Barenaked for the Holidays

Infobox Album |
Name = Barenaked for the Holidays
Type = Album
Artist = Barenaked Ladies


Released = October 5, 2004
Recorded = May 2004
Genre = Alternative rock
Length = 46:28
Label = Desperation Records
Producer =
Reviews =
* Allmusic Rating|3|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:0eknikldbb89~T1 link]
* "Rolling Stone" (Not Rate) [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/barenakedladies/albums/album/6541260/review/6649012/barenaked_for_the_holidays link]
Last album = "Everything to Everyone" (2003)
This album = "Barenaked for the Holidays" (2004)
Next album = "Barenaked Ladies Are Me" (2006)

"Barenaked for the Holidays" was the ninth full-length album released by Canadian band Barenaked Ladies. It was a holiday-themed album released in 2004. The album includes Christmas and Hanukkah songs as well as "Auld Lang Syne", which is traditionally sung on New Year's Eve. There are also several songs that are simply about the winter season. The album was the first album recorded at Steven Page's studio, Fresh Baked Woods and was the first released independently by BNL's Desperation Records label (and distributed by the Warner Music Group). It was the band's first studio album for which a "naked track" was not recorded.

While the album contains some faithful interpretations of traditional songs, much of the album plays true to Ladies' off-kilter spirit. "Jingle Bells" begins as a slow, faithful rendition before breaking into an up-tempo version, including the "Batman smells..." lyric variation, and Page breaking down laughing. Several existing songs are included in the form of keyboard interludes; "Happy Birthday to You" is included as a hidden track in the form "Happy Birthday Jesus". The song "Deck The Stills" is an adaptation or parody of the song "Deck The Halls" with the lyrics Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young repeated in place of the real lyrics (it was an in-joke with the band at the time to use these lyrics in other songs). The album also includes the Band Aid charity song, "Do They Know It's Christmas?", all the royalties from which the band donates to the Stephen Lewis Foundation. Finally, the album includes seven songs written by the band, including some they'd performed for years, and others written for this album.

The album was a popular release during the Christmas season of 2004, and reached #64 in the regular Billboard album charts.

There were two "sub-releases" of this album. The first was an E.P. available as a digital download, released November 15, 2005. It contained a live version of "Hanukkah, O Hanukkah" from their Toronto concert on November 20, 2004, as well as the album versions of "Hanukkah Blessings" and "I Have a Little Dreidel".

The second release was called "Barenaked on a Stick", and was 128MB USB flash drive that contained the Holidays CD, live songs and ad libs, a demo recording, videos of the album recording, promo photos and buddy icons for instant messaging programs. It was sold initially at the 2005 holiday concert tour, and then through Nettwerk's online store, and though Amazon.com.

Track listing

#"Jingle Bells" (Traditional) – 3:57
#"Green Christmas" (Page, Robertson) – 2:34 - Re-recorded; originally from the 2000 soundtrack for "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"
#"I Saw Three Ships" (Traditional) – 1:07
#"Hanukkah Blessings" (Page) – 3:27
#"O Holy Night" (Traditional) – 1:09
#"Elf's Lament" (Robertson) – 3:38 - featuring Michael Bublé
#"Snowman" (Robertson) – 2:59
#"Do They Know It's Christmas?" (Bob Geldof, Midge Ure) – 3:32 - Previously released in a live version
#"Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah" (Traditional) – 2:11
#"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings" (Traditional) – 3:26 - featuring Sarah McLachlan, recorded in 1997
#"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" (Johnny Marks) – 0:59
#"Carol of the Bells" (Leontovich, Wilhousky) – 3:00
#"Footprints" (Robertson) – 3:14
#"Deck the Stills" (Traditional) – 0:32
#"Christmastime (Oh Yeah)" (Hearn) – 2:16 - Re-recorded; originally with Page on vocals for a compilation album.
#"Sleigh Ride" (Anderson, Parish) – 0:46
#"Christmas Pics" (Creeggan) – 2:13
#"I Have a Little Dreidel" (Goldfarb, Grossman) – 0:52
#"Wonderful Christmastime" (Paul McCartney) – 1:18
#* "Happy Birthday To You" (hidden track)
#"Auld Lang Syne" (Traditional) – 3:04

Credits

Barenaked Ladies
*Jim Creeggan - electric guitar, vocals, double bass
*Kevin Hearn - mandolin, piano, accordion, keyboards, vocals, vibraphone
*Steven Page - acoustic guitar, electric guitar, vocals
*Ed Robertson - acoustic guitar, bass, electric guitar, vocals
*Tyler Stewart - percussion, drums, vocals

Additional personnel
*Michael Bublé - vocals
*Kelly Maureen McKenna - acoustic guitar
*Sarah McLachlan - vocals

Production

*Engineer: Jeremy Darby
*Mixing: Michael Phillip Wojewoda
*Mastering: Ted Jensen
*Digital editing: Don Garbutt
*Assistant: Paul Forgues
*Technical assistance: Rob Menegoni, Keith Rudyk
*Arranger: Barenaked Ladies
*Photography: Andrew MacNaughton
*Artwork: John Rummen