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.
We Need A Little Christmas
Lee Greenwood Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Put up the tree before
My spirit falls again
Fill up the stocking
I may be rushing things
But deck the halls again now
For we need a little Christmas
Right this very minute
Candles in the window
Carols at the spinet
Yes, we need a little Christmas
Right this very minute
It hasn′t snowed a single flurry
But Santa, dear, we're in a hurry
So climb down the chimney
Put up the brightest string
Of lights I′ve ever seen
Slice up the fruitcake
It's time we hung some tinsel
On that evergreen bough
For I've grown a little leaner
Grown a little colder
Grown a little sadder
Grown a little older
And I need a little angel
Sitting on my shoulder
Need a little Christmas now
Haul out the holly
Well, once I taught you all
To live each living day
Fill up the stocking
But Auntie Man
It′s one week from
Thanksgiving Day now
But we need a little Christmas
Right this very minute
Candles in the window
Carols at the spinet
Yes, we need a little Christmas
Right this very minute
It hasn′t snowed a single flurry
But Santa, dear, we're in a hurry
So climb down the chimney
Put up the brightest string
Of lights I′ve ever seen
Slice up the fruitcake
It's time we hung some tinsel
On that evergreen bough
For we need a little music
Need a little laughter
Need a little singing
Ringing through the rafter
And we need a little snappy
′Happy ever after'
Need a little Christmas now
Need a little Christmas now
The lyrics of Lee Greenwood's song "We Need A Little Christmas" express the urgency and desperation for joy and the holiday spirit. Despite it not having snowed yet, the singer feels the need for Christmas to come early this year, and so they call for the holly to be brought out, stockings to be filled, and the tree to be put up. The singer even encourages Santa Claus to hurry up and come down the chimney with the brightest string of lights he's ever seen. The lyrics also acknowledge feelings of weariness and sadness as the year has gone by, reminding listeners that the holiday season can be a time for healing and renewal.
Furthermore, the mention of carols and candles in the window speak to the traditions and rituals associated with the holiday season, which can bring comfort and joy. The lyrics also emphasize the importance of family and togetherness, specifically referencing the spinet, a small piano commonly found in homes during the 19th century.
Overall, the lyrics of "We Need a Little Christmas" convey a sense of yearning and urgency for the holiday season to bring joy and hope in the midst of difficult times.
Line by Line Meaning
Haul out the holly
Let's get the decorations out
Put up the tree before
Let's put up the Christmas tree before it's too late
My spirit falls again
I feel down and dispirited
Fill up the stocking
Let's fill the stockings with gifts
I may be rushing things
I know it might be too early for Christmas, but I can't help it
But deck the halls again now
Let's decorate the halls with Christmas decorations again
For we need a little Christmas
We need some Christmas cheer and joy
Right this very minute
We need it now
Candles in the window
Let's light candles to signify the festive season
Carols at the spinet
Let's sing Christmas carols around the spinet (piano)
It hasn′t snowed a single flurry
It hasn't started snowing yet
But Santa, dear, we're in a hurry
But we still need Christmas to arrive quickly
So climb down the chimney
Come down the chimney and bring us joy
Put up the brightest string
Let's hang the brightest string of lights
Of lights I′ve ever seen
Let's make it the most beautiful Christmas decoration ever
Slice up the fruitcake
Let's slice up the traditional Christmas fruitcake
It's time we hung some tinsel
It's time to hang the tinsel on the Christmas tree
On that evergreen bough
On the bough of the Christmas tree
For I've grown a little leaner
I've lost weight since last Christmas
Grown a little colder
I feel lonely and less warm-hearted
Grown a little sadder
I feel more melancholic
Grown a little older
I've aged since last Christmas
And I need a little angel
I need a little guidance and hope
Sitting on my shoulder
Watching over me
Well, once I taught you all
I once taught you to enjoy each moment of life
To live each living day
To live each day to the fullest
But Auntie Man
But dear, Auntie
It′s one week from
It's only one week away from
Thanksgiving Day now
Thanksgiving is coming up soon
For we need a little music
We need some music to lift our spirits
Need a little laughter
We need to laugh and be happy
Need a little singing
We need to sing and be joyful
Ringing through the rafter
Our happy voices ringing through the house
And we need a little snappy
We need a little excitement and happiness
′Happy ever after'
A happy ending to the year
Need a little Christmas now
We need some Christmas cheer and joy right now
Writer(s): Jerry Herman
Contributed by Jasmine T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Tylernelson2024@gmail.com
on Ring On Her Finger, Time On Her Hands
I love your songs