Christmas with The Beatles: a holiday tradition

The Beatles released an eclectic, memorable collection of seasonal songs and musical messages

The Beatles â€"John Lennon (rhythm guitar and vocals), Paul McCartney (bass guitar and vocals), George Harrison (lead guitar and vocals) and Ringo Starr (drums and vocals)â€"produced one musical masterpiece after another between 1962 and 1970.  They garnered a group of 27 number one hits in the US and UK releasing such classic albums as Revolver, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles ( a.k.a. “The White Album”) and Abbey Road among others.  Present day music fans, however, are oft’times unaware of The Beatles’ musical yearly Christmas correspondences perhaps overshadowed by their unprecedented music achievements.

The Beatles’ 1963 Christmas message

Tony Barrow, the band’s press agent, was the band who came up with the idea of the Fab Four’s Christmas records.  It was meant to be a way for the boys to say “Merry Christmas” to their multitude of fan club members.  It started late December back 1963 when Brit fan club members were mailed the first of what would become annual Christmas messages on a free “flexi-disc” record.  The premiere platter featured the Beatles comedically performing the Christmas classic “Good King Wenceslas” and the humorous “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Ringo.”

The Beatles’ 1964 fan club record was simply named “Another Beatles Christmas Record”.  It included the group’s rendition of “Jingle Bells” as well as the traditional English tune “Did You Wash Your Father’s Shirt?”  This was the first year that fans in the US would receive the seasonal message as well.  The UK fans were sent “flexi-disc” records while the American fans were mailed cardboard backed records.

The 1965 Christmas message featured an odd performance of “Auld Lang Syne” and The Beatles’ original “Christmas Comes But Once a Year.”  The Beatles would temporarily stop recording “Strawberry Fields Forever” in November of 1966 to produce that year’s Christmas greeting which included some improvised skits such as “Podgy the Bear and Jasper” and “Felpin Mansions.”

The Beatles’ 1967 Christmas record

The 1967 Christmas message was perhaps a watershed moment as the Fab Four created a six-minute sketch in which different acts audition for a radio program with their surprisingly catchy “Christmas Time (Is Here Again)” used as a regular refrain.  This would become their most famous holiday hit.  Additionally, The Beatles portrayed different characters including contestants, musicians (the Ravellers) and performers in the fictitious show “Theatre Hour.”

While marijuana use had influenced earlier Christmas messages, the band’s fragmenting also took its toll.  Their 1968 Christmas record includes individual Beatles contributions such as Paul McCartney’s “Happy Christmas, Happy New Year” and John Lennon’s poems “Jock and Yono” and “Once Upon a Pool Table.”  Their final seasonal selection, “The Beatles’ Seventh Christmas Record,” was actually recorded in four different locations.  It was produced by the UK DJ Maurice Cole in December 1969.

The Beatles’ “Christmas Album” (Plus Outakes)

It includes comparatively short greetings from George Harrison and Ringo Starr and McCartney performing “This Is to Wish You a Merry, Merry Christmas.”  A good portion of it was taken from recordings made with Lennon and his by then ever-present wife Yoko Ono at their Tittenhurst Park home.  Appropriately, “The Beatles’ Seventh Christmas Record” ends with the group’s epic guitar solos from Abbey Road’s conclusion.   While The Beatles would never be able to reunite, their seasonal song “Christmas Time (Is Here Again)” stands as the band’s most popular holiday standard.

(Images courtesy of BeatlesAgain, JohannacVisions and Elliotback)