The Cowboys' Christmas Ball

Album: (RED) Christmas EP (2011)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Las Vegas Rock band The Killers are recognized for their work with the Product Red campaign, an international charity dedicated to raising funds and awareness for HIV and AIDS. In 2006 they released their first Christmas themed song and music video, "A Great Big Sled," in aid of the charity. Their festive tunes have subsequently became an annual event and this is their sixth successive release intended to raise money for the Product Red campaign. The track was released as a digital download on December 1, 2011.
  • Speaking about the inspiration for the track, drummer Ronnie Vannucci told NME their original source was William Lawrence Chittenden's 1890 poem of the same name. "Brandon (Flowers) had a book of cowboy poetry and we took one of those and put music to it," he explained. "It's got this 1800s parlance, Western style. It's pretty upbeat and very down-home sounding - and overall pretty cool."
  • Back in 1991 Michael Martin Murphey adapted the same poem for a track on his festive album, Cowboy Christmas: Cowboy Songs II. (Some you might recall Murphey's 1972 top 40 hit, "Geronimo's Cadillac.")

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Graduation Songs

Graduation SongsFact or Fiction

Have you got the smarts to know which of these graduation song stories are real?

Gary Brooker of Procol Harum

Gary Brooker of Procol HarumSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer and pianist for Procol Harum, Gary talks about finding the musical ideas to match the words.

Director Nick Morris ("The Final Countdown")

Director Nick Morris ("The Final Countdown")Song Writing

Nick made some of the biggest videos on MTV, including "The Final Countdown," "Heaven" and "Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)."

Dan Reed

Dan ReedSongwriter Interviews

Dan cracked the Top 40 with "Ritual," then went to India and spent 2 hours with the Dalai Lama.

Julian Lennon

Julian LennonSongwriter Interviews

Julian tells the stories behind his hits "Valotte" and "Too Late for Goodbyes," and fills us in on his many non-musical pursuits. Also: what MTV meant to his career.

Matt Sorum

Matt SorumSongwriter Interviews

When he joined Guns N' Roses in 1990, Matt helped them craft an orchestral sound; his mezzo fortes and pianissimos are all over "November Rain."