Joe's Christmas Music 30/30 - "Wizards in Winter" by Trans-Siberian Orchestra (aka Savatage) #GoodChristmasMusic

My last song is fairly well known for light displays - in fact the band has one as the official video! I have this on here because I have strong memories of my daughter jamming out hard.

Joe's Christmas Music 29/30 - "Carol of the Bells" by Gary Hoey #GoodChristmasMusic

A name that doesn't get brought up enough, but Hoey can play. Ran across this some years ago at an Xmas lights display, and it's been in my head since. Great guitar work here. Really should listen to more of him.

Joe's Christmas Music 28/30 - "Father Christmas" by The Kinks #GoodChristmasMusic

As I get towards the end of my list, we're back to rock. I couldn't NOT have this classic by the Kinks on my list of Christmas music somewhere. The band in Santa outfits in the video is pretty darned amusing to me.🤣

Joe's Christmas Music 27/30 - "The 12 Days of Christmas" by Straight No Chaser #GoodChristmasMusic

The last by SNC on my list is their best. This version is the original from 1998 - it's the entire reason I listen to them at all. Love how this musically goes all over the place - still damn funny.

Joe's Christmas Music 26/30 - "Nutcracker" by Straight No Chaser #GoodChristmasMusic

The acapella group hits my list again with this song that's basically about how bad it is to actually see the Nutcracker live, and how they try to get out of it. Not the most well known track, but I loved it! :)

Joe's Christmas Music 25/30 - "The Christmas Can-Can" by Straight No Chaser #GoodChristmasMusic

The acapella group does this song about the US culture and Christmas with things happening more out of their defined time they're supposed to. It's got a nice fast beat and a lot of jokes. #Ho

Joe's Christmas Music 24/30 - "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" by @iommi.com & Ronnie James Dio #GoodChristmasMusic

The most metal song on the playlist is today's choice. It's half of Black Sabbath and the "Dio" the band doing this Christmas classic. Iommi's guitar makes for a heavy Christmas classic!

Joe's Christmas Music 23/30 - "12 Days of Christmas" by Bob & Doug McKenzie #GoodChristmasMusic

Was a big fan of SCTV so when Moranis & Thomas released this comedy album AS Bob & Doug McKenzie, I snapped it up. Their bizarre rendition of 12 Days to this day is in my mind when I hear the real one.

Joe's Christmas Music 22/30 - "Christmas with a Capital C" by Go Fish & Brad Stine #GoodChristmasMusic

First heard this at a Christmas light display many yrs ago. Loved it, so here it is. A mostly comedic track about our culture having leaned towards saying "Happy Holidays" vs "Merry Christmas".

Joe's Christmas Music 21/30 - "Christmas in America" by Pat Benatar #GoodChristmasMusic

In 2003, Pat released her singular BEST album - "Go". At the end was this song which just feels right to me, but then I am American. It does have these lyrics: "It's Christmas in America, God Bless the USA"

Joe's Christmas Music 20/30 - "Please Come Home for Christmas" by Pat Benatar #GoodChristmasMusic

In 1991, Pat released a CRIMINALLY underrated "jump blues" album called "True Love". At the end of the album was this cover of "Please Come Home for Christmas". AWESOME track. Wish more people knew it.

Joe's Christmas Music 19/30 - "Gloria" by Michael W. Smith #GoodChristmasMusic

This is probably the most "churchy" of any of the songs on here. I say that because it's on here due to a memory when my daughter was like 5 - she ran around the church when they played this as part of the pageant. :)

Joe's Christmas Music 17/30 - "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" by Andy Williams #GoodChristmasMusic

The last of the classical section of my Christmas list has this from Andy Williams - something that can really be called a "classic". While I'm a metalhead, I can appreciate a well sung song.

Joe's Christmas Music 17/30 - "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" by Tony Bennett #GoodChristmasMusic

Deep into the classic portion of my list here - gotta love me some Tony Bennett. Have always loved this sound of his. Probably why I always dug Setzer's Orchestra too. #YouBetterNotCry

Joe's Christmas Music 16/30 - "Jolly Old St. Nicholas/Little Drummer Boy" by Ray Conniff #GoodChristmasMusic

This is one that is a strong emotional draw. My wife and her parents used to listen to this whole album as routine Christmas activity. Over the years it's grown on me - love this LP leadoff.

Joe's Christmas Music 15/30 - "I Saw Three Ships" by Sting #GoodChristmasMusic

This is short, but I always loved Sting's take on this song. It's the same beat thru the whole thing, but think his voice works well here. It comes from a series of Xmas albums from the 80's "A Very Special Christmas".

Joe's Christmas Music 14/30 - "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" by John Lennon #GoodChristmasMusic

My list veers off metal for a bit starting with this one from John Lennon that I always loved. The music vid for this really hammers home the underlying heavy message here. But always loved the music.

Joe's Christmas Music 13/30 - "Winter Wonderland" by Stryper #GoodChristmasMusic

The newest track on my list (2025), Stryper does their take on the Christmas classic. Taken from their larger album of Christmas tracks. Always liked them, love their take on this - good fast paced metal cover of it.

Joe's Christmas Music 12/30 - "Silent Night" by Manowar #GoodChristmasMusic

If Manowar can be described as anything, it's metal. They take a softer Christmas song and do it very VERY traditionally. In fact, at the start you'd have no idea it was a metal band (but ends up there). Very enjoyable.

Joe's Christmas Music 11/30 - "We Three Kings" by Rob Halford #GoodChristmasMusic

"Westward leading, still proceeding, guide us to thy perfect light".

Rob Halford nails this, but JP fans shouldn't be surprised. Of the three of his songs I have here, this probably my favorite. Great stuff.

Joe's Christmas Music 10/30 - "Frosty the Snowman" #GoodChristmasMusic

This one is done by Bumblefoot / Chris Chaney / Kenny Aronoff / Steve Kudlow. It's basically a metal version of Frosty. Has an interesting take on some of the lyrics. It's a bit more straightforward than some of the covers.

Joe's Christmas Music 9/30 - "The Little Drummer Boy" by Christopher Lee #GoodChristmasMusic

Christopher Lee - the actor - does a heavy metal Christmas album. At age 90 no less. I'm pulling this track as his low voice works really REALLY well with this song (rum pum pum pum). It's metal too, so 🤘🤘🤘

Joe's Christmas Music 8/30 - "Oh Holy Night" by Rob Halford #GoodChristmasMusic #MartinCrane

Once again, I hit Rob Halford's Winter Songs album for "Oh Holy Night". I always loved the musical layout of this track. Halford's delivery and the metal guitars make this work even better for me.

Joe's Christmas Music 7/30 - "Silver Bells" by Twisted Sister #GoodChristmasMusic @deesnider.bsky.social

Silver Bells by TS is the second off their Christmas album. Love the TS twist on the background vocals here. This works REALLY darned well musically! Just discovered TODAY it had a music video!

Joe's Christmas Music 6/30 - "Run Run Rudolph" by Lemmy Kilmister #GoodChristmasMusic

Lemmy from Motorhead belts out a Xmas song with help from ZZ Top's Billy F Gibbons and Nirvana's Dave Grohl. One wouldn't think Motorhead and Christmas music, but here we are. This shouldn't work but it does. 🤘

Joe's Christmas Music 5/30 - "Jingle Bells" by The Brian Setzer Orchestra #GoodChristmasMusic

Brian's Orchestra does this song - quite traditionally. It's a rock version for sure, but he doesn't mess with the track beyond a single line of lyric (changing sleigh to Chevrolet). Shot the vid myself.

Joe's Christmas Music 4/30 - "God Rest Ye Metal Gentlemen 2013" by Boston #GoodChristmasMusic

The 70's band does a Christmas track. It's mostly an instrumental, but is based around the Christmas hymn of the same name. This exists because Tom Scholz wanted to "Boston-ize" one of his favorites. :)

Joe's Christmas Music 3/30 - "Oh Come, O Come, Emanuel" by Rob Halford #GoodChristmasMusic

Halford does a more traditional Christmas music but with a metal slant. It's not too "in your face", either. A non metal fan can probably get into this, it's not speed metal territory. Underrated album.

Joe's Christmas Music 2/30 - "Oh Come All Ye Faithful" by Twisted Sister #GoodChristmasMusic @deesnider.bsky.social

TS does "We're Not Gonna Take it" with Christmas lyrics. It's my wife's fav Christmas song, and I have to say it's been high on the Christmas playlist since it first showed up.

Joe's Christmas Music 1/30 - "Yabba-Dabba Yuletide" by the Brian Setzer Orchestra #GoodChristmasMusic

This is a fun song. It's basically the theme to The Flintstones with lyrics added that make it a Christmas song. I saw Setzer do this live, it was awesome!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8js...