Fans of the legendary performer Bruce Springsteen are hopeful of a Christmas album project from the Born to Run hitmaker.
While Springsteen has a fantastic version of Santa Claus Is Coming to Town, he has not released a festive-themed release since. That changed today when a “new” release from Springsteen appeared on streaming services. The release brings together a 1975 live recording of Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town from the C.W. Post College in Greenvale, New York, Merry Christmas Baby, and a live rendition of Blue Christmas from The Carousel in Asbury Park, New Jersey. The three songs have since been compiled as part of The Christmas Tracks, a small release published by Columbia Records earlier today (November 13). Speculation is now rampant in the r/BruceSpringsteen subreddit on whether further festive releases could be published from Springsteen’s backlog, or if a new album could be on the way.
Springsteen is no stranger to odd projects with his Only the Strong Survive release putting The Boss’ voice to good use on a collection of covers. A Christmas album is not beyond the realm of possibility, though some have pointed out that the appearance of The Christmas Tracks is not an indication of further material to follow.
One person posted to the fan forum and asked: “So, a new Christmas solo came out today. Apart from the fact that I’m super happy about it, I was wondering something: has Bruce ever done a complete album only about Christmas songs? My dad has this memory of a Springsteen Christmas album, and he swears it existed.
“I know there’s another solo with just Santa’s Coming to Town, which is also on a picture disc vinyl, and I know he’s present in the album A Very Special Christmas. My dad keeps saying that he knew of a Springsteen Christmas album, so maybe it only exists in vinyl/CD. Can anyone help me?”
One fan replied: “I have a Christmas bootleg that has 8 or 9 songs on it. It was part of a rather large collection of each album ‘best of’ live. I know Pilgrim in the Temple of Love (so good so funny), The Wish, Run Run Rudolph and a few others besides Merry Christmas Baby and Santa Claus is Coming to Town. That could be what he saw or remembers. It came out in the early 2000’s after the three Christmas shows in Asbury Park. ’02 or ’03, if memory serves.”
Another added: “I don’t know of an official Springsteen Christmas album. I first heard his version of Santa Claus is Coming to Town on an album called Harmony 2 (I think). It was an album of kid-friendly songs, not a Christmas album. Billy Joel also had a song on it, and I think Carly Simon and maybe Little Richard?”
The original poster also suggested that it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that Springsteen would release a Christmas album. They wrote: “Maybe it’s just my father that doesn’t remember well, but I think it’s plausible for someone like Springsteen to do a Christmas album.”
Another replied: “Perhaps now, since he’s done country and a Motown tribute, but in my opinion, it doesn’t seem like anything he would have considered in the past. Now that he has a full horn section, I would like to hear him do Louis Armstrong’s Zat You, Santa Claus?“
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