Welcome to week three of our “Holiday Edition” of the Friday Five!

As we wind down to the New Year the last four editions of the Friday Five will be shuffled from my vast collection of Holiday music. I encourage everyone to play along and spin up some holiday cheer. With the holiday season being short and the duress of the current economic climate being ever present we could all use a little lift in spirits.

For those who have not joined in the Five, here’s how it works: … I hit the shuffle button on my iTunes and share my five with a bit of insight for each track.

Then it’s your turn! Just share the first five random track of your shuffle in the comments and see what your fellow readers are listening to as well.

Here are this week’s tracks:

1. Bing Crosby – God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen (from Merry Christmas)

Salvation! Satan! Scorn! Way to bring the Christmas cheer Bing!

2. Bing Crosby & David Bowie – Peace on Earth / Little Drummer Boy (mp3) (from Peace on Earth / Little Drummer Boy)

More Bing! The “poor relations from the states” and “The Thin White Duke” take on the holiday classic. The track was originally recorded for Crosby’s 1977 television special. Interesting factoid from wikipedia:

According to co-writer Ian Fraser, Bowie balked at singing “Little Drummer Boy”. “I hate this song. Is there something else I could sing?” Fraser recalls Bowie telling him. Fraser, along with songwriter Larry Grossman and the special’s scriptwriter, Buz Kohan, then wrote “Peace on Earth” as a counterpoint to “Little Drummer Boy”. Crosby performed “Little Drummer Boy”, while Bowie sang the new tune “Peace on Earth”.

Bowie? A diva? Who’d have known?

3. Dean Martin – I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm (from Christmas With Dino)

Here’s Dino back again to give the ladies a little something.

4. Bing Crosby – It’s Beginning to Look Like Christmas (from Merry Christmas)

Looking out my window at the snow that is currently blanketing the greater tri-state area, I’d say ol’ Bing is about right.

5. The Waitresses – Christmas Wrapping (mp3) (from The Best Christmas Album in the World… Ever!)

This and The Pouges “Fairytale of New York (feat. Kirsty MacColl)” are two of my favorite non-traditional holday tunes. Hell outside of the fact that they mention Christmas in the song they barely qualify but both contain such cool storytelling.

It’s almost Christmas, have you been naughty or nice?