Alex Chilton (Memphis, Tennessee, December 28, 1950 – New Orleans, Louisian… Read Full Bio ↴Alex Chilton (Memphis, Tennessee, December 28, 1950 – New Orleans, Louisiana, March 17, 2010) was an American songwriter, guitarist, singer, and producer, best known for his work with the pop-music bands The Box Tops and Big Star. Chilton's early commercial sales success in the 1960s as a teen vocalist for The Box Tops was not repeated in later years with Big Star and in his indie music solo career on small labels like Last Call Records, New Rose, Razor and Tie, Bar/None, and others, but he did draw a loyal following in the indie and alternative music fields.

Chilton said in the September 1994 issue of Guitar Player that he considers himself a "musical performer, not a songwriter" and that some of his songs sound only "half-baked" to him. Nonetheless, his compositions have been performed by a number of artists, including Teenage Fanclub, This Mortal Coil, The Bangles, Wilco, Graham Coxon, Garbage, Tom Bradbury, Son Volt, Counting Crows, Elliott Smith, Jeff Buckley, Superdrag, Evan Dando, Cat Power, Yo La Tengo, Placebo, Xiu Xiu, and His Name Is Alive. The Replacements wrote the song Alex Chilton in his honor on their 1987 Pleased to Meet Me album, produced by Jim Dickinson in Memphis.

On March 17, 2010, Alex Chilton died of an apparent heart attack in a hospital in New Orleans. He was 59.

The Christmas Song
Alex Chilton Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
Jack Frost nipping at your nose
Yule-tide carols being sung by a choir
And folks dressed up like Eskimos.

Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe
Help to make the season bright
Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow

Will find it hard to sleep tonight.

They know that Santa's on his way
He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh
And every mother's child is gonna spy
To see if reindeer really know how to fly.

And so I'm offering this simple phrase
To kids from one to ninety-two

Although it's been said many times, many ways
Merry Christmas to you!

Overall Meaning

Alex Chilton's "The Christmas Song" is a classic holiday tune that perfectly captures the joys and wonder of the holiday season. The opening verse sets the scene for a cozy winter evening with chestnuts roasting on an open fire, the chill of Jack Frost nipping at your nose, and the sound of yuletide carols being sung by a choir. The imagery of folks dressed up like Eskimos adds to the cozy feeling of being bundled up on a cold winter night.

The second verse focuses on the traditions of the holiday season, with mention of turkey, mistletoe, and excited children with eyes all aglow. The anticipation of Santa's arrival is palpable, with every child waiting to see if reindeer really know how to fly. The final verse offers a simple message of holiday cheer, reminding us that no matter how many times we hear it, there is nothing more heartwarming than wishing someone a Merry Christmas.

Line by Line Meaning

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
The aroma of Chestnuts being roasted on fire.

Jack Frost nipping at your nose
The cold is biting and making you uncomfortable.

Yule-tide carols being sung by a choir
A choir singing Christmas carols, filling the air with musical delight

And folks dressed up like Eskimos.
People are wearing warm Eskimo clothes to protect themselves from the chill

Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe
Food and decorations are common knowledge this time of year

Help to make the season bright
Festive things brighten the season (bringing light to darkness)

Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow
Young children are excited and filled with wonderment

Will find it hard to sleep tonight.
They will struggle to sleep because of excitement

They know that Santa's on his way
The kids know Santa is coming soon

He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh
Santa has packed his sleigh with toys and presents

And every mother's child is gonna spy
All children want to sneak a peek and see what Santa has brought

To see if reindeer really know how to fly.
They want to verify if reindeers fly through the sky

And so I'm offering this simple phrase
I am giving this simple wish

To kids from one to ninety-two
This wish is for all, young and old!

Although it's been said many times, many ways
Although people have expressed it many times, in many different ways

Merry Christmas to you!
Merry Christmas to you!

Lyrics © Ceylon Records, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Mel Torme, Robert Wells

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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