I was just sitting here, working on my Christmas comp and to kill some time I was thinking who recorded the definitive versions of certain Christmas songs. They didn't have to necessarily record the first/best version of the song or write it, but popularize it. This is what I've come up with:

"White Christmas" - Bing Crosby
"Happy Holidays" - Bing Crosby
"Sleigh Ride" - Johnny Mathis
"Little Saint Nick" - The Beach Boys
"Jingle Bell Rock" - Wayne Newton
"The Christmas Song" - toss-up between Nat King Cole and Mel Torme (though I'd give the edge to the former)
"Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" - John Lennon
"A Holly Jolly Christmas" - Burl Ives
"Christmas Time Is Here" - Vince Guaraldi Trio
"Baby, It's Cold Outside" - Dean Martin
"Please Come Home for Christmas" - Charles Brown
"Blue Christmas" - Elvis Presley
"The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" - Andy Williams
"Here Comes Santa Claus" - Gene Autry
"I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" - Dean Martin

What've I missed?

Bobby Helms.

I always considered the Wayne Newton version to be the popular one. Guess classifying a song as "definitive" can be pretty subjective.

"Silent Night" - The Temptations

Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer - Elmo ann Patsy

12 Days of Christmas - Bob and Doug McKenzie

Yet again,

Bobby Helms - 1957 (song charts at #6)
Wayne Newton - 1990 (the song has long been a holiday standard by this time)

The listing with dozens of albums with Bobby Helms's original
And Wayne Newton's two

I have Newton's version on my Christmas Cocktails Part Two CD. The liner notes list that it was recorded on July 11, 1966 and taken from the album Songs for a Merry Christmas (must be OOP now). I saw Newtwon perform over the summer and, believe me, latter-period Wayne is nothing to right home about.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not disputing you. Helms probably did record the definitive version (and the chart position backs you up). For some reason, though, Wayne's is just the one that I think of when I think of that song. It's all good.

There's no mistaking Wayne's little girl voice.

I've never even heard Wayne Newton's version of JBR. Nor do I care to. How that man became famous and somehow still inexplicably is still baffles me. I'm sure he's a nice man and all, but I have never been able to stand his voice. As for JBR, the Bobby Helms' version is the definitive for me.

Others:
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Judy Garland
Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee

My personal favorite version of this one:
Little Drummer Boy - The Jackson 5

"Winter Wonderland" by Stryper
"Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" by Mr. Hankey

...and I second the vote for Bob & Doug

Rudolph The Red-Nose Reindeer - The Temptations
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) - Darlene Love

(Of course, I love the entire Phil Spector record, and would consider most of those versions definitive for me....)

Baby, Please Come Home by u2 , the version by death cab is pretty awesome too

Nah, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer would have to be Gene Autry.

And when I hear "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" I think of Mel Torme. But that's only because I think of Home Alone as well.

"White Christmas" either Bing Crosby or the Drifters.

"I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" Little Jimmy Boyd was first, but the Jackson 5 version is good too.

"Let it Snow Let It Snow Let It Snow" Vaughn Monroe.
"Little Drummer Boy" Harry Simone Chorale.
"Mary's Boy Child" Harry Belafonte.
"Grown-Up Christmas List" Amy Grant.
"Run, Rudolph, Run" Chuck Berry
"Merry Christmas Darling" Carpenters.
"Feliz Navidad" Jose Felicano.
"Santa Baby" Eartha Kitt.
"Twelve Days Of Christmas" Ray Conniff or Englebert Humperdinck.
"Home For The Holidays" Perry Como.


Never once heard Wayne Newton do Jingle Bell Rock. Bleah. I had never heard his first big hit "Daddy, Don't You Walk So Fast" until about a year ago. My friend told me who was singing the song, I didn't believe him.

I agree, I don't know how he got so famous.

JP

This thread could use a resurrection...


Definitive version:

"Zat You, Santa Claus?" - Louis Armstrong

Whatever songs that play during Home Alone and Home Alone 2.

Santa Claus is Coming to Town - Bruce Springsteen

12 Days of Christmas - The Muppets with John Denver




...and I vote for Bobby Helms

What Can You Get A Wookiee for Christmas (When He Already Owns A Comb)- Meco

From the same album, "R2-D2 We Wish You a Merry Christmas" featuring lead vocals by John Bongiovi... teenage nephew of the album's producer, Tony Bongiovi.

Yes, John later became Jon Bon Jovi

"O Holy Night" Michael Crawford
"Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" Mahalia Jackson
"What child is this?" The Ray Connif singers
"O come all ye Faithful" Luther Vandross
"God rest ye merry Gentlemen" Julie Andrews

Not to pick on you but add me to the list of questioning Wayne Newton. I had no idea anyone had even released a version of Jingle Bell Rock that has ever gotten any airplay except for Bobby Helms' version.

Please Come Home for Christmas - The Eagles

Unique ones but have not been covered by many others:
Little Saint Nick - The Beach Boys
Christmas in Dixie - Alabama
Last Christmas - Wham!
Do They Know It's Christmas? - Band Aid
Wonderful Christmastime - Paul McCartney


Don't know if it is the definitive version but I love the version of Jingle Bells sung by Bing Crosby and the Andrew Sisters.

Another favorite is The Drifters version of White Christmas. To me it rivals Bing's version. Awesome!
One more - What Are You Doing New Year's Eve by The Orioles.

Hmmm. I was going to start another Christmas music thread a couple of days ago (still might... Regarding the previous post, I've heard Hall and Oates version of Jingle Bell Rock plenty the last few years. But still haven't heard Wayne-O.

"Merry Christmas Baby" - Charles Brown

I love both of those Dean Martin ones.

"I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"- John Mellencamp
"Santa Claus and His Old Lady"- Cheech & Chong
"I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas" - Gayle Peevey

Although actually a combination of the songs "Snow Miser" and "Heat Miser" (from the Rankin/Bass Year Without a Santa Claus special), Big Bad Voodoo Daddy really hits one out-of-the-park with their cover version called "Mr. Heatmiser"

(BTW, "Snow Miser"/"Heat Miser" is an underappreciated classic - why aren't there more covers?)