A great American songwriter once wrote, “Jingle bells/ Batman smells/ Robin laid an egg.” We may never know the author of that timeless composition, but here’s 20 more great holiday songs whose origins are not in doubt. Season’s greetings, y’all.
1. Paul Simon – “Getting Ready For Christmas Day”
2. Hayes Carll – “Grateful for Christmas”
2. Caitlin Rose With Keegan DeWitt — “You Never Come Home For Christmas”
3, Bob Dylan – “Must Be Santa”
4. The Lower Lights – “I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day”
5. She & Him “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree”
6. G. Love – “Christmas Cookies”
7. The Killers (w/ Mariachi El Bronx) – “Happy Birthday, Guadalupe!”
8. The Pogues- “Fairytale Of New York”
9. Adam Arcuragi – “Baby, Please Come Home”
10. Shelby Lynne – “Ain’t Nothing Like Christmas Baby”
11. Roman Candle – “It’s Christmas, Go On And Say Hello”
12. Lindi Ortega – “Christmas Eve With You”
13. Bonnie Raitt and Charles Brown – “Merry Christmas Baby”
14. Dwight Yoakam – “Come On Christmas”
15 .NRBQ – “Christmas Wish”
16. Band Aid – “Feed The World”
17. Roger Miller – “Old Toy Trains”
18. Harry Connick, Jr. – “Zat You Santa Claus”
19. Norah Jones and Willie Nelson – “Baby It’s Cold Outside”
20. Sufjan Stevens – “That Was The Worst Christmas Ever!”
(Note: not all songs are available on Spotify)
— originally published on December 21, 2011.