Harry Shearer (The Simpsons, This Is Spinal Tap, NPR’s Le Show) and his wife, the Welsh chanteuse Judith Owen, bring their holiday sing-along to Chicago in December. In anticipation, we asked the comic to name a few of his—and his alter egos’—favorite holiday hits and most reviled misses. 

NAY:

• "’Little Drummer Boy,’ because of its almost brainwashing-style repetitiveness. I keep wishing they’d take it to the bridge, but there isn’t one."

• "And there’s that one by Alvin and the Chipmunks. I can’t even bear to recall the title. A visit to a mall with that playing on the PA—now, that’s my idea of what not to do at holiday time."  

YEA:

• "’I’ll Be Home for Christmas’ fits into that category of World War II songs that I can’t help finding genuinely poignant."

• "I love ‘We Three Kings’ for its musicality and its minor-to-major transition, and, of course, Mel Tormé’s ‘The Christmas Song’ for its remarkable changes."

• Mr. Burns’s favorite holiday song: "Any song with ‘King’ or ‘Lord’ in its lyrics, because he thinks it’s about him."

• Ned Flanders’s favorite holiday song: "’O Come, All Ye Faithful’ because it’s one of the few invitations he receives."

• Spinal Tap’s only Christmas hit: "’Christmas with the Devil’"

Dec 11 at 8. $40. SPACE, 1245 Chicago Ave, Evanston. 847-492-8860.

Photography: © Glenn Harris/ PR Photos