Getting in the Christmas spirit early.

This past Friday, Willie Nelson took a break from releasing songs from his forthcoming tribute album for his friend, the late, great Merle Haggard called Workin’ Man: Willie Sings Merle, to put out a Christmas song.

Of course, Willie penned one of the best country Christmas songs of all-time in “Pretty Paper,” which he wrote in 1963, and was first made famous by Roy Orbison when it peaked at #15 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Willie later recorded his own version of the song in 1964 and again in 1979 for his own Christmas album.

In the lyrics, Willie references a man selling “pretty paper, pretty ribbons” alone on the sidewalk, and as it turns out, there actually was a disabled street vendor Willie knew from his time as a radio DJ in Fort Worth who did just that.

Though he regrets never stopping to actually talk to the man whom he would walk by every single day on his way to work, the image of seeing him on the sidewalk always stuck out to Willie long after he moved from Texas to Nashville to pursue a career in country music. It’s an incredible story, which you can read more about HERE.

This new one called “Christmas Love Song” is a bit different in that it really is a true love song wrapped in some holiday cheer, though he does reference “Pretty Paper” in the first line.

The chorus finds him admitting that while he doesn’t “sparkle and shine” like a new Christmas present, he put his whole heart into the gift of this song:

“I bought you a few things, wrapped ’em up in pretty paper
And they’re lying there under the tree
There’s one that can’t wait for that big day
I guess you could say it’s kind of special to me

This is my Christmas love song to you
It ain’t a lot, but every word of it’s true
It don’t sparkle or shine, but it’s one of a kind
And I put my whole heart into
This Christmas love song to you”

The last verse is so beautiful, where I’m assuming he has his wife, Annie, in mind when he sings:

“I want you to know that I don’t take for granted
This wonderful life that we found
I am so blessed to call you mine that I had to
Stop and write it all down”

The only person who could write a Christmas love song that is that pure and lovely… it will just about bring a tear to your eye.

Willie is obviously in his 90’s now, so his voice is weathered, yet warm, and I think this is a great song that I would be happy to listen to all year round… and I’m usually not that into Christmas music at all.

Willie’s tribute album for Merle is set to drop soon, on Friday, November 7th, and features 11 country classics penned by the Hag himself. You can listen to “Christmas Love Song” in the meantime, though, and I highly recommend it… Willie doesn’t miss.

“Christmas Love Song”

Workin’ Man: Willie Sings Merle Tracklist:

1. Workin’ Man Blues

2. Silver Wings

3. Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down

4. Today I Started Loving You Again

5. Swinging Doors

6. Okie From Muskogee

7. Mama Tried

8. I Think I’ll Just Stay Here And Drink

9. Somewhere Between

10. If We Make It Through December

11. Ramblin’ Fever