Pistol Annies keep things merry and light on the title track of its first Christmas album, Hell of a Holiday (out Oct. 22). It's from Miranda Lambert, Angaleena Presley and Ashley Monroe's fourth long player together, following Hell on Heels (2011), Annie Up (2013) and Interstate Gospel (2018).
Videos by Wide Open Country
Lyrics co-written by the trio poke fun at how Christmas decorations and holiday music take over proper society before we even get a chance to take in Halloween or Thanksgiving.
"The whole world is decorating and it's only Nov. 1 / They're carving the pumpkins, they're hanging the lights / They're stuffing the turkey, they're pouring the wine / Already singing 'Auld Lang Syne' / It's a hell of a holiday," goes the latest example of the group's tight harmonies and clever wordplay.
"'Hell of a Holiday' is a song about how they all come rushing in at once. It's like, summer's over and you go to a grocery store or a Target somewhere and it's like, Halloween candy and all the cornucopias and pumpkins, and then all the Christmas decorations and stockings," Lambert shared (as quoted by The Boot). "Like, what's happening? I feel like Thanksgiving just doesn't get a fair share, so we wrote that song about that debacle."
Read More: Mandy Barnett Invited to Become Member of the Grand Ole Opry
The rest of the tracklist mixes classic country covers (Merle Haggard's "If We Make It Through December"), holiday standards ("Auld Lang Syne") and originals (infectiously fun clap-along "Snow Globe," which hit streaming services on Oct. 1) with cover art that's reminiscent (intentional or not) of God Bless the Go-Go's.
Frank Liddell and Eric Masse co-produced the 13-song collection.
A music video for "Snow Globe" followed on Dec. 13. It's a no frills (yet plenty of sequins) live performance of one of the trio's best holiday originals.
An unlikely source spoiled the Pistol Annies return (and, based on the group's outfits in the accompanying photo, the "Snow Globe" video). Columbia, Tenn. Mayor Chaz Molder posted on social media that the trio spent Sept. 27 in town working on a music video.
"Seeing them shoot music video in our town, on the same stage (@The_Mulehouse) where I had pre-school performances as a kid, was a moment I'll never forget," Molder wrote.
Today, I was honored to welcome to @ColumbiaTNUSA @mirandalambert & the @PistolAnnies incl @ashleymonroe & @guitarleena.
Seeing them shoot music video in our town, on the same stage (@The_Mulehouse) where I had pre-school performances as a kid, was a moment I?ll never forget. pic.twitter.com/Vl700Xvp1V
— Chaz Molder (@chazmolder) September 27, 2021
The album's arrival is the latest sign that we're inching closer to the holiday season. Other fresh Christmas tunes can be heard on 2021 releases by the likes of Brett Young, Kelly Clarkson, Josh Turner and Steve Wariner.
Hell of a Holiday Tracklist
1. "Hell of a Holiday" (Miranda Lambert/Ashley Monroe/Angaleena Presley)
2. "Snow Globe" (Miranda Lambert/Ashley Monroe/Angaleena Presley)
3. "Harlan County Coal" (Miranda Lambert/Ashley Monroe/Angaleena Presley)
4. "Come On Christmas Time" (Miranda Lambert/Ashley Monroe/Angaleena Presley)
5. "If We Make it Through December" (Merle Haggard)
6. "Make You Blue" (Miranda Lambert/Ashley Monroe/Angaleena Presley)
7. "Leanin' on Jesus" (Miranda Lambert/Ashley Monroe/Angaleena Presley)
8. "The Only Thing I Wanted" (Miranda Lambert/Ashley Monroe/Angaleena Presley)
9. "Believing" (Miranda Lambert/Ashley Monroe/Angaleena Presley)
10. "Happy Birthday" (Miranda Lambert/Ashley Monroe/Angaleena Presley)
11. "Sleigh Ride" (Leroy Anderson/Mitchell Parish)
12. "Joy" (Miranda Lambert/Ashley Monroe/Angaleena Presley)
13. "Auld Lang Syne" (Public Domain/Miranda Lambert/Ashley Monroe/Angaleena Presley)
