James was only 18-years old when he captured the attention of guitar legend Stevie Ray Vaughan, who marveled at this prodigious guitar talent, and immediately decided to take him on the road through the Canadian prairies, and later the United States. It wasn't long after that the young musician began opening for the likes of John Lee Hooker, ZZ Top, Steve Winwood and Keith Richards, Colin's 1988 self-titled debut Colin James was the fastest-selling album in Canadian music history featuring the smash hits "Why'd You Lie?”, “Voodoo Thing” and “Five Long Years". It featured a team of three top producers, including Tom Dowd (Eric Clapton, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers), Danny Kortchmar (Bon Jovi, Billy Joel, Daryl Hall & John Oates, Stevie Nicks, Neil Young) and Bob Rock (Jann Arden, Michael Bublé, Bush, The Cult, Loverboy, Sarah McLachlan, Metallica).
James followed up his record-breaking debut with a strong 1990 release, Sudden Stop, which was produced by Joe Hardy (.38 Special, Steve Earle, The Jeff Healey Band, ZZ Top ). This release has two top forty radio hits: "Just Came Back" and, "Keep On Loving Me Baby", and features Bonnie Raitt singing backing vocals on "Give It Up". This sophomore album further helped established Colin's integrity as an artist to lookout for.
James formed The Little Big Band in early 1990's and would eventually release a trilogy of CDs fronting this 1930's-50's style punchy horn section band, playing classics and originals featuring his stellar guitar fills and confident vocals. The first Colin James and The Little Big Band was released in 1993, and it was produced by Chris Kinsley (The Cult, Duran Duran, Psychedelic Furs, The Rolling Stones). The second Colin James and The Little Big Band II was released in 1998 on Warner Music, while the third, Colin James & The Little Big Band 3 was distributed on Maple Music in Canada and Universal Music Group globally in 2006, and he would eventually do a fourth with the band, a holiday album Colin James & The Little Big Band Christmas.
In 2008 he took home three Maple Blues Awards (Toronto Blues Society), which included Entertainer of the Year, while his release Limelight also went gold in Canada.
James released his twelfth album Rooftops and Satellites on October 6th, 2009, and it was a return to his guitar Blues-Rock roots. The album was primarily co-written by Tom Wilson (Junkhouse, Blackie and The Rodeo Kings, Lee Harvey Osmond) and Thomas "Tawgs" Salter, co-writer and producer of Lights' debut and Josh Groban's Awake, and it has generated four Canadian radio singles, “Man’s Gotta Be A Stone”, “Lost Again”, “Wavelength” and “Johnny Coolman.”
2011's 'Take It From The Top: The Best Of’ pays tribute to James's career's first 23 years and serves as a celebration of Colin’s return back where he started his recordings, Virgin/EMI. This Greatest Hits collection also features two newly recorded tracks, “It’s Gonna Be Alright“ as well as an innovative cover of the Buddy Miles' classic “Them Changes”, that were recorded in Vancouver with veteran producer Bob Rock (Michael Bublé, Metallica), reuniting the two after almost twenty years.
On June 12th, 2012, James released his fifteenth album, appropriately entitled Fifteen, which was produced by Joe Hardy (ZZ Top, Brooks & Dunn, Jeff Healey, Steve Earle), who had handled three of Colin's previous album productions including his successful sophomore release. Colin co-writes with Gordie Johnson (Big Sugar, Grady) on the opener “Sweets Gone Sour” and the rocker “I Need You Bad.” Colin also re-teamed with Tom Wilson and Thomas “Tawgs” Salter on four high-octane tracks, including the bluesy “No Time to Get There” and the driving “Stone Faith,” the album’s first single.
Fifteen also features two beautiful co-writes with Ron Sexsmith that reveal Colin’s seductive side: “Finally Wrote a Song for You”, a soulful love ballad; and “Shoulder to Cry On,” a moving acoustic number that highlights his vocal range, while closing the album. The disc also features some inspiring covers, including John Lennon's "Jealous Guy", Peter Green's (Fleetwood Mac) "Oh Well", [artis]Foy Vance’s gospel-tinged “Shed A Little Light,” and Allen Toussaint's funky "Sneakin' Sally Through The Alley", which has perhaps become best known by Robert Palmer's cover.
On February 3, 2015, James released Hearts On Fire which was produced by Colin Linden at House of Blues Studios in Nashville, and this twelve track collection is distributed by Universal Music. The title track and all but two of the songs were written or co-written by Colin.
In 2016, James was named an inductee into the Western Canadian Music Hall of Fame presented by FACTOR (The Canadian Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings). In addition to this honour, Colin headlined the Western Canadian Music Awards Show at Casino Regina on October 13th, 2016, kicking off BreakOut West’s 14th year of celebrating Western Canada’s talent.
James's studio album Blue Highways features thirteen Classic Blues covers from guitar-hero greats like Blind Willie McTell, Freddie King, Peter Green, and Robert Johnson. The CD was released on October 16th, 2016. Recording and Production was primarily handled in Vancouver by Colin James and Dave Meszaros, with recording and mixing assistance from Eric Mosher, Chris Stringer and Jason Jaknunas. Blue Highways is being distributed by True North Records, and iTunes.
Over his illustrious career, James has earned 16 Maple Blues Awards, and he has worked and toured with the 'who’s who' in the international music scene (in alphabetical order): Luther Allison, Jann Arden, The Chieftains, Albert Collins, Robert Cray, Tom Dowd, Buddy Guy, Johnny Hallyday, John Hammond Jr., Gordie Johnson, Albert King, Bobby King and Terry Evans, Danny Kortchmar, Lenny Kravitz, Little Feat, The Memphis Horns, Craig Northey, Bill Payne, Bonnie Raitt, Keith Richards, Bob Rock, The Rolling Stones, Roomful Of Blues, Carlos Santana, Mavis Staples, Roebuck "Pops" Staples, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Tom Wilson, Betty Wright and ZZ Top. In addition to writing most of his own material, his music has been covered by artists like Maria Muldaur, Johnny Halliday and Lucinda Williams.
Merry Christmas Baby
Colin James Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Merry Christmas, baby
Merry Christmas, baby
Sure did treat me nice
Merry Christmas, baby
Sure did treat me nice
I feel like I'm in paradise
Be at my side, I got music on my radio
Feel my vibe, I got music on my radio
I feel like I'm going to kiss you underneath the Mistletoe
Santa's coming down the chimney half past three
All those pretty presents for my baby and for me
Merry Christmas, baby
Sure did treat me nice
Treat me so nice
Bought me pretty presents
I feel like I'm in paradise
Merry Christmas, girl
Merry Christmas, baby
Merry Christmas, baby
Sure did treat me nice
You know you do
Merry Christmas, baby
Sure did treat me nice
I got a lot of pretty presents
I feel like I'm in paradise
Merry Christmas, baby
Merry Christmas, baby
I feel like I'm in paradise
In paradise
Merry Christmas, baby
Happy New Year
Merry Christmas, baby
Merry Christmas, baby
Merry Christmas, baby
Merry Christmas, baby
Merry Christmas, baby
Happy New Year
The song "Merry Christmas Baby" is a classic blues song that has been covered countless times since it was first recorded in 1947 by Johnny Moore's Three Blazers. Colin James's version of the song adds a bit of a rock and roll twist, but the sentiment remains the same. The song is a celebration of the joys of Christmas and of being with the one you love during the festive season.
In the song, the singer sings about how his partner has treated him well during the holiday season, having bought him diamond rings and other pretty presents. He feels like he's in paradise and wants to share that joy with his partner. The song paints a picture of a romantic Christmas, with the two of them together, listening to music on the radio and kissing under the mistletoe.
The reference to Santa coming down the chimney is a nod to the traditional image of Christmas and the magic that comes with it. The song is a feel-good tribute to the joys of the holiday season and the love that can be shared between two people at Christmas time.
Line by Line Meaning
Merry Christmas, baby
A happy greeting wishing a joyous Christmas to someone special
Merry Christmas, baby
A repetition of the happy greeting wishing a joyous Christmas to someone special
Merry Christmas, baby
A repetition of the happy greeting wishing a joyous Christmas to someone special
Sure did treat me nice
Acknowledging the kindness and love received during the Christmas season
Merry Christmas, baby
A repetition of the happy greeting wishing a joyous Christmas to someone special
Sure did treat me nice
Acknowledging the kindness and love received during the Christmas season
Bought me diamond rings for Christmas
Received expensive gifts of jewelry during the Christmas season
I feel like I'm in paradise
Feeling ecstatic and experiencing great joy from receiving valuable gifts
Be at my side, I got music on my radio
Asking the special person to be near while enjoying the festive music on the radio
Feel my vibe, I got music on my radio
Sharing the positive and happy energy brought by the Christmas music on the radio
I feel like I'm going to kiss you underneath the Mistletoe
Feeling romantic and ready to share a kiss under the symbolic Mistletoe plant
Santa's coming down the chimney half past three
Anticipation of Santa Claus delivering gifts down the chimney at a certain time
All those pretty presents for my baby and for me
Excitement over the quantity and beauty of gifts received for oneself and the special person
Treat me so nice
Reiterating the appreciation for the kindness received during Christmas
Bought me pretty presents
Reiterating the joy of receiving attractive Christmas gifts
I feel like I'm in paradise
Reiterating the feeling of ecstasy from receiving valuable gifts
Merry Christmas, girl
A happy greeting wishing a joyous Christmas to a female special person
Merry Christmas, baby
A repetition of the happy greeting wishing a joyous Christmas to someone special
Merry Christmas, baby
A repetition of the happy greeting wishing a joyous Christmas to someone special
Sure did treat me nice
Acknowledging the kindness and love received during the Christmas season
You know you do
Affirmation of knowing that the special person is always kind and loving
Merry Christmas, baby
A repetition of the happy greeting wishing a joyous Christmas to someone special
Sure did treat me nice
Acknowledging the kindness and love received during the Christmas season
I got a lot of pretty presents
Stating the abundance of attractive gifts received
I feel like I'm in paradise
Reiterating the feeling of ecstasy from receiving valuable gifts
Merry Christmas, baby
A repetition of the happy greeting wishing a joyous Christmas to someone special
Merry Christmas, baby
A repetition of the happy greeting wishing a joyous Christmas to someone special
I feel like I'm in paradise
Reiterating the feeling of ecstasy from receiving valuable gifts
In paradise
Completely happy and content in the current moment
Merry Christmas, baby
A repetition of the happy greeting wishing a joyous Christmas to someone special
Happy New Year
Wishing happiness and good fortune in the upcoming year
Merry Christmas, baby
A repetition of the happy greeting wishing a joyous Christmas to someone special
Merry Christmas, baby
A repetition of the happy greeting wishing a joyous Christmas to someone special
Merry Christmas, baby
A repetition of the happy greeting wishing a joyous Christmas to someone special
Merry Christmas, baby
A repetition of the happy greeting wishing a joyous Christmas to someone special
Merry Christmas, baby
A repetition of the happy greeting wishing a joyous Christmas to someone special
Happy New Year
Wishing happiness and good fortune in the upcoming year
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Lou Baxter, Johnny Dudley Moore
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind