Christmas Time (Bryan Adams song) explained

Christmas Time
Cover:BAchristmastime.jpg
Type:single
Artist:Bryan Adams
B-Side:Reggae Christmas
Released:Late 1985
Recorded:1985
Genre:Rock
Length:4.10
Label:A&M
Producer:Bob Clearmountain, Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance
Prev Title:Diana
Prev Year:1985
Next Title:Heat of the Night
Next Year:1987

"Christmas Time" is a song by Canadian rock singer-songwriter Bryan Adams. It was written by Adams and Jim Vallance[1] and became Adams' most popular Christmas song. It was originally released on clear, green vinyl with a picture sleeve. It was written and recorded in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. No music video was shot for the song when it was originally released, but on December 10, 2019, Adams released a video for the song on YouTube. Over thirty years after it was first recorded, the song still receives significant radio airplay each year during the Christmas season. It features prominently in the 2022 action comedy film Violent Night.

The B-side is "Reggae Christmas", written by Jim Vallance in 1978 after a chance meeting with Ringo Starr. Although Starr never recorded it, Adams went on to do his version in 1984, adding a new bridge section. It was first released as a fanclub-only single on colored vinyl in December 1984, with a Christmas message by Adams and his band on the B-side (entitled "Plum Pudding"). Subsequently, "Reggae Christmas" ended up as the B-side to all pressings of "Christmas Time", from 1985 onwards. There was a live video made by MTV for its "Reggae Christmas", featuring a guest appearance by Pee-wee Herman.

Track list

A-side

B-side

Albums

Despite being listed as a bonus track to the 1983 album Cuts Like a Knife on the Bryan Adams website,[2] there is no official version of the album with "Christmas Time" on it.The song, along with its B-side "Reggae Christmas", appears on Bryan Adams' 2019 EP Christmas.

The song is also available on these compilation albums:

Personnel

Chart positions

Chart (1985–1986)Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[3] 64
Canada Top Singles (RPM) 39
Ireland (IRMA)26
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)55
US Billboard Top Tracks[4] 31
Chart (2009)Peak
position
Chart (2016–2023)Peak
position
Canada Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[5] 43
Poland (Polish Streaming Top 100)[6] 94

Notes and References

  1. News: Christmas Time page on Bryan Adams' web site.
  2. News: Cuts Like A Knife page on Bryan Adams' web site.
  3. Book: Kent, David. Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W . 1993. 0-646-11917-6. Kent Music Report.
  4. Web site: Artist Chart History (singles) - Bryan Adams. Allmusic. 2008-10-19. 2011-02-17. https://web.archive.org/web/20110217214823/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p3502. dead.
  5. Bryan Adams Chart History (Canadian Digital Song Sales). Billboard. July 18, 2022.
  6. Web site: OLiS – oficjalna lista sprzedaży – single w streamie. OLiS. pl. January 4, 2024. Select week 22.12.2023–28.12.2023..