We Need a Little Christmas
{{about|the song|other uses|We Need a Little Christmas (disambiguation) }}
{{short description|Song written by Jerry Herman}}
"We Need a Little Christmas" is a popular Christmas song originating from Jerry Herman's Broadway musical Mame, and first performed by Angela Lansbury in that 1966 production.{{cite book|last=Crump|first=William D.|title=The Christmas Encyclopedia, 3d ed.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OSuXAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA436|date=15 September 2001|publisher=McFarland|isbn=978-1-4766-0573-9|page=436}}
In the musical, the song is performed after Mame has lost her fortune in the Wall Street crash of 1929, and decides that she, her young nephew Patrick, and her two household servants "need a little Christmas now" to cheer them up.{{cite book|last=Collins|first=Ace|title=Stories Behind the Greatest Hits of Christmas|url=https://archive.org/details/storiesbehindgre0000coll|url-access=registration|year=2010|publisher=Zondervan|isbn=978-0-310-32795-0|page=[https://archive.org/details/storiesbehindgre0000coll/page/183 183]}}
Notable recordings
- Percy Faith with His Orchestra and Chorus (1966) (Christmas Is... Percy Faith){{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/christmas-is-percy-faith-mw0000315399|title=Percy Faith & His Orchestra – Christmas Is... Percy Faith Album Reviews, Songs & More |publisher=AllMusic|access-date=30 May 2023}}
- The New Christy Minstrels (1966) (Christmas with the Christies)
- Skitch Henderson & The Tonight Show Orchestra (1966) (Broadway Tonight! Skitch Henderson & The Tonight Show Orchestra Play Music From "Mame"){{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/5622480-Skitch-Henderson-The-Tonight-Show-Orchestra-Broadway-Tonight-Skitch-Henderson-The-Tonight-Show-Orche|title=Skitch Henderson & The Tonight Show Orchestra – Broadway Tonight! Skitch Henderson & The Tonight Show Orchestra Play Music From "Mame"|date=30 May 1966|access-date=30 May 2023|publisher=Discogs}}
- Johnny Mathis (1986) (Christmas Eve with Johnny Mathis){{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/christmas-eve-with-johnny-mathis-mw0000190940|title=Johnny Mathis – Christmas Eve with Johnny Mathis Album Reviews, Songs & More |publisher=AllMusic|access-date=30 May 2023}}
- The Muppets (1987) (A Muppet Family Christmas)The Muppets. "A Muppet Family Christmas". The Jim Henson Company/Disney. 1987.
- Bugs Bunny & Friends with Daffy Duck (1994) (Have Yourself a Looney Tunes Christmas){{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/have-yourself-a-looney-tunes-christmas-mw0000448358|title=Bugs Bunny & Friends, Looney Tunes – Have Yourself a Looney Tunes Christmas Album Reviews, Songs & More|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=30 May 2023}}
- Andy Williams (1995) (We Need a Little Christmas){{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/we-need-a-little-christmas-mw0000261358|title=Andy Williams – We Need a Little Christmas Album Reviews, Songs & More|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=30 May 2023}}
- Mormon Tabernacle Choir with Angela Lansbury (2001){{Cite web|url=https://www.thetabernaclechoir.org/videos/we-need-a-little-christmas-angela-lansbury.html|title=We Need a Little Christmas, with Angela Lansbury|date=8 May 2015|website=Thetabernaclechoir.org|access-date=30 May 2023}} (later appeared on the choir's 2006 album, The Wonder of Christmas)
- Andrea McArdle (2006) (Andrea McArdle's Family Christmas){{Cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Andrea-McArdles-Family-Christmas-Mcardle/dp/B00004RDHQ|title=Andrea McArdle's Family Christmas|access-date=30 May 2023|publisher=Amazon}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAJRwgv9aH8|title=Andrea McArdle – We Need A Little Christmas Now|access-date=30 May 2023|via=YouTube}}
- Legacy Five (2007) (Little Christmas){{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/little-christmas-mw0000581616|title=Legacy Five – Little Christmas Album Reviews, Songs & More |publisher=AllMusic|access-date=30 May 2023}}
- Kimberly Locke (2007) (Christmas){{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/christmas-mw0002568642|title=Kimberley Locke, Kimberly Locke – Christmas Album Reviews, Songs & More |publisher=AllMusic|access-date=30 May 2023}}
- Glee Cast (2010) (Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album and episode A Very Glee Christmas){{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/glee-the-music-the-christmas-album-mw0002068912|title=Glee – Glee: The Music – The Christmas Album Album Reviews, Songs & More|publisher=AllMusic|access-date=30 May 2023}}
- Ages and Ages (2012) (Holidays Rule){{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/holidays-rule-mw0002423028|title=Various Artists – Holidays Rule Album Reviews, Songs & More |publisher=AllMusic|access-date=30 May 2023}}
- Idina Menzel (2019) (Christmas: A Season of Love){{Cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/christmas-a-season-of-love-mw0003317924|title=Idina Menzel – Christmas: A Season of Love Album Reviews, Songs & More |publisher=AllMusic|access-date=30 May 2023}}
- Pentatonix (2020) (We Need a Little Christmas){{Cite web|url=https://www.sonymusic.ca/press_release/pentatonix-release-new-holiday-album-we-need-a-little-christmas-today|title=PENTATONIX RELEASE NEW HOLIDAY ALBUM, WE NEED A LITTLE CHRISTMAS, TODAY! – Sony Music Canada|website=Sonymusic.ca|access-date=30 May 2023}}
- Kelly Rowland (2020) (We Need a Little Christmas){{Cite web|title=New Song: Kelly Rowland – 'We Need a Little Christmas' ['Merry Liddle Christmas Wedding' Soundtrack]|url=https://thatgrapejuice.net/2020/11/new-song-kelly-rowland-need-little-christmas-merry-liddle-christmas-wedding-soundtrack/|access-date=February 25, 2021|website=thatgrapejuice.net}}
Charts
=Kimberley Locke version=
| class="wikitable" |
| scope="col"|Chart (2008)
!scope="col"|Peak |
|---|
| US Adult Contemporary
|align="center"|19 |
=Glee Cast version=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2010–11)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| {{singlechart|Billboardcanadaac |15 |artist=Glee Cast |rowheader=true |access-date=November 7, 2020}} |
| {{singlechart|Billboardadultcontemporary |15 |artist=Glee Cast |rowheader=true |access-date=November 7, 2020}} |
| scope="row"| US Holiday Digital Songs (Billboard){{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/glee-cast/chart-history/xdt/ |title=Glee Cast Chart History (Holiday Digital Song Sales) |magazine=Billboard |access-date=November 7, 2020}}
| 16 |
=Pentatonix version=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col"| Chart (2020)
! scope="col"| Peak |
|---|
| {{single chart|Billboardadultcontemporary|14|artist=Pentatonix|rowheader=true|access-date=December 22, 2020|refname=Scotland}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Percy Faith}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:American Christmas songs