Christmas Time (Bryan Adams song)

"Christmas Time" is a song by Canadian rock singer-songwriter Bryan Adams. It was written by Adams and Jim Vallance[1] and became Adams' most popular Christmas song. It was originally released on clear, green vinyl with a picture sleeve. It was written and recorded in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. No music video was shot for the song when it was originally released, but on December 10, 2019, Adams released a video for the song on YouTube.[2] Over thirty years after it was first recorded, the song still receives significant radio airplay each year during the Christmas season. It features prominently in the 2022 action comedy film Violent Night.

"Christmas Time"
Single by Bryan Adams
B-side"Reggae Christmas"
ReleasedLate 1985
Recorded1985
GenreRock
Length4.10
LabelA&M
Songwriter(s)Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance
Producer(s)Bob Clearmountain, Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance
Bryan Adams singles chronology
"Diana"
(1985)		 "Christmas Time"
(1985)		 "Heat of the Night"
(1987)

The B-side is "Reggae Christmas", written by Jim Vallance in 1978 after a chance meeting with Ringo Starr. Although Starr never recorded it, Adams went on to do his version in 1984, adding a new bridge section. It was first released as a fanclub-only single on colored vinyl in December 1984, with a Christmas message by Adams and his band on the B-side (entitled "Plum Pudding"). Subsequently, "Reggae Christmas" ended up as the B-side to all pressings of "Christmas Time", from 1985 onwards. There was a live video made by MTV for its "Reggae Christmas", featuring a guest appearance by Pee-wee Herman.

Track list

A-side
  • "Christmas Time"

B-side
  • "Reggae Christmas"

Albums

Despite being listed as a bonus track to the 1983 album Cuts Like a Knife on the Bryan Adams website,[3] there is no official version of the album with "Christmas Time" on it. The song, along with its B-side "Reggae Christmas", appears on Bryan Adams' 2019 EP Christmas.

The song is also available on these compilation albums:

  • The Christmas Hit Collection (Arcade, 1989)
  • The Best of Rock Christmas (Polystar, 1995)
  • A Musical Christmas from The Vatican DVD (2002)
  • The Very Best of Rock Christmas (Polystar, 2005)
  • A Canadian Christmas (2005)
  • Christmas #1 Hits (2006)
  • Now Christmas 3 (Warner Music Canada, 2008)
  • On Christmas Night (2016)

Personnel

Chart positions
Chart (1985–86) Peak
position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[4] 64
Canada Top Singles (RPM) 39
Germany (Official German Charts)[5] 67
Ireland (IRMA) 26
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[6] 33
Norway (VG-lista)[7] 2
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[8] 19
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[9] 18
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company) 55
US Billboard Top Tracks[10] 31
Chart (2009) Peak
position
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[8] 50
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[9] 91
Chart (2016–2022) Peak
position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[11] 17
Canada Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[12] 43
Germany (Official German Charts)[13] 14
Poland (Polish Airplay Top 100)[14] 18
Slovakia (Rádio Top 100)[15] 31

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[16] Platinum 100,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[17] Gold 45,000‡
Germany (BVMI)[18] Gold 250,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)[19] Gold 50,000[19]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. "Christmas Time page on Bryan Adams' web site".
  2. Bryan Adams - Christmas Time (Official Video), archived from the original on 2021-12-20, retrieved 2019-12-12
  3. "Cuts Like A Knife page on Bryan Adams' web site".
  4. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  5. "Bryan Adams – Christmas Time" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved October 11, 2018.
  6. "Bryan Adams – Christmas Time / Reggae Christmas" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  7. "Bryan Adams – Christmas Time". VG-lista.
  8. "Bryan Adams – Christmas Time". Singles Top 100.
  9. "Bryan Adams – Christmas Time". Swiss Singles Chart.
  10. "Artist Chart History (singles) - Bryan Adams". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-10-19.
  11. "Bryan Adams – Christmas Time" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved January 2, 2020.
  12. "Bryan Adams Chart History (Canadian Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
  13. "Bryan Adams – Christmas Time" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved December 30, 2020.
  14. "Listy bestsellerów, wyróżnienia :: Związek Producentów Audio-Video". Polish Airplay Top 100. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  15. "ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 202250 into search. Retrieved December 19, 2022.
  16. "Canadian single certifications – Bryan Adams – Christmas Time". Music Canada.
  17. "Danish single certifications – Bryan Adams – Christmas Time". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
  18. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Bryan Adams; 'Christmas Time')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved June 20, 2023.
  19. "Gold & Platinum Awards 1986" (PDF). Music and Media. 27 December 1986. p. 34. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
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