As Mark has mentioned, some carols have bad theology. Other Christmas songs go beyond this—they are simply annoying. The always-on-top-of-things Gawker released its list of 10 most annoying Christmas songs.
- Grandma Got Ran Over by a Reindeer
- I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
- Baby It’s Cold Outside
- The Little Drummer Boy
- Happy Christmas (War Is Over)
- River
- Do They Know It’s Christmas?
- Last Christmas
- The Christmas Shoes
The reasons Gawker gives for placing these songs in the annoying category are interesting, and some even hilarious. Go over and have a read, and even a chuckle.
Do you agree or disagree with the choices? What songs would you include in or exclude from this list?
December 23, 2010 at 2:37 pm
I hate #’s 1, 2, and 3. I actually like 4. And I am not sure I recognize the names of the rest.
December 23, 2010 at 2:46 pm
Brian,
I agree with you. I haven’t made up my mind about #4. I do like Glee cast’s version of #9—mainly because the tune is catchy. Gawker’s comment about “Baby It’s Cold Outside” is hilarious: “Another entry in the ‘creepy lyrics’ category is this song that is basically about date rape.”
December 23, 2010 at 2:49 pm
drummer boy is a cute song. the rest, yeah pure rubbish.
December 23, 2010 at 2:57 pm
Jim,
Cute, yes. Any thoughts as to what should replace Drummer Boy as an annoying song?
December 23, 2010 at 2:58 pm
‘Baby It’s Cold Outside’ and ‘Santa Baby’ totally creep me out. I am surprised the latter did not make the list. Nothing like a sensual song dedicated to Santa.
December 23, 2010 at 3:10 pm
Brian,
“Santa Baby” did make #4 here: http://www.ipopculture.net/2010/12/top-10-most-annoying-christmas-songs/
Maybe that should be the replacement for “Little Drummer Boy”?
December 23, 2010 at 3:12 pm
It should be. ‘Little Drummer Boy’ is 100 x’s better than ‘Santa Baby’!
December 23, 2010 at 3:20 pm
You missed one santa baby.
December 23, 2010 at 3:23 pm
@arm5: That is what we’ve been discussing. ‘Santa Baby’ is terrible. See the above comments.
December 23, 2010 at 3:25 pm
Little drummer boy, when done well, is great. Santa kissing mummy is just plain disturbing!
December 23, 2010 at 3:31 pm
I agree with above comments except Drummer Boy. The chorus has become deafening after working past Christmases in a retail environment. Yuck!
May I submit for your approval the addition to the list of The Carpenters’ “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”? I love the Carpenters otherwise but the lyrics,
“Christmas future is far away
Christmas past is past
Christmas present is here today”
???
Wow…. that was epic….
December 23, 2010 at 3:41 pm
Mark: Agreed! That and “Baby It’s Cold Outside” are probably the most disturbing on the list.
Carly: Haha! I didn’t even think much of that part until you mentioned it. I guess I just tended to skip right over it in my mind to get to the good part.
December 23, 2010 at 3:41 pm
Possibly (okay, probably) not appropriate, but I personally like this Norwegian Christmas ditty: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OjQgBFe_Pw0
It’s certainly makes it into the ‘creepy’ category, but it is part of a mockumentary so that is sort of its aim…
December 23, 2010 at 3:41 pm
@Carly: I have never recognized those lyrics in the song. I must block out the verses subconsciously.
December 23, 2010 at 3:50 pm
@Brian- its only on The Carpenters’ version. I like the regular version of the song but whenever I hear those lines from The Carpenters’ version I get the feeling I’m being patronized. haha.
December 23, 2010 at 3:51 pm
@Carly: It sounds like it belongs on a soundtrack for a Scrooge movie.
December 23, 2010 at 3:54 pm
Carly: The Carpenter’s version would have been perfect except for that opener.
Jason: That is definitely in a category of its own.
December 23, 2010 at 3:59 pm
@JohnDave- I totally agree with you! I guess we’ll just be stuck muting the first 10 seconds of the song.
December 23, 2010 at 4:01 pm
Carly,
I’m considering Amy Grant’s version as a replacement for now.
December 23, 2010 at 4:06 pm
Little drummer boy is one of my favorites . . . for sentimental reasons
.
December 23, 2010 at 4:07 pm
Scratch that last comment of mine. I thought Amy Grant’s was as musically interesting but it’s not. There are other songs of Grant that are, but “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” is not one of them.
December 23, 2010 at 4:08 pm
Bobby,
Sentimental reasons?
December 23, 2010 at 4:35 pm
@JohnDave- Thanks for the heads up- I’ll steer clear of that version too!
December 23, 2010 at 7:33 pm
First of all, HAHAHA!
Second, Santa Baby should be on that list somewhere. I was also extremely happy to see Little Drummer Boy on that list. That one is hard to get through.
December 24, 2010 at 2:43 pm
Josh,
It looks like you’re in the minority with Drummer Boy. Yet even other lists have it as annoying. They need to put Santa Baby at like 6.5 or something.