Christmas songs beyond the church...

So I've been thinking a lot about Christmas music this year - what works within worship and beyond - when all of a sudden I'm thinking about Christmas songs that I love waaaay beyond the church. Number one on my hit parade - without reservation - is Springsteen's reworking of the old Johnny Moore R and B classic: Merry Christmas, Baby.

I've been loving me this song for too long to even count; but EVERY time it comes on the radio I have to turn it up and sing a-long. It is just so much fun!

Number two, without exception, would have to be the King's version of "Blue Christmas." Man, I grew up on this one - my momma LOVED her some Elvis - and when the man did it on his comeback TV special, OMG: it was like heaven on earth. (I'll be doing this on TV/radio next week with Andy for his holiday show in Pittsfield.) This song may have been recorded first by Ernest Tubb - and it was - but let's be clear: Elvis OWNS this song.

Number three goes to the King, too: from the 1957 LP and a song written by the legendary Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller at the end of the recording session as per Elvis' request for a bluesy, innuendo-driven Christmas rocker. And damn if they didn't nail it with "Santa Claus is Back in Town."

Number four in my Christmas book goes back to the Boss and his reworking of the Phil Spector take on "Santa Claus is Coming to Town." My children grew up with this version and still think that every other take is just white bread... I think it shows an incredible rock historian honing his craft and building on tradition.

Number five is John McCutcheon's masterpiece: "Christmas in the Trenches." His recounting this true story from WWI is to be cherished. Perhaps it will make a reappearance this year...

Four others always grab me, too:

+ John Lennon's "War is Over" is an essential.

+ Joni Mitchell's "River" always rips me up.

+ And both Greg Lake's, "Father Christmas" and U2's "Peace on Earth."

Perhaps it would be wise to let Sarah McLachlan take this home...