The Best Christmas Songs You Don't Know

If you listen to Christmas music on the radio, you'll notice that there's probably about 40 Christmas songs that just get played over and over again. There are probably 40 or 50 more that you know but don't hear very often. But there are some wonderful, yet obscure, Christmas recordings that ought to be listened to more often. (There are plenty of other obscure Christmas recordings that are obscure for a very good reason, but that's another blog altogether.) Here are some great Christmas songs that you've probably never heard before.

What Will Santa Claus Say (When He Finds Everybody Swingin'): Louis Prima

Louis Prima was a triple threat: fabulous trumpeter, gifted vocalist, amazing showman. All three talents are in play in this wonderful recording of this jazz hit. The first minute is Prima's brass skills, then he - and the band - break into vocals, and the song ends with a fabulous clarinet solo.

Donde Esta Santa Claus?: Augie Rios

The 1950s was the era of the novelty Christmas song, many of which were forgettable at best and painful at worst. But this sweet bilingual song, sung by a 12-year-old boy, asks "Mama, where is Santa Claus?" It was covered by Charo in the 1970s and more recently by Straight No Chaser. All three versions have their own kind of charm, but I admit that I love the original best of all.

The Christmas Tree Angel: The Andrews Sisters

In typical Andrews Sisters' style, the sisters take turns singing each verse as a solo, then the trio breaks into their familiar tight harmony for the refrain. The song tells the story of "Angie, The Christmas Tree Angel," whose job it is to fancy up the Christmas decorations and arrange all of the presents under the tree on Christmas morning.

I Remember Christmas: The Drifters

Much like the Andrews Sisters, the Drifters have a distinctive sound that carries through to their Christmas music. One lead voice with soft harmonizing vocals in the background accompanied by a twangy electric guitar, this laid-back reminiscence song has an old-fashioned feel that will remind you of Christmas in your youth.

The Lord's Bright Blessing (from Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol)

I rewatched this Christmas special for the first time in probably 35 years or more just the other day, and I realized how many wonderful songs there are. You may remember this one as "The Razzleberry Dressing" song, as Tiny Tim references razzleberries about 27 times during the song. The lyrics capture the beauty of Christmas as it's meant to be, where "knowing we're together" is more important than having lots of presents, resulting in a holiday that's "more glorious than grand." God bless us, every one.

All Those Christmas Cliches: Nancy LaMott

Written by the Tony-Award-winning team of Broadway composers Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, this lovely song opens with the singer proclaiming that she's lived in exciting cities all the world, and she thought it didn't matter, but now she realizes she wants "all those Christmas cliches" - and then goes on to list them, from plywood reindeer on the roof to the wreath on the door to tinsel to fruitcake. And when the song ends with a poignant request for "that guy in the bright red outfit" to stay instead of flying off, you just might have a little lump in your throat.

Heigh-Ho the Holly: Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians

The group I perform with at Christmas every year does a lovely a cappella arrangement of this piece, but I love the version recorded by Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians. It opens with a music-box sounding section, then an orchestral introduction before the voices come in, and it includes a tag which seems to belong to a different piece entirely, but I still love it.

Who Would Imagine a King: Whitney Houston (from The Preacher's Wife)

Houston was at the top of her vocal game in the mid-90s when she released this religious Christmas song on the soundtrack of her hit movie, "The Preacher's Wife." The lyrics contrast the poor baby Jesus' apparent destiny as a carpenter or a fisherman with the angels' proclamations that He would be a King.

Gabriel's Message: The Swingle Singers

This song has also been recorded by Sting and Jars of Clay, but it's the Swingle Singers' a cappella version with its tight and sometimes unexpected harmonies that I would gladly listen to over and over.

Rejoice with Exceeding Great Joy: The Gaither Family

Written by Bill and Gloria Gaither, the patriarch and matriarch of the Gaither music empire and composers of a significant portion of the contemporary Christian music written in the 60s and 70s, this piece has their familiar tight, Southern gospel harmony, Even if you don't consider yourself music, you'll find yourself breaking into harmonies and joining in on this sweeping hymn.

Noel: Lauren Daigle

Daigle's vaguely husky yet clear and powerful voice is perfectly suited to this simple melody with its simple yet deep lyrics. This arrangement begins with light, subtle accompaniment that eventually increases into sweeping but not overwhelming synth that lapses into a counterpoint melody in the keyboard, then Daigle's powerful belt of the refrain takes the piece to a whole new place. Great voice, great song.

In the First Light: Glad

The contemporary Christian band Glad started out in the 1970s as a "progressive rock band," but they found that their occasional a cappella arrangements were extremely popular and in the late 1980s they experienced a new popularity as a mainly a cappella group. In what is now common a cappella structure, the song begins with lead vocals and a single harmony line, adds accompanying vocals on ooh and ahs, then finishes with all the voices joining in on intertwining vocal lines, and just a hint of barbershop roots on the last note as the lead voice holds the final glory note until the others echo and hold a rich chord.