Elton John, Ed Sheeran Release “Merry Christmas”

Ed Sheeran and Sir Elton John have released their first holiday single “Merry Christmas,” one of three seasonal songs the duo wrote together.

Complete with sleigh bells, a flying snowman, a mariachi singer, a disco-driven drummer, and more in their band of characters in the video, “Merry Christmas” captures the familiar festivities of kissing under the mistletoe and gathering around the tree, while honoring those who have gone in the past year.

So kiss me under the mistletoe
Pour out the wine, let’s toast and pray for December snow
I know there’s been pain this year, but it’s time to let it go
Next year, you never know
But for now, Merry Christmas, we’ll
Dance in the kitchen while embers glow
We’ve both known love, but this love we got is the bеst of all
I wish you could see it through my eyes, then you would know
My God, you look bеautiful

John, whose 1973 hit “Step Into Christmas,” co-written with Bernie Taupin, initially peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Christmas Singles chart, and continues to re-emerge and climb the U.K. charts each holiday season, initially pitched the idea to collaborate on a holiday song to Sheeran in 2020.

“He was so buzzed that ‘Step Into Christmas’ gets a higher position each year,” said Sheeran during a recent interview on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. “So he’s like, ‘I want to do another Christmas song, do you want to do one with me?’”

Initially, Sheeran wasn’t too keen on the idea of working on a holiday song but obliged, and the pair ended up writing two additional seasonal songs.

“I’ve always been against it,” he said. “Not that I don’t like Christmas. I love Christmas, but in terms of doing a Christmas song, you need to chuck the kitchen sink at it.”