Christmas Songs: “Merry Christmas, Baby,” Otis Redding, 1968

There are so many versions of this 1947 song written by Lou Baxter and Johnny Moore. The one I heard on Muzak while working retail is Bruce Springsteen‘s. According to Wikipedia, “The original 1947 version by Johnny Moore’s Three Trailblazers (featuring singer/pianist Charles Brown (musician), is the definitive version of this song.” This version by Otis Redding was released posthumously.

The wreckage of the plane that carried Otis Redding, the pilot, and four members of the Bar Kays to their deaths (Courtesy: L. Roger Turner/WI State Journal)

I settled on this one, simply because of its Madison connection. Because Otis Redding, 27, died here, along with four teenage members of the Bar-Kays, his backup group, in Madison, WI on December 10, 1967. His twin-engine plane fell into Lake Monona in a crash that vies with the crash of the plane that carried Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper and Richie Valens in 1959.

The body of Otis Redding being recovered out of the icy waters of Lake Monona in Madison, WI; he was still strapped in his seat (Courtesy: StreamingOldies.com)

Otis Redding was also a songwriter. It was he who wrote the song, “Respect,” that later made Aretha Franklin the iconic Queen of Soul. Understand that Redding recorded “Respect” in the male voice, but Franklin’s rendition made it almost a womanist text about emotional and sensual equality in relationships long past the wedding and the ring.

Another view of the recovery efforts in Lake Monona after Otis Redding’s plane crashed (Courtesy: Angelfire.com)

From Alan Walden’s website:

Otis always took pride in not missing an engagement. In December of 1967 he was advised not to fly from Cleveland, Ohio to Madison, Wisconsin because of bad weather. He didn’t want to disappoint his fans and took off anyway leaving with the words, “Gotta make that dollar.” His plane crashed upon approach to the airport (what is now Dane County Regional Airport) and all were killed but Ben Cauley. The plane crashed into a bay. Ben was the only one in the plane that could not swim and also did not have his seat belt on. Had he stayed in the icy water a few minutes longer he would have frozen to death.

The plaque at Monona Terrace commemorating Redding’s death (Courtesy: SurroundedByReality.com)

Walden was wrong.   The plane crashed into the icy, partly-frozen Lake Monona. And Otis, thinking of his Madison fans instead of his own safety, was found still strapped in the co-pilot’s chair.

The lyrics, as sung by Redding (understand that at times, some singers insert their own interpretations of the words into their versions):

Merry Christmas baby
Sure do treat me nice
Merry Christmas baby
Sure do treat me nice
Bought me a diamond ring for Christmas
I feel like I’m in paradise

I feel mighty fine, y’all
I’ve got music on my radio
Feel mighty fine, girl
I’ve got music on my radio, oh, oh, oh
I feel like I’m gonna kiss you
Standing beneath that mistletoe

Santa came down the chimney
Half past three, y’all
Left all them good ole presents
For my baby and for me, ha, ha, ha

Merry Christmas baby
Sure do treat me nice
You bought me all those good ole presents
I love you baby rest of my life

Merry Christmas, girl
Merry, merry, merry Christmas baby
Sure do treat me nice
Merry Christmas baby
I said you sure do treat me nice
You bought all those lovely things, yeah
I feel like I’m in paradise

I wish you a merry Christmas baby
Happy new year, ha
A merry Christmas, honey
Everything here is beautiful
I love you, baby
For everything that you give me
I love you, honey…

If he had lived, Otis Redding would have been 69 years old. To me, he–as well as Al Green–was the epitome of male soul: life-affirming and blues-exuberant even in sadness, and from a working man’s ethos and sweat and heart. Redding had his feet on the ground–and you can say in the soil–of black Southern music.

Love you, Otis. Merry Christmas, everyone.

Related articles

• Sheryl Crow Brings Soulful Version of ‘Merry Christmas Baby’ to ‘CMA Country Christmas’ 2013 (allowinglove.wordpress.com)
• Ten Christmas Songs You Won’t Hear on the Radio (jayjasinski10.wordpress.com)

~ by blksista on December 25, 2010.