Patty Smyth – “The Christmas Song” (audio) (premiere)

Best known for helping define American new wave music with the band Scandal, Patty Smyth has returned with her first new album since 1999, in the form of the Christmas record Come on December, made with fellow longtime Scandal bandmate Keith Mack. Not only is it a timely release for the holiday season, but it benefits the Headstrong Project, a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide cost-free, stigma-free, and bureaucracy-free mental healthcare to post-9/11, and Iraq and Afghanistan combat veterans.

Her special version of the staple “The Christmas Song” can be heard below.

“When I was a kid Nate King Cole sang it on TV and it really moved me,” she tells PopMatters. “It’s a beautiful song that you can slip on like a slip. The vibe is low-key and filled with strong emotion. Keith and I found a great place together. I loved making this record with my old friend.”