Burning The Ground Exclusive 1983
NEW 2023 Transfer!
NEW Meticulous Audio Restoration!
Originally posted December 19, 2013
“Christmas Wrapping” is a Christmas song by the American new wave band The Waitresses. First released on ZE Records’ 1981 compilation album A Christmas Record, it later appeared on the band’s 1982 EP I Could Rule the World If I Could Only Get the Parts and numerous other holiday compilation albums. It was written and produced by Chris Butler, with vocals by Patty Donahue. The song received positive reviews; AllMusic described it as “one of the best holiday pop tunes ever recorded”.
In 1981, ZE Records asked each of its artists to record a Christmas song for a compilation album, A Christmas Record. The Waitresses were in the middle of a difficult tour and the Christmas song commission was “the last thing we wanted”, Butler said later.
Butler wrote the song that August, assembling it from assorted unused riffs. He finished the lyrics in a taxi on the way to the recording studio, Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village. Butler said the lyrics came from his hatred of Christmas: “Everybody I knew in New York was running around like a bunch of fiends. It wasn’t about joy. It was something to cope with.” The bassist, Tracy Wormworth, was inspired by Bernard Edwards’ bassline on the recently released “Good Times” by Chic.
Written while hip hop music was beginning to gain prominence, “Christmas Wrapping” is “almost rapped” by Donahue. Its title, a pun on “rapping”, alludes to the 1979 song “Christmas Rappin'” by Kurtis Blow. Butler said he also “liked the idea of the word ‘wrap,’ like a wraparound, because the story is circular”.
“Christmas Wrapping” is told from the perspective of an unpartnered woman, who was determined not to participate in the exhausting holiday season after a year that was so busy, she has been unable to go on a date with an appealing gentleman she met months ago. Preparing to dine alone on Christmas Eve, she runs into the fellow in a grocery store, bringing “the year to a very happy ending”.
“Christmas Wrapping” was released as a single in the UK in 1981 on Island Records. It did not initially make the charts, but was reissued in 1982 and reached No. 45 on the UK Singles Chart that December. It remains the Waitresses’ highest-charting single in the UK.
Butler said the reception was a rejuvenating gift for the band: “We do the Christmas song, forget about it and go back on the road. The next thing I know when calling back to New York is that it’s all over the radio and much to our surprise it leaps over our heads and hits all the cities where we’re heading and all of a sudden we’re back on an upswing again.”
** The 7″ Single Version has not appeared on CD as far as I know most compilations use the longer version. 7″ Single Version was taken from the UK 7″ single.
SIDE A:
Christmas Wrapping (Long Version) 5:23
Arranged By – Mars Williams
Bass – Tracy Wormworth
Drums – Billy Ficca
Engineer – Mike Firondelli*
Guitar – Chris Butler
Trumpet – Dave Buck
Vocals – Patty Donahue, Tracy Wormworth
SIDE B:
Hangover 1/1/83 4:29
Engineer – Mark Mandlebaum*, Rick Dailey
Guitar – Rick Dailey
Reeds – Mars Williams
BONUS WRAPPING:
Christmas Wrapping (7″ Single Version) 3:52
Arranged By – Mars Williams
Bass – Tracy Wormworth
Drums – Billy Ficca
Engineer – Mike Firondelli*
Guitar – Chris Butler
Trumpet – Dave Buck
Vocals – Patty Donahue, Tracy Wormworth
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: ZE Records – 12WIP 6821
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Single
Country: UK
Released: 1983
Genre: Rock, Pop
Style: New wave
CREDITS:
Producer – Chris Butler
NOTES:
Long Version from the LP “A CHRISTMAS RECORD”
Buy the 12″ at DISCOGS
VINYL TRANSFER & AUDIO RESTORATION:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net
THE GEAR:
Turntable: Technics SL-1200MK7
Cartridge/Stylus: Ortofon 2M Black PnP MkII
Turntable Isolation Platform: ISO-Tone™ Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro Spin Acrylic Mat
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp: Pro-Jec Tube Box DS2
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DAC: Alpha Design Labs GT40a USB DAC
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Artwork Scans: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner
SOFTWARE:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling/Dither: iZotope RX Advanced 2
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator
RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi
**24bit FLAC Only Available For Seven Days!
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Thank you!!! I had your previous 7″ rip but I’m excited to upgrade. I spent years trying to find this edit on CD and was so happy to find this on your site a few years ago. Happy holidays/Merry Christmas!
R.I.P. Patty Donahue. She passed away too young. Thanks for posting the elusive 7″ version as a bonus, Paul! Ze Records was one of the most “eclectic” labels of the late ’70s and early ’80s. They gave us the #2 dance hit “Deputy Of Love” in 1979 by Don Armando’s 2nd Street Rhumba band (or however it was billed). Their roster is worth checking out as many of their acts and producers went on to bigger success.
Surprised this single didn’t chart higher in the UK. It still gets played quite alot on UK radio at this time of year.
Thanks Paul for this release in superb quality, as always.
You’re welcome, Marco 🙂
It’s not Christmas without Christmas Wrapping! Both a holiday standard and a New Wave classic, this definitely takes me back to a time and place. I’ll echo what so many others have mentioned, so nice to have the 7″ version in the best “Paulity!” Thanks for your meticulous new transfer!!
You’re welcome, Retro Hound. This one is Christmas gold for me. Happy Christmas 🙂
OMG !!!! This is my wife’s favorite Christmas song, so she will love me being able to play this digitally. I have the album, but have never heard the 7″ or the Hangover B-Side …. wow! Thanks a ton!
You’re welcome, Grant 🙂
Thanks so much for the new transfer.
A remastered version of the single was released digtally a few years ago with a very odd edit. The single version has a runtime of 4:33. It includes almost the entire intro (minus two bars) and fades out just before the horns kick in. The sound quality is atrocious. The dynamics were compressed so much it almost hurts the ears.
As always, your version is a treat!
Thank you, daver 🙂
I have never heard this song sound so good.The versions that Ze put on Spotify (and presumably other digital platforms) a few years back sound like garbage in comparison. Definitely one of my favorites. Thanks for this.
Thank you, Joe appreciate your comment. Happy Christmas 🙂
This song really defines to me what a classic record this is! I’ve loved this tune ever since its release all those years ago. I remember when a person from my High School blasted the record out from an impressive, awesome sounding boombox in our school’s cafeteria. Man, that sax is incredible. Talk about great hooks – instrumental and vocal!! So happy you’ve given us this bonus edit, Paul too. I am very happy that this song isn’t as overplayed as some Christmas songs are. I can still get excited when I hear it. Paul, thanks for these musical Christmas… Read more »
This may be blasphemous but I like this song better than “Last Christmas” it just has so much more meat and dynamics to it. Don’t get me wrong I still love “Last Christmas” but I just like “Christmas Wrapping” better 🙂
Thanks for the nice post, Paul! There is also a 4:17 version from the 3-cd set NOW That’s What I Call Christmas but I don’t know where it came from. This 4:17 version is what I’ve hear on all the radio stations and has a different opening than the Long and 7″ Edit. Have a great day!
You’re welcome, Fred.
I’ve only ever heard this song a few times and always assumed it was Debbie Harry, but now I can’t unhear “I Know What Boys Like” … so glaringly obvious! THANK YOU for another amazing share!
You’re welcome, Martika 🙂
Classic!! Happy Holidays!
Happy Holidays, Raymond 🙂
Thanks DJPaul! I only have the 7″. A few extra minutes of great music on the 12″. Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas!