Christmas Rock Classics

So, being the big fan of Christmas music that I am, I have several play lists of Christmas tunes, from Hot Jazz, Cool Jazz, old school crooners, Country & Bluegrass, Celtic, etc. However, to start, I've decided to give you a list of some of my favorite Christmas rock songs from growing up. (I really do love Christmas music!)

The impetus for this is that the iTunes Music Store finally got the Very Special Christmas collections for sale this year! Woohoo! I've been waiting for this since they opened iTMS! The big problem with the VSC albums is that they're full of very different songs. Each song is probably great in their own genre, but suck when thrown together. As such, there's never been more than one or two songs per album that I've ever wanted. Now, let me say this -- those one or two songs per album completely rock and I absolutely love them... but not enough to suffer through all the other crap. But now, dear friends. because of the blessed iTMS, we don't have to! Alright, here goes:

* Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town by Bruce Springsteen. The only way this song is palatable!

* I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus by John Mellencamp. One of my all-time favorites, and again about the only way I can digest this song. (I'm not a big fan of "Santa" songs.)

* Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) by U2. HELL YEAH! I'm an unashamed U2 fan from way back, and this songs rocks!

* Christmas All Over Again by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. I don't know who wrote this song, but if it wasn't Roy Orbison, they owe old Roy some money. I love Tom's wishlist at the end of the song.

* Father Christmas by the Kinks. Okay, this song deserves some serious listening. This was my absolute Christmas Holy Grail growing up. There were a few years there where I thought I'd just made it up or dreamt it. This was a hard one to find, only on a CD that was out of print, UNTIL, you guessed it, iTMS. (I should charge them money for all this advertising I do.) This is absolutely the most politically biting, kicking-your-ass rockin'-est Christmas Rock song I've ever heard. Even more politically biting than John Lennon's song. Which reminds me...

* Happy Xmas (War Is Over) by John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Great! A classic! I love this tune.

* Please Come Home For Christmas by the Eagles. Awesome! Those piano chords that sound like bells at the beginning... they always give me chills when I hear them on the radio. Great song!

Whew, that's a good start, but I'm sure there'll plenty more that come to mind as the Christmas week unfolds. Maybe I'll make some updates later? You just never know.