"Child of Winter (Christmas Song)" | ||||
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Single by the Beach Boys | ||||
B-side | " Susie Cincinnati" | |||
Released | December 23, 1974 | |||
Recorded | November 18, 1974 | |||
Genre | Christmas | |||
Length | 2:50 | |||
Label | Brother/ Reprise (1321) | |||
Songwriter(s) | Brian Wilson, Steve Kalinich | |||
Producer(s) | Brian Wilson | |||
The Beach Boys singles chronology | ||||
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"Child of Winter (Christmas Song)" is a song by American rock band the Beach Boys that was released as a standalone single on December 23, 1974. Written by Brian Wilson and Stephen Kalinich, it was the only Beach Boys single issued between the albums Holland and 15 Big Ones. The B-side was " Susie Cincinnati".
In a 1997 interview, Kalinich said of the song,
Brian and I decided we wanted to do a children's song and we somehow combined " Here Comes Santa Claus" with Gene Autry; I came up with this lyric about a child of winter and Brian put music to it, and then we went in to Brother Studio and recorded it. ... We just wanted to do a Christmas album. I remember I wanted to release this, but the Beach Boys didn't think there were enough harmonies, and they kind of sabotaged a major release. [1]
An early version with Dennis Wilson on lead vocals and Carl Wilson singing the bridge is reported to exist. [2]
When released in other countries, the single featured the live version of " Good Vibrations" from The Beach Boys In Concert as a B-side.
"Child of Winter (Christmas Song)" was included on the band's 1998 compilation Ultimate Christmas.
Per Stephen Kalinich. [3]