Gary, I agree with you that the Harry Simeone Chorale had the definitive version of "Little Drummer Boy."  The Crosby/Bowie 'version' is awesome--but it's like comparing apples and oranges.  Crosby and Bowie are singing two songs in counterpart style, just as Boney M. does with "Mary's Boy Child."  To me, that means it's not "the same song."
Earlier, I said I preferred Boney M's version of "Mary's Boy Child" to Belafonte's, but that's not a fair comparison, either.  It's sort of like comparing a single song with a medley.

BTW, didn't Willie Nelson write "Pretty Papers?"

Gary T, re country artists doing traditional Christmas hymns, one that makes me laugh or cringe (depending on the mood I'm in) is Anne Murray's "Adeste Fideles."   She sings "Adestay feedaylayss, laytee triuhmphantayss, vayneetay, vayneetay, in Bethlehem.  Natuhm vidaytay, rayjem angeloruhm ...".  (Her "ad" in "adeste" rhymes with "mad," not with "odd," her "um"s are with a short "u," instead of "oom," etc.   I was kind of surprised, because singers are usually pretty good mimics when it comes to  doing foreign languages "phonetically," but somebody must've steered her wrong.

My copy of Belafonte's "Mary's Boy Child" is not on a Christmas album, but on an album of music around the world, I think.  I believe it's on the album where he sings "Hava Nagila," "Erev Shel Shoshanim," etc.

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Other "definitive" versions:
Brenda Lee -- Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree
Burl Ives -- Holly Jolly Christmas
Bobby Helm(s?) -- Jingle Bell Rock
Jimmy Durante -- Frosty The Snowman
Karen Carpenter -- The Christmas Waltz
 
 

Genie