5 Greatest Christmas Songs From Films, Plays, and TV
This is a brief collection of the very best lyrical songs that have been featured in Christmas movies and television productions from years past. These pieces of music have become classics just as have the productions in which they appeared.
1) “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch”
This song was featured in the 1966 animated TV special How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, narrated by Boris Karloff. It was performed by Thurl Ravenscroft, and the lyrics note a strong dislike for the Grinch’s character, pointing out his faults and comparing him to things like a crocodile, a banana, etc.
2) “We Need a Little Christmas” — Angela Lansbury
Everyone has heard this one. Beautifully sung by actress Angela Lansbury (in addition to several others), this very traditional songappears in the musical Mame. This musical was first altered into a film in 1958 under the title Auntie Mame. In 1966, Mame was brought to Broadway as a new musical performance, and it was widely acclaimed and enjoyed.
It was the musical which starred Lansbury. She was unfortunately not chosen for the lead in a second Hollywood adaptation in 1974, but frankly, we consider the version she sings to be the best. Lansbury has a reputation for her voice talents and singing such as in Beauty and the Beast.
3) “Frosty the Snowman”
Another frequently played (and widely loved) classic budding out of a children’s TV program, “Frosty the Snowman” first appeared in the 1969 animated TV special Frosty the Snowman and has since been picked up and performed by renowned artists such as the Jackson 5 (including Michael Jackson). However, the original, as sung by Jimmy Durante, was the version chosen for this list.
4) “Have a Holly Jolly Christmas”
Once again, like the majority of the songs previously mentioned here, this song was created for a children’s TV special, and since then its popularity has only grown with age. It is sung by Burl Ives, and his narrative character (a snowman) was even modeled to resemble him. It first appeared in a screen production in 1964 in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, a production by Rankin/Bass Productions, the company which was also behind Frosty the Snowman (1969) and The Little Drummer Boy (1968).
5) “The Little Drummer Boy” and “Peace on Earth”
Last but not least, we wanted to showcase this beautiful piece of musical genius and collaboration pulled off by Bing Crosby and David Bowie. It is actually not a mere duet collaboration between two musical giants; it is also a mixture, a merging of two different songs. The lead song happens to be “The Little Drummer Boy,” a stupendous piece in and of itself.
Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared here on Of Intellect and Interest’s home site.
