More details are emerging from Chris Young about his upcoming holiday album, It Must Be Christmas, which is scheduled to drop on Oct. 14.
Chris revealed today (Sept. 19) that the 10-song offering features vocals from Alan Jackson (“There’s a New Kid in Town”), Brad Paisley (“The First Noel”) and R&B icons Boyz II Men (“Silent Night”). By the way, do you recall this Boyz II Men awesomeness from the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air?
Chis co-wrote two original Christmas songs for the project: “Under the Weather” and the title track, “It Must Be Christmas.”
“I’m really excited about the Christmas album,” said Chris to NCD. “It’s just such a cool thing for me. I’m Comin’ Over was my fifth album. With this Christmas album, this will be my sixth, which I can’t believe. I’ve gotten to do a lot of really cool things in my career, but I love Christmas music and I’ve only ever put out one Christmas song that was on a Sony collection album. To be able to have a full project to really put my hands on is unbelievable.”
Chris also mentioned that his favorite Christmas album as a child was Alan Jackson’s 1993 Honky Tonk Christmas.
“Yeah, definitely I have a favorite holiday album,” said Chris. “There’s a whole album to me, and I’ve referenced it a lot, but that Alan Jackson Christmas record to me was great—it was that and the Beach Boys’ Christmas album. Those two things had to be played or it wasn’t Christmastime at my house. That was it. I can tell you I did not cut this, but the one that always makes me laugh is Alan’s ‘Please Daddy, Don’t Get Drunk This Christmas.’ I was actually walking through a supermarket singing it at as a kid at one point. My mom was like, ‘You have to stop singing that. People are going to think there’s something wrong.'”
It Must Be Christmas Track List
1. “The Christmas Song”
2. “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)”
3. “Under the Weather”
4. “There’s a New Kid in Town” (feat. Alan Jackson)
5. “Holly Jolly Christmas”
6. “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”
7. “The First Noel” (feat. Brad Paisley)
8. “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”
9. “Silent Night” (feat. Boyz II Men)
10. “It Must Be Christmas”
