As promised in my Solstice Carols post, here is my list of Yuletide Carols. In creating this list, I started with the same rules as before, but there are more songs here about the traditions and celebrations of Yule (many of which later became Christmas traditions), wassails (the Yule origins of Christmas caroling), and songs that outright mention the holiday of Yule or pagan gods and figures.
Confused about the differences between Winter Solstice and Yule? Here’s a really great informative post about it.
I like to own all of my music and still create CDs to listen to in my car, so there are links to all the MP3s below. However, if you prefer to stream, I have also created a Spotify playlist here.
(Note: This post contains affiliate links to MP3s that you can listen to, download, and purchase from Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you.)
Disc One
1. “The Boar’s Head Carol” – Robert Shaw
This is a traditional 15th-century carol about serving a boar’s head at a Yule feast.
2. “The Holly King” – Kate Rusby
An ethereal tune about the Holly King (a Celtic personification of winter).
3. “Deck the Halls” – Nat King Cole
This classic carol about decorating for the holiday never actually mentions Christmas at all and could just as easily be about decorating for Yule.
4. “Apple Tree Wassail” – The Watersons
This traditional wassail is about hope for a bountiful harvest next year.
5. “White is the Winter Night” – Enya
This picturesque song describes green and red mistletoe and holly, bright silver stars, gold candlelight, and red embers on a winter’s night. It is excited to celebrate the season.
6. “Solstice Song” – Jan Garrett & J. D. Martin
This one is about reflecting on the year that has passed and looking ahead with peace and goodwill.
7. “(Winter) Solstice Song” – Gary Storm
A serene ode to the quiet beauty of the winter solstice.
8. “Hey, Ho, Nobody’s Home” – The Beane Family
A traditional carol about trying to be merry in spite of poverty.
9. “I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm” – Dean Martin
This famous winter-themed love song is about having love to warm you through the season.
10. “The Evergreen” – Mree
This one is about dancing in the swirling leaves and moonlight on a magical winter night.
11. “Stir the Fire” – John Kirkpatrick
A lively celebration of warmth, community, and renewal during the darkest days of the season.
12. “Bring Back the Light” – Gypsy
A witchy tune well within the spirit of the holiday and its celebration of the return of light to the earth on the shortest day of the year.
13. “Jingle Bell Rock” – Bobby Helms
Celebrating the season and the frosty air in a one-horse open sleigh.
14. “Bless This Night” – Adala
This is a tender and reverent tune honoring the stillness and sacred beauty of a winter’s night.
15. “Nay, Ivy, Nay” – Jackie Oates
This is a hauntingly beautiful rendition of a traditional carol, exploring themes of nature, renewal, and the rivalry between holly and ivy.
16. “Noon of the Solstice” – Damh the Bard
This one features characters and themes from Celtic mythology and the wintertime.
17. “Ring Out Solstice Bells” – Jethro Tull
This one is about a Druidic celebration of winter solstice.
Disc Two
1. “A Mince Pie or a Pudding” – New England Voices
This is a traditional American Shaker folk song sung at this time of year.
2. “Amid the Falling Snow” – Enya
This is about a world lit by candles and the moon as the snow falls.
3. “Snow Falls” – Lady Maisery, Jimmy Aldridge, & Sid Goldsmith
The artist’s website describes this one as “a hopeful song of the turning seasons and the certainty that from the darkest times the spring will rise up again, by John Tams”.
4. “The Longest Night” – Peter Mayer
A song about trying to get through the longest night of the year.
5. “The Somerset Wassail” – Magpie Lane
This is a spirited traditional song that toasts good health and prosperity, capturing the festive cheer of wassailing in Somerset.
6. “Winter Song” – Emily Smith
A cozy song of reflection before a fire while singing carols and passing a dram.
7. “The Solstice Carole” – Saffie
This is a heartfelt and ethereal tribute to the turning of the year, blending celebration with a deep connection to nature’s cycles.
8. “The Holly King” – MaddRegaeles Muse
This is a mystical and evocative ballad honoring the cycle of seasons through the legend of the Holly King’s reign in winter.
9. “The Sheep Are ‘Neath the Snow” – Magpie Lane
This is a poignant and pastoral song reflecting on the resilience of life and the quiet beauty of winter’s stillness.
10. “Whisper in the Darkness” – Adala
An enigmatic and atmospheric song exploring themes of mystery, hope, and finding light in the shadows of winter.
11. “Jingle Bells” – The Ray Conniff Singers
More wintry fun in a one-horse open sleigh!
12. “Solstice Evergreen” – Spiral Dance
This one is about keeping merry by the fire while the figures of Celtic mythology do their thing.
13. “Looks Like a Cold, Cold Winter” – Ingrid Michaelson
Cozying up with a loved one to keep warm during the cold season.
14. “The Year is Born Anew” – Jaiya
This one is about merrymaking in celebration of the year to come.
15. “Wassail Song” – John Kirkpatrick
This is a robust and joyous anthem of goodwill and celebration, steeped in the festive tradition of wassailing.
16. “Winter, Fire, and Snow” – Charla Peterson
This warm and evocative song contrasts the cold of winter with the comforting heat of a fire, celebrating the season’s contrasts and beauty.
17. “Song of Solstice” – John Roberts, Tony Barrand, & Jennifer Cutting’s Ocean Orchestra
This soulful and reflective song honoring the solstice blends themes of renewal, darkness, and the return of light.
If you liked this list, you may also enjoy my corresponding list of solstice carols and my list of autumn carols.
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