Search Results for: christmas songs

12/24/2017 By Ben Leave a Comment

My 50 Favorite Christmas Songs: 2017 Edition

For the fifth time in six years, I've decided to post the list of my 50 favorite Christmas(/Advent) songs, first assembled in 2012. The list returned for 2013, 2014 and (after a cross-state moving hiatus) in 2016. Once again, as in the last couple editions, I have linked every entry to a free online version that best captures the respective song's quality (or just was available and sounded interesting). Most of the links are the same as before. Nonetheless, a few had to be replaced after coming off YouTube, or I just found a better or more interesting version. While three songs disappeared off the list for the first time ever (marked in Bold Italics in the list below the Top 50), this year two oldies made inaugural appearances on the Top … [Read more...]

12/24/2016 By Ben Leave a Comment

My 50 Favorite Christmas Songs: 2016 Edition

Who knew that a three-year stint could earn the power of tradition by missing a turn and crossing state lines? Yet I'm drawn back to updating the list of my 50 favorite Christmas(/Advent) songs, first posted in 2012. The list returned for 2013 and 2014 -- with changes and additions each time. It's back again, with a couple newcomers (including one thanks to my friend Jerry) and a little rearranging of the Top 10. The previous 2014 ranking for each entry follows in parentheses. Last time, I linked every entry to a free online version that best captures the respective song's quality (or just was available and sounded interesting). Most of the same links reappear on this version, though some have changed. If you want to know the reason … [Read more...]

12/20/2014 By Ben Leave a Comment

My 50 Favorite Christmas Songs: 2014 Edition

Two years ago I finally put together and posted the list of my 50 favorite Christmas (/Advent) songs. The list returned for 2013 -- with some changes and a couple additions. It's back again, with two more newcomers and some Top 10 adjustments. Last year's ranking is in parentheses, with additional explanation provided in only a few cases. For the first time, each and every entry is linked to a free online version that best captures the respective song's quality (or just was available and sounded interesting). Why this exercise -- beyond the all-too-human appeal of listmaking? The background explanation from the original 2012 post:...Coming up with the top 50 songs wasn't terribly difficult. I've identified roughly 375 different … [Read more...]

12/25/2013 By Ben Leave a Comment

My 50 Favorite Christmas Songs: 2013 Edition

Last year I finally put together and posted the list of my 50 favorite Christmas songs. The list is back for 2013, and updated with some changes and a few additions. Last year's ranking is in parentheses, with additional explanation provided in only a few cases. For most explanations, go back and check out the original. The background explanation from last year:...Coming up with the top 50 songs wasn't terribly difficult. I've identified roughly 375 different contenders, though I'm only familiar with a little more than 200 of them. A good number of the Christmas songs I know were easily disqualified because of the unpleasant visceral reaction they cause. Ranking the top 50 on the other hand -- beyond a few that consistently rise to … [Read more...]

12/25/2012 By Ben Leave a Comment

My 50 Favorite Christmas Songs

On Facebook for the past several days, I've been counting down my 50 favorite Christmas songs. Coming up with the top 50 songs wasn't terribly difficult. I've identified roughly 375 different contenders, though I'm only familiar with a little more than 200 of them. A good number of the Christmas songs I know were easily disqualified because of the unpleasant visceral reaction they cause. Ranking the top 50 on the other hand -- beyond a few that consistently rise to the top -- was a difficult task. Still, there's a kind of double-edged fun to assembling a list like this one: 1) Comparing and debating the rankings with friends; and 2) The fluid nature of the list, in part because of new songs discovered that upset the balance. If I do … [Read more...]

12/10/2022 By Ben Leave a Comment

The Christmas Music Countdown You’ve Been Looking For: 2022 Edition

Every year's version of the Christmas music countdown (featuring an ordered assortment of my favorite Holiday listening) gets that much better. The 2022 edition includes a wide variety of 200 sacred, secular and sentimental songs for your enjoyment, including several new selections and new covers of perennial favorites. You can access the main countdown on YouTube or a slightly different version on Spotify. Merry Christmas to All, and to All a Dose of Musical Enjoyment! … [Read more...]

12/6/2020 By Ben Leave a Comment

The All-New Christmas Music Countdown: Bigger, Better and Brighter Than Ever

It's been a few years since I've posted the annual updated list of my favorite Christmas songs here on the blog. But given the bleakness of 2020, and the epic makeover to the list, the time has come once again. So without further ado, click on Bing's picture below to get access to all 180 songs: Agree or disagree (more likely) with my rankings, that's a lot of Christmas musical selections. Makes those Top 50 lists of yesteryear seem kind of quaint. … [Read more...]

4/6/2017 By Ben 1 Comment

Musical Meditations for the Holy Season: Sixteen Crucifixion Songs

In the spirit of my 50 favorite Christmas songs, I have decided to assemble a shorter list of 16 moving crucifixion songs to commemorate the Good Friday and Easter season. John 19:16b-19 So they took Jesus, and he went out, bearing his own cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which in Aramaic is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, and Jesus between them. Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” Luke 23:44-47 It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun's light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, calling … [Read more...]

12/26/2008 By Ben 1 Comment

Christmas Roundup, Light Blogging Here at Mount Virtus Until 2009

It was nice to take a couple days off blogging to celebrate Christmas. Around the house we have a 2-year-old who definitely was interested in getting "more" presents but also who is just beginning to see that Christmas is mainly about the Savior's birth. She sat still to hear one of us read a version of the biblical Christmas story 5 different times over the 2 days. Good times. Memorable times. Around here we hear a lot of the toddler rendition of "Away in a Manger". She also has a fairly decent grasp on "Joy to the World." Other songs she doesn't sing but likes to request: Jingle Bells and Happy Birthday to Jesus. Last night, after we baked the cake for Jesus' birthday (a first-time tradition for our family), we had to explain that … [Read more...]

12/4/2004 By Ben 6 Comments

The Christmas Music You Can’t Live Without

If you're anything at all like me, you appreciate good Christmas music - plugging in a good CD, attending a concert, or doing some old-fashioned caroling. You may also, like me, dread going into the malls & stores that have the terrible habit of finding the cheesiest, most annoying Christmas music playing over the speakers. Well, in this interactive post, I wanted to ask you what are your three favorite Christmas songs (with or without specific renditions)? If you could only sing and listen to three Christmas songs, what would they be? Update (12/6): Thanks to Jim for being the first to comment. Please note his blog's new location and update your rolls. My three songs would be: O Holy Night Hark the Herald Angels Sing Gesu … [Read more...]