Blue Christmas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the Japanese science fiction film, see, Blue Christmas (film).
"Blue Christmas" is a Christmas song written by Billy Hayes and Jay W. Johnson. The heart-broken tale of unrequited love during the holidays had long been considered a Christmas staple of country music, having been recorded by Ernest Tubb in 1948. In 1957, Elvis Presley effectively made "Blue Christmas" a steadfast rock-and-roll holiday classic by recording it in his signature style. The song has since been recorded by a host of rock and country artists alike, as well as those of other genres. The song was also featured in the children's Christmas special, The Year Without a Santa Claus. More recently, the song has been covered by Céline Dion as well as the indie band Bright Eyes and Billy Idol in his 2006 Christmas album Happy Holidays.
Elvis Presley's famous recording of the song appeared on his 1957 LP "Elvis' Christmas Album." It was also released as a single. Ernest Tubb's version of the song included an extra verse not used by Elvis' later version.
Contents |
[edit] Beach Boys version
| “Blue Christmas” | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by The Beach Boys from the album The Beach Boys' Christmas Album |
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| Format | Vinyl | ||||
| Recorded | Unknown | ||||
| Genre | Pop music | ||||
| Length | 4 min 41 sec for both songs | ||||
| Label | Capitol Records | ||||
| Producer | Brian Wilson | ||||
| The Beach Boys singles chronology | |||||
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The song was covered by the American pop band The Beach Boys. The song was released as the B-side of the "The Man with All the Toys" single on November 16, 1964; it charted at #3 in the U.S. Christmas charts but did not chart in the U.K. The song was also released on the bands 1964 album The Beach Boys' Christmas Album on the same day. The song featured Brian Wilson on lead vocals.
[edit] Details
- Time: 3 minutes, 9 seconds.
- Produced by Brian Wilson.
[edit] Other musicians who have recorded Blue Christmas
- Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson of the band Heart
- Art Paul Schlosser recorded a parody of Blue Christmas called Plaid Christmas
- Billy Eckstine
- Billy Idol
- Bon Jovi
- Brenda Lee
- Bright Eyes with Conor Oberst
- Chaim Tannenbaum (on album The McGarrigle Christmas Hour)
- Clay Walker
- Celine Dion
- Chris Isaak
- Collective Soul
- David Frizzell
- Dean Martin
- Earl Thomas Conley
- Elvis Presley
- Engelbert Humperdinck
- Face To Face
- Fats Domino
- Flee The Seen
- Frank Yankovic
- Glen Campbell
- Harry Connick, Jr.
- Highway 101
- Jim Reeves
- Jingle Cats
- Joe Perry
- John Denver
- Johnny Cash
- Johnny Mathis
- Laima
- Lawrence Welk
- Leon Redbone
- Low
- Mahogany Christmas Players
- Mike Denver
- Porky Pig – comic Mark McCollum [1]; or Denny Brownlee; or John-Boy and Billy of WRFX-FM [2] imitates the Mel Blanc character under the name "Seymour Swine and the Squealers"; a.k.a. "B-B-B-Blue Christmas"
- Rankin Bass
- Russ Morgan and His Orchestra – first pop version; #13 on Billboard in 1949
- Sawyer Brown
- Shakin' Stevens
- Sheryl Crow
- Stonewall Jackson
- The Brian Setzer Orchestra
- The Misfits
- The Oak Ridge Boys
- The Partridge Family
- The Perishers
- The Platters
- The Ventures
- Tom Keifer
- Vince Gill
- Willie Nelson
- Wynonna
