Merry Christmas Baby

This is an article about the R&B Christmas song first recorded by Johnny Moore’s Three Blazers. For the song by The Beach Boys, see Merry Christmas, Baby. For the New Zealand compilation album, see Merry Christmas Baby (album).

"Merry Christmas Baby" is an R & B Christmas standard written by Lou Baxter and Johnny Moore. It has been covered by many artists including Otis Redding, B.B. King, Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley and Hanson. The original 1947 version by Johnny Moore's Three Trailblazers (featuring singer/pianist Charles Brown (musician), is the definitive version of this song. Notable cover versions include those by Chuck Berry on his 1964 album St. Louis to Liverpool and Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band recorded live at Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York, and included on the Christmas album A Very Special Christmas, released in 1987.^[1]

Johnny Moore's Three Blazers was one of the hottest blues attractions on the West Coast when their recording of "Merry Christmas Baby" reached position #3 on Billboard's R & B Juke Box chart during the Christmas of 1947. Guitarist Johnny Moore commandeered an impressive lineup of players for the recording session, including bassist Eddie Williams, guitarist Oscar Moore (then of the King Cole Trio), and singer/pianist Charles Brown.^[2] A version of this song, recorded by Bonnie Raitt and Charles Brown, is included on the Christmas album A Very Special Christmas 2, released in 1992.

Christina Aguilera recorded the song for her album My Kind of Christmas (2000). Pepe the King Prawn recorded a cover of this song for the 2006 album The Muppets: A Green and Red Christmas. Jessica Simpson also recorded the song as duet with Willie Nelson on her 2010 album Happy Christmas. Donna Loren recorded the song for her Donna Does Elvis in Hawaii (2010), an EP of her renditions of four Elvis Presley songs.^[3]

References

1. ^ A Very Special Christmas CD booklet
2. ^ Billboard Greatest R&B Christmas Hits CD booklet
3. ^ Donna Loren Official Website.