The best and worst of holiday music...click on each to see video
Atlantic City Weekly's Weekend Hot Tub Party is tuning in to some festive jams.
In our last edition, we gave you the top 10 lists of the best and worst holiday-themed movies.
This weekend, we're bringing you our complied list of best and worst holiday songs.
Holiday songs are either dreaded or anticipated. We know there are some songs most people look forward to hearing and others that exist only to irritate and annoy.
Malls, department stores and radios are bombarded with non-stop Christmas music some good and some just god-awful. We’ve dug out the very best and the very worst.
From Paul McCartney, dangerous animals and popular holiday songs with questionable motives, we have you covered.
Every weekend we'll be back with fresh content for you to share with your friends, from a sweet play-list we've put together or behind the scenes exclusive photos for your viewing pleasure, stories overheard in a bar, or the latest viral videos, you'll find it all here.
Top 10 Worst Holiday Songs:
1.) Paul McCartney - "Wonderful Christmas Time" - Released in 1979, this extra jovial and overplayed Christmas song is somewhat over the top and remarkably annoying. Paul McCartney has admitted that he's embarrassed by it, however it continues to get a ridiculous amount of radio airplay every holiday season.
2.) "Baby it's Cold Outside" - It's not that it's a bad song but have you really paid attention to the lyrics of this wintery dialogue between wolf and mouse? Is someone being slipped a date rape drug? Atlantic City Weekly's Weekend Hot Tub Party has added this to the list for "questionable intentions."
3.) "Millennium Carol" - What is going on here? This is simply awkward and frightening. Enough said.
4.) "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" - This has become one of those annoying Christmas songs not only because of the irritating adolescent voice but also because what does a Hippopotamus have to do with Christmas and why does this girl want one? As one of the most dangerous animals in the world and killing over 100 people a year, this thing's mouth can open up to 4 feet and crush like a sledgehammer. Sounds like a wonderful Christmas gift!
5.) Wham - "Last Christmas" - A weird and exaggerated video of an 80's winter wonderland. Although this is pretty bad it's definitely entertaining to watch. Check out their hair.
6.) Annie Lennox - "Winter Wonderland" - Annie Lennox of the 80's British pop-rock duo Eurythmics performs this boring version of "Winter Wonderland."
7.) Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer rap - This is a much different version of "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" than you're used to hearing. Listen as Dr. Elmo and "Bling" Crosby perform a terrible rap do-over of this song.
8.) "Christmas Shoes" - We're not sure if it's just what some people call "the worst song they've ever heard" or the cheesy acting, but this video may actually make you cry... of lameness.
9.) Cyndi Lauper - "Christmas Conga" - Cyndi Lauper's "Christmas Conga" is kind of embarrassing to listen to. It's one of those "what was she thinking?" songs. "Bonga, bonga, bonga, do the Christmas conga?"
10.) New Kids on the Block - "Funky Funky Christmas" - The New Kids on the Block released their "Merry, Merry Christmas" album in 1989. For you, our dear reader, just sit back and bask in the hilarity and sadness that is this song.
Top 10 Best Holiday Songs:
1.) "Oi to the world" - The Vandals - The Southern California Punk band, The Vandals released Oi to the World in 1996. Almost every year since the album's release the band has played a traditional "Christmas Formal" show in Anaheim, California during the holiday season where they play nearly the entire album. This solid punk jam has earned its place on our 'best' list.
2.) "Christmas in Hollis," - Run DMC - This Run DMC single "Christmas in Hollis" has been featured in a few holiday films and TV shows since its 1987 release. Die Hard and Jingle All the Way (both which made our best and worst holiday movies) as well as during the Christmas party on the TV sitcom "The Office."
3.) "Mele Kalikimaka (the Hawaiian Christmas Song)" - A sheer classic. Whether you're imagining Christmas Vacation's Clark Griswold fantasizing over a department store model or a Christmasy escape from the cold winter weather, Mele Kalikimaka is sure to warm this weekend's hot tub party.
4.) "What's this?" - From 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' - Described by some as one of the best scenes in the movie The Nightmare Before Christmas, when Tim Burton's genius creation Jack Skellington discovers Christmastown. This creative masterpiece observes Christmas from an outsiders perspective with a maddening curiosity and desire to be a part of it.
5.) "Carol of the Bells" - August Burns Red - Possibly one of the most epic versions of "Carol of the Bells." This song will gear you up for a Christmas mosh-pit and a desire to have a festive throw down with August Burns Red.
6.) David Bowie and Bing Crosby's "Little Drummer Boy" - A Christmas classic performed by two musical legends. Recorded just a month before Crosby's death, this special was released in November 1977.
7.) The Ramones "Merry Christmas, I Don't Want to Fight Tonight" - Hey ho, let's go! The Ramones holiday tune begins with a hilarious exaggerated introduction scene
8.) Elvis Presley - "Blue Christmas" - A legendary Christmas classic, "Blue Christmas" sung by the distinct and renowned voice of Elvis Presley naturally earns its place on the "best" list. Released in 1957, Elvis' Christmas album is the best-selling Christmas/holiday album of all time in the United States.
9.) Weird Al - "The Night Santa Went Crazy" Weird Al's darkly humorous song "The night Santa went crazy" features a destructive drunken and murderous Santa that finds himself locked up in Federal prison. This song is sure to put a new spin on holiday season.
10.) Ludacris -"LudaChristmas" - Ludacris brings you a super gangster Christmas jam. You will be sure not to hear this one on B101 or a department store.
Bonus Video: Could be considered best or worst (Bob Dylan's 2009 video for "Must Be Santa Claus"):
"If you still want to see this movie, I have obviously not done my job."
'I didn’t want to do the Ramones clones thing. The guys I play with sound like themselves. We have Michael Graves from the Misfits, who doesn’t sing like Joey. He sings like himself. We do 34 Ramones songs.'
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In the spirit of Thanksgiving, we're coming to you early with your regular dose of the coolest photos, music, videos, trivia, op-ed stories, contests, and anything else we think that you, our dear reader, might dig.
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Your weekly dose of the coolest photos, music, videos, trivia, op-ed stories, contests, and anything else we think that you, our dear reader, might dig.
1. Alex said... on Dec 17, 2011 at 08:01AM
“I love Cyndi Lauper's Christmas Conga. I don't get why people don't like it.”
2. Diane said... on Dec 17, 2011 at 11:29AM
“I love Toby Keith & Sammy Hagar's new song "Santa's Going South For Christmas". Do I love Toby, yes. Love his Christmas version of "Red Solo Cup".”
3. dbirdie 77 said... on Dec 17, 2011 at 11:39AM
“I love Toby Keith & Sammy Hagar's "Santa's Going South For Christmas". Do I love Toby, yes. Love his Christmas version of "Red Solo Cup".”
4. dbirdie 77 said... on Dec 17, 2011 at 02:50PM
“I wasn't registered when I did first posting & thought it didn't submit, so did again. Tried to delete 2nd post, but don't know how.”
5. Jams Gee said... on Dec 19, 2011 at 03:29PM
“the all time greatest is Nat King Cole's "The Christmas Song" imho”