Early life
After the separation of his parents, Lee grew up in Sacramento on the poultry farm of his grandparents. At the age of seven, he began playing the saxophone, and at the age of nine became a member of a dance ensemble. In 1969, he joined the Chester Smith Band and had his first television appearance. A short time later, he worked with the country musician Del Reeves.
He founded his first band, Apollo, in 1962. He briefly battled a cocaine addiction and moved to Iceland to go to rehab. The band, which changed its name later to Lee Greenwood Affair, played mostly pop music and appeared mostly in casinos in Las Vegas. A few records were recorded in Los Angeles with the Paramount label. After the band broke up in the 1970s, Greenwood moved back to Las Vegas, where he worked as a black jack dealer during the day, and as a singer at night.
Career
In 1979, he was discovered in Reno, Nev., by Larry McFaden, the bandleader and bassist of Mel Tillis. After making some demo tapes, Greenwood was signed in 1981 by the Nashville-based MCA label, and McFaden became his manager.
The first single, "It Turns Me Inside Out", made it to a spot in the top 20 of the country charts. Greenwood had written this song for Kenny Rogers, but Rogers turned it down due to the sheer volume of songs he had been offered at the time. "Ring On Her Finger and Time on her Hands" landed him in the country top 10.
He is best known for writing and recording the patriotic song "God Bless the USA" in the early 1980s. "God Bless the USA" gained renewed popularity following the launch of Operation: Desert Storm in 1991, and again, ten years later, following the September 11, 2001 attacks; in fact, the song even re-entered the Top 20 of the country charts in late 2001. Since then, Greenwood has played at many public events and commemorations of the attacks. He supports the United States Republican Party.
Theater
In 1995, Greenwood took a break from his touring schedule to spend time with his wife and newborn son. In his time off, he elected to build a theater in Sevierville, Tenn., and in April 1996, the "Lee Greenwood Theater" opened its doors. This gave Greenwood the opportunity to still perform daily shows, in addition to being with his family. The theater operated for five seasons, and closed for Greenwood to continue touring. The theater was not located in the heavily entertainment and tourist oriented areas of Pigeon Forge, Tenn., and Gatlinburg, Tenn., which contributed to the theater closing. The former theater building is now host to a church.
The Christmas Song
Lee Greenwood Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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
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!
The opening lines of Lee Greenwood's The Christmas Song immediately evoke a feeling of warmth and coziness, as if the listener is sitting by a fire on a cold winter night. The imagery of chestnuts roasting and Jack Frost nipping at your nose brings to mind a very specific and nostalgic setting. The lyrics then move on to mention yuletide carols being sung by a choir and people dressed up like Eskimos. This paints a picture of a classic, old-fashioned Christmas scene where people gather together to celebrate the holiday with music and warm clothing.
The chorus of the song shifts the focus slightly to more traditional holiday symbols like the turkey and mistletoe, before honing in on the excitement of children during this time of year. Tiny tots, described as having eyes all aglow, struggle to sleep on Christmas Eve knowing that Santa Claus will soon be arriving with his sleigh full of toys and goodies. The idea of reindeer being able to fly is also mentioned, adding to the sense of magic and wonder associated with the holiday season.
Line by Line Meaning
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire
The fire is burning bright and warm, with chestnuts cooking on it.
Jack Frost nipping at your nose
It is very cold outside, and Jack Frost is causing some discomfort by making people's noses cold.
Yule-tide carols being sung by a choir
The air is filled with music as a choir sings festive songs for Christmas.
And folks dressed up like Eskimos.
People are getting dressed in warm clothes, including fur coats and hats, to keep themselves warm in the cold weather.
Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe
These are common symbols of the holiday season that everyone recognizes and associates with Christmas.
Help to make the season bright
The presence of these symbols and other festive decorations make the season a joyful and happy time.
Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow
Children are filled with excitement and wonder during Christmas, their eyes shining with anticipation.
Will find it hard to sleep tonight.
The anticipation of Christmas morning makes it difficult for children to fall asleep, since they are so excited to see what Santa brings them.
They know that Santa's on his way
Children believe in the magic of Santa Claus, and they know that he will be bringing them presents soon.
He's loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh
Santa has been busy making toys and collecting other treats to deliver to children all around the world.
And every mother's child is gonna spy
Children are so curious and excited about the arrival of Santa that they will do whatever it takes to catch a glimpse of him or his reindeer.
To see if reindeer really know how to fly.
Reindeer are a magical symbol of Christmas, and children are eager to see if they are really capable of flying Santa's sleigh all around the world.
And so I'm offering this simple phrase
In the spirit of Christmas, the singer wants to share a simple message of goodwill and happiness with everyone listening.
To kids from one to ninety-two
This message applies to everyone, regardless of their age, and the singer hopes that everyone will remember the joy and magic of Christmas.
Although it's been said many times, many ways
This sentiment is a familiar one, something that has been expressed many times before by many different people in many different ways.
Merry Christmas to you!
The singer wishes everyone a happy and festive Christmas, filled with love, laughter, and joy.
Lyrics © Ceylon Records, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Mel Torme, Robert Wells
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Kathe Alexander
I have purchased this album three times and will continue buying it when it wears out. It is absolutely melodically beautiful! His voice is velvet and feels like a nice warm blanket when it wraps around you!!!!
Lynne Merk
Totally agree! Best Christmas EVER!!!
Jim Cholley
What a wonderful, wonderful album it is. I have had it since like 1985. Nowadays, I have it on CD also.. :-]
31akemi
i love love love this christmas album!! If you have all the songs on the album i wish that you'd upload them! Thanks for sharing
Austin Farber
This song brings tears to my eyes! My grandmother use to play this on cassette tape in the kitchen during Christmas time. I miss those days.
JoAnn Barrick
No one sings this like Lee does! AWESOME!
Jim Cholley
Did someone else sing this one?
herbieslady1
I have loved this song since it came out.I play it every christmas!It is truly awesome!
SantaJS1
Another one of my favorite Christmas songs. I love Lee Greenwod....:)
Mike M
its so special how everyone has a favoriate song passed to you by your "older" siblings parents etc.. and brings such a warm and great feeling,, and it doesnt matter what artist, all that matters is that you were there and remember hearing it and it "grows with you" no matter how old you are.. you keep playing it each year and pass it down,, and " it lives on"