"Please Come Home for Christmas"
Single by Charles Brown
from the album Charles Brown Sings Christmas Songs
B-side"Christmas (Comes but Once a Year)" by Amos Milburn[1]
Released1960
RecordedSeptember 21, 1960[2]
GenreR&B, Christmas
Length2:50
LabelKing 45-5405
Songwriter(s)Charles Brown, Gene Redd
Charles Brown singles chronology
"Please Come Home for Christmas"
(1960) 		"Angel Baby (Charles Brown & Group)"
(1961)

"Please Come Home for Christmas" is a Christmas song, written in 1960 and released the same year by American blues singer and pianist Charles Brown.[3] Hitting the Billboard Hot 100 chart in December 1961, the tune, which Brown co-wrote with Gene Redd[note 1], peaked at position number 76. It appeared on the Christmas Singles chart for nine seasons, hitting number 1 in 1972.[4][note 2] It includes a number of characteristics of Christmas music, such as multiple references in the lyrics to the Christmas season and Christmas traditions, and the use of a church bell type sound, created using tubular bells, at the start of the song. The song has been covered by many artists, including by Eagles, Etta James and Cher.

Eagles version

"Please Come Home for Christmas"
Single by Eagles
B-side"Funky New Year"
ReleasedNovember 27, 1978
Recorded1978 at Bayshore Recording Studios, Coconut Grove, Florida
GenreRock, rhythm and blues, Christmas music
Length2:57
LabelAsylum 45555
Songwriter(s)Charles Brown, Gene Redd
Producer(s)Bill Szymczyk
Eagles singles chronology
"Life in the Fast Lane"
(1977) 		"Please Come Home for Christmas"
(1978) 		"Heartache Tonight"
(1979)

In 1978, the rock band Eagles covered and released the song as a holiday single. Their version peaked at number 18 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, the first Christmas song to reach the Top 20 on that chart since Roy Orbison's "Pretty Paper" in 1963. This was the first Eagles song to feature Timothy B. Schmit on bass (having replaced founding member Randy Meisner the previous year). The lineup features Don Henley (drums/lead vocals), Glenn Frey (piano, backing vocals), Joe Walsh (guitar, backing vocals), Schmit (bass/backing vocals), and Don Felder (lead guitar). Originally released as a vinyl 7" single, it was re-released as a CD single in 1995, reaching number 15 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart. This version includes the lyrics "bells will be ringing the sad, sad news" (that is, a Christmas alone) as opposed to Brown's original version which references the "glad, glad news" (that is, Christmas in general).

A live version of the song was included on the compilation 4-CD box set called Selected Works: 1972–1999 released in 2000. This particular version was recorded in concert on December 31, 1999, in Los Angeles.

Forty-two years after it first charted, Eagles' 1978 recording of "Please Come Home for Christmas" re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart at No. 45 (on the chart dated January 2, 2021).[6]

Jon Bon Jovi/Bon Jovi version

"Please Come Home for Christmas"
Single by Bon Jovi
B-side
ReleasedDecember 5, 1994 (1994-12-05)[7]
GenreChristmas
Length2:53
LabelMercury
Songwriter(s)Charles Brown, Gene Redd
Producer(s)Jimmy Iovine
Bon Jovi singles chronology
"Always"
(1994) 		"Please Come Home for Christmas"
(1994) 		"Someday I'll Be Saturday Night"
(1995)

Jon Bon Jovi also covered the song on the 1992 holiday album A Very Special Christmas 2 in the style of Eagles. In 1994 the same recording was released as a charity single in Europe, but this time instead of being credited as a solo recording by Jon Bon Jovi it was released under the band name Bon Jovi. A promo music video that featured supermodel Cindy Crawford was made to accompany that release. The 1994 single release reached the top 10 in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Italy. Don Felder of Eagles also featured on guitar in this version of the song.

Critical reception

Stuart Bailie from NME wrote, "Sleighbells, big choirs, some hammond organ. Cindy Crawford snogs Jon on the cover for charidee (well, she'd have to, wouldn't she?). Alright, but not as nice as The Eagles' versh of the song."[8]

Charts

Charles Brown

Chart (1962) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100 76

Eagles

Chart (1978–1979) Peak
position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[9] 19
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[10] 5
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[11] 28
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[12] 15
UK Singles (OCC)[13] 30
US Billboard Hot 100[14] 18
Chart (1995) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks 15
Chart (2005) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot Digital Songs 74
Chart (2018) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[15] 94
Chart (2019) Peak
position
US Rolling Stone Top 100[16] 35
Chart (2020) Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[17] 48
Chart (2021–2024) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[18] 34
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[19] 33
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[20] 23
Germany (Official German Charts)[21] 28
Global 200 (Billboard)[22] 36
Ireland (IRMA)[23] 49
Lithuania (AGATA)[24] 43
Portugal (AFP)[25] 97
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[26] 37

Bon Jovi

Chart (1994) Peak
position
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[27] 28
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[28] 20
Ireland (IRMA)[29] 6
Italy (Musica e dischi)[30] 10
Scotland (OCC)[31] 8
UK Singles (OCC)[32] 7
Chart (2020–2023) Peak
position
Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[33] 78
Slovenia (SloTop50)[34] 30

Gary Allan

Chart (1997) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[35] 70

Lee Roy Parnell

Chart (1997) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[36] 71

Willie Nelson

Chart (2004) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[37] 50

Josh Gracin

Chart (2006) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[38] 51

Martina McBride

Chart (2011–2012) Peak
position
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[39] 51

Kelly Clarkson

Chart (2013–2014) Peak
position
Canada AC (Billboard)[40] 14
South Korea International Singles (GAON)[41] 97
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[42] 6
US Holiday Digital Songs (Billboard)[43] 14

George Ezra

Chart (2021–2022) Peak
position
Croatia (HRT)[44] 20
Germany (Official German Charts)[45] 100
Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[46] 52
UK Singles (OCC)[47] 8

Certifications and sales

Eagles

Region Certification Certified units/sales
New Zealand (RMNZ)[48] Gold 15,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[49] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Jon Bon Jovi

Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[50] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Notes

  1. ^ Brown claimed to have written the song alone.[3]
  2. ^ Of the many versions Brown recorded and released over the years through various labels,[5] his original 1960 recording was his most popular.[3][4]

References

  1. ^ Kelly, Red (December 19, 2005). "Amos Milburn – Christmas (Comes But Once A Year) (KING 5405)". The B Side. Retrieved April 2, 2010.
  2. ^ "The Top 40 Christmas Oldies Songs and Holiday Music – #4". Oldies.about.com. September 21, 1960. Archived from the original on April 12, 2014. Retrieved May 24, 2014.
  3. ^ a b c "Christmas song has local roots" (Online Newspaper). Cincinnati.com. USA Today Network. December 18, 2014. Archived from the original on December 12, 2019. Retrieved December 12, 2019. ...the original version was recorded in 1960 at Evanston's King Records studio by Charles Brown. [...] In 1960, word of Brown's presence in town reached Syd Nathan of King Records. In [a] 1990 interview, Brown recalled that Nathan asked him, "'Could you write something as good as 'Merry Christmas Baby?' I said, 'I don't know how good it will be, but I'll write.' He said, 'You and [Milburn] Amos go write one apiece and let me hear what you done.' When we brought it to Syd Nathan he fell in love with mine." Milburn's "Christmas Comes But Once a Year" ended up as the B-side of Brown's King single... Brown subsequently recorded other singles and even an album of Christmas songs for Nathan, but never had another hit. While Brown claimed he wrote "Please Come Home" alone, the credits listed Redd as co-writer.
  4. ^ a b CD sleeve: Billboard Greatest Christmas Hits (1955 – Present), 1989 Rhino Records Inc.
  5. ^ Anthony, Randall. "Charles Brown blues". Hipchristmas.com. Archived from the original on December 12, 2019. Retrieved December 12, 2019. Merry Christmas Baby," first recorded with Johnny Moore's Three Blazers in 1947, and "Please Come Home For Christmas," a 1960 hit on King Records covered with great success the Eagles in 1978. Brown recorded both of these songs many times...
  6. ^ "The Hot 100: The week of January 2, 2021". billboard.com. Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  7. ^ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. December 3, 1994. p. 31. Retrieved June 23, 2021.
  8. ^ Bailie, Stuart (December 10, 1994). "Singles". NME. p. 40. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  9. ^ "Eagles – Please Come Home for Christmas" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  10. ^ "Eagles – Please Come Home for Christmas" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  11. ^ "Eagles – Please Come Home for Christmas". Top 40 Singles.
  12. ^ "Eagles – Please Come Home for Christmas". Singles Top 100.
  13. ^ "Eagles: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
  14. ^ "Eagles Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  15. ^ "ARIA Chart Watch #505". auspOp. December 29, 2018. Archived from the original on April 11, 2019. Retrieved December 29, 2018.
  16. ^ "Top 100 Songs". Rolling Stone. December 24, 2019. Retrieved December 31, 2019.
  17. ^ "Eagles Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  18. ^ "ARIA Top 50 Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. January 1, 2024. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
  19. ^ "Eagles – Please Come Home for Christmas" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  20. ^ "Eagles Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  21. ^ "Eagles – Please Come Home for Christmas" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  22. ^ "Eagles Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2024.
  23. ^ "Official Irish Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 29, 2023.
  24. ^ "2023 52-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. December 29, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  25. ^ "Eagles – Please Come Home for Christmas". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  26. ^ "Eagles – Please Come Home for Christmas". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
  27. ^ "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 11, no. 52. December 24, 1994. p. 8.
  28. ^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  29. ^ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Please Come Home for Christmas". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  30. ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 12, no. 1. January 7, 1995. p. 11. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  31. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  32. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
  33. ^ "OLiS – oficjalna lista airplay" (Select week 16.12.2023–22.12.2023.) (in Polish). OLiS. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
  34. ^ "SloTop50 – Slovenian official singles chart". slotop50.si. Archived from the original on January 10, 2021. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  35. ^ "Gary Allan Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  36. ^ "Lee Roy Parnell Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  37. ^ "Willie Nelson Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  38. ^ "Josh Gracin Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  39. ^ "Martina McBride Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
  40. ^ "Kelly Clarkson Chart History (Canada AC)". Billboard. Retrieved February 7, 2014.
  41. ^ "Gaon Album Chart 2013년 11월 5주차" (in Korean). GAON. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved November 29, 2013.
  42. ^ "Kelly Clarkson Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved November 11, 2014.
  43. ^ "Kelly Clarkson Album & Song Chart History". Billboard Holiday Digital Songs for Kelly Clarkson. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved February 7, 2014.
  44. ^ "HRT Airplay Radio Chart No. 1060 - Issue Date: January 2nd 2023" (PDF). Hrvatska Radiotelevizija. January 3, 2023. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
  45. ^ "George Ezra – Please Come Home for Christmas" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  46. ^ "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  47. ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 31, 2021.
  48. ^ "New Zealand single certifications – Eagles – Please Come Home for Christmas". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  49. ^ "British single certifications – Eagles – Please Come Home for Christmas". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  50. ^ "British single certifications – Jon Bon Jovi – Please Come Home for Christmas". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
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