Tinsel Tunes - The Christmas Music Podcast

By Tinsel TunesMusic Music History

Tinsel Tunes - The Christmas Music Podcast episodes

July 31, 202249: God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen
This month, Jay and Scott take a deep dive into the song "God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen".
Songs played on this episode:
Bach Choir

Rondo Arrangement for Fortepiano

The Choir Singers (from 1917)

Nat King Cole

Bing Crosby

Ella Fitzgerald

Perry Como

Barenaked Ladies with Sarah McLachlan

Metal: August Burns Red

Irish Folk: The Irish Rovers

Chiptune: Scunison

Punk: The Myrrdurers

Acapella: Pentatonix

Parody: The Restroom Door Said Gentlemen by Bob Rivers

Country: The Petersens

Rock: First to Eleven

Ska: Fayetteville Ska Alliance

Dubstep/Trap: Skullee

Reggae: The Reggae All-stars

Here's the episode of The Sopranos that Jay mentioned.
36 min
June 29, 202248: Boogie Woogie Christmas (with Duane!)
For half-Christmas, we have a special guest, Duane Bailey, on to discuss the 2002 album "Boogie Woogie Christmas" by the Brian Setzer Orchestra.
Songs from this episode:
Jingle Bells
Boogie Woogie Santa Claus
Winter Wonderland
Blue Christmas
Santa Claus is Back in Town
Baby It’s Cold Outside
The Nutcracker Suite
The Man with the Bag
Sleigh Ride
So They Say It’s Christmas
O Holy Night
The Amens
Let it Snow
Run Rudolph Run
What Are You Doin’ New Year’s Eve
Cactus Christmas
Santa Drives a Hot Rod
Christmas Island
1 hr 2 min
May 31, 202247: The Little Drummer Boy
In this episode, Jay and Scott discuss the history of "The Little Drummer Boy" and also go deep into the Bing Crosby/David Bowie duet. They even dig up obscure versions of the song by Ringo Starr, Jimi Hendrix, and more.
Check out the hilarious Saturday Night Live spoof of the Crosby/Bowie duet
with Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly.
Versions of the song played in this episode:
Julie Andrews Patapan (1975)
Trapp Family Singers (1951)
Jack Holloran Singers (1957)
Harry Simone Chorale (1958)
Bing Crosby and David Bowie (1977)
Perry Como (1968)
Jimi Hendrix (1969)
Ray Charles (1985)
Ringo Starr (1999)
The Kings Singers (2013)
Leslie Odom Jr. feat. Mzansi Youth Choir (2020)
Hip-hop version by Lauryn Hill (1999)
Jazz version by Dave Koz (2001)
Country version by Toby Keith (2007)
Jamaican Drummer Boy (Reggae version) by Shaggy (2011)
Punk version by Sean Quigley (2011)
Ska version by Reel Big Fish (2014)
Acoustic version by Justin Gambino (2015)
Chiptune version by Sara Lopez (2018)
Metal version by Ben Dixon (2019)
African Tribal Style by Alex Boye ft. Genesis Choir 2015
51 min
May 03, 202246: The Twelve Days of Christmas
In this month's episode, we discuss the origins and history of the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas".
Check out this Snopes article that fact checks the theory that there is are secret, coded Christian references in the song.
Versions played in this episode:
Portland Choir and Orchestra

Perry Como

Roger Whittaker

John Denver and the Muppets

Ray Conniff Singers

Straight No Chaser

Pentatonix

Jacob Miller (reggae style)

Mob Vibe (trap style)

Relient K (pop/punk style)

Sara Evans (country style)

Goldfinger (ska/punk style)
Parody versions played:
Twisted Sister

Bob and Doug McKenzie

Allan Sherman

Bob Rivers (The Twelve Pains of Christmas)

Jeff Foxworthy (The Twelve Redneck Days of Christmas)
45 min
March 31, 202245: Carol of the Bells
This month, Scott and Jay discuss the history of "Carol of the Bells".
Versions of the Song Featured in this Episode:
The Tabernacle Choir

The Crimean Chamber Choir (Shchedryk)

Corey Lennox (Major Key)

Fred Waring and His Pennsylvanians

Roger Wagner Chorale

Phil Spitalny's Hour of Charm

Robert Shaw Chorale

Southern Raised (Country)

Dylan Johnson (Reggae)

August Burns Red (Metal)

Aubrey Logan (Scat Jazz)

Skatune Network (Ska-Core)

The Regulars Band (Kittystyle)

PocketsUke (Kazookalele)

Bethel University Department of Music (Handbell)

Capital Kings (Dubstep)

Nate Maelz & StickyBeats (Trap)

Rush Coil (Chiptune)

Lindsey Sterling (Violin)

The Piano Guys

John Williams (from Home Alone)

Kenny Rogers

Andra Day

Straight No Chaser (Acapella)

Trans-Siberian Orchestra
46 min
February 27, 202244: Jingle Bells
This month, Jay and Scott dive deep into the history of "Jingle Bells".
Songs Featured in this Episode:
Tom Rouch

The Edison Male Quartet

Benny Goodman Orchestra

Glenn Miller Orchestra

Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters

Les Paul

Don Charles (Dogs Barking Jingle Bells)

Gemini 6 Broadcast from Space

Dean Martin

Frank Sinatra

Ella Fitzgerald

Michael Bublé

Don Carlos and Glenice Spencer

Sex Pistols

The Ventures

The Brian Setzer Orchestra

Gwen Stefani

Barbra Streisand

Smokey Robinson and The Miracles

Dolly Parton

Johnny Cash

Straight No Chaser
51 min
January 27, 2022 43: Snoopy's Christmas
This week, Jay and Scott listen to and discuss the song “Snoopy’s Christmas” by The Royal Guardsmen.

Songs Featured in this Episode:
Snoopy’s Christmas by the Royal Guardsmen
The Story of Snoopy's Christmas (Intro)
Snoopy vs. The Red Baron
Squeaky vs. The Black Knight
Return of the Red Baron

Cover songs featured in the episode:
Smash Mouth
Nothin' Fancy
The Hainings
Sonic's Christmas by ChadGhostal1995
Crisis Crayons
Fogbone
James Beck
Jingle Punx
Rich Chambers
37 min
December 07, 202142 - Silent Night (and a special surprise!)
Hello everyone! This month, we will look at the song "Silent Night" with Scott and Jay from the Jingle Jank Podcast. Make sure you listen to the whole episode for a very special surprise!
Here are the versions of "Silent Night" we played in this episode:
Matthew Green's Orchestral Rainbow

Stevie Nicks

Boyz II Men

Bing Crosby

Elvis Presley

Andy Williams

The Temptations

The Carpenters

Mariah Carey

Josh Groban

Michael Bublé

Justin Bieber

Kelly Clarkson (feat. Trisha Yearwood & Reba McEntire)

Pentatonix

Deliverance

The Impressions

Kylydian

Huey "Piano" Smith

John Denver and the Muppets
1 hr
November 20, 2021 41 - Oh Come, All Ye Faithful
In this episode we'll look at the song "Oh come, all ye faithful". This is the "missing" episode from October, the audio was recovered from a dodgy recording and came out pretty good. There are lots of listener's versions in this episode.
48 min
September 27, 2021 40 - It's a Country Christmas
In this episode, we'll look at some favorite Country Christmas Songs from our listeners and some other Christmas Podcast hosts. This episode is filled to the brim with music!

This episode's top 5 list comes from long time listener Liz Asphodel, and we'll find out what her 5 favorite Country Christmas songs are as I'll read out what these songs mean to her.
After that we'll hear no less than 12 songs that listeners, hosts, and I like. We'll close out the episode with another chapter of "The Christmas Carol" recorded from vinyl.
Liz's list:
5. It Must Have Been the Mistletoe (Barbara Mandrell 1983)
4. Blue Christmas Lights (Buck Owens and His Buckaroos 1965)
3. Happier Holidays (Sarah Morris 2018)
2. If We Make it Through December (Merle Haggard 1973)
1. Honky Tonk Christmas (Alan Jackson 1993)
Honorable Mention: Please, Daddy, Don't Get Drunk This Christmas (John Denver 1975)
Other Songs Featured:
Scott Leopold, Holly Jolly X'masu podcast:
Red Sovine - Billy's Christmas Wish (Faith In Santa)
B2 (Christmas With Red Sovine)
Gerry Davilla, Totally Rad Christmas podcast:
Willie Nelson - Pretty Paper
Kenny and Dolly - Winter Wonderland
Tim Babb, Can’t wait for Christmas podcast:
Kenny Rogers - Children, Go Where I Send Thee (feat. Home Free)
Alonso Duralde, author of Have yourself a movie little Christmas:
Tennessee Ernie Ford
Listener Brian McGlin:
Christmas in Dixie by Alabama
Todd Killian from Christmas Clatter podcast:
Merry Christmas From The Family by Montgomery Gentry
45 min