By Senior Indiana Behr
It’s December, so it’s the holiday season! Or, it’s been the holiday season for months if you shop at Costco. Some people think starting the celebration in November is too early, but I disagree. I mean, Mariah Carey said “It’s time,” and she is the Queen of Christmas. Here at thebirdonfire.org, we decided to direct our creative energies toward our “Favorite” something. I was feeling festive, so I decided to write about what I think are the best Christmas songs. I am gonna rank the top 8, and I will add a couple honorable mentions. There will be some classics like the very popular “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” by Darlene Love but also more modern tunes like “Underneath the Tree” by Kelly Clarkson. Here we go, . . . in reverse order, #8 on the Indy Scale all the way to #1.
8. “Silver Bells” – Stevie Wonder
This song was originally written in 1950 for Bing Crosby, but my favorite version of this song is Stevie Wonder’s 1967 rendition. This song is about Christmas decorations and, of course, silver bells being put up throughout a city. Wonder sings about anticipating Christmas day’s arrival as it gets closer and closer. His voice is so powerful and a great fit for this song, and it has become one of my favorites over the last few years.
7. “Cozy Little Christmas” — Katy Perry
You might not be familiar with this one, but I really like it. It’s not a very emotional, powerful song about the past. It’s just about enjoying present time with family on Christmas. It was released in November 2018 only on Amazon Music, which I, as well as many others, do not subscribe to, so I had not heard of this song until she re-published it everywhere the following year. I wish this had a wider release earlier because it’s so catchy and pleasant, and it is one of my favorite songs when I don’t want something that is super intense.
6. “Christmas Tree Farm (Old Tymey Version)” – Taylor Swift
“Christmas Tree Farm” by Taylor Swift was released only five days after it was written. It was 2019; her album Lover had been released just a couple months before, and it was December 1. She decided she wanted to write a Christmas song. She chose to write about growing up on what became a Christmas tree farm during the holidays, and how those are her best memories of Christmas. She talks about how now she is experiencing “Stress and holiday shopping traffic \ But I close my eyes and I’m somewhere else \ Just like magic.” She sings about mistakes being forgiven and “kids dreaming of sleighs.” I think it’s a very fun song, and the Old Tymey Version she released with more traditional instrumentals in 2021 is even better in my opinion.
5. “Winter Wonderland” — Darlene Love
Darlene Love is the only artist to appear on this list twice, and it shouldn’t be a surprise. This song originally came from legendary music producer Phil Spector’s Christmas album A Christmas Gift for You, which contains so many classics. Unfortunately, Phil Spector was convicted of murder in 2009 and died in prison two years ago, but that album is nevertheless perfect. Some of today’s most iconic songs, like the Ronnettes’s renditions of “Sleigh Ride” and “Frosty the Snowman,” and another song coming up are from this album. Darlene Love performs four songs on this album, and this is my second favorite from it. This song was not originally written to be a Christmas song, but it has become a staple. There are many renditions of this song, and I think this is the best. The instrumentals are amazing, and the vocal performance is great, too.
4. “All I Want for Christmas Is You” — Mariah Carey
I don’t even need to recommend this song, because of course you know it. No other modern Christmas song’s success even comes close to “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” I bet that when you hear those first 13 chimes in the intro, you know what’s coming, and that is one of the best Christmas songs ever made. Even though Carey laments that it won’t be Christmas without “you,” I think it isn’t Christmas without this song. Carey and co-writer Walter Afanasieff have stated that the song only took 15 minutes to both write and compose, which is truly insane considering how well put together this song is.
3. “Santa Tell Me” — Ariana Grande
“Santa Tell Me” by Ariana Grande was only released nine years ago, but became a pop Christmas hit almost immediately, and for good reason. It has a nice blend of Ariana Grande’s usual style with a touch of Christmas. In the song, Grande addresses Santa about how she feels like those she falls in love with never reciprocate fully. The lyrics, though, are not sad, and actually pretty fun. The chorus of “Santa, tell me if you’re really there \ Don’t make me fall in love again \ If he won’t be here next year” is super catchy, and I am a big fan. As per usual with Grande, the vocal performance is very impressive. I highly recommend giving this song a listen.
2. “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” — Darlene Love
In my opinion, “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” is the best song from Phil Spector’s 1963 Christmas album. This song is sad, but it is so good. I can never help but sing along. The “Please, please, please” in the outro is heartbreaking, but so well done. She describes being alone on Christmas, and states that in spite of the “pretty lights on the tree” and the “town all ringing in song,” “it’s not like Christmas at all.” The lyrics are certainly sad, and yet the song is made in a way that never makes me sad. This might be the first Christmas song I became familiar with, as it’s always been a favorite in my family.
1. “Underneath the Tree” — Kelly Clarkson
Finally, my favorite Christmas song. This song is perfect. The twinkling instrumentals in the intro are incredible. It holds the same power as the intro to Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You.” The lyrics are almost like the opposite of Darlene Love’s classic “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).” Clarkson reflects on previous Christmases, and even if there is snow and presents, “It just wasn’t the same \ Alone on Christmas day.” Later in the song, however, she is not alone and commits that “Tonight, I’m gonna hold you close \ Make sure that you know \ I was lost before you.” This song has been compared to Mariah Carey’s modern classic and has been called one of the best modern Christmas songs, but I genuinely think it is the best one of all time. I don’t think Christmas is Christmas without it.
A Couple Honorable Mentions in No Particular Order
“Carol of the Bells” — John Williams
Fellow thebirdonfire.org writer Gil mentioned this song when we were discussing my article. This song is great, but always has been kinda eerie in my opinion. I think the John Williams version from classic Christmas movie Home Alone makes this song even more haunting, and it is my favorite.
“Sleigh Ride” — The Ronnettes
Once again from Phil Spector’s Christmas album rears its festive head; this is my favorite take on this song. The background “Ring-a-ling-a-ling-a-ding-dong-ding” makes this take on the song very special, and it has the same magic that so many of the other songs on this album have.
If there was a song on this list you haven’t heard of, I encourage you to give it a listen. If you disagree with one of my selections or think I left an important piece off this list, leave a comment. Even better, let me know of a song that doesn’t get much as much attention as it deserves. Happy holidays.