"Blue Christmas" is a Christmas song written in 1948 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 that same year. In 1957, Elvis Presley effectively made it a steadfast rock-and-roll holiday classic by recording it in his signature style. It has since been recorded by a host of rock and country artists alike, as well as those of other genres. It was also featured in the Rankin/Bass Christmas special The Year Without a Santa Claus, and was covered by Céline Dion as well as the indie band Bright Eyes and Billy Idol in his 2006 Christmas album Happy Holidays. Dean Martin covered this song on his album My Kind of Christmas.
Elvis Presley's famous recording of the song appeared on his 1957 LP Elvis' Christmas Album, which was also released as a single.
Austin Butler, who played as Elvis Presley in the 2022 Baz Luhrmann biography of the King of Rock, serenaded longtime Saturday Night Live cast member Cecily Strong, with a slight rewrite of the song in her final appearance on December 17, 2022.
Lyrics[]
I'll have a blue Christmas,
Without you
I'll be so blue thinking,
About you
Decorations of red,
On a green Christmas tree
Won't mean a thing,
If you're not here with me
I'll have a blue Christmas,
That's certain
And when that blue heartache,
Starts hurtin'
You'll be doing all right
With your Christmas of white,
But I'll have a blue,
Blue Christmas
Appearances in Christmas specials[]
- The Year Without a Santa Claus (1974)
- I'll Be Home For Christmas (1998)
- Baby Blues: "A Baby Blues Christmas Special" (2002)
- Christmas with the Kranks (2004)
- Glee: "Extraordinary Merry Christmas" (2011)
Album releases[]
- Elvis' Christmas Album (1957)
- Elmo Saves Christmas: Holiday Favorites (1996)
- Dean Martin: My Kind of Christmas (2009)
- Glee: The Music, the Christmas Album Volume 2 (2011)
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