There’s nothing like the Christmas season to get us in the mood for some good old-fashioned caroling.
Christmas songs
And while there are plenty of traditional Christmas songs out there, we’ve rounded up a few that you may not have heard before:
“In the Bleak Midwinter” – The English prog-rock band Genesis released this beautiful song on their album Nursery Cryme in 1971. It’s a beautiful mix of lyrics and music that can be sung by any age group with ease.
“Christmas Tears” – A beautiful song written by Chuck Berry about his wife’s death on Christmas Eve, 1964. He recorded it for his first studio album after being released from prison in 1962 and it remained unreleased until 1968 when it was included as part of his album The Great Twenty-Eight which is considered one of his best albums ever made.
“Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24” by Trans-Siberian Orchestra – This is a classic song that has been played at many holiday parties over the years. It’s an instrumental piece that features lots of horns, percussion instruments and guitars. The melody is really catchy and it’s great for dancing.
“Frosty the Snowman” by Burl Ives – A classic children’s song that is fun to sing along with – even if you’re not feeling too festive.
“White Christmas” by Bing Crosby – Another classic Christmas song that has been covered by many artists over the years. My favorite version comes from Vince Guaraldi Trio in 1966 because it sounds so jazzy.
“Away in a Manger” – This song has been around since at least 1885, but it was popularized by holiday-singing groups like The Carpenters and The Beach Boys in the 1960s and 1970s. It has a simple melody that makes it easy to sing along with, making it a great choice for parties.
“The Christmas Song” – This popular tune often referred to as “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire,” was written in 1945 by Mel Torme and Robert Wells. It’s been recorded by many artists over the years, including Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald.
“It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas” by Perry Como & The Fontane Sisters (1949)– This song was written by Meredith Willson for his musical The Music Man, which debuted on Broadway in 1957.
“Santa Claus Is Coming To Town” by Michael Bublé – Michael Bublé has an exuberant energy that makes him one of my favorite singers for Christmas music. He puts his own unique spin on this traditional song by adding a little bit of swing jazz flair to it.
“All I want for Christmas is You” – This popular tune was written by Mariah Carey and Walter Afanasieff in 1994. It has become one of the best-selling singles in history because it captures the essence of what many people want for Christmas – love from their significant other. Songs about love have always been popular at this time of year; however, this one stands out because it is easy to sing along with and sticks in your head all year long.