Merry Christmas Music Tournament

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Was going to ask when that is, but if I understand correctly it's November 11th?
Yes. It's also known as Armistice Day, marking the end of hostilities of the first World War.

Does the separate holidays mash together into a giant three month celebration or something? 'Cause it seems wired to hang up your christmas stuff after Halloween, shouldn't it be the fall leaves and turkeys before the reindeers and snowmen?
I always thought American Thanksgiving being in November was weird. Ours is in mid October, which makes sense considering it's a harvest festival and all. Also having winter decorations up around Halloween isn't so out of place here, because we usually get some snow before then anyway haha.

We even started getting our own black friday sales a few years ago without any of the preamble of thanksgiving.
Same here. Most of the major retailers in Canada are American companies anyway, so it sort of makes sense. There's usually a kind of terrible "Canadian Black Friday" in October (though it's too far away from the holiday shopping season for people to really care), then a "proper" one with much better deals whenever the American one takes place.



Thanks for those. I'll update the main post after I get back from shopping.

Is it too late to nominate my extra 2? If not I'll have (if anyone hasn't already got them)

Greg Lake - I believe In Father Christmas RIP Greg. News broke today that he had died.

Kings College Choir - Once in Royal Davids City
I will do my votes here in a bit, make sure we are all done, and get the next set up.

p.s. We have a Christian radio station here that plays a mixture of both Christmas and Christian songs. Also, we have slow songs, and pop music on 97.5 FM. It works in a bit of Christmas here and there, around your everyday music. However, they play non stop Christmas on both Christmas Eve and Christmas day.

p.s.s. I think I'll just hide out in this freakin' thread for the rest of the year.



Btw, have the radio stations where you guys are started with the christmas songs yet? The station I usually listen to on my way to work has had a special thing the last few years: 24/7 christmas music...from the 1st of December until the 31st. And it's only about 25-30 songs they play...nonstop...FOR A MONTH. This year, owing to massive complaints from listeners, apparently, they've shown some restraint. Now they'll wait until after the celebration of Saint Lucia on the 13th and then go on to the 24/7 christmas music...with the same 25-30 songs....................Progress???
Jupp christmas songs all day all night. which im actually happy about because the radio stations here are aaaaaaawful..theres a sh!tload of commercials,and they play the same freaking songs over and over and over and over.I only listen to the radio when im driving and i have an old car so there is no bluetooth connect,or mp3 player and the cdplayer is busted
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Britney is my favorite



Nothing good comes from staying with normal people

I always thought American Thanksgiving being in November was weird. Ours is in mid October, which makes sense considering it's a harvest festival and all. Also having winter decorations up around Halloween isn't so out of place here, because we usually get some snow before then anyway haha.
Right, right, I forgot you're canadian, then it makes sense.
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Why not just kill them? I'll do it! I'll run up to Paris - bam, bam, bam, bam. I'm back before week's end. We spend the treasure. How is this a bad plan?



The Winners!

5~Celtic Carol (instrumental) - Lindsay Sterling
2~Johnny Mathis - When A Child Is Born (Soleado)
3~The Muppets - Jingle Belll Rock
7~John Lennon - Happy Xmas (War is Over)
5~What's this? - The Nightmare before Christmas
6~Kelly,Trisha & Reba-Silent night
1~Darlene Love ~ All Alone on Christmas
4~Idina Menzel & Michael Bublé - Baby It's Cold Outside


Wait, all but one of mine lost. I think I'm doing this wrong.

5~What's this? - The Nightmare before Christmas vs. 4~Gayla Peevey - I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas (This was really tough, but I'm voting against my own nom here. I should have just let you keep it up against my other nom. )
Now that was funny.

Gee wiz i wish i would have known about this one.
Don't tell me that now. We needed ya, dude!



You can't make a rainbow without a little rain.
^ That's the right way to do things. Having just a few Christmas songs over and over again is tiring. Mixing them in with non-seasonal songs alleviates that.

300 Christmas songs is a lot though (on it's own, it's not much compared to 2000). Are there many unique songs in there, or is it just a ton of different versions of the same song?

There are some unique songs and some duplicate songs, but they're all versions by artists that I love. These are basically the Christmas albums by country artists like George Strait, Garth Brooks, etc., old fogey stuff like Dean Martin, Neil Diamond, and some standards like the stuff that was nominated in this tournament. It's a nice mix, especially when mixed with a bunch of non-Christmas music so it never gets to be too much.
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If I answer a game thread correctly, just skip my turn and continue with the game.
OPEN FLOOR.



OK, I'm working my butt off here, and I won't be going to bed until I get the rest of this set ready. I'll post the next set, and have the rest of it saved to notepad.



Btw, have the radio stations where you guys are started with the christmas songs yet? The station I usually listen to on my way to work has had a special thing the last few years: 24/7 christmas music...from the 1st of December until the 31st. And it's only about 25-30 songs they play...nonstop...FOR A MONTH. This year, owing to massive complaints from listeners, apparently, they've shown some restraint. Now they'll wait until after the celebration of Saint Lucia on the 13th and then go on to the 24/7 christmas music...with the same 25-30 songs....................Progress???
That would be my idea of hell. And people who work in retail and catering have my sympathy at this time of year having to listen to the same Christmas music over and over.



4~Clint Black - Til' Santa's Gone (Milk and Cookies) vs. 7~Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band - Merry Christmas Baby
I liked the Clint Black song but it's Bruuuuce!
4~Neil Diamond - You Make It Feel Like Christmas vs. 5~Silent Night - Taylor Davies (feat. Home Free)

5~The spirit of christmas past - Enya vs. 6~The Darkness-Christmas Time voted for this cos of the guys stripey plastic trousers

7~Frank Sinatra - I'll Be Home For Christmas vs. 2~Siouxsie & The Banshees - Il Est Né, Le Divin Enfant

3~Brandi Carlisle - The Heartache Can Wait vs. 2~The Kingston Trio - The First Snows Of Winter

3~Frosty the Snowman - Jackson 5 vs. 2~Slade - Merry Xmas Everybody voted against my Jackson 5 cos Slade, well I love Noddy and the boys, even when he pops up on one of those reminiscence programmes he always seems like such a genuine bloke and one that always seems still slightly taken aback by their successes

1~José Feliciano ~ Feliz Navidad vs. 2~Good Shepherd Band - Gabriel's Message (My Gift To You)

1~Joan Jett and the Blackhearts ~ Little Drummer Boy vs. 6~Alf Prøysen-Julepresangen



4~Clint Black - Til' Santa's Gone (Milk and Cookies) vs. 7~Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band - Merry Christmas Baby
"Merry Christmas Baby" was a song I was going to nominate if it wasn't already taken, so the other song would have to be pretty good to get my vote over it. I really don't like country music, so that song was really difficult to sit through.

4~Neil Diamond - You Make It Feel Like Christmas vs. 5~Silent Night - Taylor Davies (feat. Home Free)
I didn't like the background melody in that version of Silent Night. Wasn't really into the vocalists either, so I'm voting for Neil Diamond even though I'm not really a fan of that song either.

5~The spirit of christmas past - Enya vs. 6~The Darkness-Christmas Time

Neither of these are songs I'd really listen to, but the Darkness' song was different, and the video was a little entertaining.

7~Frank Sinatra - I'll Be Home For Christmas vs. 2~Siouxsie & The Banshees - Il Est Né, Le Divin Enfant
"Il Est Né, Le Divin Enfant" was quite nice, but I have a lot of nostalgia for the other song.

3~Brandi Carlisle - The Heartache Can Wait vs. 2~The Kingston Trio - The First Snows Of Winter
Again, I wasn't really feeling either of these songs.

3~Frosty the Snowman - Jackson 5 vs. 2~Slade - Merry Xmas Everybody
Slade's "Merry Xmas Everybody" was one of the first songs I thought of for this...but it was already taken. I don't think I've ever heard the Jackson 5's version of "Frosty". It was interesting.

1~José Feliciano ~ Feliz Navidad vs. 2~Good Shepherd Band - Gabriel's Message (My Gift To You)

This was actually a tough decision."Feliz Navidad" is one of those songs that really gets me into the Christmas mood ("Sleigh Ride" is definitely #1 at that though), and I actually really liked the other song here as well. The main vocalist has a really nice voice, and violins are always great.

1~Joan Jett and the Blackhearts ~ Little Drummer Boy vs. 6~Alf Prøysen-Julepresangen

I'm not a huge fan of any version of "Little Drummer Boy", but this one wasn't bad. Even though I don't speak Norwegian, that Julepresangen was fun as well.



4~Clint Black - Til' Santa's Gone (Milk and Cookies) vs. 7~Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band - Merry Christmas Baby
i really liked both though!

4~Neil Diamond - You Make It Feel Like Christmas vs. 5~Silent Night - Taylor Davies (feat. Home Free)
again i like both. the violin got me though

5~The spirit of christmas past - Enya vs. 6~The Darkness-Christmas Time
second one is my nom.but the first one is so beautiful. Does Enya always use the same background sample though? thats not ment be offensive because obviously it works,but ive heard it in a few of her songs now so just wondering if thats her thing.

7~Frank Sinatra - I'll Be Home For Christmas
vs. 2~Siouxsie & The Banshees - Il Est Né, Le Divin Enfant
I really liked the second,i just didnt get christmas from it

3~Brandi Carlisle - The Heartache Can Wait vs. 2~The Kingston Trio - The First Snows Of Winter
i really liked both so i went with the one that give me the most christmas vibe
3~Frosty the Snowman - Jackson 5 vs. 2~Slade - Merry Xmas Everybody
i never knew who sang this,thanks,now i can listen to it when i want to :P But mygawd,i really want to fix his hairsituation

1~José Feliciano ~ Feliz Navidad vs. 2~Good Shepherd Band - Gabriel's Message (My Gift To You)
classic!the other one was so beautiful though,on my christmas list now

1~Joan Jett and the Blackhearts ~ Little Drummer Boy vs. 6~Alf Prøysen-Julepresangen
nominated this because i ran out of christmas songs lol (i remember them now though of course) Its one of my all time favourite christmas songs but obviously since its in norwegian im not expecting anyone else to like it. For those wondering what its about- its about a little boy who wants to make a christmas present for his mother by carving something out of wood,but he keeps getting it wrong and it gets smaller and smaller so each vers hes making something new until finally its just a thin plank to slice bread on.




7~Frank Sinatra - I'll Be Home For Christmas vs. 2~Siouxsie & The Banshees - Il Est Né, Le Divin Enfant
I really liked the second,i just didnt get christmas from it

"Il Est Né, Le Divin Enfant" (he is born, the divine child) is a French Christmas carol, with the lyrics being about the birth of Jesus. But just listening to it, if you don't know any French, probably doesn't come across as being super Christmas-y though.



Just got back from the UK/airport - am in bits as expected (though been worse) so I'll get round to this set sometime tomorrow when I should begin to feel somewhat human/alive again




"Il Est Né, Le Divin Enfant" (he is born, the divine child) is a French Christmas carol, with the lyrics being about the birth of Jesus. But just listening to it, if you don't know any French, probably doesn't come across as being super Christmas-y though.
I dont,but I assumed the lyrics were something like that,nonetheless its a great song and i liked it regardless-but i liked both so i needed something to break the tie.Do you learn french in school in canada?



Do you learn french in school in canada?
It's mandatory from Grade 1-9. Then in High School it's completely optional. In the lower Grades, you have the option to opt-in to French immersion (where most of your subjects will be taught in French), but it wasn't very common where I lived due to the small population and schools not having the resources for it. I think now they can start French immersion in Kindergarten, and there are at least two French-only schools here in the city.

Other provinces and territories may differ in their regulations. In Quebec and parts of New Brunswick, French is the first language instead of English, so I imagine it's probably the opposite there, though I've never looked into it.



thats so cool. i didnt know you had any french at all until i found out about the celine dion thing in eurovision
we had french or german (and now spanish) in jr high,but its only for 2 hours a week so you dont really learn a whole lot.
we also a have sign language now which i wish we had back then,that would have been great.



I didn't really learn anything doing 9 years of French in school either. It was mostly just memorizing vocabulary lists and knowing how to conjugate etre and like...1 or 2 other verbs. Practically useless. I learned way more in just a couple weeks doing German at a University level than what I learned of French in my entire life.

Most of the French I know I learned from packaging. Everything you buy has an English and French side (or both on the same side sometimes). It might have something to do with being left-handed, but it seems like every time I put something in the cupboard or fridge, the French side is out, so I know most of my groceries better in French haha.




"Il Est Né, Le Divin Enfant" (he is born, the divine child) is a French Christmas carol, with the lyrics being about the birth of Jesus. But just listening to it, if you don't know any French, probably doesn't come across as being super Christmas-y though.
Ah, so my thread is educational, too. I honestly wish I had changed two of my songs to Shinee's Last Christmas and Winter Wonderland. What are the chances you all have already listened to all of my songs, and would be bothered if I did change two of them? Please be honest. I'm just curious.