Question: Do you play Christmas songs?
Answer: Yes!
Why Do Musicians Like Christmas Music?:
Christmas is the only time of year when jazz becomes main stream in North America. Jazz is considered by many to be America's only truly independent contribution to the art world and most holiday tunes are written with harmonic progressions and melodies more associated with jazz than any other music genre.
Complexity:
While many Christmas songs are intended to appeal to young children, many are written with far more interesting music than is typically found in pop, rock, country, hip-hop, or bluegrass.
A Month of Music:
Christmastime is also colloquially referred to as the holiday season. This is an appropriate interpretation because although Christmas Day is only one day, there is usually a month of preparation and celebration leading up to that date. Corporate parties, school dances, and community celebrations often occur during the weeks prior to December 25th. No other U.S. holiday lasts this long.
Since the Christmas holiday essentially lasts for a whole month starting right after Thanksgiving, it is common for musicians to start entertaining Christmas themed parties immediately in the last week of November. Most American holidays last only one day like Independence Day only celebrated on July 4th, as are New Year's Eve, Cinco de Mayo, Valentine's Day, and Halloween. During the weeks leading up to Christmas musicians could potentially play dozens of Christmas shows in one holiday season.
New Year's Eve:
Songs about New Year's Eve are commonly interspersed with Christmas repertoire during the weeks leading up to Christmas. Many songs that are considered Christmas classics are actually more about the winter seasons and are suitable to still be played between Christmas and NYE.
Christmas Holiday Songs:
(Carol of the Drum) The Little Drummer Boy-Matt McCallie*
(There's No Place Like) Home for the Holidays
A Holly, Jolly Christmas
All I Want for Christmas Is You-Mariah Carey
Adeste Fideles (O Come, All Ye Faithful)
Angels We Have Heard on High
Aspenglow-John Denver
Away In a Manger
Because It's Christmas (For All the Children)-Barry Manilow
Blue Christmas-Harry Connick, Jr., Elvis Presley, Matt McCallie*
Carol of the Bells
Celebrate Me Home-Kenny Loggins*
Christmas for Cowboys-John Denver
Christmas Mornings-Richard Marx
Christmas Secret-Matt McCallie*
Christmas Spirit-Richard Marx
Christmas Time Is Here
Coventry Carol
Deck the Halls/Twist & Shout
Elfish-Matt McCallie*
Feliz Navidad-José Feliciano
Frosty the Snowman
Go Tell It on the Mountain
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen-Matt McCallie*
Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer
Happy Holiday
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas-Matt McCallie*
Here Comes Santa Claus
I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day-Richard Marx
I Just Hitched a Ride on a Magic Sleigh (To Be With You on Christmas Day)-Matt McCallie*
I Saw Three Ships
I Wish Everyday Could Be Like Christmas-Bon Jovi
I Wonder As I Wander
I'll Be Home for Christmas
I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
It Came Upon a Midnight Clear
It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Jingle Bell Rock
Jingle Bells-Matt McCallie*
Joy to the World
Last Christmas-George Michael, Wham!, Taylor Swift
Let It Go-Frozen
Let It Snow!-Matt McCallie*
Let There Be Peace on Earth-Richard Marx & Kenny Loggins, Matt McCallie*
Little Saint Nick-The Beach Boys
My Favorite Things-Matt McCallie*
O Holy Night
Please Come Home for Christmas-Bon Jovi, The Eagles
River-Barry Manilow, Carly Simon, Matt McCallie*
Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer
Run, Run Rudolph-Chuck Berry, Bon Jovi*
Santa Baby-Michael Bublé
Santa Claus Is Back in Town-Richard Marx, Elvis Presley
Santa Claus Is Coming to Town/Run Run Rudolph-Bon Jovi*
Silent Night
Silver Bells
Sleigh Ride-Harry Connick, Jr.
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
The Christmas Waltz
The Dreidel Song
The First Noel
This Christmas-Donny Hathaway, Matt McCallie*
Today-John Denver
Up on the Housetop
Walking In the Air-Matt McCallie, Kenny Loggins*
We Three Kings-Matt McCallie*
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
What Child Is This-Matt McCallie*
White Christmas-Matt McCallie*
Winter Wonderland-Matt McCallie*
Yellow Snow-Matt McCallie*
New Year's Eve:
Auld Lang Syne-Matt McCallie*
It's Just Another New Year's Eve-Barry Manilow
Nothin' New for New Year-Harry Connick, Jr.
What Are You Doin' New Year's Eve
Jingle Bell Rock
Central West End Window Walk 12-1-2012
Violin Duo | Christmas Music
Corporate Club Cocktail Holiday Party
Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
Central West End Window Walk 12-1-2012
Holly, Jolly Christmas
Central West End Window Walk 12-1-2012
I Just Hitched a Ride on a Magic Sleigh
Matt McCallie Original
Let It Snow!
Christmas Orchestra
Let There Be Peace on Earth
Truman State University Christmas Dance 12-1-2018
Celebrate Me Home
Truman State University Christmas Dance 12-1-2018