Top Ten Lesser Known Christmas Songs

As much as we love the old standard Christmas songs, fans of the season everywhere long for new and different songs. "Silent Night," "O Holy Night," "The Little Drummer Boy," and "Do You Hear What I Hear," along with the half a dozen or so additional Christmas songs that we seem to hear over and over cannot be expected to carry the entire weight of satisfying our musical Yuletide appetite.

Here are a few songs that are not heard as often, just to add a bit of variety. It may be that one (or more), will be just what the choir director ordered. If you are in a hurry, the outstanding song is the last one, Sheryl Crow's song for the troops, "There Is A Star that Shines Tonight." It is worth your time to listen to it.

Dave Barnes: Christmas Tonight (with Hilary Scott)

A delightful duet with a classic style. They can't decide whether to go out or stay in. Yes, Hilary Scott is from Lady Antebellum, and she sure sounds good with Dave. As one youtube commenter put it, it sounds like an upgraded version of "Baby it's Cold Outside". It's a cute little romantic song.

Dublin Gospel Choir: Jesus Oh What A Wonderful Child

This is actually quite a well known song, but only if you are a fan of Gospel music. There are many versions recorded, several of which may be more appealing than the Dublin Gospel Choir, but I just love the enthusiasm these folks bring. If the Dublin Choir isn't your bag of tea, don't give up on the song . Mariah Carey does a magnificent version of it with a full choir and organ, and my favorite solo performance without choir is John Legend. "New life, new hope, new joy He brings, Oh what a wonderful Child," and what a wonderful song.

Ricky Skaggs (James Taylor) : New Star Shining

A duet featuring Ricky Skaggs and James Taylor is just about guaranteed to be great, with a good chance to be a big hit. This song has never been a huge hit, but it surely is a great Christmas Song. Calling it a duet is rather misleading. If you listen carefully to the background voices, it's a whole choir full of Ricky and James recording on multiple tracks.
Two great singers harmonizing about the birth of the Savior in their own unique style.

John Anealio: Season's Geekings - Batman Smells (A Rebutal)

This one is just for fun, but if Christmas is not a time for fun, when is? A catchy tune and sort of indie-alternative acoustic sound, combined with marvelously witty assumptions and words. You probably never thought of how Batman and Robin might feel about the adulteration of "Jingle Bells," accusing them of bad smells and egg laying but John thought about it, and he offers up this rebuttal, as he call it.

Lynyrd Skynyrd : Run Run Rudolph

If you don't like Lynyrd Skynrd (or Chuck Berry, the original artist), you probably won't like this song. On the other hand, if you don't mind rockin' around the Christmas tree now and then, this might just fit the bill for you and yours. A lot of folks have recorded this song, but it remains a toss up between Skynyrd and Chuck Berry himself for best version.

Dolly Parton-Christmas Times A Comin'

A Bluegrass standard made famous way back when by Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys, nearly everyone has recorded this song, but Dolly does it in her own uniquely authentic style and brings more to it than anyone. If you only know one Bluegrass Christmas song, this had better be it.

Sleigh Ride - Relient K

The song is anything but new; the treatment is anything but expected. The music is alternative, the video is cute, the storyline includes boosting Santa's sleigh, impressing a girl, a very angry Santa with a giant evil snowman.... It's cute and cool, and it's different.

Cliff Richards - Christmas time Mistletoe and Wine

There's a lot to like about this song. It's well done musically with the catchy music box opening and the pop music hooks that get deep in your head. The interspersing of "Silent night, "Holy Night," is clever and fitting. It makes you want to move in ways different from most pop songs. The dancing that normally accompanies the song seems inadequate, generally featuring folks standing in one spot and waving their arms. Imagine this song with true Renaissance or Baroque gavotte choreography, it's perfect (and now you've read "gavotte" in a modern musical review not referencing Carly Simon's "Your're So Vain").

Candi Pearson Shelton - He Made A Way In A Manger

This relatively new Christmas song (about four years old), has become a favorite for Church Christmas Programs everywhere with its gospel emphasis and inclusion of the nostalgic and beloved "Away in a Manger". It's well done musically and fits the "church music" genre perfectly. It contains the complete answer to the "why" of Christmas, beginning with man's sin and ending with the cross.

Sheryl Crow - There Is A Star That Shines Tonight

Quite possibly the best of these lesser known Christmas songs. For the soldiers who will not be spending Christmas at home, here is a modern White Christmas. The vocal quality, the heart breaking lyrics and the cry of our inmost heart for peace in a world where our young men are dying every day. Thank God for our soldiers, and pray that He will keep them safe to return home to us.