Gus Stewart/Redferns
Gus Stewart/RedfernsJust call him Slowhand Santa: Eric Clapton is set to release Christmas album.
Billboard reports Happy Xmas will arrive October 12, and will feature classic holiday songs as reworked by the legendary guitarist.
Happy Xmas will also contain an original Clapton Christmas tune called “For Love On Christmas Day.”
Clapton tells Billboard, “I had in my head that these holiday songs could be done with a slight blues tinge, and I started to figure out how to play the blues lines in between the vocals.”
He reveals that, once he nailed the guitar parts, “one of the most identifiable songs on the album, the one that became the foundational style, is ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.'”
One of the songs, Clapton’s take on “Jingle Bells,” is dedicated to the memory of the late superstar deejay Avicii, who died earlier this year. According to Billboard, Clapton was a great admirer of his.
Happy Xmas‘ cover features a color illustration of Santa Claus, drawn by Eric himself.
Preorders are being taken now for a $60 deluxe edition boxed set, which includes the CD, a 7-inch picture flexi-vinyl, a USB copy of the album that doubles as a Santa-shaped Christmas ornament, and a dog-shaped Christmas ornament. You can check out the deluxe edition at SurfDog.com
Happy Xmas track listing:
1. “White Christmas”
2. “Away In A Manger (Once In Royal David’s City)”
3. “For Love On Christmas Day”
4. “Everyday Will Be Like A Holiday”
5. “Christmas Tears”
6. “Home For The Holidays”
7. “Jingle Bells (In Memory Of Avicii)”
8. “Christmas In My Hometown”
9. “It’s Christmas”
10. “Sentimental Moments”
11. “Lonesome Christmas”
12. “Silent Night”
13. “Merry Christmas Baby”
14. “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”
Copyright © 2018, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.