The Christmas listing continues. Yes, I know I said that new Christmas songs should be outlawed, but after 7 years of brainwashing in the form of working at Express during the holidays, I still have a few favorite non-traditional Christmas songs. Only 10 though, because, let me tell you, 10 hours of ExpressMix including Tina Turner, Bing Crosby, Backstreet Boys, and non-English-speaking singers is enough to make a person insane! You might argue with the choices, but please remember that many of these songs were my life raft in a sea of angry shoppers, endless boxes of clothing, steam iron burns, crappy leftover holiday food, and extraordinarily late hours of work not excluding inventory marathons. I give you, in order of my childhood to the present...

Sarahphrase's Best of Semi-Christmas Music:

1. Christmas is Coming - The Muppets: See the Worst of Christmas blog for lyrics. It's just fun and crazy, and reminds me of A Christmas Carole, which, as you know, I refuse to watch ever again, so it's like A Christmas Carole Cliff Notes.
2. You're a Mean One, Mr Grinch - Cartoon version: This was my holiday ring-tone last year. How can you not love this song?! Favorite line: "Your heart is full of unwashed socks."
3. Little Drummer Boy - White Heart: Ok, this is technically traditional, but I couldn't leave it off. We only listened to Christian contemporary music when I was young, and White Heart was a "hard rock" Christian group, kind of in the Def Leppard style (the music, not the message). For years, my brother and I sang the "ME AND MY DRAAAHHHHUUUUUUUMMMMSSSS" part over and over, accompanied by furious air guitar and screaming. I'm not sure that was quite the gist my parents were going for, but oh well.
4. Mary's Song - Amy Grant: Another one from that genre, but a more serious song from Mary's eyes. Very powerful and touching; almost better than real Christmas songs.
5. Baby, It's Cold Outside - Esther Williams & Red Skelton, Neptune's Daughter: Not really a Christmas song or movie, but it captures the flirty spirit of the season and is hilarious in the movie (Skelton dresses as a woman). The song most recently appeared in Elf, also to great romantic/comedic effect.
6. Santa Baby - Madonna: And the Express songs begin! This song just cracks me up, especially her baby pseudo-Cindy Lauper voice. It's a great song to mortify shopping partners with when you start singing it in the stores, or, really, anyone, when they realize you know all the words.
7. Last Christmas - Wham!: So Wham-George-Michael-synthy, it instantly feels like the 80s again. has the whole Relationships of Christmasses Past thing going for it.
8. All I Want for Christmas - Mariah Carey: We've all had enough of her dog-whistle octaves, but she seems like she's having such a blast singing this loud, swingy version of the song, it's contagious.
9. Please Come Home For Christmas - Bon Jovi: A good one for the Christmas Blues. Or not. It might only encourage them.
10. Chrismas (Baby Please Come Home) - U2: Not the same thing as above, in finger-snapping, U2-howling style that makes you want to come home for Christmas because it sounds like so much fun. But only if it's to Bono, so may not be applicable as a dedication song. (ha)

Next time... More Best of Christmas, topic: Movies! Suggestions?