100 songs that namecheck Christmas without being Christmas songs

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1. Morten Harket: A Kind Of Christmas Card
2. Stevie Wonder: I Just Called To Say I Love You

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 04:29 (twenty years ago)

3. motorhead - killed by death

― u saved me (dubplatestyle), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 04:32 (twenty years ago)

3. The Cure - Let's Go To Bed
4. The Cure - Last Dance

― LeRooLeRoo (Seb), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 04:32 (twenty years ago)

5. Neutral Milk Hotel - Two-Headed Boy

― kickitcricket (kickitcricket), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 04:34 (twenty years ago)

6. Right Side Of My Mind - The Angry Samoans (the line is "I see black Christmas trees", which always jumped out at me as a great phrase for some reason)

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 04:47 (twenty years ago)

7. All Around the World by Jay-Z
8. Oooh! by De La Soul

― Zimmer026 (Zimmer026), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 04:47 (twenty years ago)

sorry it's "Inside My Brain" - not "Right Side Of My Mind"

― Fritz Wollner (Fritz), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 04:48 (twenty years ago)

9. joni mitchell, "river"

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 04:51 (twenty years ago)

10. gretchen wilson, "redneck woman"

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 04:54 (twenty years ago)

11. adam sandler, "the chanukah song"

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 04:56 (twenty years ago)

12. Guided By Voices, "Father Sgt. Christmas Card"

― Dr. Gene Scott (shinybeast), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 05:52 (twenty years ago)

13. Lisa germano, 'Messages From Sophia'
14. Stina Nordenstam, 'Soon After Christmas'

― derrick (derrick), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 06:04 (twenty years ago)

15.Cure-Other Voices

― kephm (kephm), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 06:27 (twenty years ago)

16. the cure - the snakepit
17. the cure - hey you

the cure pwns this thread

― cutty (mcutt), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 06:31 (twenty years ago)

18. built to spill - twin falls

― cutty (mcutt), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 06:32 (twenty years ago)

19. like like the the the death, silver jews

― nein Socken (nein Socken), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 06:36 (twenty years ago)

20. that one danzig song where he's all "gonna light you up like christmas"

― nein Socken (nein Socken), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 06:42 (twenty years ago)

21.Biggie-Juicy

― kephm (kephm), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 06:44 (twenty years ago)

i know all those mentioned cure songs but never realised the" christmas " link. "the snakepit" is a gr8 song but could never have been a single.

― retrogurl, Wednesday, 21 December 2005 06:44 (twenty years ago)

22. half man half biscuit - all i want for christmas is a dukla prague away kit

― Ark Hopping (avoid80), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 07:21 (twenty years ago)

23. Canibus: "No Return" ("...the store's stereo was playing 'Feliz Navidad'." You can even hear jingle bells on the background when he says that.)

― Tuomas (Tuomas), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 07:38 (twenty years ago)

24. silver jews - i'm getting back into getting back into you (like christmas in a submarine)

― travis randy, Wednesday, 21 December 2005 07:45 (twenty years ago)

25. Christmas in Cape Town - Randy Newman
26. Christmas in My Soul - Laura Nyro

If we can include orchestral pieces, then...
27. The Infinite Complexities of Christmas - Michael Nyman

― avery keen-gardner (avery keen-gardner), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 11:16 (twenty years ago)

28. Venus Stop the Train - Wilco

― startak (startak), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 12:20 (twenty years ago)

29. Christmas Cards From A Hooker In Minneapolis - Tom Waits

― Marc B., Wednesday, 21 December 2005 19:48 (twenty years ago)

Sparks - Thank God It's Not Christmas

― imbidimts, Wednesday, 21 December 2005 20:06 (twenty years ago)

31. Keren Ann - "Polly"

"Polly left on Christmas Eve..."

― o. nate (onate), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 20:09 (twenty years ago)

32. The Fall - Kicker Conspiracy
"Former fan at the bus stop.
Treads on the ball at his feet, in the christmas rush.
And in his hands, two lager cans.
Talks to himself. At the back. At the top."

― detoxyDancer (sexyDancer), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 20:32 (twenty years ago)

33. Belle and Sebastian - I Don't Love Anyone

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 21:38 (twenty years ago)

34. Lou Reed - New Sensations
"Two years ago today I was arrested on Christmas Eve..."

― brianiad (briania), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 21:39 (twenty years ago)

"She's Right On Time" by Billy Joel

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 21:40 (twenty years ago)

35. Luke Haines - "Kenneth Anger's Bad Dream" ("The cops came 'round /At a quarter to three / And they talked about Christmas / And New Year's Eve"

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 21:40 (twenty years ago)

Jona Lewie's "Stop The Cavalry" may have been part of the festive "canon", but it isn't really a Christmas song if you listen closely to the lyrics.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 22:01 (twenty years ago)

36. Wedding Present "No Christmas".

― Si.C@rter (SiC@rter), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 22:03 (twenty years ago)

"She's Right On Time" by Billy Joel

pleasant plains is my new favorite ILMer

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 22:06 (twenty years ago)

But better late than never!

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 22:11 (twenty years ago)

Ditto on the Pleasant Plains love right now. Oh how I loved that video, too.

Also: Elton John, "Levon"

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Thursday, 22 December 2005 06:15 (twenty years ago)

Where is the old school love for Robert Johnson's "Hellhound On My Trail"?

Also, although The Who's "Christmas" from Tommy is more than a mere Christmas name check- it is in fact about Christmas- it is not really a "Christmas song."

More shared Billy Joel love from P.P. and fcc here and here

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 22 December 2005 06:35 (twenty years ago)

that makes 40 (pleasant plains skipped numbering)

― regular roundups (Dave M), Thursday, 22 December 2005 06:36 (twenty years ago)

41. Danny Says - The Ramones
"Hangin' out in L.A. And there's nowhere to go.
It ain't Christmas if there ain't no snow."

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Thursday, 22 December 2005 09:11 (twenty years ago)

42. Harmony - Clinic
"I believe in Harmony
I believe in Christmas"

― D.I.Y. U.N.K.L.E. (dave225.3), Thursday, 22 December 2005 19:57 (twenty years ago)

Does 43. Prince - "Another Lonely Christmas" count? I never really considered it as a Christmas song.

― R. J. Greene, Thursday, 22 December 2005 23:40 (twenty years ago)

44 "Brick" - Ben Folds Five

― billstevejim (billstevejim), Friday, 23 December 2005 00:29 (twenty years ago)

45 The Fall - No Xmas for John Keys.

― nickn (nickn), Friday, 23 December 2005 01:25 (twenty years ago)

More shared Billy Joel love from P.P. and fcc here and here

wow, maybe p.p. was already my fave ILMer and i didn't even know it.

as for you, mr. harvest, you're starting to scare me!

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Friday, 23 December 2005 04:54 (twenty years ago)

46. Red House Painters - "Have You Forgotten?" ("Backyard summer pools / And Christmases were beautiful")

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Friday, 23 December 2005 05:05 (twenty years ago)

47. Nick Cave - Deanna ("black and smoking Christmas trees")

― bendy (bendy), Friday, 23 December 2005 05:37 (twenty years ago)

I can't remember, is the Dismemberment Plan's "Ice of Boston" about Christmas or New Year's? I'm too lazy to check.

― Doctor Casino, Friday, 23 December 2005 05:43 (twenty years ago)

New Year's

― zaxxon25 (zaxxon25), Friday, 23 December 2005 16:11 (twenty years ago)

Elton John "Cold as Christmas"

.. "in the middle of July"

― mark grout (mark grout), Friday, 23 December 2005 16:20 (twenty years ago)

John Cale's "A Child's Christmas in Wales"

― Billy Pilgrim (Billy Pilgrim), Friday, 23 December 2005 16:31 (twenty years ago)

51. (?) i will buy you a new life - everclear (horrible song)

― nein Socken (nein Socken), Friday, 23 December 2005 16:45 (twenty years ago)

52. Egg - "Contra Song" (mentions writing thank you letters to people who sent him Christmas presents)

― zaxxon25 (zaxxon25), Friday, 23 December 2005 18:31 (twenty years ago)

53. Jesus and Mary Chain, "Fall" ("I'm as dead as a Christmas tree")

― Guayaquil (eephus!), Saturday, 24 December 2005 15:42 (twenty years ago)

If 'Twan had ever opened this thread, he might have posted

54. "King's Crossing" -Elliott Smith

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Saturday, 24 December 2005 15:57 (twenty years ago)

55. big star - jesus christ.

i don't know if they say christmas, but hey, jesus christ was born today.

― carly (carly), Saturday, 24 December 2005 16:12 (twenty years ago)

"Sitting On Top Of The World"-Howlin' Wolf

― Rev. Hoodoo (Rev. Hoodoo), Saturday, 24 December 2005 17:18 (twenty years ago)

big star - jesus christ. i don't know if they say christmas, but hey, jesus christ was born today.

i think that, and the rest of the lyric, makes it a christmas song.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Saturday, 24 December 2005 18:16 (twenty years ago)

80 windows - Nada Surf

― Marty Innerlogic (marty innerlogic), Sunday, 25 December 2005 15:33 (twenty years ago)

Geir - "Stop The Cavalry" is soooo totally about Christmas. As I remember it, it's about a bloke in WW1 who wishes he was with his beloved one at Xmas rather than trying to avoid getting blown to bits in Ypres or somesuch. And those clanging, chiming sleighbells in the background can mean only one thing, innit ?

― darren (darren), Sunday, 25 December 2005 20:07 (twenty years ago)

81. Aimee Mann, "I Was Thinking I Could Clean Up for Christmas"

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Sunday, 25 December 2005 23:36 (twenty years ago)

82. Scissor Sisters, "Filthy/Gorgeous"
83. Everything But The Girl, "Come On Home"

― brittle-lemon (brittle-lemon), Monday, 26 December 2005 15:33 (twenty years ago)

A couple for lovers of the traditional (superfluous) metal-umlaut:

84.Motõrhead, "Motorhead"
85.Blue Öyster Cult, "Redeemed (Sir Rastus' Bear)"

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Tuesday, 27 December 2005 19:46 (twenty years ago)

(Should be "Motörhead", obv.)

― Myonga Von Butterfingers (Myonga Von Bontee), Tuesday, 27 December 2005 19:50 (twenty years ago)

More shared Billy Joel love from P.P. and fcc here and here

hot damn i just found another thread where p.p. and i share our billy love.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 29 December 2005 23:30 (twenty years ago)

Perhaps the most surprising thing of all is that on this here Christmas thread you managed to mention Billy The Kid without namechecking his illustrious and interestingly named timekeeper.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Friday, 30 December 2005 01:41 (twenty years ago)

because of the context of the thread, i guess i didn't feel i was at liberty to do so.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Friday, 30 December 2005 01:43 (twenty years ago)

http://www.littlekidsrock.org/news/photos/four/LIBERTY_GALLERY-Images/0.jpg

For a split second, I thought that this event had happened in my hometown!

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Friday, 30 December 2005 02:20 (twenty years ago)

"Everyday Will Be Like A Holiday"-William Bell
(Christmas is hinted at - at one point, sleigh bells are heard - but according to Bell himself, this soul classic was not meant to be seasonal...he's singing "everyday will be like a holiday when my baby comes home")

― Rev. Hoodoo (Rev. Hoodoo), Friday, 30 December 2005 02:25 (twenty years ago)

That was 86.

87. Sade, "The Sweetest Taboo" ("every day is Christmas / and every night is New Year's Eve")

― Joseph McCombs (Joseph McCombs), Friday, 30 December 2005 05:28 (twenty years ago)

88. The Sophisticuffs - Christmas, 1963

― AmberBelle, Friday, 30 December 2005 06:00 (twenty years ago)

89. Cardinal - If You Believe In Christmas Trees, 1994

― Michael J McGonigal (mike mcgonigal), Friday, 30 December 2005 11:52 (twenty years ago)

Dr. Dre - Keep Their Heads Ringin:
"the chances of jackin me are slim, G/cause I rock from summer till Santa comes down the chimney"

― Siegbran (eofor), Friday, 30 December 2005 13:50 (twenty years ago)

Mojave 3 - Candle Song

"It's Christmas again, so we lit all the candles..."

also i think the thread somehow jumped from 56 to 80 rather abruptly, so i'm not sure what number mine is

― rentboy (rentboy), Friday, 30 December 2005 13:54 (twenty years ago)

Actually, when I mentioned 80 windows, that was number 56 on our list. But everyone has gone on counting from 80.

But really, we're now at 67, if I count correctly.

― Marty Innerlogic (marty innerlogic), Friday, 30 December 2005 14:21 (twenty years ago)

two weeks pass...

68. Harry Nilsson, "Remember Christmas"

― Billy Pilgrim (Billy Pilgrim), Monday, 16 January 2006 20:16 (twenty years ago)

"Christmas Day" - Jim White

― Cliftonb, Monday, 16 January 2006 23:06 (twenty years ago)

"Trees" - The Supernaturals

Thought I might 'phone you up this Christmas
And pretend that I haven't missed you

It's a wintery song, not a Christmas one, so it counts.

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 16 January 2006 23:17 (twenty years ago)

"Christmas", Panda and Angel
"Burst Noel", Malcolm Middleton
"Party's Over", The Pathways
"I Am Alone", Turner Cody

― sibsi (sibsi), Monday, 16 January 2006 23:31 (twenty years ago)

"Tojo," Hoodoo Gurus ("Tracy, won't you listen? This is Christmas!")

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 00:04 (twenty years ago)

Good calls on the Motorhead songs.

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 00:19 (twenty years ago)

Tojo's sort of implicitly about Christmas Eve, though, it's slightly more than a namecheck.

― kit brash (kit brash), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 08:03 (twenty years ago)

69- travis "writing to reach you" (it's good to know that you are home for xmas)

― hub, Tuesday, 17 January 2006 12:31 (twenty years ago)

Half Man Half Biscuit - Shit Arm, Bad Tattoo
Madness - The Sun And The Rain

― zeus (zeus), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 13:24 (twenty years ago)

six years pass...

70. Bon Iver - 'Blood Bank'

― J-Lo Biafra (Rob Mitchell), Saturday, 1 December 2012 12:45 (thirteen years ago)

71. Bon Iver - 'Holocene'

― J-Lo Biafra (Rob Mitchell), Saturday, 1 December 2012 12:45 (thirteen years ago)

72. Lambchop - '2B2'

― J-Lo Biafra (Rob Mitchell), Saturday, 1 December 2012 12:45 (thirteen years ago)

73. Scott Walker - Jackie

― Gavin, Leeds, Saturday, 1 December 2012 13:00 (thirteen years ago)

Christmas card from a hooker in Minneapolis by Tom Waits. Includes Wait's best line, imo.
"Charlie, ferchissakes, if you wanna know the truth of it. I don't have a husband. He don't play the trombone."

― Dr X O'Skeleton, Saturday, 1 December 2012 18:38 (thirteen years ago)

74. Dukes Of Stratosphear - Pale And Precious

― 'Separate Lives', by Phil Collins & Marilyn Manson (PaulTMA), Saturday, 1 December 2012 19:08 (thirteen years ago)

75. PJ & Duncan - Eternal Love

(*sadface*)

― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Saturday, 1 December 2012 23:17 (thirteen years ago)

Madness - 'Believe Me' - "I've got myself together / I can't go on in this cold weather/ Christmas comes but once a year / It's a time of love and cheer"

― J-Lo Biafra (Rob Mitchell), Monday, 3 December 2012 20:41 (thirteen years ago)

Ahem...

76. Madness - 'Believe Me' - "I've got myself together / I can't go on in this cold weather/ Christmas comes but once a year / It's a time of love and cheer"

― J-Lo Biafra (Rob Mitchell), Monday, 3 December 2012 20:41 (thirteen years ago)

77. Monster Magnet - Dead Christmas

― Bound by Habitrails (J3ff T.), Monday, 3 December 2012 20:57 (thirteen years ago)

78. Joy Zipper - Christmas Song

― willem, Monday, 3 December 2012 21:02 (thirteen years ago)

79. The Stranglers - Man Of The Earth

― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Monday, 3 December 2012 21:03 (thirteen years ago)

80. Mary Chapin Carpenter - Transcendental Reunion

― banjoboy, Tuesday, 4 December 2012 01:28 (thirteen years ago)

81. John Prine "Christmas in Prison"

― congratulations (n/a), Tuesday, 4 December 2012 01:30 (thirteen years ago)

82. Joni Mitchell - River

― henry s, Tuesday, 4 December 2012 04:45 (thirteen years ago)

83.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3ikcvpcZmY

― rocky dennis horror show (Pillbox), Tuesday, 4 December 2012 05:06 (thirteen years ago)

84. Christmas in February - Lou Reed

― kornrulez6969, Tuesday, 4 December 2012 05:08 (thirteen years ago)

85. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - 'The Curse of Millhaven'

"You must have heard about the curse of Millhaven / How last Christmas Bill Blake's little boy didn't come home / They found him next week in one mile creek / His head bashed in and his pockets full of stones / Well, just imagine all the wailing and moaning"

Ah, Lottie...

― J-Lo Biafra (Rob Mitchell), Tuesday, 4 December 2012 09:43 (thirteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxqQtUQErhQ

― Mark G, Tuesday, 4 December 2012 10:25 (thirteen years ago)

one year passes...

Seasonal revive!

87. Descendents - Christmas Vacation

― Gavin, Leeds, Friday, 13 December 2013 14:25 (twelve years ago)

88. Flaming Lips - "Christmas at the Zoo"

― Mr. Snrub, Friday, 13 December 2013 14:31 (twelve years ago)

89. Throbbing Gristle, "Whistling Song"

"Maybe after Christmas
Maybe after January 4th
Maybe if you sit in your bed long enough
and watch the television it'll change"

― Saturated with working class intelligence and not afraid to show it (Tom D.), Friday, 13 December 2013 15:12 (twelve years ago)

90. Lou Reed, "All Through the Night"

"Christmas comes only once a year.
Why can't anybody shed just one tear?
For things that don't happen all through the night."

Lou's 3rd appearance on this thread!

― Saturated with working class intelligence and not afraid to show it (Tom D.), Friday, 13 December 2013 15:25 (twelve years ago)

91. sky ferreira - omanko

i'm gearing up for a japanese christmas

― dyl, Friday, 13 December 2013 15:29 (twelve years ago)

92. SF Sorrow is Born- The Pretty Things

― Gouty_Ted, Friday, 13 December 2013 15:31 (twelve years ago)

Dead Joe by the Birthday party

Junk-Sculpture turning back to JUNK
Junk-Sculpture turning back to JUNK
Junk-Sculpture turning back to JUNK
Ju-ju-ju-ju-junk
Dead Joe
Oh Joe no-o-o-o-o-o! it's christmas time Joe
It's christmans time now for you
And all the little bells are hanging two-by-two
The holly and the nativity
Oh speak to me Joe speak to me Joe speak to me oh
Oh-oh-oh---oh--oh--oh--oh--oh--oh--oh
De-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e--e-e-e-ead Joe

― Stevolende, Friday, 13 December 2013 18:36 (twelve years ago)

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