Michael Buble Reveals Ultimate Christmas Playlist

There was not a lot of variety when it came to Christmas music at Michael Buble's home when he was growing up.

"There was only one record played from mid-October to Dec. 25 and that was the Bing Crosby record," Buble tells Billboard.com. "Over and over and over and over. That actually was the first record I remember hearing -- it was my introduction to music. It had a huge impact."

 

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While Buble was not about to record "Christmas in Killarney" or "Mele Kalikimaka" -- two of the Crosby songs he has memorized down to the instrumental solos -- he says all of the songs that appear on his "Christmas" album are sentimental favorites.

 

"I have been touched by different generations of music and many of these songs," Buble says of the songs on "Christmas." Buble will be a regular on TV prior to Dec. 25, appearing at NBC's Rockefeller Center tree lighting (Nov. 30), and "A Michael Buble Christmas" (NBC, Dec. 6), co-hosting "Live! With Regis and Kelly" (ABC, Dec. 15-16) and "Saturday Night Live" (NBC, Dec. 17).

 

In talking about the holidays, Billboard.com asked Buble to give us a playlist of his favorite Christmas songs. He came up with nine titles.

 

Buble's Picks
1	Mel Torme - "Christmas Song" "Nat King Cole is great but I like Mel's version," Buble says.
2	Bing Crosby - "Jingle Bells"
3	Dean Martin - "Blue Christmans" "I know people think that's weird because of Elvis," Buble says. "I like how laid back Dean was on it."
4	Paul McCartney -  "Wonderful Christmastime"
5	Darlene Love - "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" "My manager and I were talking about how Christmas doesn't officially start until Darlene sings 'Baby Please Come Home' on Letterman'," Buble notes.
6	David Bowie and Bing Crosby - "Peace on Earth/Little Drummer Boy" "I always make fun of it, but I do like it. It's the most depressing Christmas song."
7	Brenda Lee - "Rockin' Around the Christmas Time" "I dig that," Buble says.
8	The Drifters - "White Christmas" "That's where I got the idea," Buble says of his version.
9	The Eagles - "Please Come Home for Christmas" "I'm totally schizophrenic," Buble says of his list before cracking a joke. "Next year, my favorite song will be something from the Scott Weiland Christmas album."

 

via billboard.com