About The Song
“Please Come Home for Christmas” is a bluesy holiday song originally written by Charles Brown and Gene Redd in 1960, first recorded by Brown as a single for King Records. The Eagles, known for their country-rock sound, released their cover as a non-album single in November 1978 through Asylum Records, marking their first and only Christmas song. It became a seasonal hit, peaking at No. 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 in December 1978, their highest-charting single between 1977’s “Hotel California” and 1979’s “Heartache Tonight.” The track also reached No. 15 on the Cash Box Top 100 and charted annually on holiday radio playlists, with a re-entry at No. 45 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2021 due to streaming.
The Eagles recorded the song at Bayshore Recording Studios in Coconut Grove, Florida, during sessions for their 1979 album The Long Run. Produced by Bill Szymczyk, the track features Don Henley on lead vocals, Glenn Frey on piano and backing vocals, Joe Walsh on lead guitar, Timothy B. Schmit on bass, and Don Felder on rhythm guitar. The band’s version stays faithful to Brown’s soulful original, adding their signature harmonies and a polished rock edge, with Walsh’s guitar solo echoing the song’s longing tone. The B-side, “Funky New Year,” a Henley-Frey original about New Year’s revelry, peaked at No. 44 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The song’s release came during a strained period for the Eagles, as internal conflicts and pressure to follow Hotel California delayed The Long Run. Henley, a fan of R&B, pushed for the cover, drawn to Brown’s 1960 version, which had hit No. 76 on the Billboard Hot 100. The Eagles’ take was a one-off holiday project, not tied to an album, though it later appeared on compilations like The Very Best of the Eagles (2003) and the 1995 charity album A Very Special Christmas 2. The single’s festive appeal led to its use in TV shows like ER and The Simpsons, and it remains a staple on classic rock and holiday radio.
Charles Brown, a Texas-born blues pianist, wrote the song after moving to Los Angeles, inspired by his struggles with homesickness during the holiday season. His original, backed by a doo-wop arrangement, became a jukebox favorite in African-American communities. The Eagles’ cover introduced it to a broader rock audience, though Brown earned royalties and performed it until his death in 1999. Other covers include Jon Bon Jovi (1992, No. 7 UK) and Kelly Clarkson (2013). The Eagles performed it live sporadically, including a 1978 Miami concert, but it was never a tour staple. In 2022, the song’s enduring popularity saw it certified gold by the RIAA for 500,000 units sold.
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Lyric
Bells will be ringing the sad, sad news
Oh what a Christmas to have the blues
My baby’s gone, I have no friends
To wish me greetings once againChoirs will be singing “Silent Night”
Christmas carols by candlelight
Please come home for Christmas
Please come home for Christmas
If not for Christmas, by New Year’s nightFriends and relations send salutations
Sure as the stars shine above
But this is Christmas, yes, Christmas my dear
The time of year to be with the ones you loveSo won’t you tell me you’ll never more roam
Christmas and New Year’s will find you home
There’ll be no more sorrow, no grief and pain
And I’ll be happy, happy once againOh, there’ll be no more sorrow, no grief and pain
And I’ll be happy, Christmas once again