What's the WORST 80s holiday song?

I've challenged Times pop music Sean Daly's blogging replicant Stephanie Hayes to a battle of wits this week: On Friday, we'll each unveil our own "Top 5 holidays songs of the 80s" list.

But we'll also reveal our opinion of the WORST holiday song of the 80s. So my question to my beloved 80s nation is this: What was your least favorite holiday song of the decade?

Here are some candidates:

• Christmas Is The Time To Say 'I Love You' - Billy Squier
• Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy - David Bowie & Bing Crosby
• Jingle Bell Rock - Daryl Hall & John Oates
• Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home) - U2
• Christmas in Dixie - Alabama

Or maybe it's this little gem -- "Santa's Goin' to Kokomo." Click here to view the video. I can't be sure it's an 80s song. But it has the footprints of the 80s all over it.

Please, let me know if you can think of other dreadful tunes. I'll gladly use the best pick ... "giving you full credit, of course, Mr. Spicoli."

Comments

[Sherrie]

I especially dislike H&O's "Jingle Bell Rock", and the horrid retro-hipster video makes it even worse. Bleh. Now, these other two suggestions may not have been released in the 80's but I suspect that they were- the aneurysm inducing "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" and the epicenter of evil, those darn dogs barking Jingle Bells. Madness.

[DenverMatt]

Santa Baby' by Madonna. I have nothing against her as a pop singer (in the 80's) but hearing her straining to sound like a weird version of Betty Boop doesn't say Christmas to me.

[Debra]

Okay Steve, how about Madonna's version of "Santa Baby" from 1987? Eartha Kitt did it much better (and without sounding like Betty Boop). And we know how much you LOVE Madonna...

[Cait]

As much as I love Madonna I really hated her baby talk version of "Santa Baby." Cloying, annoying, and only redeemed by the fact that it was recorded for the Very Special Christmas project and helped raise money for the Special Olympics.

[Debra]

Very scary that several of us had a "great minds think alike" moment...Your fans have spoken

[Donnie]

You know, I came here to say "Santa's goin' Kokomo" by Mike Love was the worst Christmas song, but I completely forgot about Madonna's version of "Santa Baby". If my radio had a neck, I would choke it every time that came on. Jeez, that was bad. I think it's the baby talk that does it.

[Bassnote]

Thank God It's Christmas - Queen
I usually like Queen's stuff, but this song was just dopey.

Silent Night - Stevie Nicks
She slaughtered this one.

December Will be Magic - Kate Bush
I really like Kate's music, but this was too melodramatic for a Christmas song, and really didn't sound like a Christmas song at all.

Do You Hear What I Hear - Whitney Houston
I hate Whitney Houston on principle.

[chase]

Oh, please, no question ... "Do They Know It's Christmas" by Band Aid ... In hell, this is the only Christmas song they play. Over, and over, and over ... "Feeeeed the wooorrrrllllddd, Feeeed the worrrlllddd .... " ACK!!

Others, well, "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" was funny, the first 620 times ... now, it's just a pain in the butt. I'd rather hear "Dogs Barking Jingle Bells" ...

As for my favorites, "Wonderful Christmastime" by McCartney and "Christmas Wrapping" by the Waitresses ...

[Greg Jones]

Billy Squier in the worst 5? Do you guys hate Santa, too? This is one of my favorite Christmas songs of all time, and all I own is a copy that I believe was dubbed off a performance at MTV.
Think again.
Also, I think the Bowie/Crosby song was in the 70s, especially since Bing died in 1977.

[Ray]

Steve, I have to disagree with you on this one... "Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home) - U2" is a great song!

It was on the dreadful "Very Special Christmas" CD which includes these rarely played "gems":

Santa Baby - Madonna
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - The Pointer Sisters
Christmas In Hollis - Run-D.M.C.
The Little Drummer Boy - Bob Seger
I Wish Everyday Could Be Like Christmas - Bon Jovi
Silent Night - Stevie Nicks

[Bassnote]

I agree with Chase's favorites. I also like (Something About) Christmas Time by Bryan Adams, Twelve Days Of Christmas by Bob & Doug McKenzie, and Last Christmas by Wham!

[Spiky Sandy]

How about "Last Christmas" by Wham? I think that's just the stupidest song, and I like Wham, hence the t-shirt in the picture: http://blogs.tampabay.com/80s/2007/11/and-now-your-ph.html that Steve posted of me in college.

[Big Tex]

Greg's right, the Bowie/Crosby song was recorded for Crosby's 1977 Christmas special (it frightens me that I know that.) I'll vote for Madonna's "Santa Baby" as well. I heard it on the radio this week and was amazed at how bad the vocals are. In Randy Jackson's terminology, they're "pitchy." Also, "Grandma Got Run Over" is very painful to listen to.

[malibu]

LOL! I have this but thought I'd pass the cheer--check out this song lineup:

http://www.amazon.com/New-Wave-Christmas-Just-Enough/dp/B0000033W7#moreAboutThisProduct

[Christoipher Ave]

Hey, I LOVE "Do They Know It's Christmas?" !!

As much of a McCartney fan as I am (and I am), I have to admit "Wonderful Christmastime" is pretty incredibly lame.

[Deborah]

I would have to agree with the majority and say "Santa Baby" by Madonna. ugh!
As for favorites:
"Christmas Wrappings" The Waitresses
"Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)" U2
"Christmas in Holllis" Run DMC

[Chris]

Paul McCartney's "A Wonderful Christmas Time," Bruce Springsteen's "Santa Claus is Coming to Town," and any version of "Jingle Bell Rock" or "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" are all atrocious...

[Marissa]

Christmas Wrapping by The Waitresses was recently used in Shrek the Halls on ABC.
I'm curious what the appeal is of this song. I've never been a fan of The monotony that is The Waitresses.
As far as covers of Christmas standards goes, what do you expect? Reworked masterpieces to blow your minds? There's only so much you can do with "Jingle Bells." Although, Babs Streisand found a way to mutilate and massacre it.

[Marissa]

Here are my suggestions for WORST Christmas songs of the 80s:

Hey Santa ~ Wilson Phillips

Funky, Funky, Christmas ~ New Kids on the Block http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykRelehy7M0

I'll Be Missing You (A letter to Santa) ~ New Kids on the Block http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZACH7j9OGKQ

Oh hell, just put their entire Christmas album on the WORST list. :)

[Carla]

Christopher.. I'm with you... no matter how overplayed it was, I still to this day, can not turn off "Do They Know It's Christmas". As a matter of fact, it came on the radio,tonight when I was driving home, and I turned it up!!

I know this is suppose to be for the Worst Christmas songs of the 80's... but one of my votes for the best Christmas songs, is Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home) - but by Jon Bon Jovi instead of U2.

[Tom]

"A Wonderful Christmas Time" by Paul McCartney
"Christmas Time Again" by Extreme (though not an 80's tune)
"Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" Elmo and Patsy
are some of the worst songs ever. But if I were to add to my favs they would be:
"Christmas at Ground Zero" by "Weird Al" Yankovic
"The Christmas Song" by Aaron Neville
"Merry Christmas Darling" by The Carpenters

[dc]

Even the crappy 80's Christmas songs now remind me of those good old days and i can tolerate them through sheer nostalgia.

However, I won't care if I never hear Elmo and Patsy again. That song is just dumb.

I still love hearing "Do they know it's Christmas". It's a time capsule of my favorite year of the decade: 1984.

[Al]

Exactly, DC. 1984 is of course my favourite year as well, considering I was born in it.

David Bowie even has a lame song named "1984". Go figure.

[Al]

And don't forget 1984, the album from the Mighty VH. Released in '83 though.

Fun fact: the "Jump" video cost $600, shot on a 16 mm camera.

[specialk in Germany]

I had so many songs on my mind but once I started reading this I cannot get Madonna's Santa Baby out of my head! I absolutely LOVE Eartha Kitt's version but Madonna's is just plain atrocious and now I can't get it out of my head!
I'm not fond of Grandam Got Ran Over by a Reindeer, funny as a kid... not so funny now. Although I find myself singing along to Paul McCartney's song I do not like it. Put U2's song up there too.

[Dennis]

that is pretty easy for me... WHAM - Last Christmas - this song is so bloody annoying, it is unbelievable...