Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve, the new Slim Man Christmas CD Four stories... Christmas Eve Christmas Eve was always the Big Party Night for my family. We’d cook, and drink, and sing, and...around midnight we’d open gifts. The parties were legendary. Which made Christmas Day a little subdued around the Slim Shack... Antonia... I was listening to some Christmas songs back in March, 2008, trying to figure out which ones to do, when I came upon a compilation that included one of my own earlier Christmas songs. I started listening to the whole CD while I was cooking, and...this voice came over the speakers, and I was floored. I looked at the CD cover. It was Antonia Bennett. I had no idea who she was. When I looked her up on the Internet, I found out that she was Tony Bennett’s daughter. Her voice sounded like Billie Holiday meets Rickie Lee Jones. What I really wanted was for Antonia to do a duet with me on “Baby, It’s Cold Outside”. I emailed Antonia and didn’t hear back until August. She told me she’d be in Manhattan the following week, so I booked a studio where Ella Fitzgerald recorded. It was on 57th Street, right across from Carnegie Hall. The first time I met Antonia was at that studio. But, I wanted to do “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” a little differently. I wanted her to sing the part usually sung by the man--in her girly voice--and I wanted to sing the part usually sung by the woman--in my manly voice, of course. Antonia did an incredible job. She can really sing. Antoine... I did most of the “Christmas Eve” recording in June, in Madrid, at guitarist Marc Antoine’s house. He has this incredible studio, and it was one of the best times I’ve ever had recording. It was a little strange--100 degrees outside, and we were inside recording “Baby, It’s Cold Outside”... That’s right. Antoine and Antonia on the same song! Marc’s guitar playing was so inspired, not only on that song, but on Jingle Bells, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Oh Christmas Tree... It was a great time to be in Madrid. The Spanish soccer team won the EURO Cup. Nadal beat Federer in an incredible tennis match for the champoinship at Wimbledon. A Spanish cyclist won the Tour de France. And the Police did a show downtown for 80,000 people. The Gift (A Soldier’s Christmas) This past summer, in the middle of recording the Christmas Eve CD, I did a little tour of California. After a show in San Diego, a lovely young lady came up to me and told me that her Slim Man CDs had helped her get through her tours of Iraq. Turns out, she’s a Colonel in the Marine Corps, and I must admit, I was really flattered. And then I started thinking...What would it be like to be involved with someone who was away at war for Christmas? She inspired me to write this song. Dedicated to her, and to all who serve our country. Have a safe and Happy Holiday! And that’s an order!