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December 2, 2008

LUCINSKI: Worst and best of Christmas music

Now that we’re safely past Thanksgiving, it’s OK to jump feet first into the Christmas spirit. Not that the traditional Thanksgiving starting point seems to matter much anymore.

In order to put their listeners in the mood and to attract advertisers who want to get that Christmas buck or two, radio stations across the country throw out their standard playlists and embrace all-Christmas-all-the-time broadcasting.

That leads to a list discovered while surfing the Internet (honest, boss; it’s research). A Web site called spinner.com had nothing better to do than to list what its editors consider the 12 worst Christmas songs ever. The staff and management here do not necessarily agree with the choices. Go to spinner.com to register your complaints.

Here’s the bottom 12:

12) “Santa Baby” — Madonna,1987

11) “Wonderful Christmastime” — Paul McCartney, 1979

10) “Christmastime” — Smashing Pumpkins, 1997

9) “8 Days of Christmas” — Destiny’s Child, 2001

8) “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” — Bruce Springsteen, 1981

7) “Christmas Conga” — Cyndi Lauper, 1998

6) “Santa’s Beard” — Beach Boys, 1964

5) “Merry Christmas With Love” — Clay Aiken, 2004

4) “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight Tonight)” — The Ramones, 1989

3) “Oi to the World” — No Doubt, 1997

2) “Please Daddy (Don’t Get Drunk This Christmas)” —John Denver, 1975

1) “Do They Know It’s Christmas” — Band Aid, 1984

Thankfully I’ve heard very few of these so it’s difficult to dispute many of the choices. I would say the Springsteen version of the Santa classic sounds pretty good to this old-time rock and roller.

But if the folks at spinner.com can do it, so can we. But, in the spirit of the season and an attempt to be positive, here’s my list of the 10 BEST Christmas songs ever. We won’t go back to the classics, although many are updated versions of those classics.

Now on with the countdown:

10) “Little St. Nick” — Beach Boys, 1964

9) “The 12 Days of Christmas” — The Muppets with John Denver, 1979

8) “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” — Dr. Elmo, 1979

7) “Jingle Bell Rock” — Bobby Helms, 1957

6) “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” — Brenda Lee, 1957

5) “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” — Bruce Springsteen, 1981

4) “Blue Christmas” — Elvis Presley, 1957

3) “Sleigh Ride” — The Ronettes, 1963

2) “Run, Run Rudolph” — Chuck Berry, 1958

1) “White Christmas” — Darlene Love, 1963

If you’ve never heard the Phil Spector-produced Darlene Love version of “White Christmas,” find it and listen. Bing Crosby, she’s not.

These lists, by their very nature, are subjective. So if you think such-and-such song should be on it or so-and-so song should not be, let me know at dick.lucinski@niagara-gazette.com. I might not agree, but it will be interesting.

Dick Lucinski is the managin

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