He began his career fronting the group Shakin' Stevens and the Sunsets, managed by Paul Barrett. Also known as the The Sunsets, the 50s-esque rock n roll outfit originaled from Penarth, South Glamorgan. An early break for the band arrived when they were given a support slot for The Rolling Stones in December 1969. Yet, despite landing a recording contract with the seminal label Parlophone Records the following year, the band found success hard to come by. At least in their native Great Britain, they couldn't quite break through commercially, though they had hit singles in other countries. After seven years of constant touring and recording, Shaky left the band in 1977. He gained a lead role in Jack Good's "Elvis!" musical, which brought him praise from many critics.
Regular TV appearances on the revamped TV show Oh Boy led eventually to his first chart success, a reworked version of a Buck Owens song "Hot Dog", which Owens would go on to re-record using Stevens arrangement which had been created by pedal steel guitar player B.J. Cole.
In 1979, Shaky signed what was to be his most successful management deal with Freya Miller, and in 1981, he had his first UK number 1 with "This Ole House" and would have 10 more songs reach the top 5, including three number 1 hits with "Green Door", "Oh Julie" and "Merry Christmas Everyone", while "You Drive Me Crazy" and "A Love Worth Waiting For" reached number 2 in 1981 and 1984 respectively. His 1984 hit "Teardrops" featured Hank B. Marvin on guitar and Stevens has often featured famous musicians such as Albert Lee, Roger Taylor, Bonnie Tyler and more recently Tony Joe White on his recordings. In the mid 80s, Stevens reunited with former producer Dave Edmunds to record an album Lipstick, Powder and Paint and the Christmas smash "Merry Christmas Everyone".
The hits continued throughout the 1980s, making Stevens the biggest selling artist of the decade, and into the early 1990s. Chart successes also included his album Shaky reaching number 1.
It was in the 1990s, however, that Stevens took a lengthy break from recording and was stung by a court ruling requiring a substantial payout to former bandmates The Sunsets. In 1999, Shaky returned to performing and undertook tours that year and the year following. In 2004, things started to look up for Stevens he had a further platinum CD/DVD album in Denmark and a gold album in South Africa.
In 2005, he returned once again to the charts in the United Kingdom, with his greatest hits album The Collection, which reached the UK top 5. That year, he also appeared in the video to Tony Christie's and Peter Kay's #1 hit single "Is This the Way to Amarillo", alongside many other UK stars, including Ronnie Corbett, Jim Bowen, Michael Parkinson and Geoffrey Hayes. He was the winner on the reality television show, Hit Me Baby One More Time. This was quickly followed by a re-release of his cover and his own biggest hit sung in the show, ("Trouble" covering Pink's version) / "This Ole House"), which reached #20 on the UK Singles Chart in June 2005, his 33rd Top 40 hit in the United Kingdom.
In May 2007, Stevens released a brand new album in Denmark entitled Now Listen.
Blue Christmas
Shakin' Stevens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll be so blue thinking about you
Decorations of red on a green Christmastree
Won't be the same dear, if you're not here with me
I'll have a Blue Christmas that's certain
And when that blue heartache starts hurtin'
You'll be doin' all right, with your Christmas of white,
The song "Blue Christmas" by Shakin' Stevens is a classic holiday tune that expresses the feeling of loneliness and sadness when one is unable to spend the holidays with someone they love. The opening lines, "I'll have a Blue Christmas without you, I'll be so blue thinking about you," reflect the singer's sense of melancholy and desire for the person he is missing. The use of the color blue also highlights the emotion of sadness, as it is often associated with feelings of sadness and depression.
The second verse of the song describes the traditional holiday decorations of "red on a green Christmas tree", but the singer knows that it won't feel the same without the person he is missing being there with him. As the song continues, the chorus repeats the idea of the singer having a Blue Christmas, with the certainty that he will feel sad and lonely throughout the holiday season. The comparison to the person he is missing, who is doing well with their "Christmas of white", further emphasizes the contrast between his own feelings of sadness and their happiness.
Overall, "Blue Christmas" is a relatable song that captures the feeling of loneliness and longing during the holiday season. While many people associate the holidays with feelings of joy and togetherness, this song acknowledges that not everyone is able to share in those feelings.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll have a Blue Christmas without you
I will be sad and melancholy during Christmas as you won't be here to celebrate with me.
I'll be so blue thinking about you
I will be feeling very sad and lonely during Christmas because I'll be constantly thinking about you.
Decorations of red on a green Christmastree
The red decorations on a green Christmas tree are a reminder of the festive season but it won't be as enjoyable without you.
Won't be the same dear, if you're not here with me
Christmas won't be the same without you as you are an important part of my celebrations.
I'll have a Blue Christmas that's certain
It's certain that I will be feeling sad during Christmas.
And when that blue heartache starts hurtin'
When I feel the intense pain of loneliness and sadness that comes with not having you by my side during Christmas.
You'll be doin' all right, with your Christmas of white,
You will be happy and having a good time celebrating Christmas without me.
But I'll have a blue, blue Christmas
But I will still be feeling very sad and lonely during Christmas without you.
Lyrics © DEMI MUSIC CORP. D/B/A LICHELLE MUSIC COMPANY, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Billy Hayes, Jay Johnson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind