Christmas Brought Me You
Christmas Brought Me You
[verse]
The smell of hot chocolate wakes my sleepy head
Rubbing my eyes racing to the living room
The excitement for toys Santa left last night
Its how I feel when I’m near you
[chorus]
I’ve got my happy memories
They’re fantastic well told stories
All my little feelings like breathtaking amusement rides
Make me glad that Christmas Brought Me You
Christmas Brought Me You
[verse]
The snow was blowing during that New York day
Bumping into you while window-shopping
Then serendipity played its faithful part
Its the way it is when I’m near you
[chorus]
I’ve got my happy memories
They’re fantastic well told stories
All my little feelings like breathtaking amusement rides
Make me glad that Christmas Brought Me You
I’ve got my happy memories
They’re fantastic well told stories
All my little feelings like breathtaking amusement rides
Make me glad that Christmas Brought Me You
Christmas Brought Me You
[bridge]
I’m still whispering romantic things in your ear
Like holiday fairytales every day of the year
[chorus]
I’ve got my happy memories
They’re fantastic well told stories
All my little feelings like breathtaking amusement rides
Make me glad that Christmas Brought Me You
I’ve got my happy memories
They’re fantastic well told stories
All my little feelings like breathtaking amusement rides
Make me glad that Christmas Brought Me You
Christmas Brought Me You
Christmas Brought Me You
Song Length: 3:21
Writer: Jody Whitesides IPI/CAE 00196306650
Publisher: Too Much Music IPI/CAE 00456952518
Admin Publisher (Outside U.S.): Bluewater Music
Jody Whitesides: Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Synths, Drum Programming
Chris Hellstrom: Chorus Guitars
Recording Info:
Cover Art: Kim Whitesides
Recording Engineer: Jody Whitesides
Mixing Engineer 2006: Chris Hellstrom
Mixing Engineer 2022: Jody Whitesides
Mastering Engineer 2006: George Leger III
Mastering Engineer 2022: Jody Whitesides
Vocal Engineer: Jody Whitesides
Producer: Jody Whitesides
Tracking Studio: Dancin Deer Studio (LA)
Mixing Studio (2022): Dancin Deer Studio (Park City). Apollo 8p. LUNA. KRK V4 with KRK sub. Universal Audio plugins. iZotope plugins.
Mastering Studio (2006): Utopia Parkway Music
Mastering Studio (2022): Dancin Deer Studio (Park City). Apollo 8p. LUNA. KRK V4 with KRK sub. Universal Audio plugins. iZotope plugins.
Guitar(s): Taylor Guitars 615ce: Drop D tuning. Dean Markley PhosBronz Medium Acoustics .13’s. Recorded using Neumann U87a mic into MOTU mkIII interface.
Diner Joe’s Guitar prototype: Standard tuning. Strung with Dean Markley Blue Steel .11’s in standard tuning. Recorded with an SM57 mic on GrooveTubes Soul-O amp and GrooveTubes Soul-O cab, which is a dual 10′ speaker cab. Into the GrooveTubes Vipre.
Fender Guitar with desert paint job: my first guitar that I subsequently torn apart changed parts, repainted and rebuilt. Up from the ashes came a guitar that has since been on numerous recordings and records, more than me. It sounds great. I stocked it with a single Seymour Duncan Custom Humbucker. Strung with Dean Markley Blue Steels medium gauge .11’s. GrooveTubes Soul-O 150 Combo with GrooveTubes Cabs (10″ Celestian speakers). Recorded using a SM57 Beta into GrooveTubes Vipre into MOTU mkIII.
Jesus Joe’s guitar: Standard tuning. Strung with Dean Markley Blue Steel .11’s in standard tuning. Recorded direct with the KORG micro amp.
Extra Chorus Guitars (Chris): Music Man Luke model guitar. Strung with Dr strings 9-46. EMG pickups. Into an Apogee Duet Interface.
Bass(s): Hohner B Bass V. Standard tuning B-E-A-D-G. Recorded direct thru a Bass Pod Pro. Using Logic Bass Amp SVT into an SVT Cab.
Drums: Main kit is programmed from Stylus RMX sounds.
Cymbals via Logic Pro Drum Sounds
Vocal: All vocals in this were recorded using a Neumann U87a. Into Avalon 737sp, into MOTU mkIII.
Synths: Electric Piano (Logic): Suitcase Mark II using a RedWirez Roland JC-120 Cab.
Misc Instruments: Holiday Bells
Sleigh Bells
Song Story:
The first Christmas song I ever wrote. I wasn’t in a super huge rush to write Christmas songs. However, it was quite fun to think about how my childhood went with Christmas when you believed in Santa Claus and figured he really brought us gifts.
I wanted something that was upbeat and acoustic in nature. Started with the acoustic guitar and got a nice flowing riff. That riff is a 3 figure over a 4 beat (musicians will likely understand that). Which isn’t something that is normal for Christmas music. It’s also in an alternate tuning which helps the riff flow easier. Once I had that, it was easy to flesh out the rest of the song with the other parts.
Lyrically it follows that vibe of mixing childhood wonderment and simplicity with the idea of Christmas bringing you the person you want to spend the rest of your life with. See, a Christmas love song. Falls right in line with a vast majority of Christmas songs which are holiday flavored love songs.
I had some friends who I gave early copies to for feedback. They all loved it. One played it for other people anonymously for people. Those that apparently knew of my music were able to recognize that it was a song written by me before the vocals even came on. That’s a pretty wild musical fingerprint. To be so ingrained with a certain music DNA that people would recognize who did it before the vocal or even being told who wrote it.
Then another friend heard it and wanted it to be the theme song for his Advent Calendar blog. Which is now the internet’s longest running Advent Calendar blog. It’s an annual thing. I’m always flattered that he contacts me every year to ask about using and getting the permission to do so. Thank you Grant, you are a man among men.
It’s even more fun to hear from fans of the song telling me how it’s become a tradition to play it for their family together times. That their kids ask to hear and sing along. What better feedback is there than that?
Factoids:
1. Written in summer.
2. Took a while to learn to sing and play the guitar at the same time.
Copyright: 2006/01/01
ISRC: US32P0600024
ISRC: USONR2200101
ISRC: US32P2000025
ISWC: T9055765690
SESAC Song ID: 642179
Harry Fox ID: X8270V
Harry Fox Publisher ID: P8938Q
UPC: 197144461153
UPC: 654433001327