As a kid I never understood why some movies premiered on Christmas Day. Always seemed like a good day to stay home. Anyway, isn’t everything closed? Also, many of these movies are Christmas movies. Is it just me, or do we really need a break from Xmas programming by then. Give me First Blood, Mad Max, Poltergeist, anything but hall-decking.
Imagine my surprise when I realized there were actually quite a few albums released just after the 25th of December. Why wouldn’t they put the album out in time for Santa to deliver it?
In 1973, Black Sabbath put out Sabbath Bloody Sabbath on Dec. 28. Jay-Z did the same thing in 1999 with Vol.3 … Life And Times Of S. Carter, and John Legend, too in 2004 when he put out Get Lifted. America’s debut album in 1971 — produced by George Martin, his first post-Beatles — was released on Boxing Day. It contained their first big, loathsome hit A Horse With No Name.
Speaking of George Martin, The Beatles’ first U.S. single I Want To Hold Your Hand was also released on Boxing Day, but back in 1963. Fifty years later, Matthew West put out his debut album Happy. Bob Dylan’s post-electric album John Wesley Harding came out Dec. 27, 1967 — the same day as Leonard Cohen’s debut album, The Songs of Leonard Cohen.
Neil Young’s Geffen albums were not great sellers. Such is definitely the case with Trans, which probably wasn’t helped by the fact that it was released on Dec. 29, 1982. Equally dumbfounding are Christmas albums not released in December at all. In 2009 The Beach Boys put out Christmas Harmonies on the 25th of August, for Christ’s sake. I’m not sure when Ella Fitzgerald’s legendary album Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas was released, but it was recorded in New York City in July 1960. Real festive.
Most Christmas albums seem to be historically released in October and November, but it really varies as to when they were recorded. In December 1966, Dean Martin sold 850,000 copies of his Christmas album, released in October of that year. Recorded the previous month, it was the fourth of five albums Dino put out that year. Can’t you just picture him in the studio, in shorts with a drink in his hand, crooning Marshmallow World?
Well, I guess if there can be a Pokemon Christmas album, anything is possible. I bet Delibird is on it.
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Area Resident is an Ottawa-based journalist, recording artist, music collector and re-seller. Hear (and buy) his music on Bandcamp, email him HERE, follow him on Instagram and check him out on Discogs.
