Emily is Smiling

I'll be sharing a few more songs than usual this week.  Christmas spirit, you know.  In honor of it being Christmas Eve, I'll take songs from my Christmas playlist.  Check out these ten awesome Christmas songs by ten awesome artists.

"Carol of the Bells" by BarlowGirl
This is an old song and not originally performed by BarlowGirl, of course, but it is lovely.  BarlowGirl's voices seem to go perfectly with the song... so haunting and lovely.  I could listen to this song over and over.  It's one of my favorite Christmas songs.  It always puts in me in just the right mood for Christmas.  Check out this song and feel the chills raise on your arms. 

"Blue Christmas" by Elvis Presley
I am Elvis Presley's number one fan.  His Christmas album is played over and over and over in my car and bedroom.  I love Elvis's voice and his style.  Check out this song.  It's classic Elvis.  "I'll have a blue Christmas without you.  I'll be so blue just thinking about you.  Decorations of red on a green Christmas tree... Won't be the same, dear, if you're not here with me.  And when those blue snowflakes start falling, that's when those blue memories start calling. You'll be doing alright with your Christmas of white, but I'll have a blue, blue, blue, blue Christmas."  Isn't that just classic Elvis?  I love blues.

"Sleigh Ride" by Billy Gilman and Charlotte Church
This was always my favorite Christmas song as a little girl.  I used to absolutely love Billy Gilman, and his voice goes so well with Charlotte Church's in this song.  It's very bouncy and fun, the perfect cheery Christmas mood.  For some reason, I cannot find the duet with Charlotte on YouTube, but here's a clip of Billy Gilman singing it solo.  Check it out.  He was such a cute little kid. 

"Feliz Navidad" by David Crowder* Band
David Crowder is just awesome.  Of course, out of all the Christmas songs he could have recorded, he recorded this one.  I love Feliz Navidad.  It's very catchy, it's very fun, and it's by David Crowder, which makes it all the better.  I love David Crowder's unique voice and crazy style.  For a Texan, he did pretty good with the accent, I think.  Check the song out here. 

"You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" by Newsong
How can you celebrate Christmas without The Grinch Song?  Newsong put out a pretty good Christmas album several years back, and this song is on it.  It's hilarious.  I grew up listening to this song.  "You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch. You really are a heel. You're as cuddly as a cactus. You're as charming as an eel. Mr. Grinch, you're a bad banana with a greasy black peel... Your brain is full of spiders. You got garlic in your soul. Mr. Grinch, I wouldn't touch you with a 39 and a half foot pole!"  They got the tone of the song down perfectly as well.  This song is just great.  Take a listen.

"This Christmas" by TobyMac
No, this isn't a classic Christmas song.  TobyMac wrote it, and I think it's beautiful.  I got chills the first time I heard it.  "This Christmas" tells the story of an orphan boy named Johnny who goes to stay with a family for a Christmas so he can have an experience of a real home.  "Now Johnny never got his wish on December 25th. That's what he said when he left the orphanage. Nine years old, but Johnny was an old soul. Gonna spend his first Christmas in a real home. Showed me a picture that he drew the night before. It was a picture of a man standing outside a door. I asked him who it was and he said, 'Someone I only see in dreams. He comforts me when I cry myself to sleep.' Father of the fatherless, be with Your sons and daughters this Christmas..."  And that's only the first verse.  Pretty, right?  Check it out here.  You might even cry.
 
"Mistletoe" by Colbie Caillat
This is another modern Christmas song.  I adore Colbie Caillait's voice.  It's so controlled and peaceful and pretty.  I could listen to her all day.  It's similar lyrically to "Blue Christmas" by Elvis Presley.  It's sad, but tranquil.  "It's not Christmas if the snow don't fall, and I'm still standing here three feet small. Lose our troubles, because after all, it's Christmas time, and I've been waiting for you to come, and it's so hard because I feel so alone, and I just want you to come home..."  Melancholy, but pretty nonetheless.  Check it out.

"O Holy Night" by BarlowGirl
Yes, I'm showing you another BarlowGirl song.  This one is vastly different from the one I showed you above.  It's a rock version of O Holy Night and very well made.  I love it.  It's unique, catchy, and different from the bland Christmas style of music, which is what I tire of quickly during the Christmas season.  Take a look and enjoy this song choreographed to colorful house lights.
 
"Baby, It's Cold Outside" by James Taylor
I personally love James Taylor's voice.  It's smooth and controlled and perfect for the Christmas season.  I also love this song.  Together, they're perfect.  Natalie Cole also makes a cameo in the song, which is nice as well.  I love how the song is like a conversation.  It makes me want to curl up by a fire with a mug of hot chocolate and a huge pile of marshmallows.  Check it out.

"The Little Drummer Boy" by GoFish
Finally, I'd like to show you the neatest version of The Little Drummer Boy that you might ever find.  It's played very frequently at my house.  I'm not usually a big fan of GoFish, but I have to admit, they did well with this song.  It's great.  Seriously.  Go buy it and add it to your Christmas playlist asap.  The drumming is so cool.  I love the sound of drums.  Listen to it here, and be sure to listen all the way through till the end.  You don't want to miss the best part.

There's my giant list of favorite Christmas songs.  I hope you liked them as much as I do.  What are yours?