Olivia Rodrigo’s new Christmas song echoes a 1981 hit, with permission
Songwriter Chris Butler says he was contacted for permission and praised the track, though he receives no writing credit.
Key points
- Olivia Rodrigo released her first Christmas song, Take Me Home (4 Christmas), on Thursday night
- The track echoes The Waitresses' 1981 festive hit Christmas Wrapping, as reported by BBC News
- Chris Butler, who wrote the Waitresses song, said Rodrigo asked for permission and praised the track
- Butler receives no writing credit because the song does not sample or interpolate his music
- The song competes with several new festive releases and with Wham's Last Christmas for the UK Christmas number one
Pop star Olivia Rodrigo has released her first Christmas song, along with a festive music video. According to BBC News, the track was released on Thursday night and features actor Cynthia Nixon, known for Sex and the City, in the video.
The song, called Take Me Home (4 Christmas), sees Rodrigo urging her boyfriend to show real commitment by taking her to meet his parents over the holidays. Fans quickly noticed that it resembles The Waitresses’ 1981 festive hit Christmas Wrapping. BBC News reports that the similarity was intentional.
Songwriter gave his approval
Butler, the writer behind The Waitresses track, shared a note on Facebook stating that Rodrigo had reached out asking for approval. He said he first thought the email was a hoax, because he had never heard of her before.
After looking into her career, Butler said he became a fan. He praised her choice to hire an all-female band and to keep control of her master recordings. He replied to her email and shared the exchange publicly, saying he liked her music and her lyrics.
Butler also said her song was great and could become a hit. He suggested it might even take the UK Christmas number one.
No writing credit for the original writer
Although the new song is clearly shaped by The Waitresses’ new wave and post-punk sound, Butler is not credited as a writer. BBC News reports that the track neither samples nor interpolates any of his music, which is why no credit was given.
Rodrigo said on social media that she wrote the song last summer with her close collaborator Dan Nigro and with Amy Allen. Allen has previously worked on songs by Harry Styles, Sabrina Carpenter and Tate McCrae.
A crowded race for the Christmas number one
Rodrigo’s release arrives in a busy week for festive music. Sam Fender has recorded a cover of a Rolling Stones classic for the John Lewis Christmas advertising campaign. CMAT has also teamed up with Elton John on a country-style version of his song Step Into Christmas.
Other new releases include Alanis Morissette’s album Good Weather for Immaculate Conception and a compilation of festive material from Sufjan Stevens called Worst Christmas Ever. Nile Rodgers and Rebecca Ferguson have covered The Christmas Song, though the pair faced criticism for using AI in the video for the track. Kate Nash has also released Christmas Eve.
All of these songs face strong competition from Wham’s Last Christmas and Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas Is You, which usually dominate the festive charts. BBC News reports that both songs were already in the UK’s Spotify top 10 by 1 November, a fortnight sooner than a year ago. Wham has taken the Christmas number one in 2023 and 2024, and may benefit in sales this year as fans mark ten years since George Michael’s death. Last year’s chart-topper was Kylie Minogue’s XMAS.
Frequently asked questions
What is Olivia Rodrigou0026#039;s new Christmas song?
The song is called Take Me Home (4 Christmas). It was released on Thursday night with a festive music video starring Cynthia Nixon, according to BBC News.
Does the song use The Waitressesu0026#039; music?
The song resembles The Waitressesu0026#039; 1981 hit Christmas Wrapping, and the similarity was intentional. However, BBC News reports that it neither samples nor interpolates the songwriteru0026#039;s music, so he receives no writing credit.
Did Chris Butler approve the song?
Yes. Butler said Rodrigo contacted him for permission and praised her writing and the song, according to a message he posted on Facebook.
Sources
This article was written with the help of AI from reports by the outlets listed above. See our Editorial Policy. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
