The Chimney Song

Album: Twisted Christmas (1987)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • In this truly twisted Christmas song, Santa doesn't come because he gets stuck in the chimney. Even worse, he can't get out, and after a while, the family detects a foul odor.

    Bob Rivers was a disc jockey at WAAF in Worcester, Massachusetts, when he started doing parody songs for his show. After recording "Twelve Pains Of Christmas" in 1986, Atlantic Records commissioned a full album, which became Twisted Christmas. The album was a huge hit, selling over 500,000 copies.
  • Rivers wrote this song with his collaborators Dennis Amero and Brian Silva, with Amero the biggest contributor to "The Chimney Song." Rivers explained in a Songfacts interview: "He had this offbeat idea: What if Santa Claus got stuck in the chimney and died there? And what if there's a little girl going, 'Something's wrong with our chimney.'"
  • The little girl who did the vocal on this song is the daughter of Joanne List, who was one of the singers Rivers used on his parodies.

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Kerry Livgren of Kansas

Kerry Livgren of KansasSongwriter Interviews

In this talk from the '80s, the Kansas frontman talks turning to God and writing "Dust In The Wind."

Linda Perry

Linda PerrySongwriter Interviews

Songwriting Hall of Famer Linda Perry talks about her songs "What's Up" and "Beautiful," her songwriting process, and her move into film music.

Dan Reed

Dan ReedSongwriter Interviews

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

Timothy B. Schmit

Timothy B. SchmitSongwriter Interviews

The longtime Eagle talks about soaring back to his solo career, and what he learned about songwriting in the group.

Brandi Carlile

Brandi CarlileSongwriter Interviews

As a 5-year-old, Brandi was writing lyrics to instrumental versions lullabies. She still puts her heart into her songs, including the one Elton John sings on.

80s Video Director Jay Dubin

80s Video Director Jay DubinSong Writing

Billy Joel and Hall & Oates hated making videos, so they chose a director with similar contempt for the medium. That was Jay Dubin, and he has a lot to say on the subject.