Sugarland – “Nuttin’ For Christmas”

Ben Cisneros | December 22nd, 2008 Email Share

Sugarland - Nuttin For Christmas Songwriters: Sid Tepper and Roy C. Bennett.

When covering Christmas songs, artists have something like three options: They can do something bland and boring but inoffensive; they can choose to put in the artistic work necessary and cut something that rivals the standard recording, or even becomes a new standard itself; or they can release a version that generically sounds like one of their own tunes.

Sugarland went the third way.

Jennifer Nettles is a distinct enough singer who, despite constantly sounding like she’s trying to be cute by wrinkling her noise, accomplishes what she’s aiming for here, and Sugarland’s faux-country acoustic hoedown pop sound works in context as well.

Of course the context here is Sugarland being Sugarland and leading a frivolous sing-a-long. So, hooray?

“Nuttin’ for Christmas” is definitely a cutesy song, no doubt about that, and to be honest I was disappointed that Nettles didn’t have more fun with this. Playful is kind of her thing, and here is a perfect song on which to be all the goofy she can be.

But instead, the duo altered the song’s melody, and Nettles ends up giving an entirely forgettable performance. It is a straightforward, serious attempt at a song with lyrics like, “I spilled some ink on mama’s rug/I made Ronnie eat a bug/Bought some gum with a penny slug/Somebody snitched on me.

Ironically, the one time I’d be completely happy to hear Sugarland be fun-loving in an over the top and ridiculous way, they lock it up and try to play “Nuttin’ for Christmas” like an up-tempo, old time bluegrass hymn. Lame.

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Listen: Sugarland – “Nuttin’ For Christmas”

  1. Brady Vercher
    December 22, 2008 at 9:12 am Permalink

    Spot-on review, Ben. This is pretty lame.

  2. Kim
    December 22, 2008 at 9:18 am Permalink

    Aww, I love this song. I’ve heard it a few times and it puts a smile on my face every time.

  3. Baron Lane
    December 22, 2008 at 9:43 am Permalink

    It’s a drag that something that takes real sentiment and authenticity like a Christmas song can quickly uncover a lake of sincerity that for some reason they can mull over in a country song. Seems there’s a lot of overlap between country and Christmas songs as far as the listeners demands but for some reason, maybe because of its tie with a short period (late November to early January)of time and lack of complete overexposure, Christmas songs can still uncover an emotional fraud. It’s also a drag because Sugarland is one of the few Nash Vegas bands I can stomach.

  4. Rick
    December 22, 2008 at 10:46 am Permalink

    They should have inserted a “Ho,Ho,Ho,Ho,Ho” chorus as such silliness has worked well for them in the past…

  5. J.R. Journey
    December 22, 2008 at 11:51 am Permalink

    The link to the song is not working for me … and yes, I have RealPlayer.

  6. Roxy
    December 29, 2008 at 1:50 pm Permalink

    This is one of my childhood favorite Christmas songs and I would have lOVED to see Nettles do something fun with it! Don’t pick this song if you ain’t going to have fun with it right?

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