

What no GWAR songs? Surely, GWAR is on the second list.

What!?! No "Snoopy's Christmas" by the Royal Guardsmen? Come on Dan; I find your rock Christmas song list anti-dog and hostile to cartoon characters!

A MOST Merry Christmas to all, and a safe and prosperous New Year!

U2? The Pretenders? Simon & Garfunkle? Bleeeecchh! That's not rock & roll, Dan. Replace those entries with "Little Saint Nick" by the Beach Boys, Bill Haley & the Comets' version of "Jingle Bell Rock," and "Santa's Gonna Shut 'Em Down" by the legendary Untamed Youth. Now that's Christmas rock & roll!

Check out Bruce Springsteen
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town
and
Merry Christmas Baby

You forgot "Christmas In Hollis, Queens" by Run DMC, which appeared on the unforgettable "Christmas Rap" album of 1989.

I would add the Christmas Song by Dave Matthews Band and Gabriel's Message by Sting.

Eagles: Please Come Home for Christmas.

"Hard to handle Christmas" by the Black Crowes

"Slick Nick, You Devil You", by Fishbone (from the It's a Wonderful Life EP).

Come on!

to add a few country tunes, I gotta say Merry Christmas from the Family by Robert Earl Keen and Christmas in Dixie by Alabama.

Marcus gone country? BLocke sporting gold rope chains and laceless Adidas? What is FlynnFiles coming to?

"Little Saint Nick" by the Beach Boys should crack the top ten.

This list is tainted without the true classic, "Twelve Days Of Christmas" by Bob & Doug McKenzie.

I believe "Ding Dong" by George Harrison should be in the top 4. This song is fantastic!

Blue Christmas by Elvis. Come on, it's Elvis!

I know this is late but of all the Thanksgiving songs, Ray Davies new one Thanksgiving Day is sublime.

A few others I'd add

Bellamy Brothers-Old Hippie Christmas
Widespread Panic-Christmas Katie
Marshall Tucker Band-Christmas in Carolina
Bob Dylan- Arthur MacBride

I'd forgotten some of these. Thanks for the memories. On TV in the 70s the improbable duet of David Bowie and Bing Crosby did a version of, I think, The Little Drummer Boy.

Jeremiah,

You're giving away your age. Did you have people in your family who thought they were especially adept at "tuning" the television? Aaaaaaahhhhh, the good old days before the advent of semiconductors.

Webster,
A 12" black&white Panasonic was the house TV set. When the antenna broke off, we used speaker wire for reception. One of my chores was to clean the milk bottles before going to sleep and to put them out for the milkman. Papa taught me Morse Code so no matter what happened, I'd always have a marketable skill to fall back on. When I turned 16, my grandpappy gave me his old service revolver that he had on him the day Lee surrendered to Grant. What more do you want to know?

Always liked "I Believe in Father Christmas" I guess I was in a fog when it came to the lyrics.
Contempt for the season is an understatement, however I still like the song. Searching for more great Christmas songs, somebody mentioned "Hard to Handle Christmas" by the Black Crowes I couldn't find it anywhere? None of the Black Crowes music is any good which surprises me how they could have a good Christmas song.

I always found "Do they know it's Christmas" odd. The lyrics suggest that because these poor people don't know it's Christmas we should send them sandwiches or something. My first thought is, well, let's tell them about Christmas.

Hey! You forgot the song where the dogs bark "Jingle Bells".

And Cheech and Chong's Santa in the projects song.

Speaking of the Pogues they have reunited. They will be playing a dozen dates in the US this March to coincide with St Paddy's day.Also they are re releasing FTONY this week to avenge the fact that it only made it to number two in Britain. The tight rock band know as the Pet Shop Boys prevented them from reaching number 1. Further proof that the world is off its axis. By the way, I will be in NYC for at least one of the three sold out shows. If you see me at the show turn and run the other way as I will be very drunk.

Hello, I'm trying to find a Christmas song I heard on the radio today. I don't know the name of it but to first line goes something like this,
I met her at the grocery store on Christmas Eve.
I think the song is talking about an on lover.
Can you help me find the song I'm looking for?

Here You go Susan:

Same Old Lang Syne by Dan Fogelberg

Met my old lover in the grocery store,
The snow was falling Christmas Eve.
I stole behind her in the frozen foods,
And I touched her on the sleeve.

She didn't recognize the face at first,
But then her eyes flew open wide.
She went to hug me and she spilled her purse,
And we laughed until we cried.

We took her groceries to the checkout stand,
The food was totalled up and bagged.
We stood there lost in our embarrassment,
As the conversation dragged.

We went to have ourselves a drink or two,
But couldn't find an open bar.
We bought a six-pack at the liquor store,
And we drank it in her car.

We drank a toast to innocence,
We drank a toast to now.
And tried to reach beyond the emptiness,
But neither one knew how.

She said she'd married her an architect,
Who kept her warm and safe and dry,
She would have liked to say she loved the man,
But she didn't like to lie.

I said the years had been a friend to her,
And that her eyes were still as blue.
But in those eyes I wasn't sure if I saw,
Doubt or gratitude.

She said she saw me in the record stores,
And that I must be doing well.
I said the audience was heavenly,
But the traveling was hell.

We drank a toast to innocence,
We drank a toast to now.
And tried to reach beyond the emptiness,
But neither one knew how.
We drank a toast to innocence,
We drank a toast to time.
Reliving in our eloquence,
Another 'auld lang syne'......

The beer was empty and our tongues were tired,
And running out of things to say.
She gave a kiss to me as I got out,
And I watched her drive away.
Just for a moment I was back at school,
And felt that old familiar pain .........
And as I turned to make my way back home,
The snow turned into rain ..............

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