I Want to Come Home for Christmas

Annotation

As discussed above, Marvin Gaye, born in Washington D.C. (2 April 1939), helped shape the sound of the Detroit-based Motown Records in the 1960s, and thus he became one of the most influential soul singers of the era. In the early 1970s with the album What's Going On, which included the Vietnam War songs "What's Happening Brother" and "What's Going On", he worked on his own production, breaking away from the Motown team. It introduced the concept album to R&B, while it contained innovative music, using gospel, jazz, soul, and classical orchestration, as the songs flowed seamlessly together. Note that Gaye also released the Vietnam-related song Soldier's Plea (1962). In 1972 Marvin Gaye and Forest Hairston wrote the wonderful song "I Want to Come Home for Christmas". Originally intended for release as a single on Tamla Records # 54229, backed by the song "Christmas in the City", Motown cancelled it. The song only appeared on a handful of compilations, such as Christmas in the City. It is written from the point of view of a 'prisoner of war' (P.O.W.) - military classification for those held captive in Vietnam, also having the status of 'missing in action' (M.I.A.). The US government currently reports 1,608 people as P.O.W. or M.I.A. in Southeast Asia.1 This issue grew in importance in the early 1970s as peace negotiations took place between the US and North Vietnam in Paris. The narrator dreamed of Christmas back home: the "little Christmas tree...to see Santa Claus...to hear jingle bells". The P.O.W. knew that he would not make it home, but if people tried to "stop this fight" his spirits would be lifted, and therefore the song took an anti-war perspective. Sources1dpaa.mil: Vietnam War POW MIA List↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Annotation — P.O.W. / M.I.A. Songs

As discussed above, Marvin Gaye, born in Washington D.C. (2 April 1939), helped shape the sound of the Detroit-based Motown Records in the 1960s, and thus he became one of the most influential soul singers of the era. In the early 1970s with the album What's Going On, which included the Vietnam War songs "What's Happening Brother" and "What's Going On", he worked on his own production, breaking away from the Motown team. It introduced the concept album to R&B, while it contained innovative music, using gospel, jazz, soul, and classical orchestration, as the songs flowed seamlessly together. Note that Gaye also released the Vietnam-related song Soldier's Plea (1962). In 1972 Marvin Gaye and Forest Hairston wrote the wonderful song "I Want to Come Home for Christmas". Originally intended for release as a single on Tamla Records # 54229, backed by the song "Christmas in the City", Motown cancelled it. The song only appeared on a handful of compilations, such as Christmas in the City. It is written from the point of view of a 'prisoner of war' (P.O.W.) - military classification for those held captive in Vietnam, also having the status of 'missing in action' (M.I.A.). The US government currently reports 1,608 people as P.O.W. or M.I.A. in Southeast Asia.1 This issue grew in importance in the early 1970s as peace negotiations took place between the US and North Vietnam in Paris. The narrator dreamed of Christmas back home: the "little Christmas tree...to see Santa Claus...to hear jingle bells". The P.O.W. knew that he would not make it home, but if people tried to "stop this fight" his spirits would be lifted, and therefore the song took an anti-war perspective.Sources1dpaa.mil: Vietnam War POW MIA List↩

Annotation by Justin A. Brummer

Lyrics

English: I'd give anything to see a little Christmas tree / And to hear the laughter of children playing in the snow / To kiss my baby under the mistletoe / But I can't promise... / Unless they stop the fight / Cause I'm a prison of war / Lying here with myself / Hoping my family is well / Wish the wouldn't so much... / Just try to get us home in time for the Christmas tree... / I want to see Santa Claus, I want to hear jingle bells... / If I can't make it home in time I know you'll be keeping my spirit bright... / By trying to stop this fight

About the artist

Born 2 April 1939, Washington, DC, USA. Died 1 April 1984, Los Angeles, California, USA

Themes

Christmas · P.O.W. · Soldier's Perspective · Anti-War

In collections

Christmas Songs · P.O.W. / M.I.A. Songs · Peace, Protest, & Anti-War Songs [War Years] · Soul, Gospel, & Funk Songs