Song #12: O Holy Night

Sam’s Pick:  John Berry

If this list has shown anything, it’s that I’m partial to a good reworking of a Christmas standard – something that stands out from the hundreds of other versions.

But for “O Holy Night,” there is nothing like Berry’s simple, traditional, note-perfect version. It’s a particular favorite among golden-voiced singers like Josh Groban and Andrea Bocelli, but Berry’s is the gold standard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zq9c4C2573o

Leeann’s Pick: Martina McBride

This song is meant to be powerfully sung, even belted. Who better to fulfill this requirement than Martina McBride? On my favorite Christmas song, McBride doesn’t disappoint.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtQv5dabomA

BONUS PICKS:

Jonathan Keefe: John Berry

I have to second Sam’s mention of John Berry’s rendition of this song. Among the religious-themed Christmas standards, “O Holy Night” is far away my favorite, thanks to its flawless construction and evocative melody. The problem with the song, though, is that melody and the dramatic crescendo in the refrain both make it real, real easy to oversing. Right, Celine?

Berry, who is absolutely one of the most gifted and underrated singers in country music’s rich history of gifted and underrated singers, takes a far more low-key approach to the song, letting the purity and warmth of his vocal tone and the soulfulness of his slow vibrato convey a real sense of reverence for the song’s message and narrative.

On a song that’s too often undone by bombastic performances and arrangements, Berry’s approach is a gift that keeps on giving.

Kevin Coyne: Carrie Underwood

For the same reason Berry and McBride are mentioned above. For me, Carrie Underwood has the most powerful voice out there, able to alternate between subtlety and raw power with ease.

It seems only fitting that a talent on loan from God should sing about the birth of His son so beautifully.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtS_YJ7VuC4

Song #11: Baby It’s Cold Outside

Leeann’s Pick: Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison

Husband and wife Kelly Willis and Bruce Robison turn in an unusually gritty version of this sultry Christmas classic. It’s not the smoothest version that’s out there, but it’s compelling and a little different, which should only be expected by the Robisons.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NK4sKwr02SE

Sam’s Pick:  Marah (featuring Felicia Navidad)

I’ve always liked the combination of flirtation and desperation between Felicia Navidad and Marah’s Serge Bielanko. The light-heartedness between the two helps to gloss over the inherent creepiness in the song (did he really just spike her drink to keep her from leaving?).

http://www.myspace.com/marahusa/music/songs/baby-it-s-cold-outside-featuring-felicia-navidad-70604366

Song #10: Christmas Time’s A-Coming

Sam’s Pick: Peter Rowan

Admittedly, this is a much more recent song that some of the other songs we’ve covered. But this song, written by Tex Logan, has become a standard in the bluegrass and country world. I heard this version from Peter Rowan on a Sugar Hill Christmas sampler album many years ago, and it’s still my favorite. It’s a very relaxed, low-key version, but it still captures the joy of coming home for the holidays.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFv62JXdO2k

Leeann’s Pick: Sammy Kershaw

There are a few fun recordings of this song, but my favorite is Sammy Kershaw’s Cajun flavored version. As the song is meant to be, it’s fun and bright and still holds up today despite not having a traditional production.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRk_gfWykLE

Song #9: We Three Kings

Leeann’s Pick: George Strait

From Strait’s strongest and best Christmas album, his acoustic country version of “We Three Kings” is both beautifully arranged and reverently sung.

Sam’s Pick: Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band – While “We Three Kings” probably was not written with the banjo and accordion in hand, the Dirt Band does an admirable job of Americana-izing it. After falling in love with this version, I can never get used to the glacial pace of the more traditional takes of the song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUvI1fxqnzA

Song #8: Joy to the World

Sam’s Pick: Patty Loveless

Loveless’  Bluegrass and White Snow is one of the best Christmas albums around and a staple of my holiday soundtrack. This song boasts background vocals from Jon Randall and Emmylou Harris, which proves that if you want to make a great song even better, get Emmylou to sing on it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3G_xA3k6vdQ

Leeann’s Pick: Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors

I am not familiar with Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors outside of the Christmas album on which this song can be found, but I can say that the album is a mix of fun and warmth and this song is just one example of that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4m8FGJuWw0

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Song #7: I’ll Be Home For Christmas

Leeann’s Pick: Dwight Yoakam

To be honest, this isn’t actually one of my favorite Christmas songs. Dwight Yoakam’s rhythmic version, however, is just funky enough for me to focus without getting bored.

Sam’s Pick: Raul Malo

If there is anyone in Nashville who can wring out every drop of emotion from this most bittersweet of Christmas songs, it is Raul Malo. Armed with just his guitar and his voice, Malo’s rendition is guaranteed to touch anyone who’s spending the holidays apart from loved ones. This video was recorded as a tribute to soldiers returning from the war in Iraq, making the song even more poignant.

Song #6: Silent Night

Sam’s Pick: Cherish the Ladies

In my opinion, “Silent Night” is the most beautiful of all Christmas carols. Here, the traditional Celtic band does a lovely interpretation of it, sung in both English and Gaelic. Former lead singer Heidi Talbot has a simply stunning voice, and the Ladies’ On Christmas Night is a worthwhile purchase for anyone who likes and few jigs and reels mixed in with their Christmas standards.

Leeann’s Pick: House of Heroes

I happened upon this version thanks to Amazon’s 25 Days of free Christmas downloads, but I don’t know anything about House of Heroes beyond this song. Incidentally, however, their rendition has turned out to be my favorite version of “Silent Night” because of the relaxed vibe. Being somewhat of an audiophile, I especially appreciate the crisp separation of the vocals and instruments of the production that becomes more evident as the track builds and progresses.

Song #5: Away in a Manger

Leeann’s Pick: Kelly Willis and Wylie Gustafson

A search of my iTunes indicates that I like many versions of this song, but the one that stands out the most to me is from a compilation called Christmas Trail by Wylie Gustafson and Kelly Willis. The mix of rootsy production, Willis’ twang and Gustafson’s Orbison-like harmony is impossible to resist.

Sam’s Pick: Ryan Shupe and the RubberBand

It’s hard to find a Christmas album that doesn’t have a version of “Away in the Manger,” but this may be the only reggae-grass version in existence. Shupe, a Utah-based musician, had a little mainstream success with an album on Capitol in 2005, but the RubberBand continues to record and tour to this day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Vvguj3Kxyc

Song #4: White Christmas

Sam’s Pick: Garth Brooks – For the ultimate version of this song, it’s hard to go wrong with Bing Crosby. But Garth’s jazzy, laid-back take on “White Christmas” is pretty excellent too. Fun fact: This song loses a lot of its charm once you’ve spent a Christmas night with your heart in your throat driving home after a blizzard but before the salt trucks have come out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJ8X8aZv4RE

Leeann’s Pick: Bing Crosby

I’ve searched high and low for a superior version, but no one can top the ultimate version of “White Christmas”. It’s beautiful, it’s calming and it’s perfect.

BONUS PICK

Jonathan Keefe: Lari White

One of the reasons I’m not crazy about Christmas music is that so much of it ends up produced in the same vanilla, tasteful-to-a-fault kind of soft rock manner, and White’s rendition does have that problem. Fortunately, it does get points for a prominent steel guitar line and for having an over-the-top, campy choir kick in during the second verse.

But, more importantly, it’s also a showcase for White’s incomparable voice: In terms of power, range, control, and richness of tone, she’s easily one of the finest singers country music has ever been lucky enough to claim. The catastrophically poor taste of the “Wild at Heart” video pretty well killed her career, but her version of this holiday standard does still score her some seasonal recurrent airplay.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tr8i-YVPVZk

Song #3: Jingle Bells

Leeann’s Pick: Raul Malo

This fiery version does what this song is meant to do; it puts me in a festive mood. I love the jaunty, jazzy production and Malo leans into the song as intensely as he does any song that he sings.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_XSd1uiGK8

Sam’s Pick: Crash Test Dummies

Or “Scary Jingle Bells,” as my kids call it. Leave it to this quirky Canadian folk group to turn a joyous, bouncy song like this into an accordion-driven battle dirge. Thanks to Brad Roberts, who’s one of the few people who can make Trace Adkins sound like a castrato, this version of “Jingle Bells” sounds more like a slaying song than a sleighing song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNnaRovVlPI