Los Angeles - I sent out a message on December 2nd, asking readers to name their 5 favorite Black Christmas carols. The message was seen by approximately 10,000 adult Black Net citizens (meaning they have subscribed to a specific online community), on over 300 websites, newsgroups, bulletin boards, and online communities.

The response was phenomenal, with over a 15% response rate (normal is considered less then ten percent). 2,250 songs were submitted. Totaling 115 individual Christmas carols/songs recorded by Black artists (or artists accepted by the Black community).

The number one Black Christmas Carol turned out to be "Silent Night" by the Temptations. The Temptations were also the most nominated recording act, with five songs off their 1980 Christmas album, submitted to this survey (two in the top 10). Donnie Hathaway came in second, with his beloved Black classic, "This Christmas". Surprisingly, Nat King Cole's classic, "The Christmas Song" did not rank in the top 20, even though, in all it's various renditions, it was the most nominated individual song. Another surprise was the diversity of songs nominated. Everyone from Ray Charles to Run-DMC; from Mariah Carey to Mahalia Jackson; from Jazz to Pop to Blues, was submitted as a favorite Black Christmas Carol.

Remember, I did not define what a "Black Christmas Carol" was. I left that up to you...the online community, and sure enough, a majority of the top twenty (at least one) was on everybody's list. Now that's how I define a classic. I had hoped in phrasing the question as I did, that the key words would spark memories of the sounds of Christmas past.

As the survey spread, the added commentary and group discussions, made for interesting reading. Maybe next year I will set up a public database/forum, for viewing the actual replies. It can easily be said, that this online experience in nostalgia, was enjoyed by all involved. I thank each and every one of you for your input.

Remember; Share The Knowledge...Share The Dollars

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100 Most Popular Black Christmas Carols

(Listed by popularity of individual artist rendition, then by song accordingly)

1) Silent Night -***- Temptations
2) This Christmas -***- Donnie Hathaway
3) Santa Baby -***- Eartha Kitt
4) Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer -***- Temptations
5) Christmas In Hollis -***- Run-DMC
6) Someday At Christmas -***- Stevie Wonder
7) Please Come Home For Christmas -***- Charles Brown
8) Christmas Rappin -***- Kurtis Blow
9) Backdoor Santa -***- Clarence Carter
10) What Do The Lonely Do At Christmas -***- The Emotions
11) The Christmas Song -***- Temptations
12) Santa Clause Goes Straight to the Ghetto -***- James Brown
13) My Gift To You -***- Alexander O'Neal
14) Christmas Ain't chrismas -***- O Jays
15) White Christmas -***- Four Tops w/Aretha Franklin
16) Santa Claus Is Coming To Town -***- Jackson 5
17) Merry Christmas Baby -***- Otis Redding
18) Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas -***- Luther Vandross
19) Handel's Messiah -***- Quincy Jones
20) Do You Hear What I Hear? -***- Gladys Knight & The Pips
21) Who Would Imagine A King -***- Whitney Houston
22) White Christmas -***- Al Green
23) What Christmas Means to Me -***- Stevie Wonder
24) What Are You Doing New Years Eve -***- Charles Brown
25) This Christmas -***- The Whispers
26) The Spirit Of Christmas -***- Ray Charles
27) The Christmas Song -***- Nat King Cole
28) The Christmas Song -***- O'Jays
29) Silver Bells -***- Johnny Mathis
30) Ramsey Lewis Trio - Christmas Album -***- Ramsey Lewis Trio
31) Merry Christmas Baby -***- B.B. King
32) Merry Christmas Baby -***- Charles Brown
33) Lonely Christmas -***- Prince
34) Let It Snow -***- Boys II men
35) He Is Christmas -***- Take 6
36) Give Love At Christmas Album -***- Temptations
37) Gee Whiz, it's Christmas -***- Carla Thomas
38) Every Year, Every Christmas -***- Luther Vandross
39) Christmas Time Is Here -***- Toni Braxton
40) Black Christmas -***- The Emotions
41) Baby, It's Cold Outside -***- Vanessa Williams
42) Ave Maria -***- Stevie Wonder
43) Winter Wonderland -***- -***- Aretha Franklin
44) Winter Wonderland Ray Charles
45) White Christmas -***- Otis Redding
46) This Christmas -***- Various Artist
47) The First Noel -***- Vanessa Williams
48) The Christmas Song -***- Brook Benton
49) The Christmas Song -***- Charles Brown
50) The Christmas Song -***- Mariah Carey
51) The Christmas Song -***- Otis Redding
52) The Christmas Song -***- TLC
53) Thankful -***- Mary, Mary
54) Souful Christmas -***- Quincy Jones
55) Sleigh Ride -***- Alexander O'Neal
56) Sleigh Ride -***- Boney James
57) Silver Bells -***- Diana Ross & the Supremes
58) Silver Bells -***- Stevie Wonder
59) Silent Night -***- Aaron Neville
60) Silent Night -***- Bebe and CeCe Winan
61) Silent Night -***- Boys II Men
62) Silent Night -***- Patti LaBelle
63) Silent Night -***- Kirk Franklin
64) Silent Night -***- Frankie Lymon
65) Santa Claus Is Coming To Town -***- Mariah Carey
66) Santa Claus Is A Black Man -***- Unknown Artist
67) Santa -***- Lightnin' Hopkins
68) Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer -***- Bobby Hinton
68) Please Come Home For Christmas -***- Johnny Taylor
69) Playas Ball -***- Outkast
70) Oh Happy Day -***- Edwin Hawkins Singers
71) O Holy Night -***- Gerald Albright
72) O Holy Night -***- The Sounds Of Blackness
73) O Holy Night -***- Yolanda Adams
74) Now Behold the Lamb -***- Kirk Franklin
75) Mary Did You Know -***- Natile Cole
76) Let Me Be Your Santa Claus -***- Bill Cosby
77) Joy To The World -***- Whitney Houston w/The GA Mass Choir
78) Jingle Bells -***- Ella Fitzgerald
79) It Came Upon A Midnight Clear -***- Mahalia Jackson
80) I Want to Come Home for Christmas -***- Marvin Gaye
81) I Saw Moma Kissing Santa Claus -***- Jackson 5
82) I Hear Jingle Bells -***- Freddy King
83) He Is The Reason -***- Fred Hammond
84) Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas -***- Mariah Carey
85) Hark the Herald -***- Take 6
86) Happy Holidays to You -***- The Whispers
87) Give Love At Christmas Time -***- Johnny Gill
88) For Un To Us A Child Is Born -***- Bebe and CeCe Winan
89) Drummer Boy -***- Temptations
90) Drummer Boy -***- Whitney Houston
91) Drummer Boy -***- Cool John Ferguson
92) Do You Hear What I Hear? -***- Whitney Houston
93) Do You Hear What I Hear? -***- Kelly Rowland
94) Christmas Celebration -***- B.B. King
95) Carol of Bells -***- Destiny's Child
96) Calvery Story -***- Vanessa Bell Armstrong
97) All I Want For Christmas -***- Mariah Carey
98) A Louisiana Christmas Day -***- Aaron Neville
100) 8 Days of Christmas -***- Destiny's Child
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Jim Neusom
Executive Director/Publisher
InterServe Networks/City Lights Software, Inc.
www.citylightssoftware.com (702) 348-2041 Las Vegas
(323) 294-1755 Los Angeles

© January 2006 By Afromerica

Brother Jim Neusom will be keeping the Black community updated on the most current social and technology news. Visit regularly for new information that could help you overcome and make the best of your everyday experiences.

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