Songs that mention Christmas

Subject: Songs that mention Christmas
From: GUEST,klaudius
Date: 15 Dec 06 - 03:37 AM

I'm going to a party tonight where there'll be lots of singing.

I'd like to do some songs that have a Christmas backdrop or setting, without being carols ( in the folk/roots genre that is).

The only ones that come to mind are Arthur mcBride, Fairytale of new York, and that beauty about the English and german soldiers in the trenches in WW1.

There must be more ... yeah ?

Subject: RE: Songs that mention Christmas
From: fogie
Date: 15 Dec 06 - 06:23 AM

Its a shame you havent access to the Free Reed midwinter set of 4 CDs It has a great booklet in the presentation case that has lots of info and ideas about history and music, as well as the songs. I got mine from Amazon.

Subject: RE: Songs that mention Christmas
From: GUEST,Stanley Bagshaw
Date: 15 Dec 06 - 06:23 AM

Recitation OLD SAM'S CHRISTMAS PUDDING

Subject: RE: Songs that mention Christmas
From: oldhippie
Date: 15 Dec 06 - 07:44 AM

"Mrs Fogarty's Christmas Cake" comes to mind.

Subject: RE: Songs that mention Christmas
From: Scrump
Date: 15 Dec 06 - 08:38 AM

Is that the same as Mrs Hooligan's Christmas Cake? Or is it a different recipe :-)

Subject: RE: Songs that mention Christmas
From: Scoville
Date: 15 Dec 06 - 09:08 AM

"Christmastime in Washington" by Steve Earle. Not recommended as party music, really. Apt to spark political debates.

Subject: RE: Songs that mention Christmas
From: jaze
Date: 15 Dec 06 - 01:03 PM

River by Joni Mitchell

Subject: RE: Songs that mention Christmas
From: Leadfingers
Date: 15 Dec 06 - 01:19 PM

Just put Christmas in the search box ! There are dozens !!

Subject: Lyr Add: MISS FOGARTY'S CHRISTMAS CAKE (C F Horn)
From: oldhippie
Date: 15 Dec 06 - 09:27 PM

Scrump,
Is it a different recepie?

MISS FOGARTY'S CHRISTMAS CAKE
(C. Frank Horn, 1883)

As I sat at my windy last evenin', the letter man brought unto me
A little gilt-edg'd invitation, sayin', "Gilhooley, come over to tea."
Sure I knew that the Fogarty's sent it, so I wint just for old friendship's sake,
And the first thing they gave me to tackle was a slice of Miss Fogarty's cake.

CHORUS: There was plums and prunes and cherries,
And citron and raisins and cinnymon, too.
There was nutmeg, cloves, and berries.
And the crust it was nail'd on with glue.
There was carroway seeds in abundance.
Sure 'twould build up a fine stomach-ache
That would kill a man twice after 'ating a slice
Of Miss Fogarty's Christmas cake.

Miss Mulligan wanted to taste it, but really there wasn't no use.
They work'd at it over an hour and they couldn't get none of it loose,
Till Fogarty wint for the hatchet and Killy came in with a saw.
That cake was enough, by the powers, to paralyze any man's jaw.

Mrs. Fogarty, proud as a peacock, kep' smilin' an' blinkin' away
Till she fell over Flanigan's brogans and spill'd a whole brewin' of tay.
"Oh, Gilhooly," she cried, "you're not 'atin'. Try a little bit more for my sake."
"No thanks, Misses Fogarty," sez I, "but I'd like the resate* of that cake."

Maloney was took with the colic. McNulty complain'd of his head.
McFadden laid down on the sofy and swore that he wish'd he was dead.
Miss Daly fell down in hysterics, and there she did wriggle and shake,
While ev'ry man swore he was poison'd thro' 'atin' Miss Fogarty's cake.

Subject: RE: Songs that mention Christmas
From: Dan Schatz
Date: 15 Dec 06 - 11:44 PM

If you're in the mood to creep folks out, you can sing
The Mistletoe Bough, as recorded by Joan Sprung on Pictures to My Mind. Use with care, however.

Warmly,
Dan

Subject: RE: Songs that mention Christmas
From: Genie
Date: 15 Dec 06 - 11:56 PM

Probably a gazillion songs that mention Christmas.

One that come to mind, though I doubt it's what you're seeking, is Sade's song "Sweet Tabu." It contains the line, "Every day is Christmas, and every night is New Year's Eve."

Subject: RE: Songs that mention Christmas
From: Bert
Date: 16 Dec 06 - 03:01 AM

Sheesh! even an irreligious old fart like me has a song that mentions Christmas.

Subject: RE: Songs that mention Christmas
From: Susanne (skw)
Date: 16 Dec 06 - 07:11 PM

Steve Ashley's 'Spirit of Christmas'
Enoch Kent's 'Christmas Comes But Once A Year'
Stan Rogers' 'First Christmas Away From Home' (not universally popular, it seems...)
Tommy Sands' 'Like the First Time It's Christmas Time', which doesn't seem to be in either the forum or the DT. My version is sung by Dolores Keane, but which year and what album I cannot tell.

'Christmas Comes Twice A Year' by the late Iain MacKintosh is perhaps not quite appropriate, having been written for Tonder Festival which was his 'big Christmas'.

Subject: RE: Songs that mention Christmas
From: GUEST,klaudius aka ohmygod
Date: 21 Dec 06 - 10:17 AM

Come on you "mention" mob, dont let the "dont mention"-ers steal our march !!!!! They are a Godless, dissolute faction.

Subject: RE: Songs that mention Christmas
From: Scrump
Date: 21 Dec 06 - 10:21 AM

oldhippie, I think it's the same song or similar. The only lyrics I could find online were:

There were plums and prunes and cherries
there were raisins and currants and cinnamon too,
there were nuts and cloves and berries
but the crust it was stuck on with glue.
There were caraway seeds in abundance
it would give yer a fine stomach-ache.
`twould kill any man twice to be eatin` a slice
of Missus Hooligan`s Christmas cake!

Which seems pretty similar to Miss Fogarty's recipe. Wonder which came first?

Subject: RE: Songs that mention Christmas
From: Scrump
Date: 21 Dec 06 - 10:23 AM

I forgot to add: Christmas in Australia by Roaring Jelly. That mentions Christmas, without being a carol.

Subject: RE: Songs that mention Christmas
From: Scrump
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 05:07 AM

As well as "The River" (mentioned above), another Joni Mitchell song that mentions Christmas but isn't about Christmas is "Chelsea Morning".

Subject: RE: Songs that mention Christmas
From: moongoddess
Date: 22 Dec 06 - 09:06 AM

How about "Please, Daddy, Don't Get Drunk This Christmas, I Don't Wanna Hear My Momma Cry" by John Denver.

Subject: RE: Songs that mention Christmas
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 23 Dec 06 - 09:10 AM

The famous Christmas shanty

Away you Santa, my dear Anna...

No?

:D (tG)

Subject: Lyr Add: SUDDENLY IT'S CHRISTMAS (L Wainwright)
From: Charley Noble
Date: 23 Dec 06 - 05:37 PM

One of my all time favorites in the spirit of "Humbug!" (copy and paste into WORD/TIMES/12 to line up chords):

Words & Music by Loudon Wainwright III
© 1993 Snowden Music Inc.
Slightly adapted by Charlie Ipcar - 1993

SUDDENLY IT'S CHRISTMAS

G------------D-------------G-D-G-----C
Suddenly it's Christmas, just after Halloween;
---G----------------D-----------C----------D
Forget about Thanksgiving, that buffet in between;
-------G--------------D------------------G----D—G----C
There's lights and tinsel in the shops, they're stocking up the shelves;
G--------------D----------------C--------------D-G
Santa's slaving at the Pole with his sweat shop full of elves.

There's got to be a build-up for the day that Christ was born;
The malls are decked with pumpkins and ears of Injun corn;
Dragging through the falling leaves in a one-horse open sleigh;
Suddenly it's Christmas, seven weeks before the day.

Chorus:

C-------------G-------------D-------G-D-G
Suddenly it's Christmas, the longest holiday
----------C------------G-------------------------C----G--D
When they say "Seasons Greetings!", they mean just what they say;
-----G------------D-------------G-D-G----C
It's a season, it's a marathon – retail eternity,
-----------G-----------D------------C--------------G
And it's not over 'til it's over and you throw away the tree.

Outside it's nice and balmy, in the air nary a nip;
Suddenly it's Christmas, Santa's on his trip;
Yes, they're working overtime, Santa's little runts;
Christmas comes but once a year – and hangs on for two months.

Christmas carols in December, and November too;
It's no wonder we're depressed when the whole damn thing is through;
Finally, it's January, drag out "Auld Lang Syne;"
And here comes another heartache shaped like a valentine.

Chorus:

Suddenly it's Christmas, the longest holiday;
The season is upon us – it just won't go away;
It's a season, it's a marathon – retail eternity,
And it's not over 'til it's over and you throw away the tree;
No, it's not over 'til it's over and you throw away the tree;
It's still not over 'til it's over and you throw away the tree.

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: Songs that mention Christmas
From: PSzymeczek
Date: 23 Dec 06 - 07:42 PM

"Happy Holidays, Y'all", by Robert Earl Keen is a good one.