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Dave Edwards, Bridport
ROY WOOD IS XMAS

ERIC DENHAM - AYLESBURY
Earier in the year I purchased an album Cd titled 'Reggae Christmas' which is a various artist compilation. It contains all the well known Christmas songs and others I had nevwer heard but are very good. For all the reggae fans out there who get into Christmas this Cd is well worth getting hold of for next Christmas.

Tomski Beat, Doncaster
1. Christmas In Jail - Leroy Carr 2. All I Want for Christmas is the Dukla Prague Away Kit - Half Man Half Biscuit 3. Walking in the Air (Happy Hardcore) - The Omen 4. No Xmas For John Quays - The Fall 5. Pi$$ing in the Snow - Kinky Machine

Pete, Bristol
Santa Claus Is A Black Man - by Akim gets my vote. it was on a John Waters compiled xmas CD

Liam, Hartlepool
I think there is only Oasis who could pull off Knebworth again - no other band can be a match for them live

Brett Rogers, Little Rock, Arkansas USA
I agree with Spenk (?)...the Phil Spector Christmas Album trumps them all.

Neil, Dover
Stafrænn Hákon's post-rock renditions of "Do They Know It's Christmas" and "Last Christmas" must be heard to be believed. Also try finding "If You Were Born Today" by Low.

Anne, Edinburgh
One of my new Xmas favourites has to be Malcolm Middleton's "Burst Noel" which begins "Last year I got knives for Christmas/Stayed at home and no one missed us" and gets more and more miserable! I also love Arab Strap's version of "(Xmas) Baby Come Home", the Manic's version of "Last Christmas", Belle and Sebastien singing the old carol "Come Emannuel". And no one seems to have mentioned "they said there'd be snow at Xmas"?!

jesper, denmark
Run DMC: Christmas in Hollis

Kevin, East Grinstead
Couldn't agree more - the greatest Christmas (spoof) record ever made - Wounded John Scott-Cree's "Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer" - it also heavy rock at it's best

Terry W, Blackpool.
The original "Christmas Song" (circa 1970) by Jethro Tull with string accompaniment is the real thing compared to Tull's cheesy "Ring Out Solstice Bells" on the album "Songs From the Wood" which was a much bigger hit. If I hear anything more by John Lennon, I'll vomit. To really get the party mood up, surely "Don't you want me" by Human League (1981) must be the tops.

Phil in Spalding aka Mr Cranks
I remember being in France one easter when to my horror "Can you stop the Cavalry?" was at number 1 in le hit parade. "The Fairytale of New York" has been bellowed many times during memorable drunken nights with the best of friends, but "It's Cliched to be Cynical at Christmas" by Half Man Half Biscuit wins every time. Opening line: How did I guess, you were going to express, your disdain at the grave, with the bright fairy lights. No contest really

kate, derry, n.ireland
i just love Chris Rea's 'Driving Home for Christmas' it's kinda sad but i love the lyrics, the tune and the sentiment.

Graham, Filey
I Think you have to go a long way to beat the festive classic "white Christmas" as interpreted by Stiff Little Fingers. I'd also love to hear The Boys of The NYPD Choir singing "Galway Bay"!

Danny Sheffield
"can't buy everything forever" by Sid Peacock & Surge. It's a free download on wmrecordings.com . It's an anti shopping song which is what Christmas is all about these days!

Bruce, Leicester
I'd like to point Christmas connoiseurs in the direction of Santa Claus Is Smoking Reefer by the Squirrel Nut Zippers. And of course It's Cliched To Be Cynical At Christmas by Half Man Half Biscuit can be used to put the nay-sayers in their place!

Rab, Bradford, West Yorkshire
The answer to this question is clearly 'Christmas' by Low. Other great Christmas tunes are: 'Santa Claus, Go Straight to the Ghetto' by James Brown; Ron Sexsmith's touching lament for lost friends 'Maybe The Christmas'; 'Warm Night' by The Concretes (although not strictly about Christmas); The Watersons' 'Frost and Fire' album; and, finally, the daddy of easy listening...Dean Martin's Christmas compilation 'Making Spirits Bright' - every home should have one.

Adam, Milton Keynes
Ramones' "Merry Christmas I Don't Want to Fight Tonight" and the Darkness' "Christmas Time (Don't Let the Bells End)" do it for me, gotta love the classics like Wizzard, John Lennon, Slade and the Pogues too :) and there's a good one by Travis called "Alone on Christmas Day" (I think) that was unreleased but was recorded for Radio 1 last year, and has been played a few times recently also... Good stuff.

Sam, Downpatrick
I know East 17's "Stay Another Day" was a Christmas number 1, but I don't get why so many people say it's a Christmas song - am I missing something?

Peter de Meteor, Bristol.
"Christmas Song" by Jethro Tull. By the way, Chris Rea's "Driving Home For Christmas" seems far less festive when you consider that the "Home" referred to is Middlesbrough!

Chris Franklin / Los Angeles
Two of my favorite Christmas tunes come from two indie bands of the early '90s. Tsunami and Velocity Girl put out a split 7-inch in 1992 called 'Seasons Greetings' on Tsunami's self owned label Simple Machines. On red vinyl no less, the tracks were 'Merry Christmas, I Love You', by Velocity Girl on side A and 'Could Have Been Christmas' by Tsunami on side B. The Tsunami track also became available later when they released a compilation cd called "World Tour and Other Destinations" which was all of their 7-inch releases (A & B sides) on one cd. I can't recall if the Velocity Girl track ever showed up anywhere else, but it could have shown up on any number of holiday indie comps from the '90s, after '92. I have recently downsized my collection- digitizing a large part of it and selling it off, but this is one of the 7-inches I decided to hang on to, along with things like those first two Lois Mafeo 7-inches, when she was operating under the band name "Courtney Love", which were put out on K Records. Happy Holidays, Chris Franklin

Glenn, Tillington
Slade! It's Chrrrriiisssstmasssss!!!

Patty, Winnipeg, Canada
Nothing says "Christmas" like either version of "It's Christmas, Baby (Please Come Home)" by Darlene Love or U2.

charlie....corby
best xmas song has to be wounded john scott cree and his version of rudolph the red nosed reindeer ...every home should have one

daniel the spaniel
i'll go for merry christmas i don't want to fight tonight by the ramones

David, Retford
Its a toss-up between Redd Kross 'Super Sunny Xmas' and the Damned's 'There Ain't No Sanity Clause'.

Tom Adler, Bridport, Dorset
Jack and Sum 41 - Please santa i've been good this year and there's a lot of cool s**t i want

Mark Carrington Weymouth
There Ain't No Santa on the Evenin' Stage - Captain Beefheart. OK it's the really the greatest (that's Fairytale) but it is by The Captain.

zzzz walkerton ontario canada
Leon Redbone - Christmas Island. Cool video of Frosty the Snowman with Dr. John

Lars Vogel - Oldenburg (Germany)
I`ve been through it all, low is very good alternative, pogues is topping it and I stoled my moms chris rea cd but the best is slade (not: nat king cole, muppets, carpenters, phil spetors christmas album etc ). Formerly I always thought the best christmas song is not about christmas such as sound "winter" or one 1000 Violins "why is it always december" or atztec cameras "walk out to winter" but that was when I was younger ;):).)

Dave, Vancouver
The best has to be 2000 Miles by the Pretenders, with Fairytale of New York a close second

Paul Kendal
I think it's "Shoplifters of the World Unite" by The Smiths

Paul - shifnal
In true High Fidelity fashion 1. Jona Lewie - stop the cavalry 2. waitresses - Christmas wrapping (Bah Humbug but that's too Strong) 3. Slade - Here it is... 4. Pogues and Kirsty - fairytale 5. Macca - happy xmas everyone i wan it gimey gimey

John, Southend
I simply adore Low's "Just Like Christmas". It sounds like it was recorded in 1965, it definitely has a sixties sound to it. Also, check out the Jackie Edwards version of "White Christmas", again from '65. Worth a spin !! Worst Xmas record? Sorry, but it has to be Chris Rea's "Driving Home...." Awful !! Guess I'm in a minority there :-)

Adam, the States
It's not Christmas without Robert Goulet.

Naomi, New Brunswick, New Jersey
At last you've mentioned Badly Drawn Boys 'Donna and Blitzen' - it's great, has the Christmas spirit but isn't cheesy!

andrew mackay, Manchester
few issues with that do they know its christmas tune: would they celebrate christmas being predominantly islamic and non christian countries, therefore would they care, even if they knew, also i'm sure there will be snow on kilimanjiro this christmas. The pogues/k. maccoll is the only good christmas song.

Britoni, the North Pole ;o)
Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime by Macca, Carol of the Bells or Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer (not).

Rich, Bedford.
My vote in the rock music genre would go to 'Christmas Medley' by Jimi Hendrix Band of Gypsies. It's an instrumental; Little Drummer Boy, Silent Night and Auld lang Syne. It was originally a bootleg that got some kind of official release a few weeks back.

BAMMBAMM :: Seattle
All I wanted was a skateboard :: Super Deluxe I looooovce that song, always puts me in a Christmas mood. I proclaim it will be a classic some day.

John, Leeds
Does it have to be Christmas themed, or just released for the Christmas chart?

Paul in Dartford
"Christmas Wrapping" by the Waitresses is the only festive pop single since Slade to not be utterly indefensible. The only other contempary christmas track worthy of consideration is "Alien For Christmas" by Fountains of Wayne a b-side I think

Eddie, The Ruskin Arms
I'd go for "Bring your Daughter to the Slaughter" by Iron Maiden because it wiped the self-righteous grin off Cliff Richard's face when it beat him to number one in 1992.

J. Richardson, Manchester
I'd nominate Low "Just Like Christmas" - it's been a firm family tradition for a number of years now. It's not the start of Christmas until we play that on the way to work in the car.

tom in machester
Christmas wrapping by the waitesses is definately th best xmas song : great funky tune, ironc-ish lyric and a happy ending!! top

Dario, Milano, Italy
Chris Rea's "Driving home for Christmas"

Dom, Cambridge
I'm a big fan of alternative Christmas music, and I'd nominate Low's 'Just Like Christmas' - that whole album is great - Badly Drawn Boy's 'Donna and Blitzen' and the Flaming Lips' 'Christmas At The Zoo'. I also love everything on Phil Spector's Christmas Album (except maybe 'March of the Wooden Soldiers'), the Slade and Wizzard classics, 'Faiirytale of New York' of course, The Waitresses' 'Christmas Wrapping' - and Johnny Mathis' 'When A Child Is Born' gets me every time ("black, white, yellow...no-one knows" - genius.)

Brucey Glasgow
Yes "Stop The Cavalry" by Jona Lewie is definately the best-it epitomises Christmas to me having grown up in the 70's /80's- kind of subdued euphoria with a slight melancholy about missing the true feeling of Christmas- Also Band Aid summed up a kind of all round good spirit at Christmas, making us feel like we were helping those less fortunate than ourselves ( regardless of the reality of charity which we now realise) At the time it seemed such a huge idea-uniting so many pop stars behind whats not a bad song-unlike the psuedo religious cynical Christmas fleecing machine that is Cliff Richard...I can't stand anything by that creep.

Laura Nesbitt, Bristol
Stop The Cavalry by Jona Lewie! Rum pum pum pum pum Rum pum pum pum pum Rum pum pum pum pum pum pum pum! A great song with a real detatched voice. But then I guess anything is good after a pint or two of sherry!

Spenk London
The Phil Spector Christmas Album... The True Sound of Christmas.... It's also the only Festive music that doesn't make me want to chew Holly and Mistletoe... All of 'em are ace, but the Version of The Bells of Saint Mary is a True Stomper... Keep it Festive

Joe from Shoreham in Sussex by the sea
Merry Christmas baby by Otis Redding

Sandy Donaldson Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
The greatest Chrismas album ever is the 1975 Sesame Street album. Featuring 'I hate Christmas" by Oscar the Grouch, A hilarious gift of the magi sketch with Bert and Ernie, but best of all a "night before Christmas" beat poem by David. A precursor to rap. All funny. Make sure its the 1975, not the updated 90's version with Elmo added in.

DC - London but driving home to Glasgow...
Driving home for christmas With a thousand memories I take look at the driver next to me He’s just the same Just the same.... Genius from Chris Rea, Christmas, cars, traffic jams, expectancy and no frog in sight.

nottingham
Does "Little Drum Machine Boy" by Beck count? It's more of a Hanukkah song.

Steve, York
I would quite happily do without 'seasonal songs', they are as usual highly over rated and when you are out and about and hear the same old thing over and over it makes me want to leave wherever I am, I will dump the shopping and clear out of the shop muttering about the terrible musak. These seasonal songs have a definite place in the bin or the novelty section of the local toy store, please keep em there.

neil. the bush
the pogues and slade. i cant decide. debate over i think.

milla gorrila, GLASGOW
'Snoopys Christmas' by the Royal Kingsman. Brilliant song, and mentions the Red Baron, and beats the hell out of Band Aid. Anyone got a copy I can have?

Sarah - Northampton
Low's ' Just like Christmas is a modern classic but one of my all-time fave's is John Lennons ' Merry Xmas (War is Over). Yeah maybe it's a bit too sad and we don't need any help in being depressed over the jolly holiday period but it's just got sumthin about it - if you know what I mean...

Dirk St Louis (Lapland)
Ho Ho Ho,seasons greetings Mark&Judith.I just knew this was going to be the great debate subject this week.Christmas songs are overlooked,taken for granted as we all get drunk at the office party.Yes, "Mistleoe&Wine",Macca's "Wonderful Xmas Time" and East 17's Stay Another Day" are obviously rubbish-but there are so, so many wonderful songs and arrangements, which evoke memories of being allowed to drink Babycham by a roaring fire on Christmas Eve when I was 13. These are the best: "White Christmas"-Bing Crosby, "Blue Christmas"-Elvis Presley and dare I also confess to having a soft spot for Chris Rea's "Driving Home For Christmas" and yes, here it comes: "A Winter's Tale" by the original gypsey at Xmas-David Essex."Stop The Cavalry" by Jona Lewie has to be the most original Xmas song ever and sadly still relevant this Christmas, more than ever.