Top 5 Christmas Songs/Performances Of All Time

5. Lydia Liza & Josiah Lemanski – Baby It’s Cold Outside

     By far the newest song on this list, this project from the pair of young songwriters sees the creepiest Christmas songs in the classic rotation transformed into a witty commentary on sexual consent and respect for women. On top of all that, a portion of the song’s download profits were donated to a charity for abused women! At first, it may seem like a bit of a novelty, but new version of the song is quite an enjoyable listen and certainly finds its way into my Christmas rotation!

4. Andy Williams – It’s The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

     Absolutely nothing sets the Christmas mood like this song! It’s been covered to death, most notably in an hilarious Will Ferrel performance on Saturday Night Live, but no one sings it like Andy, who brings to the track a certain joy and festivity. His voice will forever be an essential part of the Christmas season. On top of the vocals, the song benefits from excellent orchestral instrumentation and quite impressive production for its time.

3. Thurl Ravenscroft – You’re a Mean One Mr. Grinch

     Nearly as plentiful as Christmas songs are classic Christmas specials which have found their way into the hearts and traditions of many families of the years. Few of these are quite as aesthetically pleasing and comically enjoyable as the 1966 cartoon “How The Grinch Stole Christmas. Along with the cartoon came a fantastic title song notable for a one-of-a-kind performance from the often uncredited Thurl Ravenscroft and the simply wonderful animated scene which accompanies it, along with whimsical instrumentation which bleeds with the passion that powers this project.

2. Bing Crosby – I’ll Be Home For Christmas

     While Crosby is best known for his rendition of “White Christmas,” I prefer one of the most emotional Christmas songs in the modern rotation of classics, on whichCrosby’s vocals are as emotive as they are iconic. The instrumentation is warm and expansive. The true highlight of the track in this case, however, is the universally relatable lyrics. In recent years, the track has been used to represent soldiers who spend their Holiday seasons overseas, but the emotion in this song can move even the hardest of hearts.

1. David Phelps – Oh, Holy Night!

     In all my years of listening to music, I’ve simply never found a tenor with as powerful a voice as David Phelps, and no Christmas melody quite as demanding as that of Oh, Holy Night! Naturally, the two met, and the performance was nothing short of magic. Phelps’ breathy, opening tiptoes and dances, lending an awe-inspiring dynamic to the thundering high notes toward the end. I’ve seen many people lead to tears from the “praise his holy name” line, and until you’ve heard it, you simply can’t understand. Simply put, this is one of the most impressive vocal performances in music history, and that’s why I consider it the greatest Christmas song/performance of all time.

LYDIA LIZA & JOSIAH LEMANSKI – https://youtu.be/amK4U4pCTB8

ANDY WILLIAMS – https://youtu.be/SFGC_YgeQ5w

THURL RAVENSCROFT – https://youtu.be/tWFaP1tkGgM

BING CROSBY – https://youtu.be/dL71eMc1blw

DAVID PHELPS – https://youtu.be/ElJ0fiD0lkc