Top 10 Christmas Songs From the Fifties

Elvis Presley is an artist your parent's parents will remember dancing to in their prime. *Warning* This song may arouse them out of the reclining chair and into the red and green spotlight. We here at Roobla do not take responsibility for any dislocated hips.

This song is bound to rustle the cobwebs of your family home when the time comes to open the presents. Brenda Lee will provide a sense of normality to the havoc that this time brings. You need not worry about the children complaining about the 'old folks' music playing, as they will be far too pre-occupied with the large unwrapped present still to come.

Who doesn't enjoy the hoarse voice of the brilliant Louis Armstrong? This song may be better suited for Christmas Eve, where you can hush any rambunctious children you may have to sleep by playing this song and claiming that if Santa Claus sees you awake, he may just take the gifts back with him. But of course, this song is not only for Children, it can be enjoyed any time of the year by any generation of people.

I can hear the masses already, "Another Elvis song? This is an outrage!" Well, let me be completely sincere. Christmas Songs of the fifties were not as frequent as they are today. There were some artists who released a large amount of Christmas songs, and others who did not, but Blue Christmas will make you feel jovial, surrounded by your family and loved ones, knowing that you are not enduring a "blue Christmas". Albeit if you are suffering from one, you can relate to Elvis, so it is a win-win situation... Perhaps.

Who can resist the silk-esque voice of Dean Martin? A cover of the Bing Crosby song White Christmas will have you and your loved ones peering out the window, into the haze of falling snow and jocular passers by as they run from vehicle to door, laughing and joking with each other. Even though the weather outside may be frightful, the voice of Dean Martin is absolutely delightful and will go down a treat on Christmas day... Unless you live in the southern pacific, where Christmas occurs during Summer.

Now whilst this song may have been released in the 40's I could not resist adding it to the list. (There was a Dean Martin version released in 1959, however it did not seem right to have two songs by the same artist back-to-back). Frank Sinatra will have you swinging with your loved ones as the decorations on the Christmas tree reflect the warm fireplace.

On the topic of Christmas tree decorations, silver bells look great contrasted with red baubles. At least that is what I try to convey to my parents, who would prefer a less symmetrical tree filled with an incongruent amount of colours and decorations, but they are followers of abstractism, I cannot fault them that.

There could not be a single person, living in the western world today, who has not heard the Christmas carol 'Silent Night'. It is simply not possible. Now I know what you may be thinking, "Mahalia Jackson, that was released in 1962! The title of this is "from the fifties". Lies, subterfuge, seething corruption". Yes that may be true, but it is close enough to 1959 that I will be counting it.

Feeling homesick in the days before Christmas? Let Johnny Mathis carry the negativity away on a vocal cloud-nine. To many, family is important. Parents love to see their children during the holiday seasons, it allows them to prepare enough food to satiate the hunger of China's army, and remember the years when you sat in front of the Christmas tree in complete awe of the gleaming lights and glistening decorations.