"We Need a Little Christmas"is a popularChristmas songoriginating fromJerry Herman's Broadway musicalMame,and first performed byAngela Lansburyin that 1966 production.[1]
In the musical, the song is performed after Mame has lost her fortune in theWall Street Crash of 1929,and decides that she, her young nephew Patrick, and her two household servants "need a little Christmas now" to cheer them up.[2]
Notable recordings
edit- Percy Faithwith His Orchestra and Chorus (1966) (Christmas Is... Percy Faith)[3]
- The New Christy Minstrels(1966) (Christmas with the Christies)
- Skitch Henderson& The Tonight Show Orchestra (1966) (Broadway Tonight! Skitch Henderson & The Tonight Show Orchestra Play Music From "Mame")[4]
- Johnny Mathis(1986) (Christmas Eve with Johnny Mathis)[5]
- The Muppets(1987) (A Muppet Family Christmas)[6]
- Bugs Bunny& Friends withDaffy Duck(1994) (Have Yourself a Looney Tunes Christmas)[7]
- Andy Williams(1995) (We Need a Little Christmas)[8]
- Mormon Tabernacle ChoirwithAngela Lansbury(2001)[9](later appeared on the choir's 2006 album,The Wonder of Christmas)
- Andrea McArdle(2006) (Andrea McArdle's Family Christmas)[10][11]
- Legacy Five(2007) (Little Christmas)[12]
- Kimberly Locke(2007) (Christmas)[13]
- GleeCast (2010) (Glee: The Music, The Christmas Albumand episodeA Very Glee Christmas)[14]
- Ages and Ages(2012) (Holidays Rule)[15]
- Idina Menzel(2019) (Christmas: A Season of Love)[16]
- Pentatonix(2020) (We Need a Little Christmas)[17]
- Kelly Rowland(2020)(We Need a Little Christmas)[18]
Charts
editKimberley Locke version
edit| Chart (2008) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| USAdult Contemporary | 19 |
Glee Cast version
edit| Chart (2010–11) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| CanadaAC(Billboard)[19] | 15 |
| USAdult Contemporary(Billboard)[20] | 15 |
| USHoliday Digital Songs(Billboard)[21] | 16 |
Pentatonix version
edit| Chart (2020) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| USAdult Contemporary(Billboard)[22] | 14 |
References
edit- ^Crump, William D. (15 September 2001).The Christmas Encyclopedia, 3d ed.McFarland. p. 436.ISBN978-1-4766-0573-9.
- ^Collins, Ace (2010).Stories Behind the Greatest Hits of Christmas.Zondervan. p.183.ISBN978-0-310-32795-0.
- ^"Percy Faith & His Orchestra - Christmas Is... Percy Faith Album Reviews, Songs & More".AllMusic.Retrieved30 May2023.
- ^"Skitch Henderson & The Tonight Show Orchestra - Broadway Tonight! Skitch Henderson & The Tonight Show Orchestra Play Music From" Mame "".Discogs.com.30 May 1966.Retrieved30 May2023.
- ^"Johnny Mathis - Christmas Eve with Johnny Mathis Album Reviews, Songs & More".AllMusic.Retrieved30 May2023.
- ^The Muppets. "A Muppet Family Christmas". The Jim Henson Company/Disney. 1987.
- ^"Bugs Bunny & Friends, Looney Tunes - Have Yourself a Looney Tunes Christmas Album Reviews, Songs & More".AllMusic.Retrieved30 May2023.
- ^"Andy Williams - We Need a Little Christmas Album Reviews, Songs & More".AllMusic.Retrieved30 May2023.
- ^"We Need a Little Christmas, with Angela Lansbury".Thetabernaclechoir.org.8 May 2015.Retrieved30 May2023.
- ^"Andrea McArdle's Family Christmas".Amazon.com.Retrieved30 May2023.
- ^"Andrea McArdle - We Need A Little Christmas Now".Retrieved30 May2023– viaYouTube.
- ^"Legacy Five - Little Christmas Album Reviews, Songs & More".AllMusic.Retrieved30 May2023.
- ^"Kimberley Locke, Kimberly Locke - Christmas Album Reviews, Songs & More".AllMusic.Retrieved30 May2023.
- ^"Glee - Glee: The Music - The Christmas Album Album Reviews, Songs & More".AllMusic.Retrieved30 May2023.
- ^"Various Artists - Holidays Rule Album Reviews, Songs & More".AllMusic.Retrieved30 May2023.
- ^"Idina Menzel - Christmas: A Season of Love Album Reviews, Songs & More".AllMusic.Retrieved30 May2023.
- ^"PENTATONIX RELEASE NEW HOLIDAY ALBUM, WE NEED A LITTLE CHRISTMAS, TODAY! – Sony Music Canada".Sonymusic.ca.Retrieved30 May2023.
- ^"New Song: Kelly Rowland – 'We Need a Little Christmas' ['Merry Liddle Christmas Wedding' Soundtrack]".thatgrapejuice.net.RetrievedFebruary 25,2021.
- ^"Glee Cast Chart History (Canada AC)".Billboard.Retrieved November 7, 2020.
- ^"Glee Cast Chart History (Adult Contemporary)".Billboard.Retrieved November 7, 2020.
- ^"Glee Cast Chart History (Holiday Digital Song Sales)".Billboard.RetrievedNovember 7,2020.
- ^"Pentatonix Chart History (Adult Contemporary)".Billboard.Retrieved December 22, 2020.