A Colbert Christmas: A New Classic
Stephen Colbert invites friends to celebrate the holiday
Dec 22, 2008
When Colbert asks fans to make his Christmas album, A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!, number 2 on the iTunes charts, bumping Kayne West’s new release to number 3, this held for at least 24 hours. With a sentiment similar to Adam Sandler’s The Channukah Song, Colbert offers his holiday spirit.
Mass Media Extravaganza
The Colbert Christmas album comes straight from his television special, which debuted right before Thanksgiving on Comedy Central. It featured appearances from Willie Nelson, John Legend and Elvis Costello, in various holiday costumes.
The storyline followed Colbert as he attempted to put on the best Christmas show ever. The conflict revolved around the bear, one of his many marked adversaries, waiting for him outside if he dared leave his cabin. However, several of his friends arrived to wish him holiday tidings and engage in song.
The television special was an hour-long broadcast and the album itself comes in just under a half hour. As Colbert reminds us in the opening song, 8 of the 9 songs, are original to the special and span musical genres.
Unconventional Christmas Songs
Another Christmas Song is a rousing number by Colbert himself. It is a tune which will not only get stuck in your head, but is also fairly reminiscent of many well-known holiday jingles. Plugging the show and album mercilessly throughout the song, Colbert throws in numerous additional holiday clichés to market the song and bring cheer.
Recalling the Bing Crosby and David Bowie duet of Little Drummer Boy, Little Dealer Boy, sung by Colbert and Willie Nelson, discusses the present Nelson will be presenting under the tree. The clever tune includes many drug-references while passing along a message of peace and love.
A special visit is even paid by Colbert’s evening anchor buddy, John Stewart. Stewart, being Jewish, tries to explain the greatness of Hannukah to Colbert in Can I Interest You In Hannukah? Although for a moment it looks as if the tables could be turned, Colbert is hardly swayed. Even so, the song offers a message of holiday togetherness and features an amusing duet from two of televisions’ most-loved newsmen.
As John Legend is well-known for sensual, retro R&B sounds, his contribution comes as no surprise. Nutmeg, a hearty advertisement for the spice, sees Legend crooning to Colbert about the perfect Christmas accoutrement for hot chocolate.
Elvis Costello arrives to incorporate the one non-Christmas song near the end of the album, What’s So Funny About Peace, Love and Understanding? While this may not be a traditional Christmas song, it offers Christmas-like sentiment, none the less.
The other song Costello leads off is There’s Much Worse Things to Believe In. This song chastises the Scrooges of the world by saying, what’s so wrong about having Christmas spirit? There are indeed much worse things to believe in.
Ending with one last solo track, Colbert’s Christmas album has topped the charts and warmed the hearts of many. His retirement plan may work out after all.
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