We Need a Little Christmas

This article is about the song. For other uses, see We Need a Little Christmas (disambiguation).

"We Need a Little Christmas" is a popular Christmas song originating from Jerry Herman's Broadway musical Mame, and first performed by Angela Lansbury in that 1966 production.^[1]

In the musical, the song is performed after Mame has lost her fortune in the Wall Street crash of 1929, and decides that she, her young nephew Patrick, and her two household servants "need a little Christmas now" to cheer them up.^[2]

Notable recordings

• Percy Faith with His Orchestra and Chorus (1966) (Christmas Is... Percy Faith)^[3]
• The New Christy Minstrels (1966) (Christmas with the Christies)
• Skitch Henderson & The Tonight Show Orchestra (1966) (Broadway Tonight! Skitch Henderson & The Tonight Show Orchestra Play Music From "Mame")^[4]
• Johnny Mathis (1986) (Christmas Eve with Johnny Mathis)^[5]
• The Muppets (1987) (A Muppet Family Christmas)^[6]
• Bugs Bunny & Friends with Daffy Duck (1994) (Have Yourself a Looney Tunes Christmas)^[7]
• Andy Williams (1995) (We Need a Little Christmas)^[8]
• Mormon Tabernacle Choir with Angela Lansbury (2001)^[9] (later appeared on the choir's 2006 album, The Wonder of Christmas)
• Andrea McArdle (2006) (Andrea McArdle's Family Christmas)^[10][11]
• Legacy Five (2007) (Little Christmas)^[12]
• Kimberly Locke (2007) (Christmas)^[13]
• Glee Cast (2010) (Glee: The Music, The Christmas Album and episode A Very Glee Christmas)^[14]
• Ages and Ages (2012) (Holidays Rule)^[15]
• Idina Menzel (2019) (Christmas: A Season of Love)^[16]
• Pentatonix (2020) (We Need a Little Christmas)^[17]
• Kelly Rowland (2020) (We Need a Little Christmas)^[18]

Charts

Kimberley Locke version

Chart (2008)	Peak position
US Adult Contemporary	19

Glee Cast version

Chart (2010–11)	Peak position
Canada AC (Billboard)[19]	15
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[20]	15
US Holiday Digital Songs (Billboard)[21]	16

Pentatonix version

Chart (2020)	Peak position
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[22]	14

References

1. Crump, William D. (15 September 2001). The Christmas Encyclopedia, 3d ed. McFarland. p. 436. ISBN 978-1-4766-0573-9.
2. Collins, Ace (2010). Stories Behind the Greatest Hits of Christmas. Zondervan. p. 183. ISBN 978-0-310-32795-0.
3. "Percy Faith & His Orchestra – Christmas Is... Percy Faith Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
4. "Skitch Henderson & The Tonight Show Orchestra – Broadway Tonight! Skitch Henderson & The Tonight Show Orchestra Play Music From "Mame"". Discogs. 30 May 1966. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
5. "Johnny Mathis – Christmas Eve with Johnny Mathis Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
6. The Muppets. "A Muppet Family Christmas". The Jim Henson Company/Disney. 1987.
7. "Bugs Bunny & Friends, Looney Tunes – Have Yourself a Looney Tunes Christmas Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
8. "Andy Williams – We Need a Little Christmas Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
9. "We Need a Little Christmas, with Angela Lansbury". Thetabernaclechoir.org. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
10. "Andrea McArdle's Family Christmas". Amazon. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
11. "Andrea McArdle – We Need A Little Christmas Now". Retrieved 30 May 2023 – via YouTube.
12. "Legacy Five – Little Christmas Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
13. "Kimberley Locke, Kimberly Locke – Christmas Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
14. "Glee – Glee: The Music – The Christmas Album Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
15. "Various Artists – Holidays Rule Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
16. "Idina Menzel – Christmas: A Season of Love Album Reviews, Songs & More". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
17. "PENTATONIX RELEASE NEW HOLIDAY ALBUM, WE NEED A LITTLE CHRISTMAS, TODAY! – Sony Music Canada". Sonymusic.ca. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
18. "New Song: Kelly Rowland – 'We Need a Little Christmas' ['Merry Liddle Christmas Wedding' Soundtrack]". thatgrapejuice.net. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
19. "Glee Cast Chart History (Canada AC)". Billboard. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
20. "Glee Cast Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
21. "Glee Cast Chart History (Holiday Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
22. "Pentatonix Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved December 22, 2020.