Happy Christmas (Jessica Simpson album)

Happy Christmas
Studio album by Jessica Simpson
Released	November 22, 2010 (2010-11-22)
Recorded	October 2010 Hollywood, California Henson Studios Atlanta, Georgia Triangle Studios
Genre	Christmas, pop
Length	47:01
Label	Primary Wave, Eleveneleven
Producer	Kuk Harrell, Aaron Pearce, C. "Tricky" Stewart, The-Dream
Jessica Simpson chronology
Do You Know (2008) Happy Christmas (2010)

Happy Christmas is the seventh studio album and second Christmas album by American recording artist Jessica Simpson. The album was released on November 22, 2010 by Primary Wave Records & Eleveneleven. Simpson made an appearance on The Early Show to promote the album.

Background

It was revealed that Simpson had parted ways with her record label, Epic Records, and signed a new record deal. Simpson was interviewed by E! News and PopSugar.com where she revealed that she is back in the studio, working on a new Christmas album. On September 15, 2010, it was announced that Simpson was working with the producers of The-Dream and Tricky Stewart in her next two albums. On October 12, 2010, Simpson announced via Twitter that she had completed recording this album. Simpson said that the concept of a new Christmas album came after PBS asked her if she would like to do a Christmas special. Simpson and PBS thought it would be a good idea to release an album along with a holiday special. The show premiered on television on December 4, 2010. The album was made available for streaming through Amazon.com.^[1] She also appeared on The Early Show, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, Live with Regis and Kelly, Access Hollywood and performed at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting.

Tricky Stewart told US Weekly about working with Simpson on the album: "We have actually have [talked about working together again]. I was so pleasantly surprised and happy with how everything came out! She is a gem just waiting to be rediscovered, so there is a definite possibility of us working together again in the future. She is fun and lighthearted but very serious about her singing. She is a little bit of an over-thinker sometimes because she puts so much pressure on herself. But, overall we had a great time making this record! We had to do it super fast — we started the negotiations and everything in October, which is really late for a Christmas album. But we got it done, it came out, and it's great — everyone loved it".^[2]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[3]

The album received a positive reviews. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of Allmusic stated, "compared to 2004’s brassy Rejoyce: The Christmas Album, Happy Christmas exists on a small stage: Simpson doesn’t belt songs out, doesn’t seem intent on wowing an audience with her pizzazz. [sic] [...]She may be intent on being all things to all people, but her eagerness to please suits the season and helps make Happy Christmas a better holiday soundtrack than Rejoyce."^[4]

Jon Caramanica from New York Times stated, "A Western-swing-influenced medley of “Here Comes Santa Claus” and “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” sung by Jessica Simpson, and produced by Tricky Stewart and The-Dream? Someone’s been paying attention to one critic’s holiday wish list. Ms. Simpson, who began her career several lifetimes ago as a Christian singer, hasn’t sounded as focused in years as she does on the feverishly pleasing “Happy Christmas,” which is produced largely by Mr. Stewart and The-Dream, the synth-bliss R&B tastemakers, employing full restraint here. The bland bigness of holiday music suits Ms. Simpson’s overpowering voice well, but even when she’s testing it, she sounds sharp, whether on the multitracked delirium of “Carol of the Bells” or on an electric-blues version of “Merry Christmas Baby,” where she energetically over-emotes against a more laconic holiday messenger, Willie Nelson"^[5]

Chart performance

The album sold 10,153 copies in its first week^{[citation needed]} and debuted at number one hundred twenty-three on US Billboard 200, becoming Simpson's lowest peak in the US.^[6] It also debuted at number nine on Billboard Independent Albums and number twenty three on Top Holiday Albums chart.^[6]

Television special

Simpson and PBS announced that a Christmas musical special will air in the fall, in promotion with Simpson's new Christmas album. The special, entitled "Jessica Simpson: Happy Christmas" was available to watch on November 25, 2010 on Simpson's official website, and premiered on Saturday prime-time television on December 4th, 2010. The show features Simpson singing a collection of Christmas hits from Happy Christmas and her first holiday album Rejoyce: The Christmas Album. Simpson was also joined by special guests including sister Ashlee Simpson, Trey Lorenz, Willie Nelson, and Carly Simon. This is the second Christmas TV special featuring Simpson, the first being "Nick and Jessica's Family Christmas" with ex-husband Nick Lachey

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"My Only Wish"	Aaron Pearce, Christopher Stewart, Jessica Simpson	Aaron Pearce, Tricky Stewart	3:53
2.	"Here Comes Santa Claus" / "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town"	J. Fred Coots, Haven Gillespie	Tricky Stewart, The-Dream, Aaron Pearce*	3:03
3.	"O Come O Come Emmanuel"	Pearce	Tricky Stewart, The-Dream, Aaron Pearce*, Kuk Harrell*	4:20
4.	"I'll Be Home for Christmas" (duet with John Britt)	Walter Kent, Kim Gannon, Buck Ram	Tricky Stewart, The-Dream, Aaron Pearce*, Kuk Harrell*	4:39
5.	"Happy Xmas (War Is Over)"	John Lennon, Yoko Ono	Tricky Stewart, The-Dream, Aaron Pearce*, Kuk Harrell*	3:43
6.	"Mary Did You Know"	Mark Lowry, Buddy Greene	Tricky Stewart, The-Dream, Aaron Pearce*, Kuk Harrell*	3:27
7.	"Merry Christmas Baby" (duet with Willie Nelson)	Johnny Dudley Moore, Lou Baxter	Tricky Stewart, The-Dream, Aaron Pearce*, Kuk Harrell*	4:57
8.	"Kiss Me for Christmas"	Terius Nash, Stewart, Simpson	Tricky Stewart, The-Dream, Aaron Pearce*, Kuk Harrell*	4:57
9.	"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"	Hugh Martin, Ralph Blane	Tricky Stewart, The-Dream, Aaron Pearce*, Kuk Harrell*	4:04
10.	"Carol of the Bells"	Peter J. Wilhousky, Mykola Leontovych	Tricky Stewart, The-Dream, Aaron Pearce*, Kuk Harrell*	3:14

(*) Denotes co-producer

Personnel

Credits for Happy Christmas adapted from Allmusic.^[7]

Cacee Cobb - A&R Aaron Pearce - Arranger, Composer, Producer, Programming, String Arrangements, Vocals (Background) Josh Grabelle - Art Direction, Design, Layout Steven Dennis - Assistant Engineer Travis Harrington - Assistant Engineer Jason Sherwood - Assistant Engineer Martin Cooke - Assistant Vocal Engineer Lou Baxter - Composer Ralph Blane -Composer J. Fred Coots - Composer Kim Gannon - Composer Buddy Greene - Composer Walter Kent - Composer John Lennon - Composer Mykola Leontovich - Composer Mark Lowry - Composer Hugh Martin - Composer John Dudley Moore - Composer Terius Nash - Composer Yoko Ono - Composer Buck Ram - Composer Jessica Simpson - Composer

Christopher Stewart - Composer Peter J. Wilhousky - Composer Haven Gillespie - Composer, Lyricist Michelle Gayhart - Copyist Norman Jean Roy - Cover Photo John Britt - Duet Willie Nelson - Duet Brian "B-Luv" Thomas - Engineer Andrew Wuepper - Engineer, Mixing Terius "The-Dream" Nash - Executive Producer, Producer C. "Tricky" Stewart - Executive Producer, Producer Tom Hemby - Guitar Michael Thompson - Guitar Chris Bellman - Mastering Ken Oriole - Mixing Assistant Wayne Haun - Orchestration, String Arrangements Kuk Harrell - Producer, Vocal Engineer, Vocal Producer Christy Hall - Production Coordination Jeremy Hunter - String Arrangements, String Engineer Josh Gudwin - Vocal Engineer

Charts

Chart (2010)	Peak Position
US Billboard 200[6]	123
US Top Holiday Albums[6]	23
US Independent Albums[6]	9

Release history

Region	Date	Label
Canada[8]	November 22, 2010	EMI Eleveneleven Primary Wave Music
Germany[9]
United Kingdom[10]
United States

References

1. ^ "Jessica Simpson - Albums, Songs, Bio". Amazon.com. http://www.amazon.com/Jessica-Simpson/e/B000AP7PUS. Retrieved 2010-11-22. 
2. ^ http://www.usmagazine.com/moviestvmusic/news/producer--jessica-simpson-and-her-fiance-are-super-duper-happy-20102112
3. ^ http://www.allmusic.com/album/happy-christmas-r2068003
4. ^ "Happy Christmas > Jessica Simpson". Allmusic. =Rovi Corporation. http://www.allmusic.com/album/happy-christmas-r2068003/review. Retrieved 2010-11-22. 
5. ^ "Happy Christmas > Jessica Simpson". New York Times (=New York Times). 2010-11-16. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/26/arts/music/26holiday.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=jessica%20simpson&st=cse. Retrieved 2010-12-03. 
6. ^ ^{a b c d e} "Happy Christmas — Jessica Simpson". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. http://www.billboard.com/album/jessica-simpson/happy-christmas/1463666. Retrieved 2010-12-02. 
7. ^ Jessica Simpson > Happy Christmas. Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2010-11-21
8. ^ http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0046W16BA
9. ^ http://www.amazon.de/dp/B0046W16BA
10. ^ http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0046W16BA Amazon.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-10-21